Lashbrook: Taking advantage of the 'Pokemon Go' phenomenon

Everyone is playing "Pokemon Go," EVERYONE! If you are a small business owner, and you’re not taking advantage of this massive hit game, you are missing out on one of its biggest upsides: increased foot traffic for small businesses. Because Pokemon Go is a game that involves walking around and searching for Pokemon, your business could be capturing the attention of these players as they wander about town. There are a couple of ways to do this:

• Check and see if your establishment is a Gym or Pokestop (the library is the latter); you can do this by either downloading the game or asking someone who plays the game. If it is, you’ve likely already seen an increase in customers. Consider rewarding players with free bottled water or a discount, and if your establishment is a Gym, keep a board up showing which team currently controls the Gym.

• If you are not a Gym or Pokestop, no need to fret, you can still attract players by placing lures at nearby Pokestops, which are very prevalent in the game. These lures, even if not directly on your establishment, should still increase foot traffic. Lures are exactly what they sound like: in-game items that you can purchase and “drop” at Pokestops which attract Pokemon, thus attracting more players to your establishment. Lures last for half an hour, so be sure and consider when you will place them.

Capitalizing on the Pokemon Go phenomenon does require a bit of an investment both in giveaways (bottled water, discounts, etc.) and in-game purchases (lures), but the increased business should be well worth it. Since it is a mobile game, it’s relatively easy to download, open an account and start attracting customers.

Be sure to carefully consider who will manage the Pokemon Go interactions at your business. The best case scenario would be to select someone who is at the establishment often (most likely an employee or owner) and already plays and enjoys the game. Being able to speak the Pokemon Go “language” and discuss the game with players who come in is another great way to engage with customers. You will also need to consider how your establishment will pay for in-game items such as lures.

All that being said, it really takes minimal effort to hop aboard the Pokemon Go train and boost your small business sales by being a welcoming, friendly and engaging location in the Pokemon Go world. To learn more about how small businesses are using Pokemon Go to their advantage, check out the articles linked below and please feel free to contact the Glen Ellyn Public Library with any questions!

tinyurl.com/z966jvq: What Is Pokemon Go and Why Your Small Business Can't Afford to Miss This Trend?

tinyurl.com/zglx4h7: Pokemon Go Lures Customers to Small Businesses

tinyurl.com/j9avx59: How Pokemon Go is Driving Insane Amounts of Sales at Small, Local Businesses.

Ian Lashbrook is the Glen Ellyn Public Library's instruction librarian and business liaison.