The Power of Music to Move your Sales

Yesterday, I popped into the city to run some errands. After finishing everything on my list, I decided coffee was deserved. I remembered reading about a new Italian deli/food shop that had opened up, selling produce from Italy, coffee, pasta, olive oil and other staples.

I headed for that part of the city and found the deli. Small and warm with well laid out products. I ordered a coffee and a cannolo siciliano [ to die for ]. As I was drinking my coffee and devouring the cannolo, I became aware that it was an Italian radio station playing in the background. Music sung in Italian and adverts in Italian. It reminded me of the Italian family restaurants I use to frequent in Soho London. The coffee was excellent and when finished I asked the assistant if their coffee was for sale, " yes " she replied and I purchased a kilo of the beans. In twenty minutes I spent $30.

On the way home I wondered why I had purchased a Kilo of coffee, when I had already bought some fresh speciality roasted coffee beans as part of my shopping list. Then it hit me. Having just finished reading Pre-Suasion by Robert Cialdini. There is a part of the book talking about studies that show when in a wine shop and they have an offer on for french wine and there is french music playing softly in the background, your mind gets pre-loaded with the thought of french music, french wine. Other studies have shown, that when supermarkets play slow soft classical music in the background, people spend longer browsing in the aisles and purchase more, than when the local radio station or muzak is on in the background.

So there I was alone in a warm Italian deli, sipping beautiful fresh coffee, eating an Italian desert and hearing music sung in Italian in the background. What else was my brain going to do, except tell me the mood was right for me to buy Italian coffee beans. Am pretty sure the Italian owners and staff who served me hadn't set this up. They were just doing what the normally do at work and home, listen to Italian music.

Now, when it comes to your business, what type of music is played in your store or outlet. Is it trash talking talk radio or the choice of your staff, both of which may bear no resemblance to your customer or what you are selling. Does your choice soothe your customers into staying longer or bash them over the head, so they  can't wait to get the hell out of your outlet ?

Remember I only went in for a coffee and ended up spending an extra $23

Colin Myles Author

P.S.
Music moves sales