How to Use Scent Marketing for Seasonal Promotions

Why Scent Marketing is Effective for Seasonal Promotions

Season-specific scents can help people retain their memories easier, so leverage that sentimentality and wistfulness by using scent to generate more of the emotions tied to each time of the year.

What feelings do you associate with summer or winter? Which smells represent each time of year? It’s important to consider the feelings you want to evoke with your environment or promotional items before you select a scent to elicit them.

The Benefits of Using Scent Marketing

Enhanced customer experience: Pleasant aromas stimulate the limbic system, which is responsible for activating the emotional and memory centers of the brain. They also provide a more welcoming environment that puts people at ease or boosts the energy of your space.

Longer visits: People are more inclined to linger in a spot that produces positive physiological reactions. That means they’ll have more opportunities to browse and buy, especially if products have a signature scent. When you connect your product to a seasonal aroma, you create a sense of novelty that may make guests want to stay and learn more.

Brand differentiation: Align your brand with the emotions tied to seasonal scents, like comfort and joy. With consistent exposure, your customers will start to associate an aroma with your brand, regardless of the time of year. Using scent creates multi-sensory interactions, too, which can set you apart from your competitors.

Customer loyalty: Crafting a unique experience helps build trust between you and your customers. Combine scent and promotional items to generate excitement for each season and encourage repeat interactions.

Tips for Choosing Seasonal Scents

Spring: With the return of spring’s warmer weather and flowers, it’s natural to gravitate toward aromas like cherry blossom and lilac. Try scents like linen to create a sense of freshness and renewal to inspire customers to try something new.

Summer: The summer brings a sense of excitement and freedom. Use invigorating aquatic, fruit and tropical scents to inspire adventure or motivate people to act.

Fall: Transition to heavier, earthy smells, like cinnamon and pumpkin. Fall marks the beginning of a shift toward shorter days and cozy nights, so use grounding aromas like sandalwood and apple to inspire comfort.

Winter: This season combines the feeling of coming home at the end of the year with the excitement of new beginnings. Evergreen scents like balsam and pine can generate emotional connections to past holidays, while cranberry and orange evoke a sense of festivity and celebration.

Ways to Implement Scent Marketing

Use diffusers: Some seasonal scents can be overwhelming in high concentrations, so it’s important to evenly disperse aromas. Place diffusers near promotional items to connect them to a season and create an immersive experience.

Add scents to packaging: Scratch-and-sniff labels and scented wrapping allow your customers to take the smells home with them and support brand recognition.

Provide samples: Add aroma samples to packaged orders to surprise and delight recipients with a seasonal smell that triggers fond memories and positive emotions. Providing samples also encourages trials and engagement.

Pair scents with visual elements: Incorporate seasonal colors and décor for additional sensory stimulation. Visual displays support recall, making for a more impactful promotion or campaign.

Create a Seasonal Sensory Marketing Campaign

Take your brand to the next level and provide your customers with experiences to remember. Engage your visitors on a deeper level with signature scents and unique aromas to complement and reinforce your brand identity. The SensoryMax team can help you get started. Reach out to schedule a consultation.