Top 10 Pokémon Go Techniques for Garden Centers

Pokémon Go is still taking the world by storm. Now is the best opportunity to use the popular android and iOS app to your advantage. A recent survey by Slant Marketing found that 82% of Pokémon Go players had visited a business while playing the game. McDonald's Japan just reported a 27% jump in sales after partnering with Pokémon Go to turn its restaurants into sponsored Pokéstops.

If you’re not sure what all the fuss is about then check out our previous article on An Introduction to Pokémon Go for Garden Centers.

If you are ready to get in on the Pokémon hype here are our top 10 Pokémon Go techniques for garden centers:

Pokémon Go event hosted at Colasanti’s Tropical Garden’s.

1. Offer Special Colored Floral Arrangements Based on Pokémon Team Colors

Pokémon Go team colors are luckily some of the most popular color options in garden centers. This makes it an easy and quick way to create a promotion based on teams around red, blue and yellow floral varieties.

2. Offering a Loyalty Discount Card with the Pokémon Team Colors

Find out which team is your customers favorite. Creating a loyalty discount card based on team colors encourages customers to come back for more. It could be something as simple as a stamp card for purchases. Promotions could offer more stamps for certain teams and when the stamp card is full customers get a free plant or each purchase earns a stamp, after 10 stamps customers can return to have a Lure Modules dropped. Lure Modules cost the store $1 and attract pokemon for 30 minutes while the customer is shopping.

3. Hosting a Pokémon Team Day to Share Tips

This is a great way to encourage people to pay you a visit. Get people to share their tips with others on Pokémon catching techniques and tips on how to win at Gym battles.

Lure Module used to attract Pokémon in Pokémon Go.

4. Promote Pokémon Selfies & Pictures of Pokémon Caught in Your Garden Center on Social Media

Create a buzz around your garden center by promoting Pokémon selfies and pictures of Pokémon being caught. You’re certain to draw attention if players start snapping rarer Pokémon in your area.

5. Get Your Garden Center Identified as a Gym or Poké-stop

Not everywhere is so lucky to have Gym or Poké-stops littered around them. If that’s the case near your garden center you can request to be made a Gym or have Poké-stops added here. Sponsored location options will be coming soon too.

6. Use Lure Modules to Your Advantage

Lures Modules are an in-game item used to attract Pokémon at Poké-stops but are also a well-known way to attract Pokémon Go players. You may have to spend some money to purchase them but many businesses have reported the small cost is worth it when business increased dramatically. Try hosting a lure event like Colasanti’s Tropical Garden’s, it’s a sure way of attracting players and customers.

7. Advertise Your Pokémon Friendliness

Some extended garden center trips can make for restless children. Advertising that you are Pokémon friendly is a great way to show support to parents and provide them with some relief of bored children whilst they shop.

Pokémon Go event using hashtags for social media promotion.

8. Use Pokémon Hashtags in Social Media

This is a must for Twitter and Instagram. Show off your customers having fun and any rare Pokémon caught by encouraging them to submit their photos to your social media pages using the hashtag #pokeselfie or create your own hashtag for a promotion. People who use the hashtag could then be entered to win a prize or discount on future purchases.

9. Start Selling Items That Pokémon Players Will Love

Most garden centers sell other merchandise besides plants, so if your business is attracting players, why not sell to their interests? Pokémon-themed merchandise is very popular right now, and garden centers can cash in.

Check out these clay pots:

Since the Pokémon Go app is a phone battery hog, you can also sell portable smartphone power banks, which are useful to the average consumer anyway. Finally, Pokémon cards make for great last minute impulse purchases while waiting in the checkout line!

10. Create Beautiful Pokémon Plant Displays

Pokémon floral displays.

Show trainers you’re Pokémon-friendly by unleashing your creative side and coming up with a Pokémon themed floral display! At GGS we’re always stressing the importance of garden center curb appeal and how it can get passersby to stop and take notice. Pokémon make great subjects too – these creatures come in every color, meaning all your plant varieties can be put to good use - the only limit is your imagination!

Let us know if you have any other Pokémon Go marketing ideas in the comments below!

Sources:
http://www.slantmarketing.com/pokemon-go-for-business/
http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/mcdonald-s-japan-posts-profit-boosted-pok-mon/305388/
https://techcrunch.com/2016/07/13/pokemon-go-will-soon-get-ads-in-the-form-of-sponsored-locations/
http://www.colasanti.com/lure-module-party-pokemon-go/