DISCOVERING THE IMPACT OF SENSORY MARKETING ON CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT IN RETAIL!

Sensory marketing is presently one of the most popular retail strategies that significantly impacts buyer engagement. It appeals to different senses of the customers, further resulting in a memorable and engaging retail experience. Retail brands looking for ways to improve their marketing efforts should focus on deeply understanding the concept of sensory marketing and how it affects the mental health of customers.

Through the medium of this blog, we will discuss all about sensory marketing, including its impacts on purchasing decisions, ethical concerns, and the future of this particular marketing tactic.

Understanding Sensory Marketing

Sensory marketing, as the name clearly suggests, is the purposeful use of the five senses of human beings. This marketing tactic is concerned with appealing to sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste in order to create an engaging environment that further attracts consumers' attention and influences their final shopping decisions.

Understanding The Psychology Behind Sensory Marketing

Various research has indicated that sensory stimuli can evoke emotional responses and drive specific behaviours in customers. By appealing to different human senses, retail brands can encourage customer loyalty by fostering deeper and personal connections with them. All this will further improve customer engagement and lead to increased sales and profitability.

Tactile experiences have the capability to provide the shoppers with a sense of luxury or quality, further impacting their perceptions about the value of the product. On the other hand, the sense of taste is frequently used in the food and beverages industry, majorly in the form of samples. Doing this allows the customer to taste the product before actually purchasing it, further creating a memorable retail experience and encouraging frequent visits and repeated purchases.

It is essential for retail brands to understand how different senses contribute to a customer's overall shopping experience, along with providing the business with a competitive edge in the retail market.

Sensory Marketing and Customer Engagement

A few years back, Mood Media conducted a survey that indicated that more than 90% of the existing customers of a brand revisit the retail store if the music, pictures, and aroma create a pleasant environment.

Appealing to the senses of a human being is one of the best ways a brand can shape the customer's perception of its company and product. This positive emotional state will lead to increased customer satisfaction and might directly influence the final purchasing decision.

We all are aware of the fact that a human being has five senses. Hence, the concept of sensory marketing isn't just concerned with visual and auditory aspects. Scent and touch are indeed the most important senses that help shape the customer's perception in a positive manner. For example, using a specific perfume/fresher in a retail store might evoke specific feelings and memories. This will not only provide clients with an incredible and unforgettable shopping experience but will also help them recognize and remember the specific brand.

Sensory Marketing and Consumer Loyalty

Businesses can create strong client loyalty by providing a multisensory experience that is consistent with the brand's identity. When customers link favourable sensory experiences with a brand, they are more likely to return to the stores and make repeated purchases. All this further results in long term customer retention and expansion.

In addition to developing loyalty, sensory marketing also adds to the uniqueness of a brand. In a competitive market where products and services are frequently similar, engaging many senses can help a business stand out from other retailers and acquire a competitive edge by leaving a long lasting impression on customers.

Doing this not only draws new clients but also strengthens relationships with existing ones, resulting in a loyal customer base in the long run.

Different Aspects of Sensory Marketing

• Visual Components: Businesses can create a visual retail atmosphere that is consistent with their desired brand image and resonates with their target audience. This can be accomplished by carefully picking the colour palette for their branding and shop design.
• Auditory Factors: According to a report by MRC DATA, 72.6% of shoppers notice background music playing in grocery stores. Hence, it is essential for brands to use proper background music, sound effects, or even silence, which can influence a customer's mood and behaviour, improving their whole retail experience.
• Olfactory Techniques: The sense of smell is closely related to memory and emotions. Businesses can create a memorable sensory experience for customers by using pleasant aromas or specific fragrances that are consistent with the brand.
• Tactile Strategies: Engaging the sense of touch can result in a tactile experience that strengthens consumers' relationship with the product or brand. Interactive displays, textures, and packaging designs can encourage touch and create a more immersive shopping experience. In addition, brands can distinguish themselves by using unusual textures in packaging, such as embossed patterns or soft touch finishes. Doing this will help them increase sensory appeal and make the product stand out on the shelves.
• Gustatory Techniques: The taste part of sensory marketing is primarily applicable to the food and beverage sectors. Offering samples or conducting tasting events can provide consumers with firsthand knowledge of the product's flavour, motivating them to make a purchase and potentially creating brand loyalty.

The Future Of Sensory Marketing

Technological Advancements in Sensory Marketing

Various advancements are happening in the field of technology. These advancements can help brands provide their clients with interactive sensory experiences. Also, businesses can utilize AI in order to understand customer preferences and further form a retail strategy to cater to them.

Ethical Concerns With Sensory Marketing

As the technological sector continues to evolve, the field of sensory marketing will also continue to change. In this situation, ethical practices like implementing sustainable programs, when included in sensory marketing strategy, will significantly impact it. These will help retail brands and businesses directly appeal to environmentally sensitive consumers, shape their perception in a positive manner, and maintain the brand’s image and identity.