Total Recall
We all know that smell can affect our feelings, whether it’s a loved one’s favourite perfume or the scent of our favourite bookshop. Humans are able to recall smells with an impressive 65% accuracy a year after smelling them, compared to just 50% of visuals after only three months, making it all the more important to use this additional sensory tool when trying to engage with guests.
In a world where visual and aural stimuli have been exploited to the max, gaming venues should be aware of how to capture the power of smell to influence guest behaviour and create an enhanced experience.
A cruisy experiment
Experiments have also been carried out in casinos on cruise ships to directly gauge the effect of scent on spend. In a 2006 study by Holland America Cruise Lines two identical cruise ships, one scented and one non-scented, were measured on the amount of money that was spent in the casino and at the bar. The scented ship showed an increase in the bar spend of 17.5%, while spend in the casino increased by 8%.
More than meets the eye
In today’s competitive climate, the gaming sectors need to work even harder to drive guest satisfaction and encourage spending. Scenting is another tool to help businesses achieve this, and should be considered alongside visual marketing as an effective and subtle way of making positive changes to the perception of a brand. Scent and sensory marketing have the potential to increase sales, boost brand loyalty, spur brand advocacy and create a strong lasting emotional connection with guests. Guest experience goes far beyond simply what meets the eye, or the ear, so try and create a lasting impression for your customers which appeals to all their senses.
How to get starting:
1. Define what you want to achieve: Various scents can encourage different behaviours and emotions and it is worth taking the time to choose the right scent for your business carefully depending on what you want to achieve. Scents such as leather or woody ones, are bold and mature in nature and therefore work well to display a sophisticated image. Fruity fragrances, such as apple and pomegranate, create a youthful and uplifting vibe.
2. Create your own Signature Scent: It is important to consult specialists like Scent Australia to work hard to create the right smell for the brand. The benefit of creating something new, is that the association with the brand will be even more unique and therefore, more distinct.
3. Diffuse the same scent in all your venues: Consistency is the key to make people remember you and to definitely create a long lasting link with your guests.
Brian Clark
