You want customers in your storefront to have the best possible shopping experience. You know that one of the simplest ways to influence their mood, pace, energy, and emotions is through music, but which kind?
Should you play soothing music to help them relax or fast pop music to help them move quickly? How can you utilizein-store musicto attract new customers? What will encourage them to buy your products?
The answers are complex and have a lot to do with the following:
- Your brand's personality
- How you want your customers to feel in your store
- Their personal tastes in music.
How to Figure Out Which Genre to Play (& How Loud to Play It)
By researching how your customer base views your product, your brand personality, and your customers' music genre preferences, you can create the perfect playlist for them. There are afew areasto consider.
Brand Personality
There are five elements tobrand personality:
- Sophistication
- Competence
- Ruggedness
- Sincerity
- Excitement
Understand how these characteristics are related to your products. Do you sell sophisticated products that build excitement? Or do you sell sincere products with a lot of heart?
Think hard about what your brand's personality might sound like.This helps you design your marketing, retail storefront, and online presence.
Shoppers' Preferences
More than 70 percent of people say they are more likely to shop in locations that play music they enjoy. But what they love can vary. Women often prefer oldies, pop, and R&B in their shops, while men frequently prefer rock, blues, and bluegrass.
Think hard about your customer base. What do they look like? How old are they? What seems to get customers toe-tapping while they're with you?
Volume
No one likes sounds that are too loud, and shoppers are no exception. Even if they like the song being played, customers will not enjoy the experience if the music is loud enough to be distracting.
Finding the sweet spot between too quiet and too loud might take some time, but deciding on background versus foreground songs is a good place to start.
Pick the Tempo
Your music choices influence customers’ mood and physical pace. Slow music makes them walk slowly, but it might make them sleepy too, depending on the time of day. Fast music makes customers move or chew faster, but feeling rushed can make some people feel stressed.
You may choose to match music choices to the time of day. For example, when people get off work, they may preferrelaxing music, but if they shop in the morning, they may want something peppier and happier to keep them awake.
Specific Genres Have Specific Behavioral Influences
Some musical genres impact psychology and purchasing behavior regardless of demographic.
Research over the past few decades has revealed some interesting findings.
- Classical: One study of wine purchases found that when classical musicwas played in the background, shoppers purchased more expensive wines, although they did not purchase more. This effect occurred regardless of how much the person knew about wine.
- Regional music: A wine store in the United Kingdom played French music and found that shoppers purchased more French wines. When they played German music, shoppers bought more German wines.Shoppers did not report noticing this trend.
- Ambient or instrumental: One Spanish researcher tried replacing music with computer-generated background abstract sounds, which were not musical. The result was an increase in the number of people in the store, leading to an increase in money spent there because the shoppers were intrigued by the new and unique sonic experience.
Picking a genre like dubstep or electronica may bring in more than just teens or young adults because the music is unique in texture and tone.
- Pop music or familiar music: Shoppers experienced a little more psychological stress when they heard songs they were familiar with. They tended to focus on the music, not their shopping, and they thought they had spent more time in the store than they actually had.
Finding unique and unfamiliar music, even if it is in the same genre as your demographic's preferences, can reduce stress, allow the piece to blend into the atmosphere, and promote relaxation.
- Holiday music: As holiday seasons like Christmas approach, playing music closer to the mood or personality of the holiday may bring in more shoppers.Christmas music has been foundto encourage people around that time of yearto spend more and shop longer. However, outside the Christmas season, this music would be quite dissonant unless your retail store specialized in year-round Christmas items.
Focus on Your Customers’ Needs and Loves
Humans have innate emotional reactions to music, so as a retailer, it is important for you to understand these reactions so you can tailor the backgroundmusic for retail storesto the people you want in your store. You can even attract new customers from a different demographic than your base by tailoring the soundtrack to their interests a little more.
You can create a strong emotional bond between your brand personality, brand quality, and customers, creating loyal fans who will buy and talk about your product for years.
3 Tips to Choose the Right Music for Your Store
1. Ask for Staff Input
Your staff will listen to your songs all day long, and your playlist can influence their mood. Holiday music can be particularly polarizing, as some workers complain that they hear the same set of songs over and over.
Explain that you're creating a store playlist, and you'd like to hear from them. What songs do they think your customers will like? What genres will work best?
