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Sep 27
2010
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FOUR Powerful Ideas for Foursquare Success - It's time to PLAY!
Posted by: Toni Blake on Sep 27, 2010 10:01 Tagged in: Untagged
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Foursquare's gorilla marketing has turned geotagging into marketing juice for local businesses. More than 3 million people have become active players on Foursquare, with over 20% pushing their "check ins" to their Facebook page and Twitter accounts. This is one of the most powerful "local" social media tools available. I downloaded Foursquare to my iPhone and have really gotten caught up in the game. I find that it has awakened the sleeping "girl-scout" in me. It has been a long time since I have earned a badge and I was quite thrilled when I did!
I must admit, the first time I became "the Mayor" I wanted to stand up in the restaurant and make a public announcement. I find myself checking what "places" are nearby that I may want to visit while I am traveling! Have you engaged in this game yet? You can download the app to your smart phone to get started. Get ready to have some Foursquare FUN!
Here are FOUR Powerful Ideas to increase your Foursquare Success
1. The first step towards success with Foursquare is making sure that your property is listed as a venue. You can check to see if your business is in the Foursquare database on their website. (Brent can you make this a hyperlink?http://foursquare.com/add_venue)
From here you can also claim ownership of the business (it will be referred to as a ‘venue’ on Foursquare), and start to build your profile. Don't list the property as just an apartment community. Feature your property amenities and the places where your residence gather like the pool, workout room, business center or clubhouse. Example: Country Club West Pool. This will make foursquare players aware of the great amenities on your property. Post a sign to remind your residents and their guests to check into foursquare while at your "place"!
2. Have a contest and give prizes to the Mayor of each "place" on your property on the first of the month. Find local businesses on Foursquare in your area to provide the prizes to connect your residents to the local businesses.
3. Be sure to use the "Tips" area and add information that will help your residents enjoy your amenity. If you choose the business center, add tips that will enhance their experience. Share a cool website like "Rentailmenot.com" and tell them to print down area coupons to save money, or find the PR code to use if they are ordering products online. Give book reviews, magazine suggestions and fun things to do at the pool.
4. Post a Foursquare "Special Offer" to notify players in the area. Be sure to suggest benefits of living in such a great area. Foursquare automatically shares your promotional message with players electronically without dropping off paper flyers at the local business. Your outreach marketing was just delivered automatically to smart phones using GPS and it was FREE!!!
Foursquare will provide you will great real-time stats like: most recent visitors, most frequent visitors, the time of day people check in, total number of unique visitors, histogram of check-ins per day, gender breakdown of customers, portion of foursquare check-ins broadcast to twitter and Facebook. Get engaged with Foursquare - draw your resident's into the game and attract local traffic to your property with a fun new game! Let me know what you are doing with Foursquare. Share your success, ideas, thoughts, questions and results!
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Comments (25)
Toni - Currently venues labeled as "Home" cannot be claimed by a business owner. So, apartment communities can't be claimed. That also means you cannot add specials.
Also, it's not really a good idea to add venues for all of your amenities. Instead of creating "Country Club West Pool" the best practice is to just check-in at the venue and shout about what you're doing. In this example, you'd check-in at "Country Club West" and shout "I'm at the pool!" or something like that.
Also, it's not really a good idea to add venues for all of your amenities. Instead of creating "Country Club West Pool" the best practice is to just check-in at the venue and shout about what you're doing. In this example, you'd check-in at "Country Club West" and shout "I'm at the pool!" or something like that.
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@Toni ... I am sorry but this is not my experience. We just recently claimed all of our listings and they were a mix of ones labelled Home and not. I sent them over a spreadsheet and they added them to my account. Here's the link that gives you more information about starting this process:
http://support.foursquare.com/entries/221733-how-can-i-claim-multiple-venues
http://support.foursquare.com/entries/221733-how-can-i-claim-multiple-venues
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@David and @Bill - Did I miss something, because I didn't notice that Toni said set it up as a "home". You can definitely set it up as a venue, however, which is what I think she was saying. But it's interesting that you can send them a spreadsheet and have them add all the listings to your account!
As for creating accounts for the amenities, I think that is a really interesting idea. I think there are positives and potential concerns about that:
Positives:
1) Custom "tips" and specials specific to that amenity
2) More listings on FourSquare itself
Concerns:
1) Would that segment the benefits. In other words, is it better to have one big listing versus several potentially smaller listings.
