For all of you restaurants, bars and retailer out there, we recommend incorporating Foursquare into your social media strategy. We think that Foursquare has the potential to become mainstream as Facebook has done and if so it will be the hot new tool to drive customers to your establishment.

Here is a case study about how a BBQ restaurant in Raleigh uses Foursquare and Twitter. The model is that users of hand held devices equipped with GPS can “check in” at establishments. As part of a game, they earn points and you know what customers are at your establishment. These customers can be your brand ambassadors. Once you embrace the technology, the idea is really common sense. Wouldn’t you go out of your way to make any regular customer feel welcome? The addition of social media to your strategy does not mean that you are changing your philosophy or business model. This social media technology just gives you some additional ways to reach out to both regular and new customers.

You will want to offer freebies for Foursquare mayors and specials for those who check in regularly. You will also want to monitor tips about your business to see what people are saying.

Want to take it a step further? Turn social media into currency and work Twitter and Foursquare into your customer loyalty program