Floorsquare Anyone?

I have been playing on Foursquare for the last two months and I admit it is a fun concept: being able to geo-position yourself, check-in, insta-tweet where you are, find others there all while competing with your friends to rack up points, earn Mayor-ships, and unlock badges (though I wish someone would tell me how to unlock those darn badges!). And lets not forget - there are some fantastic deals on Foursquare: free food and drink when you show up at your local establishment and show them that you have checked in or are the mayor. You bet I've saved $10 or $20 bucks off the bill! (And you bet it makes me go back.)

But I am much more excited about what I foresee as the event-take on this technology: Floorsquare! The next great innovation for the Tradeshow Business. (And trademarked by BeEvents, right now.)

Think about it - attendees download a customized version of the application for your conference or tradeshow event and are able to check-in at various points throughout the room. As show producers, secret badges, special prizes and unique add-on experiences could be built into the floorplan. Add in and RFID chip and attendees can find one another, connect, and connect with vendors. Why let someone scan your badge or name tag and waiting for a vendor to send you information. Why not let that information be selected by the customer to access when they return home and log into your personalized Floorsquare homepage.

But it is more interesting to think how vendors could have a field-day with the technology as they try to woo and connect with customers - through special offers, badges, rewards, and freebies. At a time when sponsorship in general is old, boring and down, whoever can capitalize on this sort of interactive sponsorship could rake in the funding to cover the cost of implementation and then some.

I am sure there needs to be advances in the ability of mobile devices to geo-locate within a confined space. Then there is the lack in service at most convention centers in the country (they still believe they can charge ridiculously for access/mobile companies have not seen the value in investing in the repeaters necessary for the concrete masses that are most convention centers.) And sure this is an idea most likely rolled-out by some uber-fantastic show like the annual Consumer Electronic Show. But the concept is so simple, easy to adapt, conceptually, easy to understand, and I think would be just a LOT of Fun.