And @David, yes, it is not best practices, but when is best practices any fun?
It may or may not work, and FourSquare may eventually shut down the amenity listings, but it's worth talking about!
As for creating accounts for the amenities, I think that is a really interesting idea. I think there are positives and potential concerns about that:
Positives:
1) Custom "tips" and specials specific to that amenity
2) More listings on FourSquare itself
Concerns:
1) Would that segment the benefits. In other words, is it better to have one big listing versus several potentially smaller listings.
And @David, yes, it is not best practices, but when is best practices any fun?
It may or may not work, and FourSquare may eventually shut down the amenity listings, but it's worth talking about!
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@Brent: She didn't set it up like that but I was disagreeing with what David had to say about claiming your listings. I love new ideas but I wonder how segmenting your property based on amenity at FourSquare can help. That goes against the purpose behind it... but hey.. what do I know? I never would've thought we'd get rentals from CraigsList. Boy was I WRONG about that.
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Apartment communities are labeled as "Home" on Foursquard... if they're labeled at all as most user created venues are not. Toni's instructions didn't say to do that and maybe I was jumping ahead of her suggestion. If you click "Do you manage this venue? Claim here" link on such a page you won't be able to complete the process as they are currently only accepting specials for "places where people meet, socialize, and linger."
Like Bill, I've had pretty good experiences with their business support and I like his tip about sending venue information on a spreadsheet.
Here's a link to Foursquare support that explains the scenario I'm describing:
http://support.foursquare.com/...a-special
Another thing to add to the list of "Concerns" is that you can't claim a listing for an amenity listing since it's not possible to manage a venue named "Country Club West Pool." The verification process doesn't allow for such venues, but you can still create it. You just can't claim it, manage it, or track visitor information. For additional clarification you can visit this page on Foursquare support:
http://support.foursquare.com/...is-a-venue
Like Bill, I've had pretty good experiences with their business support and I like his tip about sending venue information on a spreadsheet.
Here's a link to Foursquare support that explains the scenario I'm describing:
http://support.foursquare.com/...a-special
Another thing to add to the list of "Concerns" is that you can't claim a listing for an amenity listing since it's not possible to manage a venue named "Country Club West Pool." The verification process doesn't allow for such venues, but you can still create it. You just can't claim it, manage it, or track visitor information. For additional clarification you can visit this page on Foursquare support:
http://support.foursquare.com/...is-a-venue
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OK - Thanks everyone for the conversation and for the opportunity to clarify
1. I am NOT recommending you list as a home. Thanks Brent!
Using the "Special" is a key to my Foursquare strategy. So you will need to list as a business.
2. I AM suggesting that you feature an amenity in the date field listing of your name. I went onto Foursquare and you can set up your account as a "Chain" with multiple listing. For the sake of simplifying my idea - let's talk about ONE and change the amenity with the season and activities. There is an EDIT button so you are in control of changing the name. You might even feature one amenity and then another!
Follow me down this train of thought!
TRUTH: The data field for your name on Foursquare does not required you list your legal name as it appears on your checking account! It is completely in your control. It does not HAVE to read exactly what your monument sign says! This is copy that come up and is visible to Foursquare players in your area! I am suggesting that you NOT BE NORMAL!!! I realize that this is not for the average community - this is the one's who want to step out and be unique.
Example: If your workout room is great and you decided to launch a "Health Plan" at your property. You roll out a Weight Watcher Meeting in your clubhouse and have a trainer come by and create posters with workout ideas in your Fitness Center. We have gotten personal trainers agree to be our "Guest Trainer" in order to develop clients with our residents. Have the "Guest" Personal Trainer post work out tips on Foursquare. THEN on Foursquare, edit the name data field to list - Country Club West GREAT Fitness Center! Then on your special you say, "Come by and receive a "FREE WORK OUT PASS" to our Fitness Center and a bottle of water when you tour our apartments". You can engage the traffic passing by AND YOUR RESIDENTS!!!
