How businesses can get creative during this Pokemon Go craze

Now that we have an app that forces people out in the real world to interact with virtual points located at physical locations, we can start pondering about low hanging fruit for physical businesses to earn some extra money!

I talked to my local bar in Oslo, Norway the other day, that has been so lucky to have a pokemon gym located on top of them. After discussing with the usual bartender if he has seen any profitable change after the pokemon go craze hit the streets. He had no numbers but he could confirm that there have been a rise of visitors on a daily basis, and they have also seen many visitors during the off hours. Especially with their noses in the phones. The pokemon trainers have to keep holding their gym!

So what does this mean for those who has not been so lucky to have a gym on top of them? What can they do?

The Pokemon company is looking at opportunities for business to attract people through sponsored locations says Niantic CEO John Hanke in this interview with the Financial Times. He states “There is a second component to our business model at Niantic, which is this concept of sponsored locations.”

But since this has not yet been released, businesses can still attract customers if they are lucky enough to have a pokestop close enough. I have been at many bars who have this but have not experienced that none of the bars actually take advantage of the situation. There have been some restaurants in USA which have been up to date and using these pokestop to attract users, the Guardian wrote this

But this is the first idea that businesses can attract users, buy a lure on the pokestop which is close enough to be enjoyed by your customers.

I was going to to the math but then Sebastian Fung has done it for me.

It costs the business owners basically 1.17$ per hour to keep up a lure! If you ask me, that will easily be paid back. I speak of experience. After being in Stockholm for the weekend I caught myself in choosing places to eat based on if they have pokestops which I could place out a lure!

Food trucks can also really pay of on this, travel around to spots where it can be placed down lures and attract “trainers” to the truck.

The next thing local businesses should focus on is the point that users really throw away their battery power. Why have not many businesses facilitated for people to charge their phones, or marketed the opportunity. At least if they are near by a pokestop! This again leads to people buying something and increases revenue! There was a coffee shop who provided multiple charging stations, and did some fun things around it. Again food trucks have an advantage here because they can be where ever!

When will be start seeing pokemon related items and services?

I would like some pokemon related food. In pokemon you have these berries called, Razz Berries, which you throw at wild pokemons to make them like you a bit more and is easier to catch with a pokeball. Where is the Razz berry smoothie from Mc Donald's, or any local smoothie shops?

Bit back to the power issue mentioned earlier, if no local businesses facilitates, then why not make a powerbank which is formed as a pokeball? It would sell like fresh bread from the bakery.

People move around and actually see multiple landmarks during their hunt, this should be combined with a guide. I would love to see more of local guides using pokemon go with their gyms and pokestops as an excuse to make special pokemon tours. Many of the points around the city is actual landmarks and can be incorporated into a pokemon tour.

So business owners, get out there, play some pokemon and figure out how you can earn some money on this craze!

Read my other article on my thoughts why pokemon Go got so popular: https://steemit.com/pokemon-go/@vongohren/how-pokemon-go-became-so-popular