By Ola Sars, CEO and Co-Founder of Soundtrack Your Brand
Music is as important to a guest experience as the design, aesthetics and amenities in its ability to evoke emotion, built loyalty and enhance ROI. The soundtrack to your hotel should greet guests at every turn in the hospitality experience. And not just any music – daily playlists should complement the architecture and reflect the unique essence of your brand.
Entering a classically designed hotel, for example, guests may move through an opulent entrance with classical piano notes in the air. Whereas boutique hotels play more modern, eclectic grooves.
Industry research tells us that 79% of guests will notice the music being played. It sets the stage for a cohesive brand experience in the bar, restaurants, pool, spa, gym, business conference spaces and shops. Together these sensory touchpoints create a unique experience rooted in emotion, memory and loyalty.
Finding your soundtrack can feel as familiar as building your personal playlists. Playing music from a consumer service, however, isn’t copyright compliant or licensed for a hospitality business, and doing so can expose you to legal risk. B2B music streaming platforms, like the leading option Soundtrack Your Brand, offer commercially licensed music on a global scale for an affordable monthly subscription.
Soundtrack’s technology allows for brand-fit playlists that can be curated for each area of the operation through a single interface, making the implementation of such unique curation realistic. Brands can customize “spa” or “fitness center” lists and keep them consistent among all their properties, giving users consistent experiences.
Music curation can happen in a number of ways, including by artist, genre, mood, other business favorites, regional music and more. Soundtrack’s 90-million-track catalog offers pre-scheduled and on-demand options. Deployment is simple from a computer or hardware player; it even integrates into the locations’ existing sound system.
Hoteliers can map what was playing when the lobby bar had its best night and align that data with guest stays, conventions or other events to track how music’s power to influence behavior and purchase affected the business and then replicate it through centralized playlists across all locations. Some brands will choose to customize playlists based on specific market demographics. Soundtrack’s user experience gives you both choices.
Many brands know music is an experience enhancer and can change the entire feeling in a physical space. But those who adopt the correct platform recognize the benefit of state-of-the-art technology and will gain true loyalty, engagement and ROI.