When you’re looking to sell, you’re bombarded with advice on how to stage your property to create the best visual impression possible for potential buyers. You want your home to look clean, clutter-free and well-maintained and hopefully, with a little elbow grease and hard work, this shows through at viewings.
The visual appearance of your property is essential to creating that great first impression and is the biggest turn-on (or turn-off) for potential buyers. They will judge you – and your property – on what they see.
But did you realise it’s not just how your property looks that can influence a buyer’s decision to purchase? The wider field of sensory marketing means that an all-out assault on the senses of buyers-to-be can also have a positive impact on the impression your property leaves on them. Senses tie into emotions and memories, both of which are powerful purchase drivers.
The power of sight and touch
The power of the sense of sight goes beyond a buyer seeing a tidy house. The use of colour can calm or excite while textures, such as a velvety sofa, a tactile throw or a super-smooth granite worktop can invite them to touch too – meaning that they physically engage with your property. It’s the same tactic that fashion retailers use in their stores, where the feel of a fabric creates a bond between buyer and product that means they are more likely to buy.
The sensory appeal of smell
If you consider how quickly negative smells can impact the senses, then you’ll realise how powerful positive smells can be. Buyers-to-be will be turned off by the smell of musty sheets in bedrooms, lingering odours in bathrooms or begging-to-be-emptied bins. Even pet smells might be enough to put them off your property.
Fresh air is a wonderful sensory aid in warmer weather. It can bring in the scent of the outdoors (positive we hope!) with its freshness beating any scented candle or diffuser. Richly scented flowers placed strategically in your home can also appeal to both sight and smell, while lavender pots strategically placed in your garden or by your front door could also give off a relaxing scent to buyers who brush past them.
Smells are heavily linked to nostalgia and desire. They can bring back long-forgotten memories and instantly make us feel at home. The smell of freshly brewed coffee or newly baked bread may sound a little cliched, but they work for good reason. Putting the coffee machine on or shoving a loaf to crisp up in the oven before a viewing is a simple but powerful tactic.
The power of sound
Sound is also important. Turning up the stereo with AC/DC playing won’t be a relaxing experience for your buyer but choosing a playlist that could resonate with them could help them feel at home.
Outside sounds brought inside through open windows, such as the sound of birds singing or children playing, could also be attractive to buyers. For others the simple sound of quiet might be powerful enough.
When marketing your property, you want it to appeal at a deeper level than just what buyers see – instead you want an immersive, sensory experience that tugs at the heartstrings and persuades them to buy. That’s the power of sensory marketing in a house sale.
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