Has this ever happened to you? You set out to browse in the mall, no real agenda to shop and all of the sudden you are hit by an enticing scent. Suddenly you find yourself purchasing four sweaters, two pairs of pants, and tube socks that you definitely did not need, and never had any intention of buying.
Don’t blame yourself. Blame your nose.
Raising a retail establishment’s profits through the introduction of scent is just another avenue of “sensory branding” that is becoming a larger part of a stores overall consumer marketing strategy. The industry even has a term for it, “olfactive branding” (olfactive, named for the olfactory bulb in our brain, the most primitive part of our brain where our sense of smell hits). Since scent is processed at unconscious levels, a person isn’t even aware of the affect it has on their overall shopping habits and spending.
When scenting in retail, it is most effective when the scent is very subtle, more of a background note to the overall feel of a particular space. It needs to be the right balance of just enough for the consumer to say, “it smells really nice in here.” But not too much where the customer is heading for the nearest exit.
It is well known in marketing circles that scents have a powerful effect on consumer behavior. Scientific research proves that approximately 75% of our daily decisions are based on our sense of smell. 75%! That’s huge in terms of where, how and what we spend on. Scent is amazingly influential in our daily lives. Scents are not only subliminal by producing and setting off emotions in ways that we would not presume, but additionally, they create a “memory” that is more permanent than any other sensory experience.
Cold Air Diffusion is the best way to disperse scents in the air evenly and consistently. Aroma360 offers the latest in this technology, in both plug in models and equipment that is professionally installed through an organizations HVAC system.
Most often retailers try to evoke calm and happiness in their customers, in order to make their shopping experience more pleasant. The rule of thumb for scenting to spend is easy. Simple scents always work best, whether they are citrus based (which studies have proven make consumers spend) or lavender based (which calms and relaxes consumers, allowing them to purchase more), or vanilla based (the most universally recognized scent, which imprints back to evoking trust as it is associated with the smell of a mothers’ breast milk).
Some scents that Aroma360 offers for increasing sales in retail locations are:
