Location-based Marketing | SocialWayne.com by Wayne Sutton

Posts Tagged ‘location-based marketing’

Posted on July 31, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

This Week in Location: 33 Location-based must read articles you may have missed

What a week for location-based applications/services. From being called the next big thing in social marketing to being said no one is using location-based apps, this week one of the most exciting week for location-based applications in a while. Here’s a list of 30 location-based articles you may have missed from last week.

For those who keep doubting the geo/location-based space, just read a few of the articles above and you can see why those who “get it” are excited about the geo/location-based industry…. keep doubting.

Did you read any interesting location-based articles last week or have a comment about any of the above articles? Let me know in the comments.

Posted on July 14, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

9 offline lead generation tips for businesses exploring location based marketing

From TriOut to @Foursquare to @Whrrl to @Brightkite and Yelp, some businesses are struggling finding ways to promote their check-in specials and other location-based promotions. Even with the recent news of @Loopt reaching 4 million users, myTown with 2 million users and Foursquare just passing the 2 million user mark last week the main stream adoption of location based services still has a long way to go. Currently more businesses are using Facebook and Twitter for social media marketing but for businesses looking to cash in on the location check-in wave businesses may have to put a bigger investment in offline marketing to show a return on investment (ROI). To help here are 9 offline lead generation tips for business exploring location based marketing.

1. Cash register signs

At @themorningtimes cafe downtown Raleigh, you’ll find stickers that read follow us on Twitter on the cash register. This could easily read, check-in here or join our society. It’s a simple way to reach every customer that purchases items from your store.

2. Check-in here Window clings

Window clings have been around for a while with both @Google & @Yelp mailing out free window clings to businesses years ago. Now both @TriOut and @Foursquare are sending window clings to help promote not only their platforms but to help users see that businesses have a check-in special at their locations.

3. Signs and posters

Signs and posters are extremely valuable for marketing especially if your business is near a high traffic area. If the signs include the right words like free or coupons it may be enough for your potential customers to walk-in or check-in or subscribe to your mobile SMS geo fence promotion.

4. Receipt promotions/feedback/survey forms
Printing urls to feedback forms/surveys on receipts is a great way to collect information about your customers. But you have to make the incentive valuable enough where your customers would fill out the survey form and give you their information. Suggestions are 15% off the next order or enter to win a free trip, etc. @BananaRepublic have great receipt promotions. After collecting the data you can find your customers on social networking sites and other location-based platforms.

5.Zip code submissions
This is important especially if you’re a national chain. By asking for your customers zip codes you can find areas of your frequent shoppers and focus on location-based promotion based off the data you collect.

6. Email newsletter sign-ups

There are a few ways for businesses to ask for your email address. The most common is during the check out process. The other is by having a clip board or sign-up from near the cash register. By increasing your email list and sending out monthly newsletters it provides more opportunities to let your costumers know about new or upcoming location promotions.

7. QRCodes & Barcodes

With startups such as @stickybits and neogence both QRCodes & Barcodes will play a big roll in how business use location-based services. You can attach almost any type of content to either one. Currently you can use both to check-in with Foursquare and and by placing QRCodes or Barcodes on printed materials you can simplify the check-in process.

8. Billboards
Photo by: dennis crowley
Yes Billboards, have seen the @Foursquare billboard in Las Vegas? Again billboards are great for highly traffic / visible areas. But purchasing a billboard with your check-in spacial or sms mobile subscriptions short codes can increase the awareness of your location promotion faster than any yellow page ad and you’re almost guarantee that your local community will see the promotion.

9. Table tents

Table tents are a no brainier especially for coffee shops and restaurants. No matter if it’s your sms mobile subscription promotion or posting what location-based apps your customers can check-in too, table tents can lead to instant check-ins.

Have you seen other creative ways businesses are promoting location-based specials? If so let me know in the comments.

