How to Choose Music for Business?

It is enough to hear the music to understand which brand is in front of us. How to choose background music for your business and your brand? What kind of music to use, with or without lyrics, and what style of music would best sell?

Why background music and not popular songs?

Someone is used to being sad to famous music, so a particular song may be associated with drama and unpleasant events. Of course, with pleasant ones too. It turns out that the music that people know and often hear is colored by emotions, information messages, and the personality of the performer.

This means that a brand that uses well-known music takes over a part of the information field where the songs live, which may be superfluous for the brand.

In addition, taste preferences can harm a brand through association. For example, if listeners think the artist is stupid, awkward, or unpopular, then this will inevitably go to the brand, sometimes in a transformed form. This is dangerous when the social group of opponents grows or is simply large, from a thousand people. And if a performer is out of fashion, so is the product.

Non-repetitive brand identity

You are not the only one – the image that develops if a brand overuse famous tracks. After all, they sound in many institutions, on the radio, and on TV. It turns out that the brand becomes the same as everyone else.

On the one hand, this is useful when a company targets a different and opposite audience in many respects, which is difficult to make friends with each other. On the other hand, if a brand wants to have its own character and be different from others, it needs to show it through attributes: music, visuals, and texts.

Correctly selected playlist

Music is limited. A common scenario: users constantly play famous tracks, and then go crazy with the fact that the songs are often repeated or because there are no new products that are suitable for the brand. For example, Justin Bieber’s songs are popular tracks. But here’s the bad luck: they are suitable for a youth brand, and you have a premium brand – you have to look for Ed Sheeran.

Because of this, you will inevitably run into the fact that the music that suits you has a limit. It turns out that there are not so many new products among the popular tracks. Also, not all songs fit together. For example, Queen and Dua Lipa are famous performers who are loved by many. However, they should not be in the same business playlist, since they represent different eras, sound differently, and create opposite associations.

Clients don’t need to sing along

Music for business is a rational selection according to the given parameters. Contrary to expectations, music should help the business, not make you want to sing or dance.

In order for music to help, it is selected with a specific rhythm, in the right style, with or without vocals, even in an era that is appropriate in meaning.

Musical brand styling

To buy an expensive classic suit, you are unlikely to go to a rap store. However, you will go to the hip-hop section for sneakers or a baseball cap.
The genre of music means a lot to the brand and when the brand chooses its specific sound it creates a recognizable association and mood among the customers. It’s not about what kind of music the target group prefers, but how the sound matches the brand.

Ambient

This is a very light, sometimes airy style of electronic music, it can be a little danceable, it can be completely shapeless and immense like an ocean. Very accurately conveys the expensive atmosphere of tranquility.

• Spa salons and saunas;
• Yoga;
• Rest and relaxation areas;
• Applications;
• Massage services;
• Presentations.

Lounge

A genre for established brands that are confident in themselves. They have nowhere else to rush and do not need to control everything, because a balance has been found. Lounge brands are as different as music: some unpredictable, others tech-savvy. Some brands make calmness their highlight, while others – something provocative, like Bossanova. Lounge and jazz often overlap, which is why many brands use two styles at once.

• Gadgets;
• Fashion and Style;
• Presentations;
• Bars;
• Summer cafes;
• Yacht clubs.

Jazz

Music of creative and intellectual brands. These brands “live” in major metropolitan cities. You expect premium quality from such brands, they always look good and take care of their appearance. Communication with such brands does not imply youth memes that are published by everyone: if joking, then in their own way, subtly and cleverly.

• Elite hotel chains;
• Major airlines;
• Fashionable designer clothes;
• Expensive shops;
• Cosmetic brands;
• Foreign cars;
• Alcohol and beer are good and expensive.

Cinematic

Cinema without music would be boring. At first, the film was without words, and it was dubbed by pianists, adjusting to the mood and dynamics of the film. Over time, voice acting and color rendition appeared in the cinema. Music also kept up and progressed. And today it has grown into a large-scale section of music. Cinema music combines a lot from other styles, for example from classical music it has adopted the sound of the orchestra and epic, from industrial tension and modernity. This music can be inspiring, fearsome, romantic, intense, scary, and even annoying.

