“When I checked into your restaurant on Facebook, over 1300 of my friends saw that I was here,” I explained to a restaurant owner. He stared blankly at me because he didn’t understand how my check-in could turn into dollars for him. A check-in is when a customer checks in to your venue through Facebook or their Foursquare account.
When checked in at the Livestrong Park for a SportingKC game, Facebook displayed a list of my friends who were there at the same time. I could have connected with them on Facebook to meetup for the game’s after party.
Brenda Roberts, owner of RSVP MedSpa is turning her check-ins into customer loyalty and more business. She is the first business owner I’ve met who understands the dollar value of check-ins. Her clientele are primarily upper middle-class men and women who are already on Facebook or Foursquare.
When they sign in for an appointment, her staff ask them to check into Facebook or Foursquare as well via their smartphone. “We reward customers with discounts the more they check-in,” she says. If they don’t have a smartphone, they are offered an iPad to check in.
“One lady wanted the discount so badly that she checked 20 times that day,” she laughs. “I told her that she had to physically check in.” How do you turn check-ins into dollars for your business?
Here’s a takeaway from Brenda:
#1 Offer a reward for frequent check-ins. Whether its a discount or some freebie, people love to accrue savings.
#2 Offer an easy way for your customers to check-in. If they don’t have a smartphone, have an iPad on hand for them to use.
Now turn those check-ins into dollars!
MarketSmarts 