If you are a business who uses event marketing to generate leads and fill your marketing funnel, then you’re going to want to add Foursquare to your list of must-have marketing tools for 2011.

What is Foursquare you ask? (Besides the game you played as a child in the school yard)

It’s an online game that allows users to ‘check in’ with their mobile phones when they visit bricks and mortar locations and events.

Because of the ability of the mobile phone to pin point exactly where you are, you can easily notify your friends as to your whereabouts.

AND store owners and event planners can leave tips, coupons and instructions for interacting when a customer checks in.

So for example, I’ve seen tradeshow’s encourage exhibitors to offer prizes for checking in at each booth as well as giving attendees a raffle entry for each booth they check in at.  This type of behavior encourages a high level of interaction and fosters a fun atmosphere.

Foursquare also integrates with Twitter and Facebook so you can keep all your friends up to date with where you.

With 1 out of 4 people in the US with smart phone and an the entire location based marketing industry to morph into a $1.4 billion dollar market by 2014, you can’t afford not to start paying attention to and playing with this tool.

I’m confident that as creative entrepreneurs, you’ll figure out some outrageous way to make this popular tool profitable for your business.  It’s my job to make you armed with the knowledge of what’s hot and happening so you can go out and be profitably dangerous!

To Your Online Marketing Success,

Mande White, MBA

GKIC Miami Chapter Social Media Advisor

P.S.  Please share you comments below on how you’ve seen Foursquare used in your community or how you are integrating it into your marketing plan for 2011.