Pokémon Go has become a global phenomenon. It gained popularity immediately and businesses have creatively determined ways to capitalize on that. Individuals are becoming entrepreneurs by advertising personal assistance in playing the game. If your business wants to get in on the Pokémon Go craze and profit from it, there are a few suggestions here to help you get started.
Create a Pokémon Go Pop-Up Shop
If your business does not want to apply to be a Pokestop, you can take the business to the nearest Pokestop. Create a pop-up shop in close proximity to a popular Pokestop to sell products, food, or tech accessories to get the attention of Pokémon Go players. Advertise a small discount for Pokémon Go players that prove to be playing in real-time.
Just by being part of the trend, you can get new customers now thanks to Pokémon Go. Connecting with the local community, showing approachability, and showing that you adapt to trends helps draw in an expanded consumer group that can end up permanently increasing your annual revenue.
Pokestop Window Advertisements
Place an advertisement poster in your window of your business advertising it as a Gym Pokestop location, once you are approved as a Pokestop. Offer those that come in a promotion, such as a discount or free item, for playing the game and coming by your business. This is just one way that businesses are trying to cash in on the Pokémon Go craze.
You can also advertise your business as a "Pokémon Go Safe Place" where game players can come into your business to determine their path to the next Pokeball. While taking a break, gamers are more likely to make a purchase, especially if you are a food industry business like a coffee shop or restaurant.
Make Your Business Known on Google Places
If your business does not have a Google Places page, it should. Google already provides general information about your business for search purposes, but a Google Places page is different. Here you control what information is displayed and can customize your page with trending hashtags that help your business be more recognized locally. You can list your business as a #Pokestop and offer a promotion to Pokémon Go players for stopping by while catching their Pokémon. Optimizing SEO for Google Places with proper hashtags and a tag line that draws Pokémon Go players in will help increase your revenues.
Advertise Player Services
Become an entrepreneur from your experience playing Pokémon Go. A creative way to start earning money from Pokémon Go is to become a Safe Pokémon Chauffer or offer your services as a trainer. Some individuals have gone so far as to sell off advanced accounts, start over, and repeat the cycle. Other player services that have gained attention are the $20-per hour rate to hatch eggs in the game for players who do not have time.
Offer a Pokémon Go-Specific Service
Several heavy hitters, like T-Mobile and Uber, have created Pokémon Go-specific services to generate additional revenue. Uber has created a Pokémon Go bus in New York in an attempt to help users play the game safely and make money themselves by transporting players to Pokestops. T-Mobile created an "all you can eat data plan" for players of Pokémon Go to boost contract sign-ups. These two industry leaders have learned how to cash in on the Pokémon Go craze rather well.
Buy and Cast Lures
Usually, Pokémon Go players purchase lures with Pokecoins via the app. You can cast those lures and draw immediate attention to your business. A pizzeria in New York cast a lure and their sales rose by 75-percent the weekend following the lure casting. Lures trigger the spawning of Pokémon in short intervals. It is important to post the casting of a lure on your business' social media pages, to email subscribers, and to text subscribers immediately upon casting the lure to get people rushing to your business. For example, Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia did a lure-a-thon to attract people to their theme park one Sunday.
Final Thoughts
Your business can profit from Pokémon Go, without infracting on any copyright or trademark laws. It is a good idea to create a themed special or promotion because although it is at a slight discount it still turns a profit as you make more sales. If Pokémon Go is a craze in your local area, consider holding a Pokémon Go player workshop. Hire a trainer, and charge a workshop attendance fee with discounts on refreshments, gear, or items associated with your business. Promoting safe gameplay while making money helps increase your positive reputation.
How will you or your company make money from the Pokémon Go craze?