Dr. Richard Axel and Dr. Linda B were American scientists who discovered how people can smell and recall about 10,000 different odors. They were awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize in the category of physiology for this discovery. The effect of different smells on our emotions has huge potential in the field of marketing. Scent marketing is an advanced strategy used to increase sales with a comforting store atmosphere that relates to their brand identity. When compared with cool fragrances like peppermint, customers usually spend more when they are confronted with warm scents such as cinnamon or vanilla. It leads buyers to perceive the environment around them as more “socially dense” or more crowded with people. Large stores use Scent diffuser machines to fill the whole store with a warm fragrance. Even famous food chains use the power of smell to their advantage by propagating the tasty smells to instill the feeling of hunger. Regardless of the business, there are few things that remain common in order to utilize the power of smell to your advantage...

• Ensure Cleanliness: Like the old saying goes “ cleanliness is next to Godliness”, the outlet which accepts customer visits has to be spick and span at all times. Scents won’t be of much help if the store is dirty.
• Avoid Foul Odours: Just like cleanliness, it is a no-brainer that foul smells tend to ward off people. If these odours are out of your control, like a sewer nearby, consider investing in an automatically closing door. Also try and eliminate any source of bad smell that may come from within the facility(periodic cleaning of the AC vents, storerooms, etc).
• Pleasant-smelling restrooms: The most unpredictable call is that of nature. So in case if the outlet offers a restroom option, then it is important to maintain a clean odourless one. Do a periodic check if the restrooms are up to par. Also, make sure that there is a different smell used here as opposed to the main area.
• Avoid the Old house smell: Enclosed spaces which are damp and without direct sunlight tend to emit the moist, musky smell which reminds of old abandoned buildings. Outlets offering textiles tend to have this issue commonly. It will be wise to air out the place once in a while.
• Waste Disposal: Ensure proper waste disposal is practiced at all times. This could be particularly important for malls, food outlets, raw food outlets, clinics etc. The trash cans need to be regularly cleaned and sanitized if possible to avoid decay and moisture.
• Carefully select Aerosol machines – Having an aerosol machine that automatically releases a preset fragrance at timed intervals is preferred only if the diffusion space is adequate. The scent they emit is usually over-powering in small enclosures. Also, buy quality diffusers and affix them firmly to avoid any work hazard.
• Aroma Nebulizers– Essential oil and other aroma diffusers are becoming very popular. They usually come with a wide variety of fragrance options. Also, they don’t diffuse chemicals that aerosols usually do. Nebulizers are preferred more over diffusers by malls and larger outlets because they disperse scents across a larger area.
• Remember the limit – The idea is to create a pleasant disarming aroma in the background, not an overpowering scent. Choose devices that allow you to control the aroma intensity & choose a matching scent dispenser according to the size of the area you’re scenting.
• Know your scents - The smell of Talcum powder is known to give a sense of security. Citrus scents are used in gyms since they happen to invigorate people. Floral fragrances help to relax and drop down one's guards. Depending on the business and the target audience, the scent could be selected.

Scent marketing is extremely helpful if done correctly. Seeking professional help will really save the trouble and experimental cost that you may inadvertently end up paying otherwise. Atmocare is a leading scent diffuser in Dubai with successful implementation in plenty of corporates, retail outlets, offices, and Health care facilities under their belt.