Mayor of Roundpeg?

Let me start with full disclosure…I’m not really “good” at anything.

I’m not trying to be self-deprecating or anything, I’m just saying that I am part of the majority of average folks. I don’t have trophies or awards lined up along my wall, I don’t have fans or a ton of recognition…I’m just a regular guy.

But I can be Mayor.

Work hard enough, and you can, too.

The latest trend in social media has been Foursquare, which its developers call a “tool of social discovery.” It’s an application which allows users to “check in” when they visit different venues  throughout their city in an attempt to become the most frequent patron of each venue. Once you’ve visited a location more than anyone else, you become “mayor.”

The first thing anyone should know about Foursquare is how large the backlash has been. Trust me, people who think Twitter is dumb are NOT fans of Foursquare, and it’s understandable. In the end, Foursquare can be seen as a dumb game/social experiment. You know, just like Facebook was.

While Foursquare has a ton of impractical uses, it also has some practical ones…especially for businesses.

Every time I check in to Scotty’s Brewhouse, I get 10% off my bill.   SEO Expert, Michael Gray checks in at one Italian Ice Shop over any other just for the possibility of winning a free cone. Even Starbucks has hopped in the Foursquare bandwagon. I guess the only thing to take away from this is….ignore Foursquare at your own peril.

At it’s core, Foursquare is a game you can play with your friends. It’s all about where you’ve been, where you’re going, and most importantly, where you are.

Where am I? Well, I’m firmly entrenched as the reigning Mayor of Roundpeg.

…..

And if you’re worried you may be addicted to Foursquare, use this check list by Louis Gray t to find out for sure.

Foursquare is Four Times as Much Fun as Twitter for Small Business Owners

It seems like there is always something new to keep up with.  A new application, new tool, new toy or new website.   If I took time to check out all of them, I wouldn’t get anything done.

But everynow and then, one new application seems to emerge as a winner.   Recently, FourSquare has emerged as a winner for me.    What is FourSquare?  It is a mobile application, which allows you to tell others where you are.

It integrates seamlessly to Twitter, and the iPhone application is easy to use.  While that is all cool, the question is, why would anyone care where you are?  The simple answer?  It is easy to find your friends, promote cool locations and events, and now Kyle Lacy tells me it can be a good business tool and interesting part of your social media and overall  internet marketing strategy as well.

While I think the badges and “mayor” status are silly, I do like being able to promote my favorite resturants, coffee shops and art exhibits.   And for some of the small business owners who are our clients we are starting to explore how they might use Foursquare to expand their connections to clients.  It has great possiblities for any retail location and I think it will become a core element of the marketing strategy of many small business.

So if you want to know where I am, you can follow me on Twitter, or check in on my at Foursquare, until the next new toy comes along, that I think will be five times as much fun as twitter!