I recently read in a magazine that classic perfumes have been making a comeback and that new fragrances are being designed to reflect bygone eras.  Whilst some may suspect the perfumeries have run out of new ideas, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Smell is one of our five senses, and appealing to it can be incredibly powerful as a sales tool.  In the example above, perfume manufacturers are using scent to help people remember memories of times gone by.  Scents can bring those vivid memories to life and shift your mood.  And, it certainly works for this multi-million pound industry.

At the other end of the spectrum, smell can be used in an equally powerful way.  Take your humble car boot sale.  The first to arrive is always the burger van and the very first thing they do is fry onions.  The reason is that the smell of frying onions stimulates the taste buds and makes you feel hungry.  Even though you probably just ate breakfast, the waft of frying onions has you making your way to the burger van to spend your cash.

In house sales, it’s well known that many people bake fresh bread or have a pot of fresh coffee in the kitchen to give the alluring smells of home.  And, I’m sure there are many more examples in many more industries; not least the supermarkets who are experts at sensory marketing.

So, how can you appeal to your buyers using all of their senses?  People buy using emotion, so tapping into their senses could massively boost your sales.

Have fun