Do you smell something?

Remember that old retail adage: “If it smells, it sells”? Turns out it’s true: researchers have found that a pleasant-smelling environment has a positive effect on shopping behavior. We all respond to good scents, maybe because they have the power to evoke memory. We’ve all gotten a whiff of something familiar and have been instantly transported to another place in time. That’s what made aromatherapy so popular.

Now we have Aromacology: the science of scents and their effect on our minds and moods. Grapefruit, for example, gives shoppers more energy, vanilla calms them when the store is hectic, pine inspires positive feelings, and cinnamon is said to attract money.

Aromoacology is being used everywhere: The air in the Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino smells like the shampoos and creams in the guest rooms; Disneyland is said to greet guests with the scent of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies; and the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando uses the aroma of sugar cookies and waffle cones to lure customers to a hard to find ice cream shop located int he basement of the hotel. So, put out the potpourri, purchase scent diffusers and place them throughout the store, or better yet, call ScentAir; a cool company that knows all about the science of scent. Visit http://www.scentair.com to learn more.

And if the guy in the office next to you tends to be a little bit stanky visit Brando.com and pick up a personal USB fragrance oil burner. Check it out online at http://usb.brando.com.hk/prod_detail.php?prod_id=00040

We're going to get a couple of those personal fragrance burners for those nights on the road when there's a three star hotel in our future ...