Approximately 75% of our emotions are influenced by smells daily, which is why many companies use various types of scent marketing in their stores.
When used correctly, this type of company marketing influences shoppers’ emotions and memories through their sense of smell. However, it can be off-putting to consumers if used incorrectly.
Read on to learn about the different types of scent marketing and how to use them for business marketing.
Why Is Scent Marketing Useful?
Scent marketing is a useful tool for a company, but only if you know how to use scent marketing effectively. The key is to prevent the scent from being overwhelming. It’s also essential that the scent complements the brand.
While there are a few different types of scent marketing that a business can use, they all need to abide by these rules to be effective. Done well, scent marketing helps with brand recognition, customer experience, and sales.
Brand Recognition
Using scents for business marketing is useful because it prompts brand recognition. When the scent is consistent between a brand’s various locations, customers associate it with their company.
Influence Customer Experience
Scent marketing influences the customer’s experience and can make it better. If not overpowering, adding a scent to the air can make for a pleasant shopping experience. The scent is then tied to positive memories of a brand.
Boost Sales
Because scent marketing triggers an emotional response, it can encourage customers to visit a business. Plus, the boost of emotion releases extra dopamine, which can make customers want to buy more.
Types of Marketing
The answer to, ‘what is scent marketing,’ changes based on the different types of marketing you use. While the overall goals are the same, you can achieve them with a different approach depending on your product.
Thematic Scent Marketing
Thematic scent marketing uses the theme of the business to establish a familiar scent for customers. This could be the smell of popcorn in a movie theater or chocolate in a candy store.
This type of company marketing falls flat if the scent doesn’t match the product. For example, you wouldn’t expect the smell of lavender in a movie theater. While pleasant, the mismatch can make the scent off-putting.
Aroma Billboard Scent Marketing
Some businesses rely on a slightly more aggressive form of scent marketing known as aroma billboard marketing. This type of company marketing can happen naturally, such as the strong smell of pastries at a bakery.
One of the reasons this approach is so effective is because consumers tend to remember emotions and scents better than visual advertisements.
Custom Scent Marketing
Custom scenting refers to the marketing strategy of establishing a scent unique to your business. Companies like Ambercrombie & Fitch, Starbucks, and Hyatt use custom scents across their stores for familiarity.
Making the Most of Scent Marketing
If you know how to use scent marketing, it can be one of the most effective types of business marketing tools. Making the scent memorable, pleasant, and complementary to the brand is essential to this technique.
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