Never be alone again!!! - try FourSquare

Do you remember the good old days when we would make plans, go to meet at some place, and stay there all night?... well I don’t, because I am not 50+ years old. But if I did remember those days I’d be glad they are over.

Now that the stone age is finished and the sparks of the digital age are really flying, we can freely move about our physical world confident that our cyber world will take shape to keep us in constant contact with friends and family. From text messaging to mobile Facebook and Twitter, we are never out of contact, never bored and never alone. Whether a function of the digital revolution or simply our reaction to it, programmers and users are shaping mobile connectivity to make it easier and more approachable to daily life.

Recently I downloaded FourSquare for my iPhone. The concept behind this app is to create a social community of mobile users which overlays a digital environment on top of our physical world – in laymen’s terms: give every establishment a small message board/blog for patrons to communicate.

Screen shot from my iPhone

I’ve been “checking in” at my favorite establishments (including my business school). This gives me access to information from others who are/have been visiting the same location. In addition I score points each time, which elevates my status within the system, culminating in earning the ‘mayorship’ of a location – I’m coming after you Enrique Dans!!

In my view this has HUGE potential for marketers. Retail companies struggle everyday to gather customer insights and promote loyalty programs that are both relevant and easy to use. FourSquare allows customers to interact in a digital world with their fellow patrons and with the retailer. Open communication is encouraged and loyalty is rewarded – all at NO COST!

My former, over-caffeinated employer would be wise to take note of the FourSquare model.

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