Sponsored by Entandem
Imagine the customer experience in a restaurant without music. No ambiance to set the tone, no background music to fill the awkward silence on a first date, no live band at the bar.
Music is an emotionally rooted medium that creates connections with customers. And when it’s not there, we notice. Matching your business to the music you play is essential for success, providing customers with a positive experience so that they return.
Studies show that businesses that strategically use music reap rewards, see increased foot traffic, and experience higher sales.1 For example, restaurants benefit from the more than 70 per cent of Canadians who say hearing music in a restaurant makes them more likely to enjoy their meal.
So how do you ensure that the music you’re using makes sense? Here are four easy tips:
- Play music that aligns with your brand and the expectations of your customers. Does your playlist consider the age and demographics of your customers? Would songs or instrumentals be the better choice? Ask yourself all these questions before you hit the play button.
- Consider what’s happening outside your business. Is there a seasonal event that’s affiliated with music? Is there a festival or major sports event happening in your city that’s worth tapping into? Christmas, Halloween, playoff season and cultural festivals connect emotionally with customers too, so when it’s a fit, piggyback on them.
- Ask your staff their opinion and be open to their feedback. Ask your staff what they’d like to hear or what they think would fit based on their observations.
- Get licensed. Be sure to account for proper music licenses so that you can use the music you need to build the brand you want. Businesses that use recorded and/or live music are required to obtain two separate music licenses, one from RE:SOUND and one from SOCAN, but now you can obtain both through Entandem. Entandem simplifies licensing for businesses that use music to create a valuable customer experience, while ensuring music rights holders are legally, fairly and ethically compensated for their copyright work.
Making music an integral part of your brand and marketing strategy can inspire repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals. Not only does music add great value in any business, especially a restaurant, using music responsibly ensures music makers can keep making great music.
Learn more about music-in-business licensing at EntandemLicensing.com.
1. 2015 SOCAN Food & Music Study
