Nowadays, many businesses are looking for ways to increase their profits and promote brand loyalty. However, not many know how scent marketing can help them. Every little thing, from how your floors and restrooms look to the smell in your office, influences the decision made by the customer. Are they going to come back to shop or do business with you? Are they so displeased with the overall presentation – even perceived one – and the lack of the smell that would evoke positive emotions? There is always a moment that makes or breaks the customer, and sometimes it is very subtle.
Think about the various smells that you pick up when you walk around the mall or enter an office. Are you called to buy a sweet cinnamon roll or buttery soft pretzel in the food court? Do you think about the smell of cologne when you walk past the men’s section of a department store? These examples might provide you with an idea – let’s be honest, we all experienced scent marketing being used on us.
So How Can You Use Scents to Your Advantage?
Even the idea of a store, food, or item can trigger memories or feelings that create a sense of longing. If you operate a business, keep the sense of smell in mind. An adequate and pleasant, or clean smell will help you do the following:
#1 Increase Sales
Smells can change how your customers feel and interact with the items around them. A good smell can improve a bad mood, driving customers to be nicer to employees and to each other. Customers who are happy with the smell around them will likely be more open to looking at products and considering additional services. Moreover, a pleasant smell increases the amount of money a person is willing to spend.
#2 The smell will keep your customers loyal
It might be strange, but the scent really helps to ingrain the perception of your business in people’s minds. Even if you are nowhere near the store or business and haven’t been to one in years, you can likely imagine the smell greets you when you walk inside. It can help you increase brand loyalty and make sure that customers just stay around – the better the small, the more time they will spend at your establishment, increasing the possibility of a sale.
#3 Better Customer Experience
Scent marketing benefits store owners by influencing purchase behavior while creating an immersive shopping experience. In addition, scent positively affects mood: happy customers = more sales and brand recognition. Pleasant scents can help your customers feel relaxed, happy, and ready to do business with you. That is why you need to discuss what smell fits your business first!
#4 Improve The Productivity of Your Team
The benefits of the right scents aren’t just for your customers. Working in an environment that smells good can also benefit your employees. The people who work for you will be more alert and productive, which means they will make fewer mistakes and be available to help customers. Plus, happier customers because of the good smells lead to happier employees, who are less likely to face rude or aggressive shoppers who test their moods.
#5 Any Business Smells. Make it Smell Good.
More likely than not, your store or property already has some sort of smell associated with it. It is a mix of the odor of the brick, the smell your products emit, or even the smell of other people living there (if you are an apartment complex).
If you are not taking advantage of scent marketing, chances are that these ambient scents could overpower your customers and create undesirable brand experiences. By taking control of the scent of your store or business area, you can decide for yourself what type of customer experience your clients will have.
Learn More About Benefits and Customer Experience
If you’re considering improving the customer experience inside of your business, we’d love to help you learn more about the benefits of scent marketing.
Contact us today to learn more about the customer experience our resources are your action plan. We will develop a scent plan to win customers over and keep them coming back.
