Have you noticed that people in your store react to what is happening on the radio? Even when they are chatting among themselves, if the music gets heavier or louder, they will start shouting; or if it becomes sadder, you will see more people frowning.
This is not a coincidence, as research has found that humans listen to music subconsciously, meaning that the type you play in-store can have a big impact on the sales you make. Continue reading for a guide on how music can boost the sales in your store.
How Does Music Impact Buying?
It is important to start by stating that humans are very emotionally driven, especially by music. Studies have found that emotive scenes from movies, such as the death of Mufasa in The Lion King, are nowhere near as impactful if the background music is removed.
As such, music can be used to prompt sales; hence why it is so important to explore the best background music for businesses, and in particular, your business. In many stores, during the day, it is ideal to play “familiar music.” This usually sounds like songs that the customers may have heard (but doesn’t have copyright issues) and allows your customers to relax enough to buy products. After dark and during dusk, many stores play jazz music, as this reduces anxiety in shoppers.
Best Types of Music
There are a lot of types of music you can play in a store to boost sales. However, as you may have guessed, playing one type of music on a loop will not work. Therefore, many stores have opted to switch it up a bit and will usually play soft music and loud music, as this will help to prompt purchasing. The ideal type of music will be light, with a fun beat, and will be lively—think of a lighter form of salsa music. After all, you don’t want your customers to be so relaxed that they don’t buy anything!
There is a school of thought which states the music played in stores should be wordless, as it will mean that customers don’t have to think or process the lyrics. This is obviously down to your personal choice.
Types to Avoid
This is tough, as the kind of music you play will need to be linked to your brand and also resonate with your customers.
There are, of course, a few kinds you need to avoid. Nothing with profanity (obviously), and you should also avoid anything that advocates violence. It cannot be stated that you need to avoid rock music, as you may have a store where you sell alternative clothing, but for a general store—no—this would not be seen as a good idea!
Choosing a Playlist
As odd as it may sound, when it comes to choosing the right music for your store, it can be worth investing in a playlist.
Why? Well, compared to random music that you may hear on the radio, one of the key benefits of choosing a playlist is that it will help customers link your brand to a type of music. If the music is positive, then they will associate it with positive feelings and will be more likely to return to the store to purchase more items; so it is an investment that has been found to have significant returns.
