How To Choose Music For Retail Stores And Why It Is Important
If you haven’t already figured it out, music is quite crucial to your business and the influence you have on consumers who walk into your store. It reflects the personality of your brand, makes the experience better for your customers, and even boosts your sales if you do it just right.
The problem with most store owners is that they tend to go for the music that appeals to them, rather than the kind of music that will appeal to customers. Creating the right playlist is key. However, you need to know a few things about how it all works.
Make sure you’re on the right Side of the Law
Most businesses don’t know it, but they have to pay for and obtain licenses to SESAC, ASCAP, and BMI in order to have the right to play music at their stores. There are a few exceptions, but the rule applies to most businesses.
If, for example, any of the companies above represent a specific songwriter whose music you would like to play at your store, then you need to pay the company for the right to play that song. Luckily, you don’t have to work too hard to find out which songwriters are represented by the companies above and which ones aren’t. All you need to do is visit their websites and search for the specific songwriter you have in mind. If they’re represented, they’ll pop up.
You should also be careful about consumer streaming services as they are typically not meant for commercial use. Even if you have a license from the companies mentioned above, the streaming service’s terms of use may prohibit you from using their music for commercial purposes.
To make sure that you’re violating neither user agreements of copyright law, just sign up with a background music streaming service that will sell you the music you would like to play at your store.
Make sure you’re using the right Songs
Choosing the wrong music for your store can do even more damage than playing no music at all. Your customers will be dissatisfied. You risk them leaving your store and never coming back, which would ultimately hurt your sales.
On the other hand, if you play the right music, you could make your customers want to stay longer at your store and also want to visit again, increasing your sales in the process.
The kind of music you choose to play is therefore crucial to the success of your little experiment. It’s a lot more than just having music in the background. If you choose the right music, you will reap large benefits.
The first step is to know all about your customers. The second is to figure out what kind of atmosphere you would like to create for them. If you’re selling items that are independently made by local businesses then a hipster vibe may help you to connect with your audience and so playing local indie artists might be a good idea. If you’re looking to create an exciting and upbeat atmosphere then hip hop and pop may be a better idea.
A study once looked at the effect the music played in a wine store had on consumer spending. The researchers found that playing classical music encouraged the consumers to buy more expensive bottles of wine, which increased wine sales in the store. Pop music made them go for cheaper labels, which reduced sales. This makes sense because classical music is associated with sophistication and quality. So if you want to sell more expensive things, classical music can be helpful.
Whatever you do, don’t pick songs that you like. Instead, go for the kind of music that promotes the exact kind of atmosphere that you’re trying to generate at your store.
Play the Music at the right Volume
Apart from playing the right kind of music at your store, you should also ensure it plays at just the right volume. If you play your music too loud, it might actually cause your customers to stay at your store for a shorter period and leave without purchasing anything.
Sure, it’s important for your customers to hear the music so that it can have the intended psychological effect on them. However, everything should be in moderation and that applies to the volume of the music. If your customers are generally older, they might not appreciate loud music as much as younger customers.
Play the Music at the right Tempo
The tempo of the music is simply the speed. When you play music faster, it can potentially increase the breathing and heart rates of your customers. It also affects how your customers perceive time. Slower music decreases the pace at which customers move in your store, making them spend longer and potentially spend more money. Faster music can increase the in-store pace. This may cause decreased sales in some instances but may also improve the experience of the customer during high customer traffic hours.
Play the Music at the right Key
The key of the music is simply its tone. As a general rule, songs done in a major key tend to sound happier while those done in a minor key sound sadder.
You can affect the mood of your customer by changing the key of the music you play at your store. Major key songs can make them more upbeat while minor key songs can make them more somber. It’s therefore usually a better idea to choose songs played in a major key.
Conclusion
While choosing the right music for your retail store may seem like a time-consuming task, it is definitely worth the time and effort. The right music really can take your sales to the next level.
Author Bio
Cathy Baylis is a freelance content writer at college-paper.org reviews and australian writings review specializing in personal growth, career development, and education. She also provides research paper help. Writing is not only her hobby but profession at the same time.
How To Choose Music For Retail Stores And Why It Is Important
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