Move Over, Hairy Drifter. FourSquare @ Your Local Hop

It’s okay if you’re still scratching your head over the FourSquare piece in the Chicago Tribune.

What is FourSquare? The Trib. describes it nicely:
“Playing Foursquare involves exploring restaurants, pubs and coffee shops in major metro areas. The payoff for playing can range from special deals or freebies at eating and drinking establishments to scoring points, Boy Scout-like badges and ‘mayorships,’ essentially bragging rights for hanging out at particular locations.”

So you earn merit badges and free stuff for places you already go, things you already do. Sweet.

Whoa, Nellie. Cue ye auld business model. Again, via the Tribune:
“Foursquare is focused on getting as many businesses as possible to add discounts and other promotions to Foursquare, said Tristan Walker, who is in charge of business development and is a second-year student at Stanford Business School.”

Are we cool sharing our getaways with another logo? I’m still getting over seeing birdies and “follow us on Facebook” messages on everything from the bus to bathroom walls. Yeesh.

For retailers, this is a no brainer. For the organic and grassroots set, you may need to ask yourself if a corporate partnership will help or harm your brand identify.

Am I complaining? Heck no. It’s called the Virgin America Terminal at LAX. Just a hint.

Idle Thoughts…65 y.o. Author, Marketer Says Essential

New Must-Have Read By Shel Israel

For those of you still resisting Twitter, take a look at this hefty CNN piece about Shel Israel, well-known public speaker and journalist turned social media master.

Excerpt: “To Israel, it’s the mundane details of one’s life, shared through tweets and status updates, that matter. He believes that tweeting about what you had for lunch can actually help build a meaningful personal or business relationship.”

Think about the last conversation sparked from a tweet or Facebook update. Did you go out and see that movie? Find that secret Labor Day Sale? Take Mom to that recommended cafe?

Ah, Shel. You may be onto something, mate.

His new book, “Twitterville: How Businesses Can Thrive in the New Global Neighborhoods” looks like a must-have weekend read for any marketer, PR pro, or journalist looking to get the most mileage out of those 140 characters.

Buy it here .