Fragrance marketing in 2023…a “Must Do,” but don’t be tempted by these 5 bad sales pitches

 

Despite the fact that scent marketing is centuries old, it still remains a new technique for many, so it is best to be well-considered. There are many possibilities of devices and fragrances, but fortunately there are only a few arguments why you should not be misled. The purpose of this article is to quickly guide you through this so you can make a good choice so that scent marketing can give you what it is made for, namely a better experience in your sales space where you can achieve a significant increase in turnover. Be sure not to fall for these 5 sales tricks:

1. Nice fragrance device = good fragrance device:

Everyone knows that you don’t always eat the best food from a nice table. The same goes for some beautiful designer appliances that are of poor quality. Buying a beautiful vase is completely different from buying a mechanical appliance. The most beautiful is not always the best. Fragrance appliances in scent marketing should always be best placed out of sight anyway. After all, a scent device is just a “tool” so that you can create the scent experience. Moreover, there are many types of scent devices in different shapes and sizes. So what is important in your choice of fragrance appliance:

– The power of the pump – The programming capabilities – The durability – The electricity consumption – The number of types of fragrance you will be able to choose from.

For an overview of some existing odor control devices: see https://scents.be/geurtoestellen/

An extra tip I like to share with you: if the fragrance appliance is placed near working personnel then a low noise level is very important. After all, you are not supposed to hear the device working.

2. The myth of only natural and/or essential scents.

This myth finds its existence mainly in the Aromatherapy sector https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aromatherapie. However, essential oils for use in scent marketing are almost not possible and moreover not indicated. My lab has already done a number of fragrance tests with supposedly all-natural and essential oils in the fragrance marketing sector. None of these fragrances could live up to what was promised. In itself, this is not harmful to our health, as long as the fragrances are IFRA approved and you realize they are telling you something. IFRA approved fragrances are the only reference to perfect health protection, just as commercial body perfumes must meet the strict IFRA standards. Normally, all professional fragrance companies have this approval for their fragrances, but I would be best to ask again. Essential oils may be the purest oils, but unfortunately not always the most pleasant fragrances. However, in most cases another non-natural ingredient is added to make them workable in scent marketing. They are also in most cases much more expensive at the base (as a function of rarity in nature), unless they are very diluted, which in turn does not improve the quality. Almost all suppliers do have some essential oils in their range in limited quantities if you explicitly ask. Moreover, when you start smelling fragrance samples, you will find that the synthetic fragrances are the most pleasant and evocative. Moreover, since fragrances created in a lab are always a composition of a number of existing ingredients, the best way to approximate the mood of your brand/identity is to choose the very composition that best meets your aura.

3. “Cheap”…..is sometimes more expensive than you think

Comparing apples to apples is very important in this industry. Please feel free to check out my 5 aspects cited in point 1 at the beginning of this article. On top of that, I highly recommend a purchase a nebulizer and thus not use a nebulizing or vaporizing technique. I would almost forbid you . The latter is so important that I will devote a full blog post to it in my next article . For more information on scent devices, be sure to check out https://scents.be/geurmachine/

Looking for a fragrance for your home, read our article!

If the device is very cheap, then the power and quality of the pump is an additional aspect to look at with suspicion. You should also evaluate the cost of a scent bottle closely.   It could be that supplier 1’s fragrance bottles (bottles that fit into the device) have a volume of 100 ml and supplier 2’s, for example   has a volume of 150 ml, logical then that it is more expensive. Also, the cost of the fragrance depends on the quality of the fragrance composition itself (read: how many %-age solvents were included in the mix). The latter has a direct impact on how long 1 scent bottle lasts and consequently on your fragrance cost per month. I advise you to always ask the seller and ask for a guarantee that this is correct. Moreover, if you want to work ecologically, I advise you to buy larger volume refill bottles.

4. Home-made fragrances.

Making perfumes is a very difficult, delicate, sensitive and exceptionally professional business. If a local company claims to make its own fragrances I would be very suspicious of it. There are only a few specialized perfume labs in the entire world. Therefore, these labs usually have only one specialization, which is making fragrances. If, as a company, you also make appliances and have a commercial platform to handle distribution, it is a very big challenge to excel on all fronts. The strong fragrance marketing companies I have come across so far are distributors of manufacturers who have a network of distributors for their brand worldwide. Manufacturing fragrances and scent devices is a completely different business than introducing scent marketing to customers. Furthermore, if something is manufactured locally (if it really is), it does not mean that it is of better quality. In my experience, the best fragrances come from France and Germany.

5. Order from the supplier “behind the corner”

If we are talking about potatoes and bread, I highly recommend this. However, the aroma experience is so specialized and Belgium is so small that it has little added value. So make sure your supplier has a perfect service and that scent marketing is not swallowed up by other activities in the same company (because then it quickly becomes stepmotherly).

 

 

DECISION:

Since scent marketing is still a young marketing technique in Belgium, it is important that you work with the right partner who provides accurate and objective information. Scent marketing is a very good marketing technique, but it must be applied properly. This with the right fragrance and the right device. Aftercare is also very important, which is why a service agreement is the best way to work together. Here the seller guarantees the proper operation at all times of the fragrance appliance where there is always enough fragrance in the appliance. Prices of fragrances and appliances can be far apart, but I believe this should not be the selection criterion. If you apply the right scent with the right device and have the right intensity of scent, it will bring you much more than the €10 or €20 more or less you spend per month for scent marketing. Follow your gut feeling, check with one or two existing specified references of the vendor to see if they are satisfied and enter into an agreement that includes a guarantee that the scent device will work properly. Above all, think carefully yourself beforehand about what you want to achieve with your company, what values apply in your company and what emotional and real factors determine your appearance. This way you can explain well what you wish to emphasize in your experience space. This gives the most guarantee of a constructive conversation with your scent marketing company.