Unless you have spent the last few weeks in a secluded beach with no internet access and very little human interaction (in which case… lucky you!), you have probably heard of the gaming app that is literally taking the world by storm. Since its launch on July 6th, Pokémon Go has been charming millions of players all over the world, instantly becoming one of the first augmented reality success stories and viral phenomena as well as the fastest mobile game to top the iOS and Android charts.
While Pokémon Go is getting ready to offer a variety of paid sponsorships to marketers, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that local businesses everywhere have already started leveraging the “real world” opportunities brought about by the success of Pokémon Go. So, if you are looking for exciting ways to bring attention to your business through Pikachu & co., we have a few ideas for you to explore…
1. Shout about Rare Pokémon that can be found in your area
There are a few rare Pokémon (e.g. Pikachu) that can only be found in specific places. Given the nature of the game, it is easy to understand how sought-after these creatures will be. So, if you happen to find some rare Pokémon around you, don’t be shy, let the whole world know about it! On social media, you can share screenshots of the rare Pokémon spotted around your store or place of business, or you can go as far as putting up a sign outside to let players know about the secret surprise they could find if they decide to step in!
2. Drop Lures to attract Pokémon as well as humans
The unique aspect of Pokémon Go is the way it links virtual elements to the real world. That’s specifically true when it comes to “lures”: this feature allows players to attract the adorable tiny creatures to one specific area; as this generates a concentration of Pokémon, these areas effectively become an irresistible magnet for people too. So, if your business is close to a Poké-stop (some sort of virtual Tesco to get all the Poké Balls and aromas you need) you will be able to drop a 30-minute “lure” that is bound to attract Pokémon and humans alike.
3. Team affiliations
As soon as you reach level 5, you are asked to select between one of three teams – Instinct (yellow), Mystic (blue), or Valor (red). As one can imagine, this is aimed to inspire competition and identification, making the experience all the more fun. To encourage a bit of internal gamification and attract some additional customers, you and your colleagues can pick a team for the whole business and invite members of the other teams to challenge you. What’s more powerful than some friendly competition?
4. Cater to Individual Teams
When it comes to players and their teams, there are so many things that can be done. All you need is a bit of imagination! The first strategy that comes to mind is to personalise offers and deals based on customers’ team affiliations. For instance, you could offer special discounts on blueberry smoothies to Team Mystic members on Mondays. Or a 15% discount on yellow t-shirts to team Instinct members on Thursdays. Just make sure to keep a balance between the three teams, even if you have pledged allegiance to one of them.
5. Produce Pokémon-inspired content
Millions of people around the world are playing and talking about Pokémon Go. And yes, among all those people there are also a few of your prospects and current customers. So why not jumping on the gaming bandwagon and create some Pokémon-inspired content to shake up your social media outlets or your monthly newsletters? At the end of the day, we are all humans. And as such, we enjoy catching Pokémon enormously 🙂
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