Top 7 Mistakes Businesses Make with Scent Marketing (and How to Avoid Them)

When getting into scent marketing, a common mistake is choosing scents that are too strong. Maybe you’re tired of smelling the bathroom down the hall, or odors from the shop are wafting into the lobby, and you’re determined to stop them.

It’s a thought worth pursuing! But covering up one smell with another (what scent pros call “masking”) can backfire. Either the new smell is so potent that it’s off-putting, or the new and old smells mix to create a monster.

Instead, think of scent as a silent salesperson who’s always working in the background, always ready to help but never cloying or clingy. It should draw customers in with a hint of mystery, then put them at ease so they feel welcome and comfortable in their surroundings. THAT’S when scent marketing works best.

What can you do?
Partner with a scent professional to customize a strategy for your business. They can help knock out the odors you don’t want, then add a fragrance that fits. Their understanding of how scents perform best—and their ability to set up a system that delivers them subtly and consistently—makes the process worthwhile.

How to achieve odor control.

Ever walked by a store, taken a whiff, and kept right on walking? Some stores take a big swing with scent marketing, but miss the ball completely. Matching the scent to your brand is key.

For example, a masculine scent like leather may seem out of place in a healthcare facility. Likewise, a light, clean scent like lemon or eucalyptus could feel odd in a law office. But if you switch the two, you might just have something.

In the end, you want your scent-related efforts to create consistency, not confusion.

What can you do?
Ask yourself this question: “What odors fit my brand?” Review and consider scents from a list of popular choices and see what stands out. Not only is it a fun exercise, but it’s also an informative one that can help you understand your brand (and your customers) better.

Explore scent options for offices.

A common issue businesses face when implementing scent marketing is how to achieve consistent distribution. Retail spaces like department stores face this challenge because of the square footage they cover. Some areas seem like they don’t have enough fragrance, while others have too much.

The architecture of the space itself may present its own challenges. Office buildings might have more than one floor to deal with, bringing new factors into play. That means more than one HVAC system. Multiple tenants, too.

As the owner of an office building, you may be juggling all this while figuring out how to manage the spaces your clients share. An inconsistent experience undermines your scent marketing efforts before they can bear fruit.

What can you do?
As the decision-maker, you may have a good idea where scent dispensers should be installed. But unless you’re ready to figure out dispersion rates and times—and manage their maintenance—you’re better off partnering with a scent marketing professional.

Videos, logos, pictures, signs, billboards—many businesses focus almost exclusively on visual advertising. It’s a common mistake businesses make, staying in that familiar area and missing out on other ways to connect with their audience.

But a shift to new methods of marketing requires a shift in perspective. When you focus on fragrance, you “see” your space differently. One example is airflow.

Often controlled by your HVAC system, airflow is not something you can see. But you can feel it. And, when you add fragrances to the air, the way the air flows affects where the smells go.

Ignore its power, and you’ll struggle with scent consistency, especially in bigger buildings or commercial spaces.

What can you do?
Partner with an aroma professional who has experience with deploying scent marketing in commercial spaces and multi-office buildings.

Learn more about how HVAC diffusers work.

Keeping your chosen scent unchanged for a time helps with consistency, giving customers a chance to associate your brand with the new smell. If this continues for too long, however, the scent may get stale and irritating.

An easy way to overcome this common mistake is to use the seasons as cues for scent changes. A scent calendar can help…something like: hydrangea for spring, strawberry for summer, apple spice for autumn, and evergreen for winter.

What can you do?
When the seasons change, so should your scent profile. You can even combine these changes with new promotions. Make note of the ones customers respond to and repeat them next year. This kind of regularity helps clients know what to expect.

Check out popular spring and summer scents.

This is a tricky one. But it’s important to realize that thresholds vary. What smells “mild” to one person may smell “potent” to another.

Allergies are another matter. As a business owner, the last thing you want is for someone to have a health-related reaction to something in your store or office. And then post about it on social media.

It’s impossible to please everybody. But businesses that put forth the effort can expect to be rewarded with a wider audience and greater customer loyalty.

What can you do?
Ensure you’re using high-purity fragrances that are safe for humans and intended for use in a commercial environment. Ask your scent marketing partner what they do to prioritize safety.

Plug-ins. Candles. Incense. Air fresheners. There are quite a few do-it-yourself scent solutions. Except they’re not so much solutions as temporary fixes to a persistent problem.

Go with the DIY approach, and you’re likely to face these scent-related issues:

• Inconsistent levels
• Spotty coverage
• Short duration
• Greater long-term cost

What can you do?
Instead of going it alone, pair up with a pro who knows the ins and outs of scent marketing. Let them focus on their specialty while you focus on yours.