Set your brand apart with scent marketing

Most people underestimate our sense of smell and the overall effect it has on our emotion and behaviour.

For example, picking the right scent for your business can influence the customer into coming into your shop or purchasing certain products, whilst the wrong scent can drive a customer away and even put them in a bad mood.

Our sense of smell is very individualized but tests suggest that certain scents can cause changes in our behaviour.

According to research conducted by Neil Martin, Human Olfaction Labratory- Middlesex University “pleasant and unpleasant ambient odours can have an effect on human behaviour such as stress, anxiety, depression and mood.” Martin explains. “Whilst we’re still continuing the experiment, so far it seems that the smell of chocolate really does make people less stressed and anxious, and more relaxed.”

Martin also says “People can use scents to improve alertness, wellbeing and anxiety,” he says. “For example, another study showed that women in a dentist’s waiting room that had been scented with orange reported less anxiety than those in an unscented counterpart.” (Guardian, 2010)

Other UK research has also found that certain smells trigger positive memories and feelings, thus influencing the buyers purchasing decision. For example, subjects presented with a piping hot baked potato reported an uplifted mood and a rush of childhood memories. The head researcher, Dr Avinash Kant, further enlarged his findings beyond the potato to other food smells. This explains
the tactic of baking cakes or fresh bread
when perspective buyers visit a house for sale.

Studies also indicate that vanilla is considered a buying scent. According to Alan Hirsch, neurological director of the Smell and Taste Treatment research foundation, if a product smells good it’s perceived to be a good product.

A recent case study with Premier Business Audio and Simply Chocolate, World of Duty Free – Terminal 4, indicates through the use of targeted fragrancing, revenue and foot traffic can be significantly increased.  Charlotte Graves, Store Manager, commented “We have found that using the chocolate fragrance has been a great way to build rapport with our customers, find out more about their tastes and identify their favourite chocolate. Also if they hadn’t thought of buying chocolate as a gift, the smell triggered the idea to buy a token for a friend, a loved one or someone they will be staying with whilst on holiday. Overall the Premier Fragrancing service has proved to be a great success to Simply Chocolate, resulting in a positive effect on the business, by increasing footfall and revenues by 15% and helping to motivate the team who run it.”

With this research in mind, it is important for businesses to consider their company’s “smell” as it can make a big difference in the consumers buying power – after all getting and retaining customers is imperative for any business.

Read more on how scent can benefit your business, or call Premier on 0845 279 7200.