This week has seen the release of restaurant & café recommendations within the Facebook App for users that utilise the check-in feature.
After checking in at the weekend I noticed this “pop up” screen on the mobile encouraging me to think about lunch!
Whilst this has been happening for a while in the US, it’s an indication of how Facebook is wanting to control your whole day by making things as simple as possible.
So how can local businesses benefit from this Facebook change?
Rewarding engagement
For any shop, restaurant or bar to really leverage the power of Facebook it needs to “Play the game” and encourage all visitors to check in as a matter of standard practice. In every other facet of Facebooks dealings with small business they reward those businesses who have high engagement and this is no different (Check out Facebooks 21-point checklist here).
How many of your walk-ins are on Facebook….
…but more importantly how many of your every-day clients or customers like your page? Facebook has just over half of the population of the UK visit it every day!
If 20 people a day visit your premises, statistically it’s likely that 10-15 are on Facebook. Multiply that number by 5 days by 52 weeks that could be almost 4,000 additional (and local!) fans for your page. How much easier would your marketing be, if you had 4,000 people on your speed dial? (well virtually!)
7 Ways to encourage check-ins on Facebook for small and growing businesses
1) In store signage
2) Offer a discount. One of our clients recently offered 10% to his customers if they checked-in https://www.facebook.com/leedsbarber2013/posts/727832553952898
3) Encourage your employees to check in
4) Ask! Whether it’s at the till, on your receipts. You’ll never know unless you try
5) Offer free wifi for those that check-in if you are a restaurant
6) Offer prizes & rewards. Consider entering everyone who checks in, in to a prize draw
7) Partner with a local charity. Donating to a worthwhile cause each time someone checks in. Not only is this great for corporate social responsibility, but you can also encourage new people in through the door who may never have visited otherwise.
What do you to encourage your customers to check in?
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Until next time
Lee Kenny
CEO: Snowflake Media
www.snowflakemedia.co.uk