Creating an Immersive Brand Experience with Sensory Marketing

Sensory Marketing can connect your brand to on-site visitors on a deeper level and create experiences they’ll long remember. Here’s an overview of four elements of Sensory Marketing: scent, video, audio and environmental design.

Make Lasting Impressions with Scent

The sense of smell is so powerful that it can bring back emotional memories.

For instance, when you smell a fresh apple pie, you might instantly think of your mother baking pies in the kitchen when you were a child. Or the scent of a certain perfume might remind you of your high school sweetheart.

Scent Marketing makes it possible to create that same type of experience for your visitors.

When you consistently use a signature scent in your location, customers will begin to associate that scent with your brand.

Then, whenever they smell that aroma again, they’re likely to remember their experience with your environment.

“When choosing your scent, keep your audience in mind,” said Jon Marker, Director of Business Development at SensoryMax. “How do you want them to feel? Nostalgic? Warm and fuzzy? How do you want them to react? Your opinion matters, too, of course. But ideally, your scent would be focused on your audience and serve as an extension of your brand.”

Entertain Visitors with Video

There are many ways you can engage your on-site audience with Video and Digital Signage.

You can build trust by sharing best practices and educational information or create awareness by promoting the value of your products and services.

Or you could entertain with fun facts about your team and company history or relax visitors with nature videos. The options are endless.

Capturing your audience’s attention with video shortens their perceived wait times and helps to build brand loyalty.

Marker said, “The ultimate goal of your video program is to entertain your visitors and lift their moods. But for some, video can also be a revenue generator. You can up-sell and cross-sell different products and services, or sell advertising space to other local businesses. That way you’re making extra money while presenting valuable content to people in your building. It’s a win-win.”

Appeal to Your Audience with Sound

What does your brand sound like?

That may seem like an odd question, but your answer will impact how you approach Audio Marketing.

A strategic combination of music and messaging, Audio Marketing can create a vibe that leaves lasting impressions.

Music sets the tone. It can prompt many responses, from excitement to tranquility to a feeling of nostalgia. You can even experiment with different genres to intrigue your audience.

And messaging can be used to welcome visitors, share important announcements, direct people through your location and influence which products and services they buy.

When your environment is unique and enjoyable, people will want to visit longer and more frequently.

“Think about the gaps in your building,” said Marker. “You may have video in your lobby, but what do people experience as they walk through your building? Your hallways, elevators, stairways, even different rooms and floors present an opportunity to extend your brand experience beyond your waiting area. That’s the power of Audio Marketing.”

Create a Tangible Brand Experience with Environmental Design

Lobbies and waiting areas are often indicators of what visitors can expect.

“Are the walls bare? Is the flooring outdated? Is it difficult to navigate through your location?” asked Marker. “Those are all elements that can create specific emotions, like loneliness or frustration.”

And those negative feelings can stay with visitors and make them dread or avoid returning, even if your products and services are exceptional.

That’s why it’s so important to ensure that your building accurately represents your brand.

With an effective Environmental Design program, you can transform your location to become a physical manifestation of your company’s personality.

When you successfully incorporate your brand into your space with Sensory Marketing, you’ll strengthen the connection visitors have with your company and lay the foundation for consistently positive experiences.

Ready to learn more? Jon will be happy to answer any questions. You can send him an email or give him a call anytime at 419.724.7353.

About the Writer

Cassandra Evans has been a Creative Consultant with MadAveGroup since late 2019. She has a passion for creating “positive, lasting impressions” on every audience.