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From Social to Local
I've been playing around with Foursquare lately. In case you haven't yet discovered it, Foursquare is a location-based social network with a side of gaming: It tells you where your friends are, allows you to "check in" at certain locales as well as to contribute tips and hints about the places you visit, and fundamentally adds another element of fun to going out... even if "going out" is just a trip to the grocery store or post office. To me, it feels like Twitter meets Google Maps meets Facebook. But does it have a business application? I'm not yet totally sure, but I'm starting to think so. I can see the potential for mobile coupons and mobile rewards for frequent check-ins, for example. Here at MarketingProfs, we're experimenting a little with it, too: We created the ability for attendees to "check in" at this week's MarketingProfs B2B Forum on Foursquare, giving them another way to see who's here and connect with the 400+ folks in attendance. We also added text-based tips on getting the most out of your experience at the B2B Forum. And this Thursday, immediately following the Forum, I'm looking forward to hearing John Jantsch's take on how businesses can use these social tools to reach local customers: He's presenting on Turning Social into Local: Generating Local Leads and Customer Engagement. John will give his always spot-on insight on how networks like Twitter, Foursquare, and others can help businesses tap into local markets. If local marketing is interesting to you, check it out. I'm moderating, so I'll see you there! PS: Are you at the B2B Forum in Boston this week? I look forward to seeing you!
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