Foursquare swarm world records were in Angela Vithoulkas sights as her team at the VIVO Café flagship store, 388 George Street, Sydney, attempted to break a Foursquare swarming world record.
Angela made use of her extensive social media connections to promote the foursquare swarm breakfast over a period of two weeks, and gained the attention and backing of foursquare developer and CEO Dennis Crowley.
“It was a little nerve wracking setting up this challenge so publicly,” says Angela, “but the response we got online was phenomenal. The real test was this morning though, not really knowing who would come and who wouldn’t.”
“I’m very pleased with the results from this morning,” says Angela. “My main aim was to see whether a business could make money by promoting their services out through social media for zero dollars, and especially to see how foursquare could be applied to a retail or hospitality venue.”
VIVO café’s Foursquare Swarm attempt logged 78 unique visitors and 134 check-ins, the event, the first of its kind in the world organised by a café, unlocked the coveted foursquare Swarm Badge before 9am, two hours after the first check-in for the morning.
“This morning wasn’t just about a touchy-feely get together,” says Angela. “I really wanted to show that you can make money for your business by using social media. The ticket price for everyone who came this morning was $15 for coffee and a bacon & egg sandwich. $5 of that ticket price went to a local Sydney charity, the Sydney Community Foundation, and the other $10 was for VIVO.”
Iggy Pintado, author of the Connection Generation and former Dynamic Business Magazine cover star, joined the event.
“Today’s VIVOSwarm event showed that with the power of social media connection, ANY small business can leverage their social and business networks to generate awareness, foot traffic, loyalty and revenue,” he said.
Traditionally a street front business, VIVO café has already experienced success through social media, managing to defy the effects of the GFC and keep a steady customer base despite their immediate, and traditional, market shrinking through massive job cuts. The VIVO Swarm event showed that foursquare can be a viable extension of that social media strategy.
