Sensory Marketing and Fashion Retail: how to sell and excite the customer?

In today’s Fashion Retail, the customer is every day faced with endless choices and continually stimulated; so, it’s important to know how to “capture” it with effective strategies.

Scientific studies have shown that 85% of choices made by consumers are dictated by factors that they themselves cannot control.

For example, we take the largest consumers in the Fashion industry: the Millennials. Those in this generation seem less likely to use the view during a buying experience, pointing instead to hearing and touch.

And that’s where the sensory marketing comes into play.

WHAT IS SENSORY MARKETING

Sensory marketing is a term created to indicate how multisensory stimulation can influence consumer buying choices. Pointing to the 5 senses of customers (taste, smell, touch, sight, hearing) and giving them original and diverse stimuli, you can create a stronger, lasting, and emotional relationship with them.

THE BENEFITS OF SENSORY MARKETING

Sensory marketing must therefore give emotions to the in-store customer, so that the positivity of these emotions is directly associated with the brand.

Here are the benefits of an effective sensory marketing strategy:

• Customers fidelity: the positive emotions experienced during the in-store experience are associated with the brand, thus creating a trusted relationship;
• Creating an added value: when an exciting experience that goes beyond the simple gesture of purchase is winning and generates a real perception of added value to the customer;
• Strengthen the image of the brand: a multisensory experience that can thrill emotions in the consumer, in the future will be directly associated with the brand and its image.

SENSORY MARKETING EXAMPLES IN FASHION RETAIL

The Abercrombie and Fitch case

This American clothing brand, in its stores, is usually applying some practices to stimulate customer senses. First, in-store music plays a key role, as it is used with a high volume to recreate a familiar atmosphere for the Millennials as in pubs and clubs. How to do not remember the perfume symbol of the brand, widespread from the entrance, which has as its purpose the brand recognition and customer loyalty. As for the view, nothing is left to chance: the lights are designed to enhance the collections, leaving the rest of the store in the shade; also, the various sales staff, are carefully selected based on preset beauty fees. The atmosphere that is recreated is Millennials at 100%!

The Sephora case

The famous cosmetics chain has focused on sensory marketing, trying to “hit” the customer through multi-sensory practices and stimuli. First, the choice of colors is carefully studied: black is the predominant color, a symbol of luxury and elegance; as a result, the various products are highlighted. The red carpet placed at the entrance of the shop creates a high-class atmosphere. The smell reigns in the Sephora outlets: the testers along the store walls invite customers to experience the various fragrances in person.

Demonstrated by science and confirmed by reality, adopting a strategy that also involves in-store sensory experience is not a bad idea at all. With smells, colors, scents, sounds and sensations well-versed, a brand can become truly unforgettable!