Hi ...

Did you "check-in" today? Everyone is doing it ... letting people where they are locally!   Might seem a bit "over the top" but if you own a business that thrives on local traffic ... you need to pay attention!! 

One of the most popular location-based social networks today is FOURSQUARE.  Fun for users and great for local businesses!! 

FOURSQUARE is simply a web and mobile application that allows registered users to connect with friends and update their location. It also makes cities easier to use and is a game that challenges users to experience new things and rewards them for doing so. 

Foursquare lets users "check in" to a place when they're there, tell friends where they are and track the history of where they've been and who they've been there with.

Points: Points are awarded for "checking in" at venues. Users can choose to have their check-ins posted on their accounts on Twitter, Facebook or both.  

Earn Badges: Users can also earn badges by (1) checking in at locations with certain tags, (2) for check-in frequency or (3) for other patterns such as time of check-in.  The company has stated that users will be able to add their own custom badges to the site in the future. 

Become Mayor: If a user has checked-in to a venue on more days (one check-in per day ) than anyone else in the past 60 days, and the check-ins are valid under foursquare's time and distance protocols, and they have a profile photo, they will be crowned "Mayor" of that venue, until someone else earns the title by checking in more times than the previous mayor.

"To Do" and "Tips:" Users can create a "To Do" list for their private use and add "Tips" to venues that other users can read, which serve as suggestions for great things to do, see or eat at the location.


BUSINESS OWNERS! 
As of October 2010, foursquare had over 4 million users worldwide. Tens of thousands of business venues are taking advantage of this popularity by offering "Specials" on foursquare.  You can join in on the fun and the profits!  Start using foursquare to engage your mobile customers with foursquare "Specials," which are discounts and prizes you can offer your loyal customers when they check in on foursquare at your venue. 

How do you get started as a business owner?  
Go to http://foursquare.com/businesses and search for and claim your venue. Then (1) create different kinds of foursquare Specials, (2) manage multiple Specials and (3) ultimately track how these Specials perform.  Think you will be amazed at how easy it is to develop more ongoing relationships with your customers. You'll be surprised how competitive your customers may become over the Mayorship, based upon your "special" that comes with being mayor! — great for driving customers back to your venue.

Here are some to the types of specials you can create: 

	Mayor Specials Unlocked only by the Mayor of your venue. Who's the Mayor? It's your single most loyal customer! (the user who has checked in the most in the last 60 days) "Foursquare has deemed you the Mayor?    Enjoy a free order of french fries!"
	Check- In Specials Unlocked when a user checks in to your venue a certain number of times. "Foursquare says you've been here 10 times?  That's a free drink for you!"
	Frequency-Based Specials Unlocked every "X" check-ins. "Foursquare users get 20% off any entree every 5th check-in!"
	Wildcard Specials Always unlocked, but your staff has to verify some extra conditions before awarding the Special. "Show us your foursquare Swarm badge and get a free drink!"