Have you ever thought about what makes the difference between a good business and a successful one? The first one sells a product or service, and the other one sells the same thing but packaged in a story or an experience. Customers are drawn to stories because human nature craves making sense of things and forming connections. Therefore, to succeed, it will be necessary to tell a story.

This story is also known as customer experience and is the foundation of customer loyalty. There are several methods to improve customer interaction, and one of them is through the sense of smell. Discover the connection between customer experience and aroma marketing!

What is customer experience?

Customer experience, or the experience provided to customers, refers to the way all interactions between a company and its customers materialize. This package includes, but is not limited to:

• Branding;
• Adevertising;
• Offers;
• Products;
• Services;
• Packaging;
• Ease of use of products/services;
• Interactions with customer service, before and after purchase.

To contribute to the concept of customer experience, the most successful companies plan customer experiences at every touchpoint, depending on the channel used. There are key moments when a customer can form an opinion about a company, these moments are also called “initial moments of truth.” These moments leave a lasting impression on consumers, whether positive or negative. Therefore, planning, monitoring, and evaluating these key moments are recommended.

So, for a top-notch customer experience, you will need the following elements:

Channels and methods to obtain feedback from customers;
Periodic interactions with customers;
Segmentation of customers based on the value they bring to the business;
Planning interaction models with customers and identifying all points of contact;
Identifying key moments/truths between the customer and the company and leveraging them.

• Channels and methods to obtain feedback from customers;
• Periodic interactions with customers;
• Segmentation of customers based on the value they bring to the business;
• Planning interaction models with customers and identifying all points of contact;
• Identifying key moments/truths between the customer and the company and leveraging them.

Customers want to be respected and understood by the companies they buy from. Only through quality interactions can you offer them a sense of belonging.

Why can customer experience be improved through the sense of smell?

There are countless methods to improve customer experience, so why focus on the sense of smell? Well, because a specific aroma can help customers associate a particular scent with your business, creating a strong emotional connection. Moreover, the sense of smell creates more lasting memories than sight.

A pleasant scent will not only make your brand easier to recognize but will also encourage customers to spend more time in your store, restaurant, bar, hotel, clinic, spa, gym, or business than usual. Clearly, this will lead to increased sales.

How do you improve customer experience with the help of scents/aromas?

Here are some strategies that scent marketing has developed over time. Choose the one or ones that fit your business:

Creating a olfactory logo

An olfactory logo is a easily recognizable scent that will instantly make the customer think of your business. The better you choose your scent, the more customers will attest that “it smells like X.”

Choosing a thematic scent

If your business is seasonal, you could opt for scents based on the season, for example. Similarly, certain scents can be associated with various holidays. Other relevant examples include the smell of cinnamon or freshly baked cookies in a café or the smell of leather in a clothing/shoe store.

Choosing an ambient scent

The ambient scent is the aroma we feel from the moment we enter the store. It is more than an olfactory logo because it is a sensation that accompanies buyers throughout the entire interaction. For example, where would you prefer to buy coffee? From a cafe without a smell or where a fresh-roasted coffee bean aroma dominates?

Regardless of the preferred solution, it is ideal to choose simple, easily identifiable aromas that won’t cost a fortune, such as those from Market Aroma. Take into account both the profile of the ideal buyer and the products or services offered.

Not only will customers appreciate a pleasant aroma in the store, but employees will as well. Thus, you will solve two problems at the same time: increasing sales and staff productivity.

In the increasingly fierce competition between businesses, scent can be the perfect differentiator!