Part 3: How to use sound to attract customers

Music, advertisements, display windows with sound...The use of sound is commonplace in shops.

Background music influences purchasing behaviour. Mood Media has analysed consumer behaviour: thanks to music, 45% of consumer apparently stay longer in the shop; 85% acknowledge that it has an impact on their shopping experience. Sound also appears to decrease the feeling of waiting and of time spent in the shop by 10%.

Don't limit yourself to a single medium to share your sound identity. Our hearing is used constantly and it’s difficult to block out sound (i.e., it can’t be stopped) and you can use it in a number of different ways (advertising - media and non-media - telephone reception, waiting room, sounds emitted by products, etc.)

What are the best trends to follow, the actions to implement or the information required? Find out below.

Which sounds influence your customers’ behaviour?

37. Get a clear picture of what your target audience wants to hear and of the image of your shop that you want to project in order to select the perfect soundtrack.

Use classical, slow or sophisticated music if you are selling high-end luxury products, like jewellery. This music stimulates “thought-out” and expensive purchases.
Use lively music to encourage impulse buying. However, don't overdo it. If the music is too lively, customers may get bored or impatient in the queues or get panicky and leave the shop without buying anything.
Use pop music if you sell products intended for young, dynamic customers.
Use classical music in a high-end restaurant when you want your customers to choose a high-end wine.
Play louder, lively music to encourage them to order large portions.
Create an atmosphere that reflects the specificities of your concept. For example, the Botaniste restaurants in Brussels play nature sounds which reflect the vegan and natural concept of the brand.

The Sublimition restaurant in Ibiza provides patrons with a real sensory experience via all five senses, including hearing.

38. Sound also influences tastes. Do you sell drinks or do tastings? Note that high notes tend to be associated with sweetness and low notes with bitterness.

The Sound of Chocolate experiment was developed as part of the Make Brussels project. It invited people to discover chocolate in an original way: they tasted chocolate together...with musical backgrounds! This made consumers aware of the way their senses interact.

39. Adjust the volume of the background music depending on the time of day (low at the start and end of the day) and how busy you are (low if there are many shoppers).

40. Adjust your sound to the seasons!

A lively or aggressive tempo (within reason), will be suitable for sales seasons.
Traditional songs, love songs and slow songs are perfect for Valentine’s Day
Brazilian music (batucada, salsa...), or from the West Indies, is ideal for March, at Carnival time.
Nature sounds, chirping, etc. should be favoured as spring arrives.
Halloween goes hand in hand with child-related sounds, nursery rhymes, etc.

41. Use ASMR. This trend consists in using very specific, relaxing sounds. The most common ones are:

Whispering and murmuring.
Rubbing hands together and caressing.
Mouth, lips and chewing sounds.
Brushing teeth or hair.
Tapping on hard surfaces.

ASMR or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response is a pleasant sensation caused by sensory stimulation, notably sound ("audio massage or orgasm"). The emergence of voice or conversational commerce could boost this phenomenon.

42. Create your own audio logo or signature.This tool specific to your brand will be easy for consumers to memorise. They will identify with it and buy more easily. As is the case for your graphic logo, you will have to define the message to be transmitted and how to achieve it. While a sound logo is easy to recognise in adverts (radio, television, etc.) it can also be used at the entrance to a retail outlet.

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