Selling With The Senses: Give Every Buyer Tingles When They View

Fresh croissants wafting from a bakery; layered textures and tones in furniture stores; soothing music emanating from a cosy bar… Selling with the senses is all around us, and for good reason - it works!

Emotions drive sales, and selling your home is no different. You probably remember the feeling you got for where you live now: something special captured your heart beyond the layout and location.

Every detail shapes a viewing, from the scent in the air to the colour on the walls. It's an art perfected by showhomes, and with our guide to creating sensory viewings for buyers, you'll soon have all you need to:

• Become a sight for sore eyes.
  
• Give them what they want to hear.
  
• Get up their nose (in a good way).
  
• Master touch and texture.
  
• Offer a taste of the lifestyle.

By consciously engaging all the senses, you can cultivate a compelling and positive connection between buyers and your home for an irresistible and unforgettable impression. Let’s find out how!

BECOME A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES

Before anyone views, your home’s photography plays a huge role in how many enquiries you get, and how you follow through on viewings determines whether that interest turns into a favourable offer.

In effect, a positive visual impression is the foundation of a successful sale, and you can influence a buyer’s perception of value by turning your attention to:

• Fresh-feeling decor. Whether your style is neutral, pastel, bold or white, everything gets a lift with a good washing down or brand new coat.
  
• Calming any chaos. Reduce any floor or surface clutter, from excess furniture to personal trinkets, and open up sightlines that draw attention to each room’s best features.
  
• A bright and breezy vibe. Maximise natural light by fully opening all curtains and blinds before viewings, cleaning your windows inside and out, and buffing any glass or metal surfaces.

For more tips on perfect staging, take a look at our Photography Secrets to get your home ready for its close-up, or discover 50 Shades of Sold for expert tips on colour psychology when selling.

GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR

Although silence can be golden in certain circumstances, a little light background noise can elevate your viewings with a relaxed and welcoming acoustic and atmosphere.

• Create a soft instrumental playlist to leave on at a low volume from calming genres like classical guitar, lounge music, smooth jazz, or ambient tracks.
  
• Got a garden full of birdsong or the sound of water nearby? Turn nature’s soundtrack into a subtle feature by keeping a couple of windows securely ajar.
  
• Remove any grating sounds by oiling squeaky hinges, tightening rattling handles, mending dripping taps, adding buffer pads to slamming cupboards, and planing down scraping doors.

A harmonious soundscape can be a wonderfully positive influence that contributes a feeling of peace and comfort, giving buyers the mindspace to relax and connect with your home.

GET UP THEIR NOSE (IN A GOOD WAY)

Smell is deeply linked to memory and emotion, and the first thing every buyer does when they walk through the door is breathe in.

Whatever greets their nose will set the mood for the rest of the viewing and stay with them long after they leave. So, make sure you’re remembered for all the right reasons by:

• Infusing your home with naturally scented candles, reed diffusers, or essential oil aromatisers for their ambience-enhancing fragrance.
  
• Introducing fresh foliage through seasonal cut flowers, an aromatic citrus fruit tree, or even small herb plants like basil, mint, lavender, or sage.
  
• Eliminating unwanted odours from pets, frying, bins, drains, or cigarettes, and avoiding musty niffs by keeping on top of laundry, leaving room doors open, and maintaining a regular airflow.
  

An uplifting olfactory experience does more than make your home smell nice for a viewing; it crafts a lasting memory for buyers that holds a subtle yet powerful sway in their final decision.

Common mistake to avoid: refrain from using artificial air fresheners or sprays as they can be overpowering, off-putting, and make people wonder what you’re masking.

MASTER TOUCH AND TEXTURE

Whether it’s your home’s fixtures and fittings or the way you furnish and accessorise, there are multiple ways that buyers make physical contact on viewings, and you can encourage and enthuse them by:

• Draping soft throws on sofas and armchairs, placing plush cushions on beds, and laying rugs that feel comfortable and luxurious underfoot.
  
• Ensuring your kitchen worktops and splashbacks, bathroom tiles, and any hard floor surfaces are clean and pleasant to come into contact with - no grimy marks or stickiness please!
  
• Incorporating textured decorative items like woven baskets, knitted blankets, or textured wall hangings, and polishing wooden surfaces to showcase their warm and grainy texture.

Subtle tactile cues often trigger a strong sense of personal connection among buyers, and these small interactions can be just what they need to see themselves living in your home every day.

OFFER A TASTE OF THE LIFESTYLE 

Unless you run a patisserie from home, nobody expects you to serve delicious French treats for viewings. However, you can absolutely give buyers a taste of the lifestyle that could be theirs.

• Focus on your home’s social side, from a convivial arrangement of your living room furniture to styling the kitchen table with a runner and placemats to invoke cosy gatherings.
  
• Showcase your garden or balcony's potential for outdoor lounging, dining, or entertaining. Choose comfortable furniture and dress with textiles for a complete al fresco vision.
  
• Give your agent the low-down on all your favourite local places so they can add them to your description and pepper their viewing technique with tailored neighbourhood nuggets. 

With some not-so-subtle hints at the lifestyle and experiences available with your home, you can tap into a buyer's aspirations and spark their imagination around how they’d make it their own.

Are you ready to set your home up for sensory viewings?

We’re here to help you captivate every buyer, achieve the highest possible price, and enjoy a swift, smooth and successful sale by selling with the senses.

Call us on 01722 580059 or email us at info@piccoloproperty.co.uk - we’d love to show you how we’ve helped many sellers in the Wilton and Salisbury area to make their homes truly unforgettable, and how we can do the same for you.