The enlarged pupils, eager smile, hand practically thrusting
cash into yours-if only it were this easy to spot impulsive buyers.
Nothing's sweeter than watching potential customers make a
beeline toward your display; it's even more heavenly when they
quickly and almost effortlessly opt to buy. Kiosks, more than any
other type of retail business, benefit from impulse shoppers. How
can you attract them?
The first thing a start-up entrepreneur should know is what
items make the best impulse buys. These are items "that people
can see being usable in their lives," says Jeffrey Stamp,
co-author of Meaningful Marketing (Brain Brew Books),
and vice president of R&D at Eureka! Ranch, an
innovation think tank in Cincinnati. For example, personalized
items are typically a good choice as a last-minute impulse purchase
in the mind of the consumer.
It's also important to understand the larger group from
which impulse purchases originate: the unplanned purchase. There
are three ways in which unplanned purchasers are lured into
temptation, explains Ed Fox, assistant professor of marketing and
director of the JCPenney Center for Retail Excellence at the
Cox
School of Business at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
First, something can act as a sudden reminder to the shopper.
Whether the kiosk offers something that might be appropriate for an
upcoming birthday or event, a visual cue triggers the memory.
(Note: A smell or sound can be equally enticing.) These cues alert
the consumer to a need that wasn't terribly pressing before but
is now.
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Second, using the same type of visual cue mentioned above, a
kiosk can suggest the purchase of products that are complementary,
implying to the consumer that he or she should buy and use one
product with the other. "It's like selling soft drinks
with popcorn," Fox explains.
Third, a visual cue can create an entirely new need for a
product-a need that didn't exist before the visual cue. Says
Fox, "The cue spontaneously generates a need for the
product."
Though studies on a shopper's state of mind haven't been
conclusive in determining whether or not a browser, as opposed to a
goal-directed shopper, is more likely to make impulse purchases,
Fox points out another psychological facet of shoppers'
tendencies. The psychological construct called "need for
cognition" is, for some, a desire to analyze. "Some
people feel better if they think deeply about things,"
explains Fox, "while others are very comfortable being bold
and making quicker, more impulsive decisions."
Fox speculates the purpose of a shopper's visit will likely
affect how many impulse purchases that shopper makes, but he also
believes that the more the consumer sees and passes by, the more
items she'll consider buying. Says Fox, "What's
critical for a kiosk vendor is where you're at in the mall.
You've got to get them to consider you and consider your
product. To do that, [shoppers] need to be aware of your kiosk and
process [what you offer]."
Traffic volume is key-locations where people slow down and are
receptive to visual stimulation are prime property for your
business. "You're more likely to start that process of
generating an impulse purchase," says Fox, "or reminding
someone of a need."
Sending the
Message
While it's fine to start a kiosk using impulse buys as a
consideration, if you want something with a longer life, "then
you must convert the initial impulse angle into a more meaningful
one," says Stamp. To do so, set your product apart by
highlighting the overt benefit and making a valid argument that it
will make a real difference in the consumer's life.
So how do you proceed in marketing your wares? When it comes to
signage at your kiosk, Stamp claims the cliché "A picture
is worth a thousand words" is untrue. "If you really want
to get an impulse buyer, you could have placards that just say,
'Need a last-minute gift?' Clear and simple words put
everyone on the same page, and the leading question is a very good
way to get people to stop and see."
However, if you believe pictures better portray what your item
can offer to the shopper, Stamp recommends using one that clarifies
the benefits of your product. "If you're selling
sunglasses, don't just have pictures of sunglasses-have a
picture of people wearing sunglasses out in the sun."
Also make sure any visuals are relevant to the target audience
and the occasion. "It's not that consumers aren't
smart," says Stamp. "Americans see more than 2,000
advertising messages [per] day. Our bandwidth is so clogged up,
people see the [images], but they don't [always]
register."
While mindless marketing-persuasive tactics like shouting and
circus-like promoting-can be an easy option for kiosk owners, Stamp
warns that a good customer experience can be thrown by the wayside
when your sales staff has nothing meaningful to say. "You have
to remember the definition of business: the exchange of value
between two people," says Stamp. Understand the value behind
the object or service you are providing, and explain it to the
customer. "Convert the features of your products or services
into true benefits that the customer needs, and you'll sell
them every time," advises Stamp. Consider your encounter with
a customer as an opportunity for a 20-second commercial. Inquire
into what they need, and see if your offer fulfills that. Emphasize
quickness and convenience to last-minute shoppers.
Salespeople are crucial in this aspect. Stamp sees one mistake
made time and again at many kiosks: "The people who work at
them look as if they don't care. We have learned in the sales
process that there's nothing better than a smile to bridge a
distance and get people to look at you." Proper training of
your sales staff should emphasize friendly customer service as well
as knowledge of the product. "We're consumers of products,
but as humans, we all crave service," says Stamp. "So if
you're going to run a kiosk, make it look as if you're
there to serve someone's needs."
Don't get discouraged if you still see plenty of shoppers
passing by your cart without that impulsive gleam in their eyes-you
can hope you've left enough of a lasting impression on them
that they'll buy something another day. "The data is very
clear," says Stamp. "When you're trying to attract a
new customer, it often takes up to three impressions before someone
gets it." It doesn't matter so much if you don't sell
the first time-it's more important that, at first glance, you
make them see there's a need for what you have. Next time, they
may make a beeline straight to your kiosk.