What’s Playing Now?
Sound and vision are the best duo in advertising. Human beings are wired for vision, after all. We process images 60,000 times faster than text, with 90% of the brain’s information being processed visually. This may not seem like it leaves much room for the other senses, but you’d be mistaken. Audio can motivate us in powerful ways of its own.
Have you wondered why the sound of silence in a store or business isn’t pleasant? Likewise, why you’re not likely to hear Bach in Burger King or heavy metal in Hallmark? The music retailers associate with their business is an extension not only of what their brand represents, but the feelings they want to inspire in their customers and staff. Here’s a closer look at the relationship between vision, music, the mind, and retail effects.
Putting a theme to your theme
The visual layout of a retail business is vital to success. And once there is a scheme in place, music can augment it; psychological research has demonstrated how music can subtly cue buying preferences in listeners: “[A] room’s atmospheric music not only affected what menu item participants ordered, but also which words participants remembered. … A second experiment looked at how different styles of music could influence the perceived cash value of an item.”
In the minds of shoppers, the right music can trigger emotional and mental associations which generate certain moods and images (such as in this additional study of wine preferences and classical music).
Studies also show that the wrong audio choices in retail can lead consumers to price point resistance. Simply put, music that doesn’t suit a product means a reduction in the willingness of shoppers to pay asking prices. The genre of music is key, but so is tempo and volume. Slower tempos can encourage a sense of unhurried ease in visitors, which promotes a longer visit. Conversely, up tempo music creates a vibrant, quicker-paced atmosphere which may move consumers around the premises more speedily.
If a business is large enough to have different styles playing in different areas, consider upbeat tunes while visitors are waiting in line. The sense of speed created by the music can reduce impatience until they’re able to be served. The latter part of this article from Psychology Today highlights how the right music has positive effects on waiting customers.
The key word is “control”
With so much depending on music’s subtlety and its suitability to the product, retailers must carefully consider creating the atmosphere that best serves their store. The more a retailer can personalize and control the audio, the more they can potentially influence sales.
There are times in the day that may be busier or quieter for an establishment, as well as peak or slow periods throughout the week. If there are few patrons, switching to more sedate music won’t rush them out of the store. If an establishment is busy, cueing up an up-tempo soundtrack can add vibrancy and energy. And if customers are really in tune with the music, then integrated displays can show them exactly what they’re listening to, improving their experience in the store.
The importance of hiring the professionals
Playing music in a store may seem like a simple thing. Stream it, turn on the radio, or select a file and press play. In reality, there are legal aspects to background music that, if not adhered to, could lead to steep fines. Organizations such as SESAC and ASCAP exist to protect the rights of performers and music playing on business premises is classified as commercial use. An individual may own the CD or other medium the music rests on, but that only grants rights for private use.
Hiring a professional for in-store audio and displays not only ensures technology that puts you in complete control of audio and visuals, it provides the legal safety of licensed music that won’t run afoul of artist’s rights organizations.
Additionally, overhead messaging is a highly-effective complement to music. Business owners can fully customize in-store announcements to guide visitors to promotions, audio blast for email or voice delivery, and more. Custom audio messaging employs a wide range of broadcast quality reading styles and performers.
If you’re ready to use video and audio to improve your customer experience, Zero-In can make it happen.