How to use music to attract more customers

30 January 2014
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Music and business fit together like peanut butter and jelly. Alone, they’re too distant to complement each other. Mixed in just the right blend, they can yield massive power that will increase sales, boost your bottom line and make your customers happy!

MusicSalesBut on the flip-side, too much, too loud and too aggressive can repel shoppers like a can of tear gas.

If you want to harness the power of music in your business, consider the following:

Create a feeling of positivity

If the goal is to provide an enjoyable experience for your customers, which it should, take the time to choose your music selections carefully. Avoid songs or instrumentals that relate to heartbreak, death or a lost love. Keep the beat vibrant and full of life! You want your customers to feel excited when they interact with your brand. Just turning the dial to a radio station is not going to cut it. You need to control the music you play, just as you would the color scheme of for your exterior.

Watch your volume

I heard recently from a friend, that he is extremely sensitive to loud noises. He suffers from mild anxiety, but he reported that nothing sets his condition into overdrive like music that’s too loud and fast paced. So be sure to keep in mind that the volume of your music may be off-putting to some customers. The last thing you want is for someone to rapidly put their items back on the shelves, and bolt for fear of losing their cool! I know for the iPhone, they have apps that can display the audible difference in sound levels. It may be a good idea to download the app, and test it out in different areas of your shop.

Enhance your remembrance

I read a blog post the other day that summed this up perfectly. The use of music can lead to a better remembrance of information and impressions created by an individual shopping experience. This is evident more so in commercial jingles. The “catchier” the tune, the easier it is for a listener to recall where they’ve heard it. But this fact also leads us to acknowledge that a bad experience associated with music will be just as easy to recall.

Here’s another post you can reference for some more musical inspiration!

Make people move faster

The tempo of a particular song can cause people to move faster. If you are a boutique, clothing store or a retail hot spot where you want people to meander through your selection, I would refrain from blasting the latest in European house music. But if you want your customers in and out to make room for those who are anxiously waiting, then make sure to play something peppy! You’ll see this a lot in mid-level restaurants. Usually in an establishment where the total bill will result in a couple spending under thirty bucks. Sure you want them to have an amazing experience in your restaurant, but you also want them to talk, eat and leave. The longer they occupy a booth, the less money you’re making.

At least that’s how I see it.

Attract Attention

I love when I walk through a downtown retail setting, and I hear music coming from an overhead speaker on their storefront. It’s just begging me to come in and take a look around. Especially if they’re playing the genre of music I find most pleasurable. If you want to stand out from the crowd, consider mounting a weather proof speaker to the outside of your store. Music attracts attention more so than visual cues. Audible grabbers can cause us to look around for its source, and once located, we tend to inspect further.

I was cruising the streets of downtown Ruidoso, NM, and I walked across the street from a bar that was blasting the vocals of semi-talented Karaoke stars out on to the busy night streets. Sure the music wasn’t insanely enjoyable to the ear, but it seemed like the worse it became, the more I wanted to join in on the fun.

The place was packed!

There are some simple ways you can harness the power of music to give your business a much-needed boost. Music is a powerful tool.

Just be careful how you use it.

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photo credit: Tom Lin :3= via photopin cc

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