Refreshing Scents Revitalize Businesses: How Scent Marketing Boosts Sales

In a media-saturated world where customers are constantly surrounded by television commercials, billboards, and social media ads, it’s hard to stand out. How do you make a meaningful connection with your customers when they’re surrounded by so much information? That’s where scent marketing, or the targeted use of pleasant smells at specific customer touchpoints, comes in.

The Science of Smell

Scent marketing isn’t just an advertising buzzword — it’s scientific. The senses sight and hearing (the two senses most involved in traditional advertising) are processed first in the analytical part of the brain. This means that scents are strongly related to emotions and memory, more so than the other senses we experience.

What does this have to do with marketing your business? These days, it’s hard to get the attention of your target audience. They are bombarded with traditional marketing every day, and they have a lot of options when it comes to which product to purchase. It’s usually not enough to sell your products or services simply on the benefits they provide — you need to create a meaningful emotional connection with people to turn them from prospects into customers.

Since our sense of smell is so closely tied with our emotions, scent marketing is one of the best ways to connect with your target audience. Strategically harnessing the power of scent can help you create a memorable experience for your customers and establish a positive perception of your business and products, all while building brand loyalty and driving sales.

Scent Marketing in Action

While most marketing centers on visual and auditory stimuli, you’ve likely experienced scent marketing without even realizing it. In 2019, Disney patented their “scent blending” technology, which is used in theme park rides to create excitement and make the ride experience more immersive. Research conducted at a casino in Las Vegas showed an increase in gambling revenues when an area was scented. And a study found that willingness to purchase a pair of Nike shoes increased by 84% when customers were in a scented room.

Scent Marketing and Your Business

Scent marketing can be a powerful tool no matter what type of business you own. It’s important to carefully match scents with your business’s brand identity. For example, if your brand feels luxurious yet invigorating, you’ll want to diffuse a matching scent. If your business is a spa or you sell consumer products that focus on self-care, a soothing, delicate scent might fit better. Where you choose to release the scent matters too: while it depends on your specific business, it’s worth considering whether it’s best to target scent marketing near cash registers, around certain product displays, or in specific rooms. Strategically diffusing scents at key areas in your showroom, store, or building can help solidify an emotional connection between your brand and your customers, create a pleasant experience, and keep them coming back.