While Foursquare isn’t a necessary tool in the social media arsenal of most businesses, if you run a brick-and-mortar location it’s certainly something to be in touch with.
In a nutshell, Foursquare gives your customers an easy way to “check in” when they visit your business. Some (like myself) will do it at most businesses, but others will only check in if you offer some kind of deal. A good example of that is Chili’s Grill & Bar, that offer you free chips & salsa if you check in. Your customers will tell their friends about you, and they get some free food. It’s a win-win!
Today Foursquare has launched a new mobile app simply titled “Foursquare for Business“. Rather than having to manage your location from their website, you can now do it on the go. The app will allow you to add photos, check metrics, create deals and a few other helpful tasks.
If you operate a restaurant, hair salon, or any type of business where the public comes to you, it’s worth you time to check out Foursquare and make sure your listing is up to date. Even if you don’t use it, keeping an eye on your listing is a wise idea.
A great example is my local Publix supermarket. It’s a very clean, well-run store, with nice staff. However, every time I check in I’m shown a comment from a previous visitor that “This Publix has all the charm of a mortuary. Glad it isn’t my usual store.” That comment was posted more than two years ago and has yet to be addressed.
As a small business owner, your time is limited and for the most part should be focused more on the bigger sites like Facebook, Twitter and Google+. However, take a few minutes to see what’s going on with Foursquare to make sure your business always looks as good as it can!
