What is sensory marketing and how it influences your customers

Within marketing, there are many strategies and tactics to improve a company's results and help it achieve its various objectives. Sensory marketing is a way to create unique experiences to make customers more satisfied and encourage more purchases and contracts with the company.

Although using the senses to connect with customers has always been used in marketing, in today's digital market, appealing to the senses is more important than ever, seeking differentiation from competitors and offering customers the best user experience.

What is sensory marketing?

Sensory marketing is that which uses emotional and sensory actions to establish a special and closer relationship with the customer, making it easier for them to purchase a product or service. To achieve this, this type of marketing uses stimuli based on the five senses.

Sensory marketing, examples

An example of the use of touch-based sensory marketing can be found in shipments made by an e-commerce company. By using personalized wooden boxes like those from Sincla, the end customer receives their product in special and different packaging, which indicates that the company is concerned that its products arrive in perfect condition.

Just by touching the box and feeling the different texture of the wood (compared to the usual feel of cardboard boxes), the customer will have a better perception of the online store and its services.

Characteristics of sensory marketing and its types

The main characteristics of sensory marketing are:

• Pleasant Environment Creating a positive sensory experience for the customer.
• Brand Identity Defining distinct qualities to differentiate from competitors.
• Humanizing the Brand Bringing the company closer to the customer on a personal level.
• Product Value Increasing the perceived worth of products or services.
• Unique Experience Offering a distinct and memorable customer journey.

We can differentiate different types of sensory marketing in relation to each of the senses:

Appealing to the senses is more important than ever for differentiation and enhanced user experience.

Visual marketing

It is the most used visual marketing and is probably the most effective. People are more attracted, for example, by images and animations than by texts, which is why many visual marketing strategies use these elements to attract the attention of consumers.

Olfactory marketing

In this strategy, one or more scents are associated with the brand. For example, upon entering a company's store, the same scent is always perceived, regardless of the location or country where it is located.

It is also used in e-commerce, giving all shipments the same characteristic scent.

Sound marketing

Sound is an element that helps consumers associate a product with its brand, and it is commonly used in advertising campaigns or on social networks. An example can be found in the personalized greeting that YouTubers use when presenting their videos, a distinctive sound mark that differentiates them from the rest.

Consider creating a unique jingle or sound signature for your brand or content to enhance memorability, much like YouTubers use distinctive greetings.

Gustatory marketing

This type of marketing is of great importance in the food sector and is used by food product brands, restaurants, large supermarkets, and other businesses in the sector, to create unique experiences and promote sales.

Tactile marketing

Touch is undoubtedly one of the senses least used by brands, but it can differentiate them best from the competition. The use of these strategies is common in textile companies or in e-commerce, preparing different and unique packaging.

What are its advantages?

The main advantages that the use of sensory marketing strategies offers to a company are:

• It manages to establish a closer connection with the customer, based on emotions and the senses.
• It strengthens the brand and projects an image of professionalism and personality.
• It improves the user experience by offering a different and unique experience (differentiation from the competition).
• It helps to increase sales and customer loyalty.

We have seen what sensory marketing is and how its strategies are very interesting for creating a closer relationship with customers and achieving differentiation from the competition.