If you work in a service-based industry, you will know the importance of creating memorable first impressions. In fact, there is a well-known rule that says in the first seven seconds, your customer will have made eleven impressions! That leaves a lot of room for things to go wrong.
The great thing about scent marketing is its subtle power that can positively impact those crucial first seven seconds and beyond. The sense of smell is directly connected to emotions and memories, and if you can tap into that, you can shape your customer’s perceptions long after the initial encounter.
The Science of Scent Marketing
Olfactory branding is a marketing tool based on the association of certain smells to a brand. This link then prompts the customer to remember the brand when next they encounter the same scent.
In a service setting, such a scent sets the tone and helps to create an atmosphere aligned with your service offering. The desired mood could be relaxation, energy or a feeling of luxuriousness.
Some Industry Specific Scent Strategies
- Hospitality (Hotels, Spas): Picture your guests feeling calm and relaxed when exposed to your signature scent at your reception area. It can also be carried through to lounges and other places, including guest rooms.
- Healthcare (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical & Dental Offices): Help ease patient anxiety and stress with a fresh, clean scent that sets them at ease and makes them feel comfortable. It is also good for masking that typical “hospital smell” that could be anxiety-producing.
- Retail Services (Salons, Boutiques, Showrooms): Attract customers and increase your sales by selecting a signature scent that perfectly complements your products and services and positions them positively in their minds.
- Professional Services (Office Suites, Financial Institutions): Create an atmosphere of trust and productivity by scent branding with a professional smell in your workplace.
- Transportation (Car Rental, Airports, Airport Lounges): Energise your customers with a fresh, invigorating scent that masks unwanted odours and makes them feel welcome.
- Fitness Centers (Gyms, Yoga Studios): Use scent to create a stimulating and motivating atmosphere by using a scent that stimulates energy and promotes a sense of health and wellness.
- Entertainment Venues & Movie Theatres: Here, subtle scents will be ideal, as you will not want to detract from the experience.
Contact Scent.ology today to find out how we can create the perfect olfactory identity for your service-based industry and experience the power of scent marketing.
