A Marketing Plan for Kiosks
Kiosks are free-standing, mobile retail outlets providing products or service to passersby in foot-traffic thoroughfares. Like any retail business, kiosks can benefit from comprehensive marketing plans designed to build brand awareness, stimulate interest and ultimately increase sales. The mobile nature of kiosks introduces new opportunities not afforded to brick-and-mortar stores. Understanding the unique opportunities of kiosk marketing lays the foundation for an effective marketing plan in this high-profit niche.
Kiosks cost anywhere from $2,000 to around $10,000 as a upfront investment, yet kiosks in shopping malls are exposed to the same number of potential customers as retailers with vastly higher startup and overhead costs. The location of your kiosk can be the most important factor in your marketing plan -- so much so that it can trump all of the other factors, for better or worse. Locate your kiosk in areas with the highest and most sustained foot traffic in your chosen venue. If your kiosk is in a shopping mall, for example, place it near major intersections and right in the middle of the walkway. If your kiosk is located outdoors, place it alongside the most heavily traveled walkway in the area.
Effective kiosk design goes hand in hand with smart placement. An appealing and intriguing visual design can lure potential customers away from their current path or task to investigate what you have to offer. Favor clean, bright and simple designs that make your kiosk stand out from its surroundings. Design user interfaces to be ergonomic and intuitive. If voice or audio feedback is part of your kiosk's user experience, design the audio to be crisp, clear and upbeat.
Kiosks can be set up to manage sales automatically, but a small and energetic sales team can make all the difference in attracting passersby. Consider hiring one or two salespeople per kiosk to answer people's questions, pass out fliers or conduct promotions in the surrounding area and engage potential customers in interest-building conversation. As a general rule, the more expensive your kiosk's products or services, the more valuable a sales team will be.
Engage with customers via social media to build brand loyalty and encourage repeat sales. Use contests and promotions to encourage first-time customers to follow your social-media pages. If you change locations regularly, use your social-media presence to announce where you will be and when. For nondurable goods that need to be purchased regularly, letting customers know where you will be is essential to encourage customer loyalty.
Signage is not always possible for kiosks, but any opportunity you can find to place signs in the surrounding area can divert foot traffic your way. If you are set up outside in a strip mall, for example, place free-standing signs at the intersections of major walkways, if possible. Use the signs to introduce your products or services while pointing passersby toward your location. Run advertisements on local radio stations and in local magazines if the outlets resonate with your target market.