How playing the right music can boost your sales

Looking for ways to increase your sales? As a company, you are likely to focus on the optimization of your price, positioning or offer. But did you ever consider harnessing the power of music? Scientists agree that there is a connection between the music you play in your business and the shopping behaviour of your customers.

Music Is a Part of Your Brand

We can all agree that the music you play is part of your brand experience. A restaurant with classical music in the background, an elegant design and dimmed lighting is especially appealing to customers who love luxury. Contemporary pop music, on the other hand, is perfect for a clothing store looking to attract teenagers. But what we really want to know is: does the music you play in your business actually influence the way customers behave? Spoiler: the answer is "yes".

Increase in Sales Because of the Right Music

There is a clear connection between the music you play in your store and the way your customers behave. Slow music at a low volume makes visitors feel more relaxed. As a result, they will slow down their pace. This is a positive thing, because the longer customers stay in your store, the more money they spend. In a study by Ronald Milliman conducted in a grocery store, exposing visitors to slow-tempo music while shopping resulted in an average increase in sales of 38%.

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82% Notice a Positive Effect on Customer Sentiment

In a crowded shopping environment, tension can build up. Soothing music is a great way to calm the senses. 82% of the retail store managers surveyed on this topic expressed the belief that the music they played in their store had a positive effect on their customers' mood. Several behavioural studies back this up. In restaurants with relaxing music, guests are inclined to spend more money. When queuing, calming music takes the agitation away and shortens the perceived waiting time. In short: slow-paced music makes your clients—and also your employees—feel at ease. Up-tempo music, on the other hand, increases the level of energy and activity—which is why it is the perfect choice for a gym.

The Power of Science at Your Fingertips

So music has a scientifically proven effect on the behaviour of your customers and your staff. Does this mean that you have to look at all the research on this topic? Happily not, because we have already done that for you! Tunify is not just any music service. Our business playlists are built on the principles of behavioural science and developed in collaboration with universities, meaning you reap the benefits of years of scientific research. Enter your preferences, and Tunify will automatically select the suitable music for your business.

Sources & further reading

1. Burleson, G. L. (1979), "Retailer and Consumer Attitudes Towards Background Music," unpublished paper, Department of Business Administration, University of Texas at El Paso.
2. Sullivan M. (2002) “The impact of pitch, volume and tempo on the atmospheric effects of music.” Int J Retail Distrib Manag 2002;30(6):323–30.
3. Het Pleasure-Arousal-Dominance (PAD) model van Mehrabian en Russell.
4. Milliman, Ronald E. (1982), “Using Background Music to Affect the Behavior of Supermarket Shoppers”. Journal of Marketing 46 (Summer 1982): 86–91.
5. Milliman, Ronald E. (1982), “The Influence of Background Music on the Behavior of Restaurant Patrons”, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 13, No. 2 (Sep., 1986), pp. 286-289
6. Morrisson, M. (2011), “In-store music and aroma influences on shopper behavior and satisfaction”, Journal of Business Research 64 (2011) 558–564. Auteurs: Michael Morrison, Sarah Gan, Chris Dubelaar, Harmen Oppewal.