According to a December 2010 comScore survey, 65 percent of consumers hadn't completed their holiday shopping two weeks prior to Christmas last year.
How can your business capitalize on these last-minute shoppers? Utilizing a location-based internet marketing medium such as foursquare could help, Small Business Trends reports.
Foursquare's latest mobile update features an "Explore" tab, which allows potential customers to find out about deals and specials at stores near the place they're currently checked in.
"That means if someone checks in while getting coffee down the street, they'll be alerted to the 20 percent discount code you're offering to new customers," the news source explains.
With many people tightening their wallets this holiday season, offering products cheaply and conveniently can be a motivating factor for on-the-go shoppers looking to fill the area under their Christmas trees. Furthermore, deploying this tactic will expose your brand to nearby users who otherwise may not have been familiar with you.
Social media strategist Cindy Morrison explained to The Huffington Post, that "While some see 'checking in' at a location on Foursquare as a silly game, it's actually a great marketing tool. You can literally motivate a potential customer who's nearby to try your product."
Morrison adds that because foursqaure can be integrated with social media applications such as Facebook or Twitter, the more a person checks in at your location, the more followers and fans you're likely to gain.
Search Engine Land reports that foursqure has also expanded beyond its "check-in" bubble to provide a more comprehensive overall experience. It has since "evolved into a discovery tool and loyalty program for businesses."
The company has redesigned its desktop homepage, greeting users with a large map that displays everything near your current destination - such as friends, places that are trending, places on your lists, popular stores and those offering specials.
Furthermore, the revamp allows users to make plans ahead of their arrival at a spot rather than the "in-the-moment" timeframe that wasn't as advertising-friendly.
Typically, you make your decisions about where you want to eat or what product you want to purchase prior to leaving the house. It takes additional effort (or an eye-catching discount) to sway a person elsewhere while they're already out. Foursquare's ability to plan trips days, weeks and months in advance allows advertisers to know beforehand when to make offers or expose their pitches.