How Music Affects Consumer Behaviour
When you take a trip to the shopping centre or restaurant, stop for a while and listen. Can you hear the music over the establishment's speakers? Many business owners pipe in music so shoppers could relax and enjoy their shopping or dining-or so they think. A recent study has shown that the genre, loudness, and tempo of music played has an effect on the consumers' duration of stay, the amount of purchase, and the brands they choose in the establishment.
In this study, it was found out that consumers do not stay too long in establishments with loud music. Nevertheless, within that shorter period, the sales per minute were much higher. This indicated that consumers were more likely to purchase more items or retain the frequency of regular purchases for a shorter period when music is loud.
Another interesting find was the effect of music tempo on consumer behaviour. Slow music played in both supermarkets and restaurants resulted into a slower traffic flow. This meant that slow music allowed people to shop longer in grocery stores or spend more time in a restaurant, potentially increasing sales.
When Top 40 music was played, consumers 25 years old and above thought they spent more time shopping. When instrumental songs were used to fill the air, those under 25 thought they were in the establishment longer than they had been. The conclusion was that less-preferred or unfamiliar music slows down the shopper's perceived time.
Finally, when music associated with a brand is played, consumers were more inclined to buy that particular product. When the music was played without lyrics, consumers hummed or sang the lyrics softly. If you are a store owner or a restaurateur, you can use this data to manipulate your clients' buying habits.
Testimonials
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Jeremy Vine (BBC Radio 2)
M&IT Awards
"Finger Mouse were brilliant - young, cool, and the most brilliant musicians. They made the joint rock! I hope to work with them again.”
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Lindsey Brown
Wedding Reception
"Dear Patrick, I just wanted to say thanks to you and to Lucinda (harpist) for all you did to make our wedding party so special. Lucinda was fantastic (if a little too good looking for a prima donna bride's tastes!!) and lots of guests commented on her performance and the wonderful atmosphere she created. You were equally professional and reassuring throughout the whole process, for which many thanks.”
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Michael McCotter
Private Party
"Dear Patrick, I’d like to pass on my thanks to Catherine and yourself for helping make my party such a success. Catherine’s performance was fantastic and more than I could have expected. Please pass on my thanks to her, she looked great and sounded excellent.”
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Julie Goodwin (P&MM Events)
Corporate Event
"Kelly Dickson was excellent, the sound level and quality just right fitting in perfectly with the venue and atmosphere. Kelly made a big impression on the delegates... and and they were still talking about her days later!!”