• Film industry;
• Video advertising;
• Video content;
• Entertainment;
• Creativity and Science;
• Electronics;
• Cars;
• The property;
• Presentations.

Corporate

It so happened that business and motivational music is used for business. It has grown into a separate genre and its range of applications is corporate.

• Commercial activity;
• Advertising;
• Marketing;
• Business business;
• The property;
• Presentations;
• Legal services;
• Medicine;
• Politics;
• The science;
• Training and education,
• IT and technology.

Soft rock

Music brands that go to their goal comfortably and without strain. It is not appropriate to do anything with all your strength and to the limit, but balance, rational effort, and individuality are appreciated.

• Hotels, travel agencies;
• Entertainment, bars, and cafes;
• Mobile applications;
• Cars;
• Creativity and Science;
• Bioproducts;
• Jewelry.

Electronic music

The genre unites several directions, mainly dance: house and its subspecies, dynamic lounge, dubstep, and ambient.

Electronic music for fashion brands. This happened because it was often used in fashion shows: the speed of the music is ideal for the model step. Thanks to this, an association emerged: electronic music is fashionable.

Electronic music brands are energetic, want to do a lot, and follow trends. Such brands are at the center of events and stir up interest in themselves, so you expect loud statements and a little provocation from brands. Another feature is the variety.

It is important for fashion brands to constantly improve and look for something new.

• Clothes and footwear;
• Fashion shows;
• IT and telephony;
• Cars;
• Alcohol, except wines;
• Jewelry;
• Yacht clubs;
• The property;
• Restaurants, cafes, and bars;
• Sports grounds.

Indie pop

A creative and romantic brand, not like everyone else. Indie pop brands are different, with a vibrant personality that they show without fear of being misunderstood. These brands are often used, but even if they get bored, it is still difficult to stop loving them.

A bit airy and unreal, these brands remain in the memory.

• Electronics;
• Cars;
• Women’s clothing and footwear;
• Hotels, travel agencies.

Folk

This is mostly acoustic music with live instruments. There are various subspecies and directions. You can say the elder brother of Go music. It adopts the elements of folk art, but this style has long been not limited only to folk performance but has a powerful selling ability.

• Entertainment;
• Children’s institutions and entertainment;
• Video advertising;
• Video content;
• Education;
• IT and technology;
• Advertising;
• Food and drinks;
• Household goods, personal hygiene products.

Pop

A universal brand that brings people together. Most often these are brands with a light character, agile and flexible. Such brands do not have a clear opposition between “us and them”: the brand is ready to be friends with different people and adjust their strategy to them.

• Food and drinks;
• Family entertainment;
• Mobile applications;
• Cosmetics;
• IT and telephony;
• Creativity and Science;
• Bioproducts;
• Jewelry;
• City festivals.

Rock

Quite bold and defiant style. Of course, there are many subgenres in rock, but commercial rock is more or less sustained and has taken its own niche in the market.

• Gadgets;
• Fashion and Style;
• Food and drinks;
• Entertainment;
• Electronics;
• Cars;
• Advertising;
• Marketing.

R&B

Rhythm and blues for fashion brands. These are usually new businesses, developments, even chewing gum flavors. Only the “new” is necessarily based on the old, just like R&B itself – a different approach to familiar things.

You can also tell from the music who the brand’s audience is because everything new and fashionable is usually acquired by the elite.

• Electronics;
• Beer;
• Telephony;
• Cars;
• Snacks, chewing gums, hard candy;
• Entertainment;
• Mobile applications;
• Household goods, personal hygiene products.

Hip-Hop

This direction is quite versatile. It can be trendy, aggressive, relaxing, and not suitable for every business. The history of the development of style begins in protests against inequality and injustice, but today this subculture, due to its reflexive nature, personifies style, trends, fashion, and popularity.

