The 5 Senses to Success

One of my most revered lectures at fashion school is “Connecting the 5 senses to the Retail Experience”. The concept of designing backwards with the intended emotions for consumers to experience, always captures student attention. The way that a unique recipe including the right music, room scents, rich tactile experiences, taste and of course seeing beauty or unique appealing visuals, is a sure way to make consumers engage with the space in a positive way. These critical success factors which seem obvious are all too often overlooked or compromised. Some larger brands have 5 senses architects who invest the time to create something unique and well studied. However, sometimes in effort to stand out some retailers over stimulate guests and leave them feeling overwhelmed and unable to make decisions to buy . Striking the right balance is fundamental and being authentic to brand identity is just as important.

Another key ingredient to the sensory experience is the people working in the stores. Humans affect other humans. The words they use, the handshake they grasp and the expression on their face will influence the emotions of the client. This unfortunately has been overlooked in recent times. However, training solutions and proper leadership on the front line do exist; a mission Retail 28 is engaged in.

In our personal lives, we can also use the 5 senses to be more successful. Curating our days and our environments with our intended emotions in mind can make a huge impact. Taking the time to think about how we want to feel and making sensory choices to help us get there can make our lives so much better and perhaps more interesting.