Pokemon Go – Capitalizing on the Movement

Pokemon PokeballI’m sure by now you’ve heard the stories – people stopping traffic, people getting mugged, all the craziness that surrounds the new Pokemon GO game
movement. But all of this hectic fandom may be the perfect opportunity for your business!

pokemonSocial Announcement

Is your target audience wandering around town with their noses jammed into their phones trying to catch Pokemon? Why not help them out and TELL them there is one near you! If you notice on the app that an Eevee is hanging out on the sidewalk out front, have some fun with it and tell people through social media that the catch of the day is out there! People who are fans of the game but may not know about your business, in particular, will definitely be grateful for the tip and may want to check out your store!

If you are a gym or a Pokestop, you should also be taking advantage of this on your social media. Make a targeted paid promotion on Facebook or Twitter or post something to Snapchat or Instagram to let people know you are THE place to be for all of their Pokemon needs.

Lure Them In

Pokemon Go has started offering a way for people to bring the Pokemon to them – lures. But nobody wants to spend more money than they have to, right? That’s where you come in. Buy a lure and set it up at your business, announce it for everyone to know through signs or social media, then watch potential customers come flowing in the door. Don’t believe us? A pizzeria posted on a Reddit feed that:

We did this last night (college town), and within minutes of dropping the lure, 30 people walked in. Hoooly s#&@. I own a pizzeria that’s a Pokestop and I literally did this all day. I had a ton of kids and adults (mostly adults) come in for a slice of pizza and a drink until the lure ran out.

Now you DO have to be a Pokestop to use a lure. Pokestops are pre-determined by the game developer and seem to bepokemon-gym based on locations of interest. Be sure to check the app to see if your business is a Pokestop or if there is a Pokestop nearby you can take advantage of.

When setting lures, be strategic! If you have a consistently slow time of day, set a lure during that time and see if you can increase business. Lures start at .99 for 30 minutes, and get a little cheaper when you buy them in bulk, so it’s not a huge financial commitment to increase business!

Lead the Gym

You’re a gym? Or you’re right next to a gym? Congrats! Have some fun with it! Try offering discounts to whatever team is currently in the lead at the local gym. Maybe try keeping a leaderboard on Twitter to let everyone know who is top at the gym, which will bring competitors in to try and take the title.

Trading Time

Pokemon - JigglypuffOk, I know, you don’t give a single care about someone having a Jigglypuff. But hey, why not reward them for it? Make an offer to the Pokemon crowd that lets anyone with a certain catch get some kind of reward! For example, anyone with a Meowth can show it to your barista for an extra 10% off their coffee! Who doesn’t love a deal, especially when they’ve worked so hard to catch it?

While Pokemon GO does not allow for a business to request to become a gym or a stop, your business can still capitalize on this movement to increase traffic, especially with the help of social media. Niantic, creator of Pokemon GO, is looking into the possibility of allowing businesses to make themselves into gym and Pokestops, but that is still to come. If you want to learn more about how to capitalize on this movement with social media, let us help you #TurnTheLightBulbOn for your business!

 

**UPDATE** Pokemon GO has started to allow businesses to request to be a Pokestop or a Gym. Go to this site to submit a request to become a stop.

 

Nicole Firebaugh | @Nicole_fir     |     Laurel White | @laurelnwhite92

About Nicole Firebaugh

Nicole is a graduate of Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, with a degree in Advertising with a minor in Creative Writing. She has had experience working in retail, graphic design, photography, and newspaper writing and editing, and is grateful to have found her future career at Harness Digital Marketing. She is excited to be here to #TurnTheLightBulbOn for your business!

Comments

  1. very nice

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