The Power Of Scent Branding To Increase Sales
Scent can have a direct effect on people’s mood. The sense of smell plays an important role in the brain when it comes to stress, mood, and even the ability to perform a job.
Think about the way that different smells affect your perception. The next time you walk into a grocery or department store, take note of the smells they use to influence your purchase:
- The spicy scent of cinnamon can make you think of fall and Halloween, inspiring you to pick up some autumn decorations. Even if it’s still July.
- The warm scent of vanilla can make you think about baked goods, giving you the notion to pick up some ingredients to bake a cake. Even if you don’t have a reason to bake one.
- The fresh scent of lemon brings about thoughts cleanliness, inspiring you to purchase some supplies for spring cleaning. Even in the middle of winter.
These are only a few of the ways that businesses are using the power of scent to influence people and increase buying.
Scents Can Bring About Good And Bad Memories
Scent is also connected to thoughts, feelings, and events in the past. Certain smells can bring back strong memories upon initial exposure. The response to these memories can vary, based on the individual experience a person had with the presence of the scent. For example:
- Coconut can remind people of suntan lotion. This can bring back the memory of a beloved childhood trip to the beach or it can bring back the memory of a tropical vacation where the entire family fought relentlessly.
- Pine can remind people of Christmas trees. This can bring about a memory of the year you got the bike you always wanted or it can also remind you of the year when grandma was sick, so you spent Christmas in the hospital.
Research On Scent And Mood
Scents can also affect your mood in ways that are not connected to a memory. Essential oils have compounds that affect mood and connection with people in many ways. For example:
- Lavender essential oil has properties that are known to calm or relax the mind and body. This soothing scent has been used in waiting rooms where patients were waiting for dental treatment. It was found to reduce anxiety and make patients feel calm. Orange essential oil was found to have the same effect.
- One study looked at the effectiveness of using an essential oil to increase social interaction. The use of rose geranium essential oil was found to increase the number of social interactions in a room full of strangers. This is likely due to its pleasant smell and ability to increase alertness.
Scent Branding For Your Business
The way that businesses use scent to imprint their brand upon your memory can have a drastic impact on where you choose to go, shop, and stay. For example, a popular hotel chain diffuses a signature mixture of jasmine and other fragrances in the lobby of their hotels all over the world. Each time you stay in one of their hotels, you’ll be in a better mood based on your positive experiences at the last hotel.
Business.com reports that gamblers were found to spend more money in a casino when there was a floral aroma present. Another study reports the results of a survey taken by customers at Nike stores who were exposed to a specific ambient scent during their time in the store. Not only did the scent improve their evaluation of the products in the store, but it also increased their likelihood of shopping there again.
Branding Your Business And Increasing Sales
Store owners should use specific essential oils for their specific audience. Vetiver essential oil work well with products for men, while lavender essential is more effective for products geared toward women. For gender neutral products, Neroli essential oil, ylang-ylang essential oil, and patchouli essential oil have shown to have a positive effect. Place a few drops in a nebulizing diffuser and let the oils go to work.
New business trends suggest branding your store with a signature scent to improve customer experience, stay longer in your shop, and even buy more while there. You can use an essential oil blend that uplifts and energizes, a blend that soothes and calms, or even a blend reminiscent of a cool sea breeze.
Your customers will not only notice the wonderful aroma of your store, but they’ll also notice the benefits that come from inhaling the essential oils you diffuse. From pain relief to stress-reduction, essential oils have amazing benefits to the mind and body that go beyond the memory of the scent. They’ll remember how good they felt after shopping.
If used correctly, you can improve the overall experience of your customers. This will increase your sales by encouraging them to spend more time shopping and it will keep them coming back for that feel-good experience.
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I used lavender right before a piercing to calm me down once and it worked great!
So interesting, it would be nice if every store I shopped in, did this.
wow I would love this
I wish grocery stores were using essential oil diffusers. The thieves oil would be great!
Baking scents are definitely the most popular in my household. Even people delivering packages have commented before on them. Great article!
Baking scents are definitely the most popular in my household. Even people delivering packages have commented before on them. Great article!
Have you ever walked through an area where there was popcorn being made, does it entice your taste buds? Does it make you feel happy?
Yes, scents do help change our disposition.
Some of the best scents to calm us are scents from nature.
I used this when we sold our home. always made sure it was delicious smelling Great info to refresh my memory
This is a valuable tip! Im always one to find out if i like the scent of Items (if they are scented) before I will purchase.
This is very true and explains why I go broke every time I go to Bath and Body works in the mall.
I use a lot of oils to help lift my mood. Fresh bread always reminds me of being young and helping my Mum bake bread, such a warm comforting smell
Love reading your latest Blog, great information thank you.
Good info
Very informative!
Wow great info. I’ve never considered using scents as part of your business before. Good for the business & the customers mood; truly a win-win scenario.
I am excited to find out that certain scents can help with mental health issues such as rose geranium for social anxiety.
Thank you for the information.
I recently learnt of this when I visited a display home. The owner and sales person mentioned that scent along with look and quality was a strategy they used to keep customers around and chatting. The scented candle they had burning did smell amazing.
I can believe it as scent can help sell a house, ie cinnamon or baking smells.
That’s so interesting geranium can spark social interactions..maybe I should diffuse some when having a gathering!
This is so interesting! I’ll be sure to take more notice of the aroma around me when shopping! Scent memory is such a powerful thing.
Very interesting, had not really thought about it like that
I appreciate this insight into scent and branding. As I develop my own business this is something I will incorporate as well.
The sense of smell is very powerful and influential in many ways. This article shows how various scents can influence sales and marketing in a positive direction. I will suggest to my realtor to use Organic Aromas diffusers for his open houses!
FOLKS LOVE THE SENT WHEN THY COME IN AND SEEM TO BUY MORE
what a great article
That makes sense! I have a tassée infused with lavender and rosemary in my car, and I diffuse it often in my house. My friend commented on how she loves the smell. I’ve recently been diffusing blends containing Indian Sandalwood, Vanilla, and some others and just love it!
Very interesting read.
I was just staying at a hotel where they had a fragrance in the lobby, but it was artificial and too strong. They need some organic aroma diffusers and essential oils instead!
I purchased one of these several months ago. I only have one problem with it. I need two more!!! Lol! Everyone loves it. I am constantly moving it between home, car, and work!!
Love organic aromas.
I like the smell of coconut and lavender.
I like the smell of cinnamon and pine.
I’m not surprised, effective marketing appeals to many senses at once .
Buen reportaje. Thanks
I’m going to pay attention to the scents of the places I shop. Interesting and makes sence..literally.
Very interesting read. If I ever open a business, I will remember this!
Scents definitely provoke a reaction. Thanks for the article.
I really had no idea but it makes scents (pun intended)
This is all such good information ty for sharing
all good to know thanks
I had no idea that is awesome
Informative tips and smell really does matter.😊
wow that’s such good information! Thanks for the info 🙂
interesting
Very interesting! I love vanilla scent.
It would be great if stores smelled really good. Shopping would be a more pleasant experience.
I know coffee scent for coffee drinkers pull people in. Donuts/cinabuns the smell will pulls you in. But I did not realize the grocery store or dept store.
It is amazing how powerful scents are to the emotions and memories. It definitely influenced my buying decisions
I am not a business owner, but I know from personal experience that when walking into a spa or office or retail store (Bath & Body Works, for example), the good aroma MATTERS! I am drawn to positive feelings that enhance my time there.
As a home owner, people have often expressed delight in how my house smells so good from the essential oil I am diffusing. It feels good to make people feel good!! That’s a win/win.