Posted on July 13, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

Would you check-in to win free Gas? Whrrl partners with Murphy USA for social loyalty program

As many question the value of using location-based services a lot users are still asking the question, what am I getting out of it for checking in? A few years ago using your favorite geo app was just a cool tech/geek thing to do but now it’s all about value. Fast forward to 2010 and the tech blogging space is dominated by post about Foursquare vs Gowalla and very few mentions of the other 20+ location-based apps that are working on partnerships to add value to their users.

Uploaded with plasq‘s Skitch!

Photo via Clickz.

Enter Whrrl, is a Seattle based app founded by Pelago. Last week Whrrl launched Society Rewards, a social loyalty program designed to close the gap between a brand’s online social media presence and real-world physical presence. Whrrl also launched a partnership with Murphy USA for a chance to win free gas by just checking in. From the press release:

… Whrrl has teamed with Murphy USA to reward the customers who love
them. When customers check in with Whrrl at one of Murphy USA’s 1,100 locations nationwide,
they will be accepted into the “Murphy USA Society” and earn a chance to immediately win free
gas.

Now with a chance to win free gas is it enough to make geo fanboys and others to check-in? In terms of value for check-ins what type of location-based promotion or partnership would you like to be rewarded with?

CrunchBase Information

Whrrl

Information provided by CrunchBase

Disclosure: I have no affiliation with Pelago/Whrrl outside of the fact that I’ve met with the owners/team at various tech events and have visited their Seattle based office once

Posted on July 12, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

11 Questions to Ask Before Using Location-Based Services to Market Your Business

Note: Originally posted on: SocialFresh.com on June 22, 2010

Location-based marketing (LBM) is here and it has been here for a long while, way before Yelp, Loopt and Foursquare. But now with the recent popularity in location-based mobile applications like Foursquare, TriOut (disclosure, I am a partner), Loopt Star and Gowalla, more brands and agencies are trying to take advantages of these services to increase sales, branding and in some cases just to look cool.

Emerging from a recent “future of location-based marketing” panel, much of the audience mentioned a need for more LBM brand success stories, to help get an idea of what is possible on these new platforms.

Reset Your Thinking

But it is important to remember that getting started with location-based marketing starts with a hyper-local twist. If you have your social media thinking cap on, I dare say take if off, sit it in a corner visit your local coffee shop and ask yourself what will drive more people to walk in the doors that are not customers or make existing customers visit more often before you even think about a badge.

Regardless, soon we’re going to see more Mayor check-in like specials, leader-board contests and discount from major brands, retailers and small businesses looking to use location-based services as a marketing channel.

It’s Harder Than It Looks

But businesses should be warned, it’s a lot more work and harder than getting people to follow you on Twitter. Before you get too excited about offering a badge, a coupon or a free beer on your customer’s 5th visit, please consider digging a little deeper into your strategy. Ask yourself these 11 questions about your business and location-based services before jumping in.

Who is my target audience?
Do my customers currently check-in to my location?
What location-based services do our customers and local community use?
What is our goal if we offer a check-in special/discount?
What’s the incentive for the customer to check-in?
How will I get the word out online and offline?
What objective numbers will I track and how?
How long will the location-based promotion last?
Who are we excluding by offering a check-in special?
How do I integrate our check-in special with existing marketing efforts?
What will it take to educate our staff on our location-based promotions?

As you look to embrace the “next big thing” in digital marketing, remember that a good strategy can help you learn and improve your efforts along the way. I’m sure there will be a lot more questions and answers to follow. Let us know what you are learning along the way.

How do you think business should approach location-based marketing?

Posted on June 28, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

Photo: I wonder which business is going to be the first to add a check-in here with @TriOut window cling/sticker

A big part of location-based marketing is not what you do online but what you do offline. With that being said at @TriOut we ordered some window clings/stickers for businesses to encourage their customers to check-in with TriOut so they can take advantage of any location-based check-in specials.

We have a few businesses who said they would like a TriOut window cling but now that we have them, I’m wondering who will be the first.

If your businesses would like one email us at contact@trioutnc.com. Also you can sign-up to use our business platform at http://trioutnc.com/business .

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Glenwood Ave,Raleigh,United States