Music plays a significant role in shaping a space and creating a mood, which is particularly true for both retail and hospitality environments since these market segments put a great deal of emphasis on the brand and in-store user experience. We researched different ways music can impact these types of businesses and how investing in a professional audio solution can lead to a positive impact on sales.
Retail
Background music can have a big effect on the store’s bottom line. When selecting music for a retail space, it needs to reflect and reinforce the brand. What music choices align with the visual design of the store and its customers’ interests? This is imperative as playing music that clashes with the brand can result in a noticeable decline in sales. Conversely, music that is perceived as complementary to a brand can significantly boost sales.
Consider walking into a boutique clothing store targeting men and women over 50. If, for example, heavy metal was blasting on the stereo, do you think customers would be deterred? On the flip side, if the same store were to play adult contemporary and jazz, genres more popular among that demographic, shoppers may choose to stay longer – leading to higher sales in turn. While this may seem obvious, it’s a commonly overlooked brand decision.
Hospitality
In the hospitality sector, the same principles hold true. This includes settings such as hotels, restaurants, bars, resorts, and spas. Like retail, it’s imperative that the music that’s played aligns with the brand — as music perceived to be complimentary can grow sales up to 9%. That’s a difference you’ll notice!
For restaurants and bars, there are even greater impacts. Consider the tempo of music you’re playing – for example, faster music causes patrons to chew faster, leading to faster table turns and increased sales.
These data points highlight a few of the impacts music can have on your bottom line – but to maximize the benefit it has on the space it needs to have a professional audio solution in place. Biamp offers a wide array of audio solutions designed specifically for retail and hospitality purposes. To learn more about these product offerings, visit us at http://www.apart-audio.com/Biamp/.