The power of the sense of smell is known: there are more than 25 million olfactory cells that subtly condition and stimulate our will and our desires.
From buying a new house, from love to appetite, to our memories, the odor awakens the rest of the senses to an invisible chemical universe, composed of gases and particles, which, due to the fact that it manifests itself so subtly, is given less importance. than the one you really have, but you knew that:
75% of the emotions we generate daily are affected by smell. Next to the vision, it is the most important sense we have - Martin Lindstrom
MARKETING AT THE SERVICE OF AROMAS
There are many marketers who work exclusively for this purpose, where the nose is treated with the distinction it deserves. Who has not yet felt the pleasure of "the smell of a new car"? Be aware that, although this odor is not deliberately induced, the major car brands maintain engineering and research departments in order to ensure that new materials do not ruin this famous odor and maintain the desired commercial effectiveness. In this Ford video, we can see how this matter is treated seriously: https://youtu.be/n9YnEEXhrJE
But this is not a single case, in a generalized way and in many more activities there is a work behind the scenes that aims to predispose the potential customer to consume a given product or to increase the degree of satisfaction with the service provided. In catering, on large surfaces, in the production of fragrances used in stores, clinics or SPAs, in product design, etc.
Human beings are able to recognize approximately 10,000 different odors and, most notably, we can remember odors with 65% accuracy after one year, in contrast to visual memories in which after 3 months only 50% are remembered - Sense of Smell Institute
Imagine the power of commercial persuasion at the disposal of brands and products that bet on the "smell industry". It is not difficult to understand why considerable resources and financial resources are currently allocated to this area of research, although the marketing that is based on it prefers the silence of anonymity.
AND IN REAL ESTATE?
The real estate mediation activity is one of the commercial areas in which the sensory experience is very important and if, on the one hand, there must be a concern to show a neat, well-decorated property, with good natural or artificial light, the impact should not be neglected either. that bad odors can trigger during the visit of the interested customer. And from what we've seen before, a negative sensory perception can make a difference especially if it's a first visit.
Unpleasant odors such as animal odors, tobacco smoke, mold or mildew, garbage, bad odors from pipes or sewers, etc. are at the forefront of concerns to be taken into account.
Usually, the real estate consultant or the owner tries to mitigate these odors by using artificial fragrances in the form of sprayers. But this is not always the best option.
Give preference to the aeration of the space, arriving for the purpose one hour before the scheduled visit. Check if there is accumulated garbage and take it out of the house, open the windows and circulate the air.
Aged rugs and sofas and poor hygiene care can also cause unpleasant smells. Try spraying with a dry shampoo suitable for carpets and vacuuming afterwards, you will see that they gain a new soul.
Sometimes clothes accumulated in small wardrobes for a long time and without being washed give rise to unpleasant smells. Storing these clothes in closed plastic boxes may be a solution.
If the owner of the house has cats or dogs check that the necessities box is clean and the sand is renewed periodically. If the animal sleeps at home, make sure that the area where it sleeps is clean and that the blankets do not emit odors.
In case the odors remain, use aromas based on essential oils applied through a burner or, even better, using chopsticks, but be careful, finish this process at least 1/2 hour before the visitor arrives.
Remember: a house with a good smell will sell faster than another that stinks.
WHICH FRAGRANCE SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?
Well, what science tells us may surprise: the more neutral and "clean" the aroma of the house, the easier it will be to sell it.
However, there are fragrances that awaken positive memories because - as we know today - one of the functionalities of the information generated by olfactory cells is to contribute to reinforce associative memory.
The smell of freshly baked cookies, the smell of freshly cut grass, the aroma of coffee or hot chocolate, are all smells that convey a feeling of comfort and awaken past memories associated with happy moments.
Because if you want to try using any of these scents, know that you can simulate them through the use of essential oils, with fragrances for these and many other types of odors. There are also those who buy freshly baked cookies or rolls or make coffee before the visit to naturally induce a familiar aroma.
If you know the potential client's emotional / age profile, you can try one of these less neutral options and play with the induced emotions.
But remember: more important than finding the ideal aroma is to eliminate bad odors.