Here is where it get's interesting. Because we are not a local pizza place with tons of traffic, I want to engage our residents in our Foursquare account. They ARE our local traffic. Put a "Check in on FourSquare" on your workout door and get your RESIDENTS to play to be the Mayor!! Give a gift to the Mayor of the Fitness Center each month during this program! Imagine residents meeting other residents who work out and create a since of community! This allows you to increase your check in's because your residents are engaged and it shows what an active fun community you have to those passing by!!
I am playing with how this site can engage the traffic going by and my residents.
Just a different thought! NOT NORMAL - just TotallyToni! ; )
1. I am NOT recommending you list as a home. Thanks Brent!
Using the "Special" is a key to my Foursquare strategy. So you will need to list as a business.
2. I AM suggesting that you feature an amenity in the date field listing of your name. I went onto Foursquare and you can set up your account as a "Chain" with multiple listing. For the sake of simplifying my idea - let's talk about ONE and change the amenity with the season and activities. There is an EDIT button so you are in control of changing the name. You might even feature one amenity and then another!
Follow me down this train of thought!
TRUTH: The data field for your name on Foursquare does not required you list your legal name as it appears on your checking account! It is completely in your control. It does not HAVE to read exactly what your monument sign says! This is copy that come up and is visible to Foursquare players in your area! I am suggesting that you NOT BE NORMAL!!! I realize that this is not for the average community - this is the one's who want to step out and be unique.
Example: If your workout room is great and you decided to launch a "Health Plan" at your property. You roll out a Weight Watcher Meeting in your clubhouse and have a trainer come by and create posters with workout ideas in your Fitness Center. We have gotten personal trainers agree to be our "Guest Trainer" in order to develop clients with our residents. Have the "Guest" Personal Trainer post work out tips on Foursquare. THEN on Foursquare, edit the name data field to list - Country Club West GREAT Fitness Center! Then on your special you say, "Come by and receive a "FREE WORK OUT PASS" to our Fitness Center and a bottle of water when you tour our apartments". You can engage the traffic passing by AND YOUR RESIDENTS!!!
Here is where it get's interesting. Because we are not a local pizza place with tons of traffic, I want to engage our residents in our Foursquare account. They ARE our local traffic. Put a "Check in on FourSquare" on your workout door and get your RESIDENTS to play to be the Mayor!! Give a gift to the Mayor of the Fitness Center each month during this program! Imagine residents meeting other residents who work out and create a since of community! This allows you to increase your check in's because your residents are engaged and it shows what an active fun community you have to those passing by!!
I am playing with how this site can engage the traffic going by and my residents.
Just a different thought! NOT NORMAL - just TotallyToni! ; )
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First of all, I absolutely love the fitness center idea - If I worked out a lot (which unfortunately I don't!), I would love to be able to see what other people were checking into the gym on a regular basis. Doing the same thing for the pool or the clubhouse could effectively segment your resident population and potentially inspire connections. Very cool concept.
As for the logistics to include specials, why not register as Entertainment - Other (I didn't see "gym" or "fitness center" off-hand). Let's face it - this idea isn't probably completely kosher with FourSquare anyway, so might as well label it however you want!
As for the logistics to include specials, why not register as Entertainment - Other (I didn't see "gym" or "fitness center" off-hand). Let's face it - this idea isn't probably completely kosher with FourSquare anyway, so might as well label it however you want!
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In the end I think we both agree that getting our current residents, future residents, and prospective residents to engage on Foursquare is an amazing opportunity for apartment communities to connect with their customers. The first step to that is claiming your listing and everything Toni said is correct. My comments were more technically specific and probably a little confusing.
Anyway, make sure you know about Foursquare and make sure that you are monitoring your venue listing. Specials are awesome. I started offering a $50 rental discount for the community's Mayor (awarded once a month) and 1/2 off application fees for prospects that check-in. Not many were awarded and I think Toni's ideas would be really effective to getting people involved.
Anyway, make sure you know about Foursquare and make sure that you are monitoring your venue listing. Specials are awesome. I started offering a $50 rental discount for the community's Mayor (awarded once a month) and 1/2 off application fees for prospects that check-in. Not many were awarded and I think Toni's ideas would be really effective to getting people involved.
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@Toni: Excellent post. Your latest comment eliminates my confusion as to how you could use amenities in FourSquare. Great stuff.
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@David, how many Foursquare players do you have at your community? I hadn't thought about offering a Mayor's special. What if the mayor is not a resident but a friend who visits frequently?
