Brand Differentiation: Why You Should Invest In Background Music

Have you ever noticed the vast differences in music played in specific businesses? Gyms often use fast paced, motivating music. Clothing stores use playlists that appeal to the style of clothing they sell, like Hollister, who uses SoCal music with summer vibes, or Hot Topic who plays pop culture music with grunge vibes. And grocery stores often use music that is very relaxing, putting customers in the mood to stroll, increasing their likelihood of purchasing more.

Why do some businesses rise to the top among other businesses that offer the exact same service quality? Why do some people “reinvent the wheel” and still succeed? Because these businesses are appealing to a larger consumer need: experience. In today’s business world, it is vital to create an experience for your customers. This explains why some businesses can produce the same quality, or even poorer quality, products or services and still convince consumers to purchase their offering over yours. Often at a higher price!

Background music or music design is just one component of an entire industry known as “experiential design” or “sensory marketing.” It is part of the art of shaping customer experience. Whenever a consumer interacts with your product or service, he or she forms an impression. It is up to you as a business or franchise owner to influence that impression. So how does background music play a role in this process?

How Music Affects Consumer Behavior

Influence What Consumers Buy and Their Perceived Value

In a recent study, groups of college students listened to either classical, country, or no music while viewing slides of different types of products. Half of the items were social identifying items, such as gold earrings, and half were utilitarian items, like a toothbrush. After each slide the participant wrote down how much they were willing to pay for each item. The results showed that people listening to country music were more likely  to pay more for utilitarian products than the participants in the other two groups, while those listening to classical were willing to spend more on social identity products than the other participants.

Both of these studies are just a few among many demonstrating the power of music on purchase behavior. We have determined that music has a far deeper psychological affect than just creating an enjoyable atmosphere. It can influence what exactly your customers buy and what they are willing to pay for it.

Brand Differentiation

There is a reason why I, the author of this blog, chose to use Hollister and Hot Topic as specific examples of clothing stores who use differentiating playlists, because they were the first ones that popped into my mind. They stand out from the crowd. As a business or franchise owner, your ultimate goal should be to stand out from the crowd. You want to be the first business that pops into a consumers mind when they think of products or services your business and many other businesses offer. Differentiating music is one way to do that. Why? Because research shows that music supports memory. People are more likely to remember your business if their senses and emotions are stimulated in a new and different way.

Music Affects Time and Pace

What happens when you call your phone company? You most likely spend time on hold. And what do you do when you’re on hold? You listen to ‘cheezy’ music; the type of music you hear in elevators. Why? Because music is proven to perceptually reduce long queues. Nobody likes waiting so finding a way to reduce the feeling of wasting time creates a higher chance of keeping your customers happy.

In addition, studies show that speed, rhythm, and volume affect the pace of customer flow. Gyms use fast and loud music to keep people energized, ultimately affecting experience. Nobody wants to go to a gym where people are sitting around and doing the bare minimum, it affects motivation.

Likewise, when you go to a spa, chances are you’re going to listen to extremely relaxing and calming music. People will want to stay longer and come back more often when the feel calm and serene.

How to Create an Atmosphere With Music

In a small business or franchise, you want your music to be consistent. If someone were to walk into a room and then into another room, the music should not be disrupted. However, there are some circumstances when you do want your music to change. In this case you need to ensure you have noise masking installed. Expanding on the gym vs spa example, many gyms include different areas for different types of workouts. For example, there is usually an area dedicated to abs, free weights, and machine work. If someone were to walk from the abs area to the free weights area, they should not be able to hear a gap in the music. Alternatively, spas generally want sound to differ from room to room, because it helps create a sense of privacy. This is a situation where high quality sound masking is required.

Best Background Music Installer

We recommend using Wired National for your installation and on-going support. Wired National is the nationwide leader in wiring and IT systems for franchises and small business, so you’ll be receiving a quality service.

Another thing to keep in mind is picking a curated playlist. You want every song that is played to be “on-brand.” If your music doesn’t match your brand, it can cause negative feelings, which in turn can negatively affect your business.

For more information on wiring and installation for background music, visit our website.

Wired is a leading comprehensive technology support service specifically developed for franchisees. Wired offers a free consultation for implementation and ongoing support tailored to the needs of your business. With a quick explanation and a smart fix to immediate problems, Wired offers leading nationwide IT support and installation.

For more information on Wired National IT installation and support and a free consultation, visit our website or contact us at info@wiredtelcom.com or (315) 326-0001.