Customer Sense by Aradhna Knrishna - Book review

Customer Sense

How the 5 Senses Influence Buying Behavior

By: Aradhna Krishna, Ph.D.

Published: April 9, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 208 pages
ISBN-10: 023034173X
ISBN-13: 978-0230341739
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan











"Many attributes of products are based on interactions between the senses or on senses that consumers may not even be aware of", writes expert in the field of sensory marketing and Dwight F. Benton Professor of Marketing st the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, Aradhna Krishna, Ph.D., in her pioneering and landmark book Customer Sense: How the 5 Senses Influence Buying Behavior. The author describes how customers relate to products on a sensory level, and shares how interaction with each of the five senses influences buying decisions and customer behavior.

Aradhna Krishna understands the crucial influence of the five senses on how customers relate to products. Through unlocking this hidden, yet very important relationship between buyers and purchases, the author shares key insights into product creation and marketing. Aradhna Krishna demonstrates that sensory based marketing is not only effective but is critical in reaching the customer on an emotional level.

The author provides an in depth analysis of the role of each of the five senses in customer buying behavior. Through a deeper and richer understanding of the role played by the five senses in the overall emotional and subconscious behavior of the customer, sensory marketing becomes an integral part of every aspect of marketing from the very beginning of the product ideation process.



Aradhna Krishna (photo left) recognizes that that sensory appeal is a field where even a small amount of marketing changes, creates a large increase in overall sales. At the same time, the author points out that by combining several different sensory experience, even greater marketing synergies are possible.

Aradhna Krishna provides insights and guidance into further understanding of the following senses and their impact on customer behavior:

* Introduction: What is sensory marketing
* Vision: What we see matters
* Audition: How hearing affects our actions
* Smell: How scents create changes
* Taste: Flavors make a difference
* Touch: Tactile elements in marketing
* Conclusion: Putting it all together

For me, the power of the book is how Aradhna Krishna combines the theoretical aspects of sensory marketing with the practical steps to add sense based elements to every step in the product creation and marketing process. The author presents the concepts in a readily understood manner, and in a logical format. Each of the five sensory elements are examined separately, and in conjunction with one another to provide a complete guide to sensory marketing.

Aradhna Krishna enhances the reader's understanding of the principles of sensory marketing with examples of the techniques in use in the real world. This additional background offers further insights into utilizing sensory considerations for product development, packaging, and marketing. The author also includes extensive notes and citations for each chapter to offer a starting point for further research into the topics.

I highly recommend the endlessly fascinating and marketing results oriented book Customer Sense: How the 5 Senses Influence Buying Behavior by Aradhna Krishna, to any business leaders, product developers, retailers, marketers, and anyone interested in the effects of the senses in the overall buying decision making process. This book will change forever the way you think aboiut the primary function and importance of the five senses in how your customers decide upon what to buy.