The Sweet Smell of Success! Are You Using Aroma Therapy in Your Reception Area?

If someone asked which of the five senses were most important to you, would smell be in the top three? Probably not! Smell is one of the most powerful and important senses, yet somehow gets overlooked. But what does it have to do with marketing your business?

When someone walks into your office, which of the five senses are immediately engaged.  If there is a bad odor, guess what, that's the first impression you're giving out to existing and potential new clients.  Believe it or not, first impressions and decisions on whether to become a repeat client or not are greatly affected by the customer experience of sitting in your reception area.

Most of us have experienced moments in our lives where a particular smell brings an old memory right to the front of our mind with incredible detail. In a study at Northwestern University researchers are looking into the link between the sense of smell and our emotions and why a certain perfume or the scent of baking pie can conjure memories of a long-dead loved one. While conversely, the smell of diesel fuel might trigger a flashback for a soldier suffering from PTSD.  For me, Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without the aroma of the baking turkey in the oven, nor would Christmas be the same without the pine scent of the Christmas tree or the cinnamon cider filling the house with that unmistakable scent.

Engaging the senses of your clients in a positive way is actually at the root of how Reputation Management works.  If you have specific questions not directly answered in our Reputation Management Report please feel free to call me directly at 760.445.3315.  I am willing to take your direct calls to answer your questions because this is a critical issue to understand.

The last thing you EVER want to hear is "I really like Dr. Smith, but the smell in his waiting room makes me feel like I'm in a hospital"  A negative patient review or a complaint to potential referral friends can have a devastating affect on your business marketing.