If you’ve ever visited a church with a stationary giving kiosk, you may have had some questions about the device. Does it actually increase donations? Does it attract visitors? Does it serve coffee?
Ok, so maybe you haven’t thought about it being a personal barista, but you’ve probably at least thought about the other questions. Giving kiosks are typically placed in high-traffic areas of a church building. For your church, the main lobby is probably the most convenient area to place a giving kiosk, but there are other factors to consider before purchasing one of these devices for accepting donations.
An example of a tabletop kiosk from SimpleGive.
How are you going to introduce this?
While different kiosks can show your church’s logo on the side or have a brief description of how something like this actually works, putting a kiosk in the lobby without explaining its purpose may not be the wisest decision. Take a little bit of time before a service to just let your church members know about the new giving kiosk. That way they aren’t confused, and they can feel more secure knowing you chose this giving method as an option for your church.
How are you going to promote this?
In the age of social media and digital ministry, there are plenty of ways to promote a church giving kiosk. Go a step further than your pre-service announcement and send out a church-wide email explaining the benefits to your donors. You can even create a short video that demonstrates how to give using this method, and then put it on social media (obviously you will want to edit out any views of your credit card…). Let your donors know that their contributions to your ministry make a difference, and that the kiosk is a fast and easy way for them to send a donation.
What other giving methods does your church provide?
The more traditional giving methods included either passing an offering plate or setting up a church donation deposit box. With digital donation options, your church can now accept giving funds through Online Giving software, mobile giving apps, Text Giving and giving kiosks. This doesn’t mean that your church would need to offer all of these methods in order to see an increase in overall donations, but it is a good idea to research what combination would work best for your ministry. If you do decide to offer any method of giving aside from the traditional route, letting your donors know their options is crucial to your overall giving strategy.
We are always curious about the tools churches are using to further the ministry. What kind of giving options does your church offer?