2. Poll Your Loyal Customers
Wondering what your customers want to hear? Ask them! Tag your most loyal customers with a survey and ask them what they'd like to hear when they're shopping with you.
Remember to reward them for their time. (Too few companies do that.) A discount on their next trip could be well worth the data you gather.
3. Track Your Results
You've created a playlist. Try it! Turn on the speakers and track your daily results for a week. How do they compare to a typical week?
If you've sold less, tweak your playlist and repeat. In time, you'll find a set that's right for your brand.
Music & Buying Patterns FAQs
What music encourages people to buy?
It varies. The best music that encourages people to buy will match your brand's personality, appeal to your core customer's music preferences, come in at the right volume, and offer a tempo appropriate for the time of day shoppers are in your location.
What music increases sales?
Again, it depends. If one playlist were proven to work across multiple industries and locations, everyone would play it. The right playlist comes from deep thought about your brand, your shoppers, and the experience you want to deliver. There are no real shortcuts in creating ambiance.
How does music influence shopping?
Fast-paced music tends to make shoppers move a little quicker. Slow-paced music encourages browsing and lingering. Watch your customers (and your sales) respond to the music you play, and you'll find the right mix.
SOURCES
Music Enhances Shopping Experience. (May 2022). SmartBrief.
The Subliminal Influence of Ambient Music on Shoppers. Psychologist World.
How Stores Choose Which Songs to Play. (December 2019). CNN.
Are Customer Service Surveys Effective? (December 2019). Forbes.
As an expert in retail psychology and the influence of music on consumer behavior, I've extensively researched and implemented strategies for optimizing the shopping experience through in-store music. My expertise is grounded in a deep understanding of psychological principles, consumer preferences, and the intricate relationship between music and retail environments.
First and foremost, let's delve into the key concepts mentioned in the article:
Brand Personality
Understanding your brand's personality is crucial in determining the type of music that aligns with it. The five elements mentioned – Sophistication, Competence, Ruggedness, Sincerity, and Excitement – should be harmoniously reflected in the music played. For instance, if your brand exudes excitement, upbeat and energetic music might be fitting.
Shoppers' Preferences
Considering that over 70 percent of people are more likely to shop in locations playing music they enjoy, it's vital to know your customer base. Recognizing gender-based preferences, such as women leaning towards oldies, pop, and R&B, and men preferring rock, blues, and bluegrass, can inform your playlist choices.
Volume
Finding the right balance in volume is essential. Even if customers enjoy the music, it can be distracting if too loud. Experimenting with background versus foreground songs can help strike the right chord in creating a pleasant shopping atmosphere.
Tempo
The tempo of music directly influences customers' mood and physical pace. Matching the tempo to the time of day, such as relaxing music in the evening and upbeat tunes in the morning, can enhance the overall shopping experience.
Specific Genres and Behavioral Influences
Different musical genres have been shown to impact psychology and purchasing behavior. For example, classical music in a wine store led to the purchase of more expensive wines. Regional music can also influence product choices, as demonstrated by the study with French and German music in a wine store.
Focus on Customer Needs and Emotions
Recognizing the innate emotional reactions to music allows retailers to create a strong emotional bond between brand personality, quality, and customers. This emotional connection can result in loyal fans who not only buy but also advocate for the brand.
Choosing the Right Music for Your Store
The article provides three practical tips for selecting the right music:
- Ask for Staff Input: Involving staff in creating the playlist can provide valuable insights and ensure a positive working environment.
- Poll Your Loyal Customers: Directly asking loyal customers about their music preferences through surveys helps tailor the playlist to their liking.
- Track Your Results: Continuously monitor the impact of the music playlist on sales and customer experience, making adjustments as needed.
Music & Buying Patterns FAQs
The FAQs address common queries about the influence of music on buying patterns, emphasizing the importance of aligning music with brand personality, customer preferences, volume, and tempo. There are no one-size-fits-all solutions, and the right playlist requires thoughtful consideration of various factors.
Sources
The information provided is grounded in reputable sources such as SmartBrief, Psychologist World, CNN, and Forbes, demonstrating a commitment to evidence-based insights in the field of retail psychology and music influence.
In conclusion, leveraging the power of music in a retail setting involves a nuanced understanding of brand identity, customer preferences, and the psychological impact of different musical elements. The key is to create a cohesive and enjoyable shopping atmosphere that resonates with the target audience, leading to increased customer satisfaction and potentially higher sales.
