Sound / Lighting / Fragrance in Estate Agencies
Remember when you last popped in to the high street travel agents? It’s been a fair few years for me, though the most striking impression was the atmosphere led by that fragrance lingering in the air which was mostly coconut oil – It really made you feel at ease and conjured up thoughts of sun tan lotion, beaches and sunshine! According to a study by Nike, a scent in-store can increase intent to purchase by 80 per cent.
“Smell of success: Travel agents use holiday scents to sell trips” source DailyMail online
How powerful is that you can have an added influence on customers the moment they walk in to your store? For sure a warm greeting, smiling faces, comfy seats and an offering of “would you like a tea or coffee” is a great way to initiate contact, though getting us straight in the mood for what we have come in for by one of our main senses being targeted is a significant positive reaction to encourage prolonged engagement and sales. Humans are able to distinguish one trillion different scent combinations.
Can estate agents recreate a homely environment with their high street premises? Yes I say, there are many ways this can be achieved. Some years ago I had the idea to create a unique online estate agency concept that was driven by interior design / home staging so let me share with you my vision:
Kitchen Characters: Here we attack the aromas of the estate agency in that a coffee/hot drink machine would always be available to anyone entering the premises. This can be utilised by staff, though I would suggest also clients. The smell of a quality coffee machine can really make the atmosphere extra homely (I mean we are advised of such smells to create so to increase chances of selling a home when we have potential buyers looking around)!
Another option would be air fresheners where you can also add the likes of freshly baked bread / patisserie aromas to be enjoyed.
Of course, do not overload things as members of staff need to be working full time within the office space, do not pollute the atmosphere, more so leave a subtle indication of (unnatural) aromas.
Home Staging: Does an estate agency office need to look like an office? Why not, if budgets allow, create a home staged / interior designed feel in that at least the area where the public enter and await, replicates a homely environment from furniture to décor.
All those years ago my idea was to have an interior designer in each estate agency who expresses their creativity in the office thus making customers feel at home the moment they walk in.
Pleasingly lit: Many estate agencies still very much rely on the basic set up format, typical office theme with desks, dull carpets, walls awash with property listings (new and old) and fluorescent tube lighting. From a recent walk I took on my local high street I spotted over 50% of estate agency offices set up this way.
Depending on the relationship with the landlord, what about adding some homely features including upgrading lighting to spot lights / wall lights? Also, what about a large screen TV fixed to the wall and tuned in to property themed news / shows – to further enhance the atmosphere of ‘property’ when your clients walk in through the door?
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