• Fashion boutiques;
• Video blogs;
• Travels;
• Gadgets;
• Fashion and Style;
• Food and drinks;
• Entertainment;
• Cars;
• Social networks.

How to Get Hold of Music for Your Business?

Find out how music affects your customers, how it builds your business brand, and where to get the music to sell.

Many people know theories from popular psychology: music motivates you to move faster, eat more or less, and buy impulsively things that were previously postponed. It is believed that this is why music is included. In fact, background sound covers a lot more nuanced than replicated methods of exposure. This is what researchers and background music experts say.

Let’s dwell on the theory of audio marketing in order to choose an effective way to solve business problems.

Employee productivity

The staff will not accept any music, and this is not about taste preferences, but about objective reasons.

Consider the case when the specialists of a fashionable auto center studied the musical preferences of the target group, interviewed the core of the audience, and decided that the most effective sound is the lounge. This music relaxes, under it, you want to contemplate, consider the little things, and feel how everything around reminds you of comfort, a fulfilled life, and success.

However, the playlist was changed: the employees of the auto center fell asleep and did not rush to go out to the customers. Minus – the playlist was homogeneous. After all, the lounge is calm music, which means that visitors and employees did not feel cheerful and joyful.

Such a playlist should be diluted with dynamic tracks. This will help the staff stay in high spirits and serve customers faster.

If specialists are busy with monotonous work, which is constantly repeated, they need help with music – positive and dynamic. The well-coordinated work of employees is also a criterion for evaluating audio marketing because the company’s profit depends on their work.

What to enable and for what tasks to help employees:

• classical music: mathematics, attention to detail;
• pop music: data entry, deadlines, spell check;
• electronic music, ambient: solution of equations, accuracy.

Impact on sales

When it comes to playing music in stores and restaurants, common sense dictates to play the music that the patrons listen to. However, research shows that this approach is often ineffective in increasing sales.

If the goal is to increase sales, the music should match the store’s brand or a specific product. For example, wine sales grow when classical instrumental music is played in the store. But in order to increase sales of only French wines, it is wiser to dilute the playlist with French music.

Consumer behavior

If you are researching the effectiveness of audio marketing, you probably know.

If people are annoyed by music, they leave without shopping or buy goods faster in order to get out as soon as possible. You don’t have to go through hard metal at the family store, just turn up the volume. When the task is to speed up the movement of shoppers during rush hour, then this is an effective tool. But loud music isn’t for every business. It is appropriate in bars, but the store will face another problem – negative associations with the brand.

A universal way is to control behavior with a musical tempo. The effectiveness of the method was proved by the English professor Ronald Milliman. He studied whether the behavior was related to the speed of the music. It turned out that under slow tracks, buyers crossed the control distance in 128 seconds, and under fast tracks – in 109 seconds.

Interestingly, in supermarkets and restaurants, shoppers spend more money if slow music is playing. In Russia, the influence of background music is rarely researched, so let’s remember a Scottish restaurant as an example: shoppers spent 19% more because they spent longer in the restaurant. These facts are confirmed by a study by scientists from the University of Strathclyde.

Another sense of time

When music is playing, time moves faster – this is how people evaluate it. If you ask consumers to name the minutes spent shopping with music, they are more likely to biasedly reduce the amount of time.

While listening to tracks, the human brain builds positive associations, we dream, make plans, remember pleasant moments, and even try to solve a problem that we have long wanted to close. This property of the brain and psyche helps a business when it comes to reducing the stress associated with long waiting. Most importantly, customers don’t mind waiting if the music they like is playing.

Therefore, it is effective to use the background sound where queues often gather or you have to wait until the papers are prepared or a specialist is free – a doctor, tutor, trainer, stylist, or manicure master.

How to Source Hold Music

The average consumer is estimated to spend 43 days of their life waiting, from conference calls to customer support lines, writes West Corporation. More than 80 percent of people put it off every time they contact the company, writes Cision PR Newswire. And silence is painful: if the caller is listening to dead air, they are much more likely to hang up.

