Pokemon GO is nostalgia at its best
I was about 5 when I got my very first version of Pokemon Yellow back in the late 90s. Getting my first Pikachu was the start of something that I never would have imagined would still be part of my life 17 years later; yet here I sit!
As the years flew by, I spent waaaayyyy too many hours traveling through Kanto, Johto, Kalos, and the other regions trying to catch Pokemon and be the very best (that no one ever was). Now, as a digital marketer, I’m noticing that Pokemon has a grip on every market across the world! Here’s a few tips to capitalize on Pokemon GO!
Choose a team
Players of the game have to choose between Team Valor (red), Team Instinct (yellow), and Team Mystic (blue) and the purpose of these teams is to take control over Pokemon gyms. To put it mildly, things can get very competitive!
If you are some of the lucky local businesses that are within range of a Pokemon Gym, TAKE IT OVER! Have you and your staff train your pocket monsters to rule the gym and watch as fellow players will come within eyesight of your business. As you see an influx of other trainers on your street trying to compete with the gym you just took over, offer an incentive to come in and enjoy one of your products!
For restaurants, coffee shops, or really any business that requires large numbers of visitors, offer a 10% discount to any trainer able to defeat your team’s gym or to any trainer who is on your team. Make it publicly known on social media that you offer this incentive and watch as your traffic soars!
Promote what you catch
If you catch a Pokemon that’s more on the rare side of the spectrum, share that! This means that there are more of that same kind in the area and people will surely flock to where you are.
Use your lure modules
The game features an item called a “Lure Module” which utilizes local, popular landmarks. If you are fortunate enough to be close to a church, monument, historic property, work of art, park, or any other monument that the game features as a Pokestop, pop a Lure Module.
A lure module helps everyone in the immediate vicinity by attracting Pokemon to that location, thus attracting trainers! Now that you’ve got them on your street, get them in your door by offering an incentive (just like the previously mentioned ones) and watch as your sales increase.
Embrace the memes
Us millennials grew up with the game and are extremely passionate about it. As an avid fan back in the day, I was shocked to see people of EVERY walk of life playing the game. People are absolutely adoring the memes that are being made in reference to Pokemon.
If your brand is active on social media outlets such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, this is your time to shine. If you have an original meme that you’d like to post, have at it. Even sharing or retweeting already-existing ones will work wonders for your social media outreach. Just remember to hashtag!
Stay up to date with Pokemon GO marketing tips
So far, the game has taken the world by storm in just a matter of a couple weeks. While the game hasn’t really changed in its first few weeks, the world around it has. New marketing techniques are popping up every day it seems like.
Keep playing the game to see what other people are doing. But as if the game wasn’t good enough, it’s encouraging people to get up out of their houses and be active! I consider myself a light runner, averaging between 7-12 miles per week. Over the last few weeks this game has gotten me to average at least 15 miles per week. The only reason I find myself going back home during a run is because my battery will go from 100% to 20% in hardly any time at all.
If you are a business owner looking to take advantage of this fad, I hope this helped!
