Steps 3 and 4
Identify your loyalists
When bringing Foursquare into the marketing mix, there is also an opportunity to gather valuable consumer research. A key part of the service's interface showcases which users have checked in at given locations. A programmer familiar with the Foursquare API can also demonstrate how many times each user has visited, the duration of each visit, locations each user has visited before and after coming to a particular venue, the number of other visitors that user is friends with, and the reach each visitor has. When evaluating Foursquare in this way, the potential of the platform is limited only by one's imagination.
Create specials
Given the availability of behavioral data, simple loyalty programs obviously spring to mind. The most obvious approach is to reward a location's mayor, as that user is the most frequent visitor and likely a heavy user of the service. Early on in Foursquare's evolution, a handful of venues that recognized this marketing potential created "chalkboard" specials. Following the appearance of grassroots incentives such as these, Foursquare announced formal support of such initiatives. Companies can now visit Foursquare for Businesses to get more information on the program and browse ideas that other venues have implemented.
Possible applications:
- Focus on new or repeat customers
- Target customers with heavy influence and reach
- Reward users who bring X number of other users with them
- "Easter egg" specials (e.g., a reward to the first person to create X number of Tips)
Consider these examples:
