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atmosphere for riders to inhale. The company claim to have spiked their coffee sales by 29% and footfalls increase by 16% at their stores. Starbucks, to increase their store revenue and profits have turned to sensory branding, where they have resumed to grinding coffee in the stores for the sole purpose of improving aroma of coffee. Soft wind chimes put us at ease and our mood improves significantly, many boutiques install chimes at their doors and windows to have that soothing effect on customers shopping at their stores. Focusing on the senses, marketers can induce a positive mood in customers, the more positive customer is, the more chances that he/she will buy a product or will be happy with a service.
With the advent of digital marketing there is still a hindrance when it comes to sensory marketing because it can only stimulate the sense of sight. However, buyers before ordering through the websites first want to see the products in reality to feel and experience them before they order them online especially shoes, clothes and digital products. It is here that the marketers can make use of the sensory marketing; catch hold of the buyers through the ways suggested above and buyers will order those products that they felt connected with most.
Sensory marketing is the future and it is going to be used by companies more with time to seduce their potential customers. It is important that customers be aware of such strategies to escape unwanted tricks & traps. However, sensory marketing will also help companies to better place their products in the hearts and minds of consumers. It will also lead to a fewer failures of relevant products for that couldn’t grab customer attention, and will lead marketers to change their branding techniques. As for the field of marketing, our senses are in for a treat in the future.
- Ravi Singh & Vibhu Sood
Institute - Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies
PARADIGM Nourishing the Intellect