Three Marketing Lessons Courtesy of the Sudden and Massive Pokémon GO Phenomenon

Written By Ryan

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Marketing Update

Instigating everything from car crashes to servers to crashes — the video game smartphone app Pokémon GO is suddenly EVERYWHERE!
So unless you’ve been living under a proverbial media free rock, you’ve likely heard at least a word or two about this new mobile gaming phenomenon.
Now if you’re familiar with phenomenon in name only, you’re probably wondering: “What the heck is Pokémon GO?!” Well, it’s a video game that uses so called “augmented reality.”
That phrase got you even more confused? You’re not alone ;-)
Here’s basically how it works… You download the game onto your smart phone and play in real time on the geography you’re physically traveling (the app taps directly into your smartphone’s native GPS.)
The purpose of the game is to capture Pokémon characters (I’m not even going to begin to try and describe what they are), who are virtually Geo-tagged in actual physical locations.
When a smartphone video game app crests 15 million downloads in barely a week, that’s a level of marketing vitality that CANNOT be ignored.

A Teachable Moment

So of course my antenna immediately goes up. And as is often the case with sudden and dramatic phenomenon, the Pokémon GO EXPLOSION provides a choice “teachable moment.”
Here are three marketing lessons every small business owner can benefit from, courtesy of Pokémon GO…

1. Pokémon GO Reveals the Increasing Importance of Mobile Marketing Tech

Did you know more the two-thirds of internet uses browse the web on smart phones and tablets?
Have you considered mobile internet use in your marketing strategy? Is your business website even mobile optimized? (In other words, is your site designed a on a responsive platform that automatically adapts, depending on what device users are viewing your site?)
If not, you’re likely frustrating a HUGE portion of your site visitors. Non-responsive sites are nearly impossible to view on a tiny iPhone or Android screen. And this forces visitors to zoom WAAAAY in on specific sections to see a darn thing – #illegibility. Obviously this is a less than optimal browsing experience.
Moreover, Pokémon GO underscores the fact that the shift toward mobile is only going to INCREASE in the near future.
For a little advanced education on mobile marketing… Check out the latest episode of the Venture beat Podcast. Scott Brinker, the “Godfather of Martech,”discusses how Pokémon GO’s sudden and “totally out of left field” surge underscores both the value and importance of mobile marketing.

2. Pokémon GO Illustrates the Importance of Flexibility in Small Business Marketing

I preach about the importance of marketing strategy ad nauseam. But what happens when a potentially game-changing marketing tactic crash lands out the clear blue sky onto your business landscape?
The answer? Flexibility in your marketing is UBER-critical. For example, if Pokémon GO’s Geo-tagging feature can “lure” your business, leveraging it to the hilt is in your best interest.
The good news is your business is small and thus “agile” (a favorite market buzzword these days). So shifting gears and incorporating a new tactic into your marketing mix should be relatively easy.
Wondering about popular Pokémon GO marketing tactics? Forbes has a word of two on the subject here. http://www.forbes.com/sites/miketempleman/2016/07/14/how-to-use-pokemon-go-for-marketing/

3. Pokémon GO is a Perfect Metaphor For Prospecting

Believe it or not, Pokémon Go offers several clear parallels to prospecting, one of marketing chief functions.
==>The purpose of the game is to find Pokémon. But to do so, you’ve got to root them out; Pokémon don’t just show up on your doorstep.
Similarly, prospects don’t come to you. It’s your job to root them out.
==>Each Pokémon is different. What might be an effective approach to capture one is unlikely to work for another.
Prospecting works the same way. What might represent value to one prospect may be useless to another. And you’ve got adjust your approach accordingly.
==>Pokémon are often be defeated in battle (because someone’s gotta lose, right?). But they live to fight another day.
Same goes for you in prospecting… A prospect might reject you, but you’ll live to fight another day!
So What Do You Think About the Pokémon GO Craze?