Use Pokemon Go to Promote Your Business

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Businesses Can Win By Reaching Out to Players

Pokemon GO seems to be taking the country by storm. And it has become a worldwide sensation, all in only the last four weeks. In daily use its activity even rivals Twitter. (Learn more about Pokemon Go here.)

It is likewise becoming popular here in Lancaster County. How popular?  We added a Map of Lancaster County Pokemon locations to our website two weeks ago. In the last 14 days this map has been viewed over 4,000 times. (Sorry, but this map is no longer available.)

Marketers Try to Capitalize on This Craze

It’s not just players who are enjoying this game. Another group that also seems to be enjoying Pokemon GO are small business marketers. Many marketers and business owners are looking for ways to tap into the popularity of this cellphone app to promote their businesses.

In Pokemon GO players try to capture Pokemon characters.  They find them by walking around. To catch better Pokemon, players drive or walk to new and different locations. All that walking may be sending players right past your business.

Sometimes a business can actually be a PokeStop or a Gym. If so, potential traffic is at your doorstop. Since PokeStops refresh every five minutes or so, players may hang around for a while to take advantage of that. While they are waiting to capture Pokemon, why not explore ways you can try to capture their business? (If all this Pokemon lingo is Greek to you, you can get a quick refresher here.)

Find Out What’s Near Your Business

Pokemon-Park

If there a PokeStop or Gym near your business? If you’re not playing this game, one of your employees probably is. Ask them what’s nearby.  While we haven’t covered the entire county yet, we have a good chunk of Lancaster covered. If we don’t have you listed correctly, please let us know. (You can email jen @ lancasterpa.com.)

We’ll Help You Promote Your Promotions

How can businesses tap into that traffic? We have researched a number of ways businesses are using this craze to try to boost their bottom line and gain more customers. We have listed a few of these ways below. While some these ideas may not be completely applicable for your business, maybe they will get your creative juices flowing and help you come up with something that works for your you.

If you are one of our LancasterPA.com customers and you decide to do a Pokemon GO promotion, be sure to let us know.

Give a Discount or Special Offer

Some businesses offer a discounted price to players who show them their Pokemon app. Churchtown Inn is offering free snacks to their customers who play.

Some businesses have offered players discounts or coupons if they posted a picture of their business on social media  – a great way to get extra exposure.

Other businesses have offered free water bottles to players. (After all, it has been a little warm out these last few weeks for all the walking this game requires.) Some provide extra outdoor seating and invite players to take a load off.

Take Advantage of Social Media

If your business has or is near a PokeStop or Gym, promote it on Social media. And if you are offering any special discount, promote that, too. Get the word out.

ReCharge Their Batteries

Pokemon GO is a real drain on cellphone batteries. Put out powerstrips or otherwise offer to charge batteries for players. They may patronize your business while they wait.

Offer Free WiFi

Offer your WiFi to the public to help them conserve data usage. (If you do, let us know and we’ll list your business on our Free WiFi page.)

Offer Pokemon GO Tours

Smoketown Helicopters here in Lancaster, PA is offering Pokemon Tours. Players can hop aboard their helicopter and go for a Pokemon Hunt from the air – even over local lakes and rivers.

Let ‘Em Walk Your Dog

An Indiana animal shelter has invited players to take one of their dogs for a walk while they search for Pokemon. It gives the dogs exercise and the players enjoy the company. Some players enjoyed their new friend so much they adopted him.

Use a Lure to Attract Pokemon GO Players

Some businesses use lure modules to attract digital Pokemon to their business. And if you can attract those digital creatures, chances are you can also attract those who are trying to catch them.

L’inizio’s Pizza Bar in Queens, New York, claims it increased sales as much as 75 percent with $10 Lure modules. L’inizio’s promotes to customers and prospects what they were doing, and players trying to catch Pokemon showed up. While there, these patrons ordered drinks and food and racked up sales for the owners. Some of these new customers may become repeat customers, too.

Offer Pokemon GO Team Discounts

Once players reach a certain level in Pokemon GO, they can join one of three ‘teams’:  Valor, Mystic, and Instinct. One restaurant offers team discounts on different days of the week. For example, on Tuesdays City Sên lounge may offer 10% discounts to Team Mystic customers.

Organize a Special Pokemon Event

Another way to generate traffic for your business is to organize a Pokemon GO themed event highlighting several related businesses. For example, see the Pokemon GO Houston Pubcrawl.  Several bars got together to host an event, offering special prices for players and even for teams.

Modify Your Museum or Historic Site for Pokemon GO

If your museum or historic site (or other business) wants to attract paying visitors, how about offering a Pokemon hunt? Read this post about how Museum Hack lures players to museums that they otherwise might never visit – all in the name of Pokemon. You could potentially lure repeat customers who otherwise might never set foot inside your walls!

What Ideas Do You Have?

So, what ideas do you have to capitalize on this game frenzy?  Be sure to let us know so we can promote it for you on our Pokemon Map.  Good hunting!

 

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