Love it or hate it, Pokémon Go is THE biggest mainstream Augmented Reality Game to date, period. If you want to win in the game of business you have to keep your eyes peeled on big shifts in consumer behavior and capitalize on them when it’s time. This is a major key for dealerships when it comes down to Automotive Digital Marketing and the ever evolving automotive industry. 

Catch 'em all using Pokémon Go

Pokémon Go is an Augmented Reality App. Meaning, it mixes real-world elements, your GPS, camera and clock to allow users to search, capture, and train Pokemon characters.

Since it’s release on July 6, 2016, it has been crowned to be The Biggest Mobile Game In History by SurveyMonkey.

As of right now, in the United States, Pokémon Go has an estimated 21 Million Daily Active Users. Meaning, It’s already bigger than Tinder, Twitter, Netflix and soon will Surpass Facebook, Snapchat and Google Maps. That’s jaw-dropping impressive.

This beautiful relationship of IP, Technology and Gameplay is not just a trend, but a sustainable beast.

So, how can this Pokémon Go Phenomenon positively impact your dealership?

With Smart Marketing Pokémon Go can: 

• Give Customers an Incentive to Choose your Dealership Over Others
• Drive Unlimited Foot Traffic to Your Dealership for only $1.19 an Hour
• Create Strong Emotional Connections with Customers
• Engage the Oh-So-Difficult Millennial Market
• Create Real Conversations with Real Customers On Social Media

You don't need to be a Pokémon Master to capitalize on this opportunity. 

Seriously. As long as you understand the basics, here’s your chance to actively get in on the conversation and get customers to participate with you from a digital and in-person standpoint.

I decided to dive into this idea of using Pokemon Go as a strategic marketing strategy for dealerships by giving a high-key summary of the game and how it can be utilized in 5 steps specifically for Automotive Dealers. 

5 Steps to Increase Foot Traffic Using Pokemon Go 

Need more Foot-Traffic?

A unique way to engage and delight customers who are waiting at the store?

Checkout Step #3, "Lure 'em in". 

The Goal of a user playing Pokémon Go is to catch em’ all using pokeballs and ultimately become the Pokémon Master. Unlike other “traditional” games, this game has users traverse their towns in search of Pokémon, as well as Pokéstops and Gyms which happen to be real-world locations. This is because the game uses the users GPS so location and climate impact the Pokémon that will app. 

This step would require someone at the dealership to implement as well as a small budget. It's an in-app purchase called a "Lure Module", but might I add how modest the price tag is? 

$1.19 an hour for unlimited foot-traffic. 

Here's what's awesome about Lure Modules: they attract Pokémon to a specific Pokéstop location for 30 minutes. Which makes it an ideal place for trainers to hangout at and catch Pokémon. Catch my drift?

Expanding further I wrote out some ideas on how a dealership can specifically create real conversations with real customers online using Pokémon Go. 

5 Social Media Content Ideas

Enjoy!

PS

Has your dealership implemented anything creative around the Pokémon Go craze?

Do you have any creative marketing ideas you'd like to share?