The Complete Guide for Background Music At Your Business
Most businesses play music. But, there’s more to creating the right musical (and customer) experience than throwing together a few of your favorite tunes on a playlist.When opening a restaurant, bar, retail store, or other brick and mortar business, background music is an important piece of consideration. You need to be doing things legally, installing a high-quality audio system, and choosing the right type of music.
If you’ve been thinking about having background music in your business, this short guide will point you in the right direction for the essentials you need.
Why You Should Play Music in Your Business?
First, let’s look at “Why you should play music at your business?” … Music is an important part of any business. It covers up unwanted noise and dramatically improves the customer experience, and can work to compliment other atmospheric elements.
According t0 a Dozmia survey about music in a business setting shows uncovers that a lack of music can result in a negative customer experience. In fact, 32-41% of respondents said they would react negatively or very negatively to the absence of music, which means they may leave your business without making a purchase.
The right music can bring positive results…
Alternatively, the wrong choice of music can bring negative results…
Choosing the Right Music for Your Business.
Choosing the right type of music to use in your business is an important part of creating a memorable experience for your customers. Many businesses get their music selection wrong, because they try the DIY approach, instead of working with a Business Music and Customer Experience Agency. The most important part of music selection is to make sure the music matches the rest of the atmosphere.
If you have an Irish pub, but you’re playing punk rock, your customers aren’t going to experience a level of atmospheric immersion that will bring them back. Play music that matches the decor of your business, and strongly reflects the products you sell. It’s all about atmospheric consistency. Give your customers the chance to become fully immersed in your business, and they’re more likely to tell their friends about it.
Adding Marketing Messages to Your Playlist.
You can go beyond just background music. How? By creating a unique in store audio message campaign.The concept is simple. The shoppers are in a buying mood and are somewhat captive in the physical space in which they shop. The store plays the appropriate music to them while they shop, and at timed intervals, play short messages, that promote special offers to be taken advantage of during that shopping trip.
By industry:
- Convenience stores sell more milk, hot foods, carwashes, lottery tickets, cigarettes and rewards programs
- Big Box stores sell more tools, seasonal items, sale items, batteries and high margin products that consumers forget they need to restock in their homes
- Grocery stores sell more hot foods, bakery items, and flowers from the internal flower shop
- Lawn and Garden stores sell more items by reminding shoppers to consider seasonal needs for their lawns or gardens
- Banks could suggest additional services, and would also enjoy the added benefit of creating an audio environment that might help privatize the conversation between the teller and the customer, otherwise overheard in an overly quiet environment.
In summary, a shopper in a retail store is yet another example of a captive audience. In-Store Music and Messaging is a good way to capitalize on engaging the shopper, entertaining them musically, and speaking to them in an influential manner.
Make Sure Your Music is Legal.
Make sure the music you play is in compliance with U.S. copyright law.For some good reading on this subject check out this article from the Richmond Times about not opening up pandora’s box like one California restaurant who had to pay about $200,000 because it played eight songs without permission and then repeatedly ignored requests from a music-licensing organization for it to buy a license.
When you choose a background music service that specializes in music for business use, they have already taken the necessary steps needed to take to ensure compliance with copyright law.
Final Thoughts…
Hopefully this guide provided you with everything you were looking for in terms of background music for your business including; its benefits, branding, copyright laws, audio marketing and more. If you’re considering adding background music for your business, then contact Original On Hold and our team of music consultants will educate themselves about your brand to build a schedule of playlists to enhance the in-store customer experience, and we can also uncover shopper marketing focuses and develop an integrated and strategic approach in and at the point of purchase to increase sales.
