Excellent Scent Is Excellent Marketing

Excellent Scent Is Excellent Marketing

How can scent be turned into an advantage?
Did you know that people stay 44% longer in workplaces that smell pleasant?

The inviting aroma of freshly baked bread or snacks being prepared. The scent of leather or brand-new sneakers. An attractive perfume note that fills an entire retail space. They’re all irresistible, aren’t they?
Scent in retail isn’t new, but its importance in marketing and sales can no longer be overlooked. Brands such as Ritz-Carlton and Ferrari report that customers spend up to 44% more time in environments surrounded by an appealing fragrance.
Drawing on insights from an article by the American Marketing Association, we’ll explore why scent marketing matters for brands, how in-store scenting has evolved, why it works, and why businesses benefit from smelling better.

How can ambient scenting keep customers inside stores for longer?

Scent has a unique ability to trigger emotional responses. When used correctly, it can elevate mood and evoke feelings of happiness. Research shows that exposure to a pleasant scent can improve customers’ mood by up to 40%.
People naturally spend more time in places where they feel good, which is why professionally scented environments encourage longer visits.
To ensure customers feel better than they did before entering, brands should use carefully balanced signature scents composed of multiple notes.
-Citrus notes energize
-Jasmine lifts the mood
-Sandalwood creates a calming effect
When the right emotional balance is aligned with the store, the brand, and the purchasing experience, the impact can feel almost magical.

What kinds of dramatic changes are observed in scented environments?

There are many compelling case studies demonstrating scent’s powerful subconscious effects on emotions, daily decisions, and behavior.
One well-known supermarket chain introduced targeted scenting across different sections of its stores — the smell of fresh bread in the bakery, citrus in produce areas, and clean, refreshing notes between aisles. As a result, same-store sales increased by 3% to 5%.
A property management company that implemented ambient scenting in part of its portfolio also saw significant results. Three months after installation, vacancy rates in scented properties dropped by 7%, while unscented properties showed no change. The company now applies ambient and signature scenting across its entire portfolio and reports very positive feedback from buyers and tenants.

Can businesses overdo scenting? Could customers become irritated?

Absolutely. Many people assume a scent needs to be strong and obvious to be effective. In reality, the brain can detect and respond to even very subtle fragrance levels.
There is a direct pathway between scent receptors and the emotional centers of the brain. In fact, an emotional reaction can occur before we are consciously aware of a smell.
Sensitivity to scent also varies widely. For example, women often become more sensitive to smell during pregnancy. This requires particular care in places like baby stores. Cultural background and age can also influence scent preferences.
For this reason, brands should work with experienced professionals. Ambient and signature scenting deliver real results only when developed and implemented correctly by experts.
Some retail spaces use fragrances that appeal to certain customers but may be unpleasant to others. By collaborating with scent specialists, brands can create compositions that satisfy a broad audience. As, for example, a scent that appeals to younger shoppers might feel overwhelming or intrusive to middle-aged customers — potentially harming store traffic rather than helping it.

Source: American Marketing Association — August 1, 2017