We have a community in Denver that's had 32 unique player check in's and thought they might be a good candidate for the platform. I created a special for $100 off first months rent if you lease on your first check in. I had no trouble claiming the venue. I did have to re-write our special a few times. Foursquare wants the deal to be simple, straightforward, and they want the players to feel special.
Our community is listed under "other-shopping". There is no category for real estate or apartments. I made the mistake of first choosing "office" as the venue. This caused delays in creating the special as FS won't allow a special for an office.
I think the first step for any community is to find out if your current residents/friends of residents are checking in at your community. If so, your demographic is already there. And these players talk which increases your chances for word of mouth exposure. I've made new friends from total strangers by playing this game. If not, I wouldn't push the program yet. You'll spin your wheels trying to push the circle into the square if your demographic isn't already there.
Melissa
We have a community in Denver that's had 32 unique player check in's and thought they might be a good candidate for the platform. I created a special for $100 off first months rent if you lease on your first check in. I had no trouble claiming the venue. I did have to re-write our special a few times. Foursquare wants the deal to be simple, straightforward, and they want the players to feel special.
Our community is listed under "other-shopping". There is no category for real estate or apartments. I made the mistake of first choosing "office" as the venue. This caused delays in creating the special as FS won't allow a special for an office.
I think the first step for any community is to find out if your current residents/friends of residents are checking in at your community. If so, your demographic is already there. And these players talk which increases your chances for word of mouth exposure. I've made new friends from total strangers by playing this game. If not, I wouldn't push the program yet. You'll spin your wheels trying to push the circle into the square if your demographic isn't already there.
Melissa
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Oh, also..the tags can be edited by anyone. I noticed someone added a tag for "drunk people" at our community. Once I claimed the venue, I was able to remove this tag and keep the good ones.
And this platform will be used as a sounding board for disgruntled residents. I've already seen this happen. So if you want to play, get ready to manage it. This is not something you can sign up for and just let it sit there for 12 months with out touching it!
And this platform will be used as a sounding board for disgruntled residents. I've already seen this happen. So if you want to play, get ready to manage it. This is not something you can sign up for and just let it sit there for 12 months with out touching it!
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Melissa - thank you for your contribution. Social Media allows people to comment and we are always at risk for negative statements. I am so happy to hear that you can remove the negative tags. I agree that any space you go into requires scheduled monitoring and a plan of engagement. FourSquare produces real-time data for you to manage so you can see who had checked in and when. This does help for you to see if their is engagement or not.
The game really is fun and the special doesn't always have to be "given" by you. Partner with other popular stops like "Starbucks" and featured specials in your office from other local Foursquare "check-ins". Encourage your residents to get involved and generate more players. I'm wondering if you could co-market with a local restaurant and offer a gift to your residents that they deliver! Share the information through your other social media accounts. Post on your Twitter or Facebook account a deal from your local partners on Foursquare i.e. "Check-in at Bubba BBQ for a FREE appetizer with a meal for WestChase Residents".
I think there are many ways to make it valuable to residents and get them in the game. I was hooked the first time I opened a badge!!! Talk about social media - tweet and Facebook post a Foursquare "local" deal for your residents! HA - can you get more social than that?
The game really is fun and the special doesn't always have to be "given" by you. Partner with other popular stops like "Starbucks" and featured specials in your office from other local Foursquare "check-ins". Encourage your residents to get involved and generate more players. I'm wondering if you could co-market with a local restaurant and offer a gift to your residents that they deliver! Share the information through your other social media accounts. Post on your Twitter or Facebook account a deal from your local partners on Foursquare i.e. "Check-in at Bubba BBQ for a FREE appetizer with a meal for WestChase Residents".
I think there are many ways to make it valuable to residents and get them in the game. I was hooked the first time I opened a badge!!! Talk about social media - tweet and Facebook post a Foursquare "local" deal for your residents! HA - can you get more social than that?
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I am so excited about working out the details on a Foursquare Success Plan. I met with a test property and we had a "bounce" session. We are thinking the following ideas.
1. The Healthy Holiday Contest - This holiday season we are celebrating a long healthy life. Residents come and weigh in and register for the contest. The Resident who looses the most weight by Christmas week get's $500 off January Rent! That is as good as a $500 shopping spree!