Expectation – customer retention is not ideal, but often inevitable. So instead of keeping your clients a secret, you’ll want to tweak the recording to make the most of the latency.

Along with giving the caller something to listen to, hold on to music, and exchange messages, you can:

• Increase customer retention on calls;
• Create sales opportunities by promoting value-added services and offers;
• Make a good first impression and show the unique character of your business;
• Free up agents’ time by providing key information such as opening hours in the minutes.

Where to find holding music

You know you need something to hold callers when they are waiting on the phone line, but how can you hold with music? You need to pick up background music. There are many online sources today that make it easy to view, license, and download audio files. Read this article.

Licensing

When sourcing holds music, you also need to be aware of copyright laws. Purchasing a music CD or an mp3 song file for standard listening doesn’t give you the right to use it as music on hold. ASCAP is one of the regulators of these types of licenses, and more information can be found on their website here.

Brand communication

To emphasize unanimity with customers, companies add music to the playlist that emphasizes that the brand and customers are in a common information and social field. For this, regional characteristics and favorite “home” performers, fashionable music among young people, or buyers of expensive mobile phones are taken into account.

For example, Renault’s brand book records that the automotive giant uses music to create a sense of unity with customers. To make the sales department and customers feel close to each other, the background sound in stores reflects local musical trends. Therefore, the song list in Renault includes the latest hits in the local language of the country where the store is located.

Music can be used to emphasize the prestige of the establishment. Listeners do not always follow musical innovations, even in their favorite genres. If an expensive establishment constantly opens up the new good sound for customers, and songs can be found through Shazam or social networks and bragged to friends, the image of the establishment as a supplier of new and exclusive is strengthened.

Expert advice

The main criterion for successful audio marketing is considered to be profitable growth. But for objectivity, it is necessary to foresee in advance by what parameters the effectiveness of background music will be assessed. Perhaps your preferences differ with the choice of specialists. In this case, keep in mind that professionals choose music to solve business problems, and not to please an individual person.

For the audio marketer to understand you, pass them the evaluation criteria, a portrait of the consumer and tell them about the specifics of the business.

The music editor thinks in schemes, is guided by professional intuition, knowledge, and experience. This means that the more the customer talks about the brand, the more accurately it is understood. Sometimes specialists know in advance that a client will come back and ask to change the music even though he insisted on it. Therefore, talk to the editor and ask him to justify the choice. It is possible that professional advice will help you understand how to solve a specific business problem, and not just click on “play”.

Music creates a brand

No matter what you do, background music enhances brand identity, increases sales, and improves team performance. Check out the research on background music.

Through sound, customers understand what character your brand is and what to expect from it. In addition, music creates a competitive advantage and an emotional connection with consumers.

• 46% of managers and business owners agreed that music helps customers understand what a brand is and “who they are” as a business (DJS Research);
• 93% of bars and pubs believe playing the right music creates a comfortable atmosphere for customers (MusicWorks);
• 67% of people call a store fashionable if it plays good music (Vision Critical);
• 80% of clients want to listen to music in beauty salons (Vision Critical);
• 96% of gym-goers prefer to listen to original tracks rather than covers (YouGov plc);
• 88% of employees who work in stores with background music want to listen to recognizable artists (MusicWorks);
• one in five companies – and one in four retailers – say they lost business if the music was turned off (Vision Critical);
• 63% of small vulnerable customers believe that the music reproduces their long stay in the store (Vision Critical);
• sales in bars and pubs increase 44% from the average when music is playing (CGA);
• 41% of managers or business owners agreed that in-store music influences their buying decisions (DJS Research);
• one in 10 business managers and owners say they will go out of business if they have to turn off their music all the time (DJS Research);
• 90% of hairdressers agree that the right music is good for their business (Vision Critical);
• 65% of businesses say music in the workplace makes employees more productive (Vision Critical);
• 91% of managers and business owners “agree” or “strongly agree” that music makes customers and employees happier (DJS Research);
• 81% of hairdressers believe music makes employees happy (Vision Critical);
• 61% of small retailers believe staff is more productive when music is playing (Vision Critical).