How To Make Your Local Business Benefit From Pokémon GO
Pokémon GO has been a worldwide trend. This infamous AR (Augmented Reality) game for smartphones has been downloaded at least 15 million times in just a few days. It certainly performed better than Instagram or Twitter. While this article was made, Niantic (the game developer) released the game officially in 27 countries. If you are not in the listed countries, you can still download it from several websites on the internet.
As a part of online marketing that follows the trends, we tried to get into the game to learn more about this. We found out that the technology of mapping software in Pokémon GO has been very helpful for some local businesses. Shops, restaurants, or any kind of business that relied on people coming in and out, have a chance to get business exposure and foot traffic from Pokémon GO.
Although we cannot predict when this hype is going to stop, we all know this is a big chance for local businesses to promote their existence in town.
How to do it? What is the first step? No worries, we have summarized important parts for you to follow.
1. Download the game and search for your location
Pokémon GO implemented a mapping system. Your business place may have been mapped where virtual creatures gather or close by. What you can do is set up a physical sign and think about special offers you might be willing to offer for Pokémon players. What businesses are currently doing is setting up a charger station, because Pokémon Go drains the batteries quiet fast. If the game is not available in your country yet, you can download the game from here http://goo.gl/bVlcFg.
2. Buy some Pokécoins and drop the lures
Pokémon Go has its currency and you will have to use real cash to buy lures. Current pricing per Lure Module is 100 Pokecoins. Each lure lasts for 30 minutes. At current virtual exchange rates, you can buy 100 Pokécoins for $0.99. For $99.00, you can get 14500 Pokecoins. This is a good investment that will allow you to open your lure for 72.5 hours, using the 8-pack lure.
Most retailers are open only eight hours a day, so your $99.00 investment will hold your lure for about 9 days. You can turn the lure off on Sundays or other days when you are closed.
3. Prepare to become a sponsor
Pokémon GO’s popularity has already added billions to Nintendo Company’s market capitalization. We will also see incredible potential for Pokémon Go to generate even more revenue through advertising. Through strategic partnerships, Niantic could add more revenue in any number of ways. They could charge businesses a fee to become a branded PokéStop or Gym.
The advertising potential is strong. The Chief executive of Niantic confirmed with the Financial Times that sponsored locations are coming soon to Pokémon Go, and Gizmodo reported that Niantic is working on a branded relationship with McDonald’s. Prepare for this opportunity.
Those are basic steps for you to cover, but here are some ideas or strategies that you could use to bring people to your place.
1. Host a lure party
An item that can be placed on PokéStops is called a “lure module”. Once opened, the lure module will attract Pokémon (and more important, players) to that location. You can buy a package of lure modules and do the advertising such as “Pokémon Go Lure Party”.
If your business is on or close to a PokéStop, hold a lure party this could be a great way to bring players to your place of business. One lure is active for 30 minutes. Activating a lure party with special deals could be a good way to bring in some extra income for your business.
2. Pokémon Gym tournaments
If your business is closer to a Pokémon Gym than a PokéStop, there is another way you can attract players to come to your business place. Advertise that you will be hosting a tournament in advance and perhaps offering discounts to gym battle winners. Later on the tournament day, players who successfully become gym leaders will be entitled to that discount. To hold the Pokémon Gym, teams need multiple members to defend it. So while you are giving discounts to the gym leaders, their teammates will be there as well, and most likely they become full-paying customers.
3. Host a hunting party
Hosting a communitywide Pokémon Go hunting party that starts and ends at your business’s doorstep is another good strategy.
All you have to do is to advertise the date and time, wait for players to gather, and then depart together wandering around your neighbourhood. Your staff could even join the hunters in branded shirts to make sure your business is seen through the entire event. After that, invite the hunters back to your place for some talks and to compare their results. This is an especially effective tactic for restaurants.
4. Promote with social media
You could also use Pokémon Go to increase your presence on social media. Offer customers some rewards for taking a screenshot of a Pokémon in your business place and then posting it on social media with a tag to your business. It might spread your brand online. It also shows other players how many rare Pokémon are spawned around your place and might be attracted them to the place.
You can also promote your local business with special discounts for players with certain levels. For example, you put a banner on your social pages and tell people that you give a 10% discount in your shop for players whose Pokémon levels are above 20.
5. Sell or decorate with Pokémon merchandise
After you managed to attract Pokémon players to your place, you can combine the designs of Pokémon products with your products or sell some merchandise Pokémon as well. There is always a chance that Pokémon players will buy something off the merchandise considering the trend is still high on the market. You could start now to find the merchandise in your area or you could try online shopping like this site http://goo.gl/b1ROR5.
