The business impact of scent

In an increasingly competitive environment, businesses have to carefully consider the experiences of their customers in retail and commercial spaces. Every business knows that it is essential to provide an attractive and satisfying customer experience to increase sales and build brand loyalty.

Many businesses invest large amounts of money in creating a visual brand and experience, taking into consideration interiors and even sound, but very few make full use of scent as a marketing tool to create memorable, multisensory experiences.

Smell has a profound effect on our emotions and memory and, when used in the right way, scents and fragrances are powerful tools for businesses. Increasing evidence shows that developing scents specific to a certain brand or branded products can have a significant impact on customer behaviour.

Discover the impact of scent on customers

Premium Scenting commissioned independent research on consumers in five countries to determine the impact of scent on their behaviour in two business sectors:

High-end retail stores
Hospitality

The study showed that consumers have a high awareness of smell in their environment and that there are numerous positive effects of a pleasant scent for businesses. The results demonstrated that 75% of respondents are drawn into a retail store by a pleasant smell and 77% said a pleasant smell would have a positive impact and want it to be pleasantly scented.

Download now

The impact of scent on the retail sector

Retail stores are facing increasing competition from online shopping. Brands today need to provide customers with a holistic brand experience both online and offline. The physical store is an opportunity to unify the brand experience across all channels to provide an engaging multisensory experience. Scenting, when designed in the right way in retail stores, can:

Increase foot fall
Increase dwell time
Improve brand loyalty

The more senses that are engaged in the right way, the more engagement customers have with a brand. However, it requires expertise to create a custom brand scenting solution for optimal results. Find out more in our Ultimate Retail Experience report.

The impact of scent on the hospitality sector

The hospitality sector too, is facing more competition than ever before, largely due to changes in the market driven by online channels. Comparison sites, booking sites, online customer reviews and the growth of home-rentals have made for fierce competition in the hospitality sector.

Hotels have to do much more than just provide a bed for the night; the need - now more than ever - to create distinct experiences and a feeling of warmth and welcome as soon as guests enter the building.

The key to attracting and retaining customers is multisensory marketing. Using a combination of design, lighting, music and scenting to provide an immediate and long-lasting sense of sophistication and quality. The use of scenting as part of a multisensory experience increases repeat visits and creates a strong brand affiliation by:

Improving guests’ moods, making them feel relaxed, patient and happy
Creating positive associations with the brand
Encouraging positive reviews

An expert scent designer can develop and deploy a scent strategy using the latest technology to create a truly holistic guest experience. Find out how hotels can benefit from the power of scent in our Ultimate Hotel Experience report.

Further information

Elevate your brand

Find out how to take your customer relationships to the next level through scent marketing. Speak to a consultant today.

Scent marketing

Learn more about the global leader in full-service scent solutions