Top Tricks to Enhance Customer Experience
Whether you own a retail store or an entertainment venue, the key to generating consistent revenue is mapping and engineering every aspect of the consumer experience. For all businesses that rely on conversions to survive and thrive, the art of persuasion is a skill that should be nurtured and optimised, day-in, day-out in order to create an environment that maximizes customer sales.
In this article, we’ll cover some of the simplest but most effective multi-sensory tricks in the book to encourage consumers to get in the door and buy once they’re inside.
How music can help set the mood
Studies as far back as one undertaken in 1982 by Milliman Inc. discovered that customers are far more inclined to spend more time in a store or venue when background or ambient music is played. In fact, in this particular study, consumers spent more than a third (34%) longer in the store; which aligned with an increase in sales revenue.
Music can certainly influence physical behaviour in a retail environment, for instance music with a fast tempo that you might use to energise and enthuse consumers in a bar or a sports gym. At the other end of the spectrum, tunes with a slower tempo naturally encourage shoppers to move slower inside, perfect for those businesses which need their customers to spend time browsing to find exactly what they are looking for.
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Use interior colors to stimulate the right reactions
Color is another influencer, with a unique ability to entice certain types of consumers and influence specific retail behaviours.
Kissmetrics’ highly popular color psychology infographic demonstrates the ways in which colors affect the buying cycle. For instance, this research indicates that consumers in North America relate the colour blue with trust and security, while orange is seen as somewhat an aggressive colour, better used on impulse shoppers. Meanwhile teals and navy blues are said to attract consumers who seek value purchases on tight budgets.
Why certain scents can encourage people to spend
Smell can also generate physiological and emotional effects for customers that can be used to draw them in to your products or venue. According to this article about how to manipulate and influence individuals in home poker games, a recent psychology study found that a citrus-flavoured scent can make people feel much more subconsciously generous and charitable rather than greedy and apathetic.
Within the study in question, the conscious mood of the individuals involved was not affected – nor did they actually realize what was going on. In the experiment, they weren’t aware the smells were influencing their behaviour.
A clutter-free environment is a profitable one
First impressions are equally important in a retail environment as they are at home. That’s why it’s very important to present customers with a sense of cleanliness and tidiness which makes shoppers feel at ease when navigating their way around your store or venue.
When a shopper doesn’t feel comfortable browsing they will leave your premises quicker and are less likely to make a purchase. By maintaining a cleaner, well-signposted store you can generate more revenue for your business; people spend more time browsing, increasing the likelihood of a sale.
None of these tricks have to be expensive and harm your business’ bottom line; but with a little flair and hard work you can engineer a consumer experience that’s akin to printing money!
