Close your eyes and think about the last “great night” you experienced with a group of friends or family. Chances are all five senses were enlivened that night, and you can still taste, feel, smell, see, and hear all of the particulars.

Casino operators should strive to make the guest experience within the walls of their property a prime spot for one of these “great life moments.” To do so, they need to use sensory marketing to create an atmosphere that stimulates all five of the guest’s senses.

A successful sensory branding strategy will elicit a guest’s beliefs, feelings, thoughts, and memories and quickly create a lasting brand image in that customer’s mind.

Casinos have a built-in advantage in that guests entering the property are already seeking a good time, and the environment is inherently stimulating. Their senses are already tickled as they walk through the door, thanks to flashing lights, the sound of chips hitting the table, the distinctive scent of a casino and slot machines chirping.

In this session, New Level Radio CEO and Cofounder Nathan Green will discuss how crucial it is to have a targeted marketing strategy for your property that tickles all five senses of your guests:

SIGHT – The eyes contain two-thirds of all the sensory cells in a person’s body. So, sight is the most prominent of all human senses. When people “hear” information, they will likely remember only 10% of the details three days later. However, according to a Brains Rule study, if relevant “visuals” are paired with that same information, people retain 65% of the information three days later. With that said, utilizing a tool such as video messaging can play a crucial role in creating that “best-night-of-my-life” atmosphere. Video walls are affordable, brightening the casino floor and differentiating space. The correct visuals in prime locations will make the ambiance and surroundings more memorable while delivering a “location-based experience.”

SOUND – Once a sound wave reaches your ear, your brain recognizes it in 0.05 seconds. That’s ten times faster than a blink of an eye! So, it’s natural that sound is the first thing that registers with a customer when they walk into your casino. Not what they see. Not what they smell. It’s what they hear that travels fastest to their brain. A targeted music and messaging program unique to a casino’s layout and customer demographic will help keep the customer on the property longer, increase spend, allow the atmosphere to match the casino’s brand, and even boost employee productivity.

TASTE – The sensorial strategy of taste is challenging to master in casinos. Still, the recall can stimulate the taste buds of anyone who has had a previous experience with a casino’s restaurant or a specific beverage, which can encourage sales and create an enjoyable experience.

SMELL – The sense of smell is 10,000 times more sensitive than taste because it taps directly into our memory. A unique smell or odor can quickly and easily stir emotion and create nostalgia. Every casino has a particular smell. The nose prompts the brain to think about a previous big win at a certain table game or slot machine or harkens back to a memorable event, encounter, or evening at that property.

FEEL – Touch is powerful, and casinos can capitalize on it in many ways, not just with poker chips or slot machines. For instance, an interactive concierge is not only trackable, but it allows guests to control their visit with a simple touch and engages them as they look for their favorite restaurant or receive directions to a specific place on the property. Many casinos are also now utilizing virtual concierge programs, which put the property brand directly on a guest’s mobile device and, in turn, stimulate the sense of “touch.”