July 20, 2016
By Paige Schultze
Pokémon GO!
As a child I would have all the Barbie dolls, Polly pockets and stuffed animals but I would never play with them. I dressed them up everyday and would have them sit there to look pretty. I did just about the same thing with Pokémon cards. I would have booklets full of them which I would organize and every so often trade the ugly ones for the pretty ones but I never did much of “battle” with anyone. Now it's 2016 and social media is at the top of its game, Facebook is coming back, and so is Pokémon!
Now, I admit that I am on my phone a lot, either posting on social media or just staying up to date with my friends. My younger brother and I have always been pretty close but never has he asked me or my mom to go on a walk with him around town. My Mom at the time was so excited as 16-year-old boys don’t really want to much to do with their Mom’s. So away we all went and my brother was taking the weirdest paths; in the grass, around bushes, and at the time me and my mom had no idea what Pokémon was. As my brother was just staring at his phone the whole time it definitely got a little suspicious that there must have been a reason other than to spend time with us for this walk. Come to find out, he was Pokémon Going!
Having gotten Pokémon Go myself to check out if there’s any around my home or at TWIN, I’ve researched how some businesses can use this as their advantage and there’s been some interesting stories that people have done using Pokémon Go to promote their ideas and businesses. As a matter of fact, it is not a bad idea at all. As Pokémon Go users make their way to different towns in search of Pokémon, it creates a massive opportunity for small businesses, local stores, restaurants, etc. Below are a few examples of how business can use Pokémon Go to their advantage!
- Create a PokéStop promotion. Basically players are encouraged to visit PokéStops which are just landmarks in the area which enable gamers to play the game better. This game has turned these Stops into hot spots. So why not encourage these visitors to stop your business by creating promotions around the nearest Pokéstop!
- Pay for “lures” to be placed around your business. Lures essentially allow more Pokémon to be appear wherever you want them. Therefore, if you buy more lures for your business you will have more visitors stopping by, meaning potential customers!
- Give Tips and show that your Participating. To generate more attention to your business, make people aware of what’s happening in your area. Being an intern at TWIN, I could go out and find some rare Pokémon around the town of Pittsford and then post on our social media sites to get people interested.
- Social Media Deals. You could even offer customers a few dollars off to take screenshots of the Pokémon they have found around the area and post on social media site. This can show nearby players what is happening around your establishment and help promote your business!
The speed at which Pokémon GO has spread is unbelievable. Less than a week after its launch, this “geocaching” style game has been installed on twice as many phones as Tinder, and has been used by twice as many people than those who use Snapchat. Who would have thought Pokémon could help your business sore?
