Music is an essential element of our everyday lives. In fact, it subtly infiltrates most moments of our day – from elevator jazz to the latest coffee shop jingle. The best marketers understand this and know how the music running in the background can be used to influence customer mood, buying behavior and brand perception. In short, music for business matters. Big time.

The strategy behind the application of these concepts is called music branding. Whether we choose to admit it or not, music branding holds enormous sway over our perception of a brand, as well as our choice to engage with it. Music branding helps a business or organization differentiate itself from the masses. It also provides and reinforces a personal relationship with a business or organization by calling upon the Essential Es – emotions, experiences, engagement and exclusivity.

EMOTIONS

Extensive research has proven that the majority of customer purchasing behavior is influenced by emotions. Combine that concept with the knowledge that music is one of the most effective emotional instigators and you have discovered the main motivator behind music branding.

Think about it – if you want to inspire customer loyalty, tying your brand to the music which speaks to your audience just makes sense. By choosing to associate your brand with musical selections which reinforce your core values and goals, you’ll align your business emotionally with like-minded customers and inspire the emotional connections which foster advocacy, commitment and brand loyalty.

EXPERIENCES

The most successful brands no longer sell products or services. They sell experiences. Interaction with a brand provides the customer with sensations or memories they can’t obtain elsewhere – a uniquely individual and personalized experience. Effective experiential design engages the customer on as many levels as possible, and music is an essential element of that engagement.

Great experiential design takes auditory stimulus into consideration, and music branding is an essential element of that design. For example, would customers prefer a high-end spa which plays only loud heavy metal or one which played a relaxing soundscape? The careful selection of branded music will set the mood for your environment, adding value to the customer experience – and great experiences inspire repeat business.

ENGAGEMENT

In these ad-cluttered times, customer engagement has become the new standard for successful marketing and communication. To inspire active engagement, businesses need to communicate in a way that is relevant to their audience – which is why music branding can be a powerful tool. When applied strategically, music can become an essential part of the customer-brand interaction. In particular, music branding can play a crucial role in social media engagement by inspiring conversation and dialog that promotes your positive brand image.