Level Up Your Restaurant Sales with Pokémon Go!
Pokémon Go! is finally in Singapore, and have you seen the increase in foot traffic? F&B operators, rejoice! Because after all, people do get hungry and thirsty, and most of all, tired. Smart F&B businesses should take advantage of this phenomenon while it lasts. But first, some basics:
Why would Pokémon trainers come to my outlet?
In Pokémon Go, players look for PokéStops and Pokémon Gyms because a) there are usually Pokémon nearby and b) they can get items like Pokéballs (used to catch Pokémon) at the former and battle Pokémon to gain control at the latter. It's a territory thing. A player can choose to belong to any of the three teams – Instinct, Mystic and Valor – and a gym will be controlled by one of the teams at any one time.
Offer discounts to players from the team that controls the nearest Pokémon Gym.
PokéStops are more common and chances are, you are one or you're next to one. There is most definitely one within walking distance of your space. And where there are PokéStops, there will be Pokémon trainers.
Create promotions for players with specific Pokémon or Pokémon above a certain level.
Pokémon Gyms are usually landmarks. You'll see even more people there.
Lures
Players can cast lures at PokéStops to attract Pokémon in hopes of catching rarer species. Each lure lasts for 30 min and attracts even more Pokémon trainers than Pokémon. That's because the lures don't just work for the person who cast it, they benefit everyone in the area.
Lures can be earned when players level up, or bought with Pokécoin, the currency of the game. Cast lures of your own to attract Pokémon trainers to the Pokéstop closest to your outlet. You'll see a response almost immediately.
How to use lures
Get a Pokémon Go! account. It's super easy to set up, and you can log in with a Google account.
Tap the Pokéball at the bottom of your screen, and select "SHOP" from the menu that pops up.
Buy Pokécoins. We've done the math for you – $148.98 buys you 14,500 Pokécoins. With that, you can buy 21 packs of 8 lures (a pack of 8 lure modules costs 680 Pokécoins). You'll have enough lures to last you 84 hours, or over 7 days, assuming you open the entire day.
Open Pokemon Go to the Map screen.
Tap on the nearby PokéStop.
Tap the small, white, pill-shaped Lure Module slot that sits just above the circular disc and just below the name of the PokéStop.
Tap the PokéStop Module at the bottom of the screen.
Tap on the Lure Module.
(Or you could watch this video.)
Success!
Sit back and wait for the customers to come to you. ION Orchard has been using this to draw crowds and will continue to release lures until 21 August.
Use signage to let people know you're Pokémon player friendly, or show off rare Pokémon that have been caught on your premises.
Pokémon hunting drains batteries. Have an iPhone and Android charger plugged into an electrical outlet at your cafe or restaurant and let people know they can charge their phones for free if they dine in.
Track the performance of your Pokémon promotions, and do more of what works. Be as creative as you can! POS systems with effective backend analytics like iCHEF allow you customise your discounts (even by time of day, particularly useful if you set lures on a schedule) and track the difference in sales.
All the best!
This guide was written by Cheryl Tay, iCHEF's editor and content manager. When she's not playing Pokémon Go as of one day ago, she is reading or eating or both. She also organises iCHEF Club's monthly workshops/ panel discussions for F&B owners, so if you have any ideas or speakers in mind, drop her an email at cheryl@ichefpos.sg.
