Is it possible to fall in love through a fragrance? Yes! With people it happens all the time; a pleasant aroma can attract us immediately to a person and this is just the same with brands through olfactory marketing.
What is olfactory marketing?
Olfactory marketing involves linking a memorable fragrance to the identity of the business in order to create emotions that improve the brand experience. It is about creating emotional links through the olfactory channel – smell the fragrance and have positive thoughts about the brand. Also about the fragrance trigging a positive memory and building customer loyalty and increased sales. Olfactory marketing promises a positive experience between the brand and consumer!
In fact, focusing on smell within a marketing strategy is becoming increasingly popular. Just think of all those celebs that now have their own perfume! According to studies, what people perceive through smell impacts memory by 35%, while what we perceive through other senses has a much lower percentage of memorability:
- What we see: 5%
- What we hear: 2%
- What we touch: 1%
Why is olfactory marketing so effective?
From a psychological point of view, olfactory marketing is a fundamental part of sensory marketing, so that users’ buying decisions are influenced more by emotion that a perceived or recognised need. And there is a real logic to this: smells are transformed into electrical signals which travel to the Limbic System, a part of the brain that stimulates emotions and creates memories.
When the smell reaches the limbic system, the brain develops a relationship between the smell and memory, so that memories are triggered in response to a specific aroma. So, a specific fragrance linked to a good experience leads to a positive memory!
Also, olfactory marketing today allows you to positively differentiate your product, service or brand from your competitors. That is why so many successful companies will take the use of fragrance into account when drawing up their marketing strategy.
Use olfactory marketing within your marketing strategy
How many client audiences does your marketing department target? Are there differences between them (e.g. B2C or B2B, small business or big business, public sector). To work out what is important to them (i.e. what influences their buying habits) you have to research:
- The customer demographic and try and get to know them in detail. What drives them – price, quality, exclusivity, usability, availability?
- Investigate your competitors – analyzed their strengths, weaknesses and the values that define them – to establish if your strategy will resonate more effectively with the customer audience.
You can then use olfactory marketing within your strategy to differentiate your brand and build that memorable bond with the customer through the fragrance? So that you can get across to the customer ‘what my brands smell like’ consider the following options:
Fragrance at the point of sale
A very simple olfactory marketing approach. Basically it consists of placing air fresheners at strategic places where customers congregate (e.g. entrance, till or point of sale area, changing rooms) Being in a place with a pleasant smell will make customers stay longer, associate the business with a positive memory, and become loyal customers on the back of that positive and memorable experience.
However, there are limitations where you can position the air fresheners, so you may want to consider other options at the same time.
‘Touch and smell’
Basically, the user touches ‘something’ and it gives off an aroma. It is a system with various applications such as books, exhibits, toys and gadgets. Years ago this was something innovative, but the truth is, we are now quite used to this technique. That said, it still remains a useful approach as part of a combined strategy.
Olfactory marketing with custom car fresheners
Without a doubt, the most original idea! Give your customers a personalised car air freshener that smells uniquely of your brand, organisation or venue. They will always keep your brand in mind because they will associate it with the fragrance of their custom car air freshener. In fact, every time they get in their vehicle they will be reminded mile after mile! In addition, this olfactory marketing approach even works well with an online or e-commerce customer. When a customer places an order, pop a personalised car air freshener inside the box or parcel for them to use in their vehicle. Even if you don’t have a physical store, it doesn’t matter!
In addition, unlike other olfactory marketing approaches, it combines both smell and sight which stimulates even more positive memories. That is, as the customer drives along they will smell your fragance, but also see your branding and contact details. In addition, you can also customise your personalised car air freshener with your logo, corporate colours or brand design. It is also possible for us to create your own unique car air freshener shape and use your own fragrance if you have the fragrance oil. What could be more unique, distinctive and memorable than that!
Perhaps you thought that olfactory marketing was limited to shops and Cafes … but now you have discovered that it is much more than that! You can surprise your clients by proposing a comprehensive marketing strategy that includes olfactory marketing with personalised car air fresheners with unique fragrances. Enter our website to see all the options of designs and fragrances, and if you have any questions do not hesitate to contact us.