Home Bar Marketing Foursquare Mayors: Honor Your Bar’s Favorite “Elected Official”

Foursquare Mayors: Honor Your Bar’s Favorite “Elected Official”

Posted by ianmara on Aug 5, 2011 in Bar Marketing | 0 comments

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In the summer of 2009, just months after its release, leading industry website Mashable asked whether the social network Foursquare could be the next Twitter. And while the location-based network has not reached the ubiquity of the chirpy giant it has become a tool restaurants and bars can’t afford to ignore.

The “check-in” feature allows Foursquare users with GPS-capable cell phones to alert their friends when they have arrived at a place of business. It helps them quickly pass along what they’re up to and provides an opportunity to leave tips and reviews subsequent visitors can view. Foursquare also allows business owners to see who is visiting their establishment, an easy opportunity to tailor promotional rewards for new customers and regulars.

But the Foursquare aspect which allows owners and managers the greatest opportunity to flex their creative muscles is the “mayorship” program. The person who has the most check-ins at a location over the past 60 days is designated by Foursquare to be its “Mayor.” This is a rolling designation, meaning the Mayor can be replaced at any point when someone else surpasses their total number of check-ins.

Here are a few examples of what is being done to make use of the mayor program, starting with a few folks we work with here at Interactive Hospitality.

Adobe Gilas, a Mexican restaurant in suburban Columbus, provides its current Mayor with Happy Hour prices at all times.

Liam Fitzpatrick’s Restaurant and Irish Pub near Orlando is experimenting with a contest where it “de-thrones” a long-time Mayor, with a bar tab waiting for anyone who can unseat the Uber-regular.

Hana Japanese Eatery in Phoenix offers a free order for its current Mayor, whose name is listed on front page of the restaurant’s website.

The John Dory Oyster Bar in New York City allows the current Mayor to make reservations, a perk not afforded to regular patrons.

Front Page News in Atlanta gives its Mayor a free round of shots.

What establishments do for their Mayor is limited only by their imagination and marketing budget. Whether the reward is large or small, rewarding customers for repeat patronage is a no-brainer.

Foursquare’s Mayor program provides the opportunity to generate buzz and develop camaraderie among your customers. It also has an element of game playing most of us are predisposed to seek out.

It’s good to be king. Or, in this case, Mayor. How do you crown your Mayor?