Do you own a small business? Good.
Do you know everything about Pokemon Go? Nope? Well, thankfully, that doesn’t matter.
All you need to know is that Pokemon Go is a new app that uses augmented reality (AR) as a way to encourage users to catch little critters (Pokemon). The difference between this and most other mobile games is that AR feature, which forces players to actually explore their communities to find special places (PokeStops) that have power ups to help them in their adventures and battle locations (Gyms) where players use their Pokemon to battle for supremacy.
Got all that? Good. Now, let’s get started.
- Download the app: Don’t worry if you’re over the age of 15, it’s not weird. In fact, many of the people playing Pokemon Go are in their late 20s or early 30s, a pretty decent demographic for foot traffic.
- Make an account by putting in your information: You could use your business name, or just make your own personal one.
Determine if your business is near any Pokestops or Gyms: Pokestops are identified by blue boxes and gyms are easy to spot as they look like big spires. If you’re in a commercial area, odds are you’re near many of them.- Purchase a lure (or a bunch) for 99 cents each: Lures are the important part here and can be found by clicking the Pokeball at the bottom of the screen and then clicking on the store. They are basically Pokemon bait. By setting one up, you’re going to get many more Pokemon in your location, which means more players will want to be there. Each lure lasts about 30 min.
- Determine a time when you’re going to place your lures and advertise it: Tell people on Facebook that they should stop by between noon and 1 p.m. or from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., when you’ll be providing the lures and invite them to come down. Also, let them know that there may be nearby PokeStops or Gyms.
- Set up a special for Pokemon Go players: Why not further entice players by giving them a special price on a coffee or hooking them up with 10% off their meal if they show they are playing while they are there?
- Have fun: The best thing about new games like this is that they are meant for fun. Sure, they can be strange and weird at first, but if they can increase foot traffic at your business, why not take a few minutes and learn more about it?
Is Pokemon Go a fad? Most likely. However, AR apps won’t be and you’ll be seeing more of these in the future. It’s best to get a handle on how they operate so that you’re better able to capitalize on new ones when they come out.
Have fun and be sure to let us know how your Pokemon Go parties go!