As real estate professionals, we’re all looking for ways to stand out in an increasingly competitive market. I’ve found that one of the most powerful ways to differentiate yourself isn’t just through your listings or your marketing—it’s through creating memorable experiences that engage all five senses.
When I founded McQuaid & Company, I made a conscious decision to do things differently. I wanted to create a brokerage that wasn’t just successful, but memorable. What I’ve discovered is that when you engage all five senses, you create an experience that clients not only enjoy, but remember and share with others.
The Power of Visual Appeal
First impressions matter, and they’re primarily visual. When designing our office space, I deliberately chose vibrant colors, with red as our signature. Red is warm, energizing, and motivates action—exactly the feeling I want clients to have when they work with us.
Studies show that color influences 85% of a shopper’s purchase decision. That’s why I selected red and black as our brand colors. These colors remind me of positive experiences throughout my life, and they create a strong psychological connection with our brand.
But visual appeal goes beyond color. Our office walls feature inspirational quotes, fun framed art, and even neon signage. Each element encourages the eye to circulate and land on a point of connection. We’ve designed our space to stimulate imagination and activity, making it unlike any typical commercial space.
Action Item: Look at your office through fresh eyes. Does it reflect your brand personality? Are there visual elements that create conversation or make clients feel welcome? Consider adding inspirational quotes, unique artwork, or signature colors that set you apart.
The Impact of Sound
Walk into our office, and you’ll immediately notice we play music—and not just any music. We carefully curate a loop of popular songs from the past five decades at a slightly higher volume than most businesses.
Why? Because music transports us. While “elevator music” might ease nerves, it doesn’t stimulate a cheery mood. Think about how much more enjoyable it would be to have your teeth cleaned to The Temptations or Katy Perry instead of bland background music.
The sound experience extends to phone calls too. When clients call, they don’t get a robotic recording but a warm, friendly greeting from a real person. This immediately sets the tone for the relationship.
Action Item: Create a playlist that matches your brand personality and makes clients feel energized and welcome. Pay attention to how you answer the phone—it’s often the first auditory impression clients have of your business.
The Influence of Scent
Scent is perhaps the most powerful sense for creating memories. In real estate, we’ve all heard about baking cookies before a showing to kindle a warm, “homey” feeling. This isn’t just folklore—it’s based on the science of how scent affects our emotions and memory.
Our offices are infused with a specially designed scent called “Happy Home.” We’ve even made candles in this scent to give to clients. When they smell that fragrance, they immediately associate it with the positive experience they had with us.
Action Item: Develop a signature scent for your office. Consider creating branded candles or room sprays as client gifts that reinforce your brand every time they detect that fragrance.
The Touch Experience
Touch creates connection. When clients visit our office, we’re mindful of the physical experience they have—from the comfort of our seating areas to the quality of our marketing materials.
For listing appointments in clients’ homes, we train our team on the small details that matter. When greeted at the door, we always look down and wipe our feet before stepping in. This simple gesture communicates respect and consideration, elevating us in the client’s mind before we’ve even begun our presentation.
We also always sit at their kitchen table, not in the formality of the living room, to make our presentation and talk together. This is intentionally chosen as it is the heart of the home.
Action Item: Evaluate every physical touchpoint clients have with your business. Are your marketing materials high quality? Is your office comfortable? Are handshakes warm and confident? Each touch element contributes to the overall experience.
The Taste Connection
Never underestimate the power of taste in creating memorable client experiences. Visitors to our office are greeted by jars of nostalgic candy, instantly evoking good memories and helping them feel comfortable with us and our organization.
For our open houses, we have “take-away treats” as part of our collateral material. Our favorite delights are the mini-Bundt cakes made by a local baker. These are individually wrapped and branded with our logo. The baker gets a plug for her delicious business, and we give a take-home treat to prospective buyers that’s far more memorable than a business card.
Action Item: Offer something special for clients to taste when they visit your office. Consider branded treats for open houses that will remind potential buyers of your listing long after they’ve left.
Bringing It All Together
Creating a multisensory experience isn’t about overwhelming clients—it’s about thoughtfully engaging each sense to create a cohesive, memorable experience. When you do this well, clients remember you, talk about you, and refer others to you.
At McQuaid & Company, we’ve found that this approach has helped us stand out in a crowded market. Our office has been featured in local business journals as “trendy and unique,” and more importantly, our clients remember their experiences with us and share them with others.
The best marketing is word-of-mouth, and engaging the five senses gives clients something to talk about. Nine out of 10 consumers will trust a friend’s recommendation over traditional media, so give them something worth recommending!
Conclusion
In today’s competitive real estate market, going to the “INth degree” with client experiences isn’t just nice—it’s necessary. By engaging all five senses, you create an experience that stands out from the competition and stays with clients long after the transaction is complete.
Remember, people don’t just do business with a company—they do business with people they like and trust. When you create positive sensory experiences, you build connections that go beyond the transaction.
What sensory element could you enhance in your business today? Start small, be authentic, and watch as your client relationships transform through the power of sensory marketing.
