You’ve probably already heard about the latest smartphone app craze: Pokémon GO. In Pokémon GO, players use their smartphones to capture legendary Pokémon via a geo-location based app.
Released on July 6th, 2016, Pokémon GO has created quite the stir.
What’s The Big Deal About Pokémon GO?
That’s the question everyone is asking. Why is this new Pokémon game so popular?
I have a few theories.
Pokémon GO plays on the nostalgia of those who grew up in the 90’s. Those who watched Pokémon growing up, want to try this new take on their favorite childhood cartoon.
Pokémon GO brings people together. The last couple of days have been crazy. Anywhere Pam and I walked, we ran into Pokémon GO players. Most weren’t alone. Pokémon GO players travel in packs and play together.
Pokémon GO rewards players. The app rewards those who play frequently. Whether they’re out for a walk or driving their car (definitely not recommended), players are rewarding for having their phones at the ready. They can walk down their street and capture the next Jigglypuff. Or maybe they’re out skateboarding and come across my favorite Pokémon Charizard. The fact is, players are rewarded for being in the game.
To the surprise of many, Pokémon GO has drawn in quite the audience. Pokémon GO even has more daily users than Twitter has US users.
And because Pokémon GO is drawing users out into the real world, your business can benefit from the added traffic.
How To Get Pokémon GO Users To Your Business
I understand, people who are glued to their cell phones are annoying. They’re so focused on their screens they don’t realize what is going on around them.
However, you can use the fact that Pokémon GO gets players wandering around town to your advantage. You can even use Pokémon GO to grow your business.
Host a Pokémon GO meetup like Franklin, TN Visitor’s Center. Rather than seeing an annoyance, the Visitor Center in Franklin, TN saw an opportunity to bring new people to their place of business.
Become a PokéStop or Pokémon Gym location. PokéStops and gyms are reserved for locations with special value. This ranges from amusement parks like Michigan’s Adventure to churches to local businesses. Businesses that are willing to harness the extra traffic Pokémon GO brings them may be able to convert those users into buyers.
Offer social media discounts to Pokémon GO users. Pokémon are everywhere in our world according to Pokémon GO. One way you can garner the attention of those playing Pokémon GO is to offer a discount for users who share an image of a Pokémon they’ve captured in your store to social media. Not only does the gamer get a deal, they also bring attention to your store by sharing their images on their Facebook and Twitter pages.
Reward your customers who are using Pokémon GO: After posting this article about Pokémon GO, I received word that T-Mobile was allowing people to use Pokémon GO unlimited without using their high-speed data buckets. This isn’t something they had to do but they know how to make their customers happy and cash in on a pop-culture craze. While you’re probably not in the cellular phone business, you might be able to reward those Pokémon GO users who are visiting your business by allowing free Wi-Fi access for the next month or two. Find some way to reward your customers.
Are you willing to use the latest craze to increase traffic to your business? Pokémon GO may be just the ticket to bring in more foot traffic and get attention on social media.
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.