Kiosks In Marketing

A "Kiosk" by definition is a small stand-alone unit that performs a specific function, generally without management intervention and are generally intended to provide information to those that use it.  Kiosks are generally small, mobile, and are designed to help the consumer find information and they can be strategically placed anywhere you wish to have a presence but cannot or do not wish to have a person staff the location.

Kiosks can be as simple as an information center designed to hold brochures or as complicated as a computer terminal designed to collect and distribute information.  On one end, an ATM is an example of a sophisticated interactive kiosk with high security.  

At the other end, an example would be a stand-alone rack of brochures on home projects at Lowe’s.  In the middle would be a kiosk that has a computer and a touch screen that allows users to dig through information by making menu choices and they can be enabled to allow the consumer to enter their personal information so that you can contact them directly. 

Kiosks have two general purposes.  First, they are designed to deliver or collect information to the consumer in the absence of a human.  While they obviously don’t have the ability to interact on the same level, they can sometimes provide information or services to more than one individual at a time, and they are terribly cost efficient in terms of delivering information.

Second, kiosks are meant to go wherever they are needed and stay there as long as you want them there.  As such, they are rugged attractive units that break down easily and can generally be handled by one or two people. 

Kiosk venues

Kiosks can be used in numerous ways and it’s all up to you to come up with ideas to keep them in constant use.  A kiosk that is kept in its container in the storage room isn’t benefiting its owner.  But if properly used, the ROI on a kiosk is very fast.

Kiosks are often used as the second person at tradeshows and consumer events.  Tradeshow warriors know that much of your time can be spent waiting to talk with someone.  Yet almost certainly, as soon as your partner goes on break or you start talking with one person, several other people will show up and you risk losing potential customer contacts.  A properly deployed kiosk can help attract people, hold their attention long enough for you to get to get over to them, and help them find information.

Kiosks can be set up where there are no humans at all including at malls, grocery stores, doctor offices, or anywhere else that your potential clients may visit.  Placing a staff person in one of these locations can cost you a small fortune, yet the properly placed kiosk can deliver the same message without the human cost and once paid for, continues to pay for itself time after time.  In some situations, a kiosk can also be more attractive to potential clients than a human because the consumer can obtain information without feeling like they are risking a sales pitch.

Kiosk functions

Kiosks can be made to do just about anything you want.  If all you want to do is distribute written information or brochures, a simple kiosk will attractively display this information in a way that consumers can easily find what they are looking for.

Interactive kiosks can be coupled with computers and touch screens to allow the consumer to see videos, get a visual perspective of the kinds of services that you offer, and enter their contact information to have someone call them later.

Maintain your kiosk

While the kiosk has incredible advantages, they do require that someone periodically check on them to make sure that they are doing what they are supposed to do.  If your kiosk runs out of brochures, it quickly becomes unattractive.  If your kiosk collects contact requests and you don’t pull them and act on them, it not only won’t do you any good, it can hurt your reputation.

End - Kiosks

Marketing >> Trade Shows   >> Kiosks