Mood music

Entrepreneur,  July, 2003  by Elizabeth Goodgold

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We all know that music affects our mood, but can you use music to enhance sales?

* Slow-tempo music encourages consumers to linger. So slow music is a great strategy for a gift shop or an apparel retailer, where the longer shoppers are in the store, the more they buy.

* Fast music speeds your customers up. If you operate any type of fast-food restaurant, for example, you can actually encourage turnover with the pace of your music. So pump up the volume!

* Matching the music to your product ups sales. If you're looking to encourage sales of, say, French wine, research shows that playing French music significantly boosts sales. Retailer Restoration Hardware used a specially compiled CD called "Rum Punch"a few years ago to rev up sales of its tropical merchandise.

* White noise can work, too. Silent retail environments make customers nervous. Injecting a low hum of white noise puts them at ease.

Retailers are defined by their music. Starbucks, for example, sees music as integral to its brand. In fact, its music was so frequently requested by customers that Starbucks partnered with a record label. The lesson? Stay in sync with your customers.

Marketing consultant and speaker ELIZABETH GOODGOLD is the author of Duh! Marketing Awards (www.duhmarketing.com).

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