Slogan Ideas to the public: "Fit into a Great Life" "Perfect Place - Perfect Fit"
"IT ALL FITS @ Great Place Apartments - YOU, Your Stuff - Your Life"
2. Partner with Weight Watchers who currently have FREE registration. Find out about hosting health classes in the clubhouse. Find other local support for your residents to join. Share information on local health support services, classes and resources.
3. Make the Fitness Center the check in on Foursquare. This will help the property, residents and guest keep up with who is working out. Decorate with "Healthy Holiday" signs!
4. The Mayor of the Fitness Center in Oct, Nov and December wins $50 off their rent.
5. Feature local business "healthy holiday choices" with foursquare check in's. Negotiate deals for your residents on healthy holiday choices with local businesses and engage them on Foursquare. Reward residents in a drawing each month. Each time they show they checked in to a participating business they get their name in the drawing. Have the local business give the prize.
6. Find a local Personal Trainer to work with the residents one a week and post "Goals & Suggestions" for the week on a white board added to the Fitness Center. You can buy white board cheap from Home Depot and cover the edge with red Christmas ribbon and make it look like a Gift!!!
7. People touring will be told that if they become a resident they can participate in all the great opportunities to enjoy a great apartment life and WIN prizes.
I will report the complete program and success when we are done! There are powerful lessons between concept and reality. I promise to share.
Thanks to everyone who has participated in this post!
Toni Blake
1. The Healthy Holiday Contest - This holiday season we are celebrating a long healthy life. Residents come and weigh in and register for the contest. The Resident who looses the most weight by Christmas week get's $500 off January Rent! That is as good as a $500 shopping spree!
Slogan Ideas to the public: "Fit into a Great Life" "Perfect Place - Perfect Fit"
"IT ALL FITS @ Great Place Apartments - YOU, Your Stuff - Your Life"
2. Partner with Weight Watchers who currently have FREE registration. Find out about hosting health classes in the clubhouse. Find other local support for your residents to join. Share information on local health support services, classes and resources.
3. Make the Fitness Center the check in on Foursquare. This will help the property, residents and guest keep up with who is working out. Decorate with "Healthy Holiday" signs!
4. The Mayor of the Fitness Center in Oct, Nov and December wins $50 off their rent.
5. Feature local business "healthy holiday choices" with foursquare check in's. Negotiate deals for your residents on healthy holiday choices with local businesses and engage them on Foursquare. Reward residents in a drawing each month. Each time they show they checked in to a participating business they get their name in the drawing. Have the local business give the prize.
6. Find a local Personal Trainer to work with the residents one a week and post "Goals & Suggestions" for the week on a white board added to the Fitness Center. You can buy white board cheap from Home Depot and cover the edge with red Christmas ribbon and make it look like a Gift!!!
7. People touring will be told that if they become a resident they can participate in all the great opportunities to enjoy a great apartment life and WIN prizes.
I will report the complete program and success when we are done! There are powerful lessons between concept and reality. I promise to share.
Thanks to everyone who has participated in this post!
Toni Blake
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Toni, I love idea #3. I wonder if you could have some kind of Foursquare scavenger hunt game? It would be a good way for residents to meet each other, learn about all the amentities that might not be obvious, interact with leasing staff, etc.
Also, would it be feasible to use Foursquare to ensure that the leasing staff is giving complete tours? Make the person that is giving the tour check in at the pool, the fitness center, the office center, etc.
Also, would it be feasible to use Foursquare to ensure that the leasing staff is giving complete tours? Make the person that is giving the tour check in at the pool, the fitness center, the office center, etc.
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Well Scott - I love your idea of a scavenger hunt and I love how everyone is thinking outside the box on how to use this tool. Check out this video link below. A burger/bar joint in Milwaukee created a swarm and had over 150 people show up! You have to have 50 to earn the swarm badge. I got mine at Brainstorming. If you had a single event you could get the people in the local area to come and earn the badge. There were under 200 players at the time in the whole city and they were shocked at how many showed up. IT is crazy how people love to earn the badges. I am so bummed because I was on gogo (the new airplane wireless company) on a flight and didn't shout out to earn my "Mile High" badge! hehehehehehee
Enjoy this video - I think there is great potential in this game. The best thing to do is start playing. Experience is the greatest teacher and it is FUN!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdZCzE4VUA4&feature=player_embedded
Enjoy this video - I think there is great potential in this game. The best thing to do is start playing. Experience is the greatest teacher and it is FUN!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdZCzE4VUA4&feature=player_embedded
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I LOVE this idea and we're so excited to start rolling this out at Town Center Apartments! I have recently gotten started personally on foursquare and it is really fun! I haven't received any special badges yet, but I'm working on it!
