Before launching a beauty product, it’s important to consider the power of scent.
Our sense of smell connects us to our emotions, experiences, and specific times in our lives. 75% of our daily emotions are connected to our sense of smell. Whether we realize it or not, our brains are always noticing the smells around us and associating them with feelings and memories.
Scent affects mood. The scents you choose for your products will affect consumers’ experience of your brand. If the scents you choose for your products are too strong or too ordinary, you’ve lost an opportunity to impress your customers. You want your scents to be unique and match the sophistication level of your product.
Scent marketing. What is it exactly? Scent marketing uses scent strategically and purposefully to create a desired experience. Consumers can feel overwhelmed with the abundance of visual input in today’s world. Connecting with their other senses gives you an opportunity to make an impression.
Scent marketing is being adopted by brands in every industry. From hotels and spas to consumer goods, businesses are using scent to build brand familiarity and customer loyalty. Let’s highlight exactly what you need to know when it comes to scent marketing for your brand:
- Emotion and memory — Our sense of smell is directly connected to memories and emotions. You can use scents to evoke emotions in your target audience.
- A Pleasant Atmosphere — Customers are more likely to make purchases when they’re satisfied by the aroma in stores. The scent of a store’s atmosphere will actually benefit your company because of frequent purchases.
- Quality Perception – Fragrances run the gamut from smelling synthetic and cheap to natural and luxurious. When choosing fragrances, consider how they might affect consumers’ perception of the quality of your product and brand.
- Full-Sensory Branding – You have the ability to design a full sensory experience for your customers. When they interact with your products, how will the packaging feel to the touch? How will the scent affect their mood? Using sensory input to tell a story creates a memorable experience that encourages customers to fall in love with your brand.
Now, how will you choose a scent for your brand? Here are some highlights to focus on when choosing your own scent for your brand:
“Brandscent” is when you coordinate your brand with a specific fragrance. Brandscents helps consumers develop an emotional connection to a brand. The fragrance you choose should make sense with the overall look and feel of your brand.
The mood of the scent should also make sense with your brand. For example, the bright tangy notes of citrus might evoke excitement, while a soothing scent like lavender might evoke a sense of peace and serenity.
Lastly, with scent, less is more. Your chosen scent should be subtle and pleasant. If it is too powerful and overwhelming, it will drive customers away instead of drawing them in.
Ingredients
Another thing to keep in mind is that some consumers may be allergic to the chemicals found in synthetic fragrances. Companies use synthetic fragrances because of lower cost, higher availability, and the wide variety of scents to choose from. When taking ingredients into consideration, it’s good to familiarize yourself with the natural options that are available. Healthy alternatives to synthetic perfumes include essential oils, resins, and isolates derived from plants. Natural fragrances are becoming more available as a growing number of consumers prefer all-natural ingredients.
I hope this post inspired you to think about scent in a new way.
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