It’s true. Pokémon is back.
The craze that took over North America back in the late ‘90s has come back with a vengeance in the form of a mobile app. Pokémon GO is a new game (that you have probably heard of if you’re alive) where players physically travel to different places to catch their Pokémon.
They don’t travel to places in virtual reality, they actually walk down the street, or over the bridge, or to a store or to a library, and the Pokémon are there. Using “augmented-reality,” the player uses their phone’s camera to capture the Pokémon, which allows them to build up coins and points and level up.
So how are local businesses making money off of this new found craze?
PokéStops. Sorry, Pokémon terminology. A PokéStop is a way to get people to visit a specific location to gain free items that can be used in the game. At these Pokéstops, a lure (which is an item in the game) can be used to attract multiple Pokémon and players to the PokéStop. The lure lasts for about 30 minutes, essentially keeping those Pokémon Trainers in a certain place for a few minutes.
A business can make an in-app purchase to buy a lure for $1 to get people to come to their location. This increases foot traffic to your location, giving you just enough time to get people familiar with who you are or what you’re offering.
If you are hosting or attending an event that is open to the public and located at or near a PokéStop, purchase and use a lure module to get some people walking through. Offer some swag and collateral as they pass through and you just reached a potential volunteer, donor or customer. And the bulk of the Pokémon players are millennials; a definite plus.
If your nonprofit has a brick and mortar location where people can come visit (within range of or at a Pokéstop), set up a little table outside or in your lobby so when they come to catch their Pokémon, you’re there waiting with any information you want to give! It’s a win-win for everyone involved and only costs you $1.