The one thing that I could see being a problem with it, or perhaps it already is, is that you are able to check in to a place that you're not physically at. I think that's definitely a down side because I can be sitting at home in bed and check-in to a restaurant 5 miles away! Hopefully people are honest and only checking-in to places they're actually at!
I absolutely LOVE the Scavenger Hunt idea! I think this would be a really fun idea for a resident function even! Perhaps a Halloween night one! Love it!
The one thing that I could see being a problem with it, or perhaps it already is, is that you are able to check in to a place that you're not physically at. I think that's definitely a down side because I can be sitting at home in bed and check-in to a restaurant 5 miles away! Hopefully people are honest and only checking-in to places they're actually at!
I absolutely LOVE the Scavenger Hunt idea! I think this would be a really fun idea for a resident function even! Perhaps a Halloween night one! Love it!
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Hi Angela - happy to see you here at Multifamily Insiders engaged in this conversation! Even though someone "checking in" when they are not at a place might seem like cheating to the game, it means that people might be "checking you out" more often. This is about exposure and marketing so not limiting them to being "on the spot" gives a stronger opportunity for marketing! : ) There is a special at Chili's for free chips, I checked out the special as we drove by, I will check in and be sure to claim my prize!
This is all new and I think "how it works" will be greatly influenced by the players, much like twitter was built by the tweeters!
Let's talk soon!
Toni
This is all new and I think "how it works" will be greatly influenced by the players, much like twitter was built by the tweeters!
Let's talk soon!
Toni
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Hey Gang,
To clarify, Foursquare does not award badges or points for fake check ins. So if you decide to encourage your residents with any incentives for becoming Mayor, they need to be home or very close to home to check in. See this article for details.
http://techcrunch.com/2010/04/07/foursquare-starts-to-enforce-the-rules-cracks-down-on-fake-check-ins/
If players are too far outside your geographic location, your community will not populate on their list of available places to check in. The player would have to know the name of the business/apartment and use their search feature to find it.
Its fun to see the excitement here as we enter the tipping point of mobile marketing. And its going to get even more exciting very soon!
Melissa
To clarify, Foursquare does not award badges or points for fake check ins. So if you decide to encourage your residents with any incentives for becoming Mayor, they need to be home or very close to home to check in. See this article for details.
http://techcrunch.com/2010/04/07/foursquare-starts-to-enforce-the-rules-cracks-down-on-fake-check-ins/
If players are too far outside your geographic location, your community will not populate on their list of available places to check in. The player would have to know the name of the business/apartment and use their search feature to find it.
Its fun to see the excitement here as we enter the tipping point of mobile marketing. And its going to get even more exciting very soon!
Melissa
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Melissa,
I love Techcrunch.com and I loved the post, it is worth the read! I agree about mobile marketing - the future is full of great opportunities. These kind of movements take time to build steam. I attended a Webinar today hosted by the Word of Mouth Marketing Association on "Influence-ing Ideation" - very interesting stuff! I just downloaded "Ground Swell" to my Kindel and am sifting through all my notes! Every day is an adventure in learning!!! We are all influencing our industry - I love that!
Thanks for suggesting the great resource and posting the link - it is very informative and gives a detailed answer to Angela's concerns. I will be sure to play the game with integrity!
Toni
PS It's kind of funny! My husband just left to run errands. I have some work to do but I wanted to go with so I could "check in" to WalMart and the Post Office! I am so close to a new badge! CRAZY HUH! As you can see - I am here working! It is just funny how these things change our thinking!
PSS Maybe I should start a Foursquare discussion group - so we can all keep sharing!
I love Techcrunch.com and I loved the post, it is worth the read! I agree about mobile marketing - the future is full of great opportunities. These kind of movements take time to build steam. I attended a Webinar today hosted by the Word of Mouth Marketing Association on "Influence-ing Ideation" - very interesting stuff! I just downloaded "Ground Swell" to my Kindel and am sifting through all my notes! Every day is an adventure in learning!!! We are all influencing our industry - I love that!
