In physical business locations, whether it’s an office that welcomes clients or a retail store or restaurant that sees a lot of customers passing by throughout the day, the experience of the location itself makes a big difference. It can be the deciding factor on whether a client goes with you or whether a customer decides to stick around. And emotional marketing plays a big role in that decision, not just whether they want a product or service or not. Here, we’re going to look at how the individual’s senses play a huge role in that emotional side of the business and how you can use it to your advantage.
Sight
It shouldn’t be surprising that this is the sense you’re going to immediately want to capitalize on. Finding an outstanding aesthetic style for your storefront, or even creating a visually cool office environment, immediately catches the attention of whoever sees it. But you can go further than that. Visual merchandising uses the color palette of your products and visual appeal beyond just practical arrangement. It creates a visual journey that draws customers’ attention and makes them more likely to spend because they’re more likely to notice specific products and deals that appeal to them.
Sound
Music is one of the most broadly used ways to make use of your customers’ and clients’ senses. Many retailers will make use of in-store radio and specific stations for retail-friendly music for a good reason. Emotional music can compel people to feel more relaxed and at ease, making them more likely to spend time in the store without noticing it. There are sometimes that the right thematic choices can help improve a brand’s appeal, too. For instance, there are studies showing that wine stores playing classical music can experience better sales than those playing contemporary tunes. One tip above all else when it comes to music in retail stores is to keep the volume down. You want it to contribute to the experience, but some stores have experience that music that is too loud becomes distracting and doesn’t give customers the chance to think about and consider purchases. On the other hand, if you have live performers doing shows in your establishment every Friday night you may want to invest in the best drum machine for live performance just in case.
Smell
They say that smell is one of the most emotionally inspiring senses. It has deep connections to memory, which means that certain scents can become very evocative of certain moods. Which is why scent marketing has become much more popular, particularly in boutique retail stores and restaurants, where setting a scene and creating a theme is a key part of branding. Above all else, it makes sure that there are no sterile or otherwise unpleasant odors detracting from the customer experience.
Touch
When it comes to touch, we’re talking about the sense of personalization and a good relationship rather than the tactile variety. Stores that employ customer service specialists and shopping assistants are a lot more likely to see repeat visitors. It might be just business, but good interpersonal relationships create an extra emotional kicker that can be a very powerful force to convince people to come back.
Play to your customer’s senses. It might make them better customers and more likely to become both a fan of the brand and a deeper spender. Best of all, they might not even really notice it.