Thanks for suggesting the great resource and posting the link - it is very informative and gives a detailed answer to Angela's concerns. I will be sure to play the game with integrity!
Toni
PS It's kind of funny! My husband just left to run errands. I have some work to do but I wanted to go with so I could "check in" to WalMart and the Post Office! I am so close to a new badge! CRAZY HUH! As you can see - I am here working! It is just funny how these things change our thinking!
PSS Maybe I should start a Foursquare discussion group - so we can all keep sharing!
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Toni & Melissa,
Thanks SO much for clarifying the point about fake check-ins! Obviously, the only way I knew you could check-in from a distance is because I tried it myself to see if it would work - not to be dishonest, just to test it! Toni you had an excellent point about that though - even if people aren't earning badges for it, it kind of says a lot about how much they like the venue when they're checking in from a distance - it does get our name out there either way! I like that!
Melissa, thanks for posting that link, it really did clear that up for me! I appreciate your input! Of course there are positives and negatives to every point right? It is really unfortunate if you don't get a badge because your phone's GPS locator didn't have you in the right place or didn't receive reception! But, that's the name of the game! Toni's right, we should have a foursquare forum! Ha!
Thanks SO much for clarifying the point about fake check-ins! Obviously, the only way I knew you could check-in from a distance is because I tried it myself to see if it would work - not to be dishonest, just to test it!
Toni you had an excellent point about that though - even if people aren't earning badges for it, it kind of says a lot about how much they like the venue when they're checking in from a distance - it does get our name out there either way! I like that! Melissa, thanks for posting that link, it really did clear that up for me! I appreciate your input! Of course there are positives and negatives to every point right? It is really unfortunate if you don't get a badge because your phone's GPS locator didn't have you in the right place or didn't receive reception! But, that's the name of the game! Toni's right, we should have a foursquare forum! Ha!
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I just started a group to keep the conversation going. Join me!
http://bit.ly/9YWBXl
http://bit.ly/9YWBXl
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I wonder if Foursquare is going to end up going the way of Plaxo and Friendster now that Facebook is offering a similar check in feature. Here is an interesting article in Fast Company. http://www.fastcompany.com/168...ook-places - I think the last line is particularly telling.
More food for thought: 3 million is a lot of users, but only 33% of traffic is US based. (Source: http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/foursquare.com#). Also, I read smart phone adoption is supposed to hit 50% by Christmas, 2011.
I think it will be interesting to see what happens...
More food for thought: 3 million is a lot of users, but only 33% of traffic is US based. (Source: http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/foursquare.com#). Also, I read smart phone adoption is supposed to hit 50% by Christmas, 2011.
I think it will be interesting to see what happens...
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@Ellen - I think Foursquare will be around for a while, even with Foursquare Places. Gowalla, on the other hand, I think will succumb to a Plaxo-like fate. Yelp started a check-in feature on its iPhone app and then rolled it out to its Android users too. It's similar to Foursquare in that you can track your friends, earn points, and unlock badges. Instead of becoming Mayor, you become the Emperor (or Empress) instead. It's fun if you use the website and write reviews, but not to just check-in.
@Melissa - I only gave it out at one community north of Atlanta and there were about 7 different users that month and only 2 were fighting to be Mayor. We did a special for prospect check-ins the next month at that community and no one participated.
@Melissa - I only gave it out at one community north of Atlanta and there were about 7 different users that month and only 2 were fighting to be Mayor. We did a special for prospect check-ins the next month at that community and no one participated.
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Thanks everyone for the information! Great timing as I was just researching how communities can use Foursquare as I will be speaking regarding Social Media next week! What timing!
Gabe Castaneda
Gabe Castaneda
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I submitted a Ticket #49824: Please let me know the best ways to use Foursquare
Here is the response I recieved:
Hi there,
Thanks for contacting foursquare business support! We maintain an awesome help desk that provides an efficient way to find answers to your business-related questions about the foursquare platform.
We will not be responding to your earlier email, but for fast and simple answers to all your questions about using foursquare for your business, begin by clicking here:
http://support.foursquare.com/forums/177952-foursquare-for-business