When I say lavender scent, what do you think of? Chances are pretty good that this includes thoughts of relaxing and calming down. And rightly so. In fact, the fact that lavender has these effects has been scientifically proven many times. But did you also have thoughts about confidence and buying behavior? Probably not. Yet the scent of lavender has an effect on these too! Why and how your organization can use lavender scent for various purposes, you can read here!
That lavender scent has a relaxing effect is well known. But how does it create this effect? Lavender contains the natural fragrance substance linalool. This substance stimulates the olfactory nerves in the nose, which then transmit a calming signal to the brain. So calming that lavender, in terms of anxiety-reducing properties, is similar to diazepam and sleeping pills, for example. However, without the nasty side effects! (Harada, Kashiwadani, Kanmura & Kuwaki, 2018). A fantastic invention for wellness companies, but especially for healthcare facilities.
The dentist, the hospital and the nursing home are, in fact, some of the many healthcare facilities that evoke negative feelings in many people. And yet it is so important that visitors feel comfortable there. Is there also a strong smell of cleaning products? Then it becomes even more difficult to achieve a relaxed feeling. Lavender scent can significantly change this. Not only to make waiting in the waiting room less stressful. But also, for example, to make patients more comfortable under anesthesia, according to Kashiwadani (2018). In addition, it not only has a positive effect on patients. It also reduces staff stress levels. In short, a scent that can make less pleasant situations a lot more pleasant.
Did you know that lavender scent also increases trust in other people? Researchers at Leiden University had test subjects participate in a game. In this, these subjects could earn money by first giving money to others. The subjects were divided into three groups. Group 1 was exposed to lavender scent during the game, group 2 to peppermint scent and group 3 to no scent at all. What turned out? The subjects in group 1 were much more generous than those in the other groups. Extraordinary!
The question is: what can you do with this in practice? For example, when it comes to trust, lavender scent can be used in conflict mediation. A situation in which both parties' trust in each other could use a boost. Lavender is also suitable for team sports. It may sound unusual, but it can actually bear fruit in terms of team building. Do you work in an organization where trust plays an important role?
In a study by Guéguen and Petr (2006), people were observed in a restaurant. Some of these people were exposed to lavender scent, some to lemon scent and some to no scent at all. The result? Those who smelled the lavender scent not only stayed longer in the restaurant, but also spent more money! Why? It is suggested that this is because of the previously described relaxing effect of lavender. The relaxation of the individuals made them want to stay longer. This then led to more orders.
Not only does this apply to restaurants, but other organizations can benefit as well. And not only does the relaxing effect ultimately stimulate buying behavior, the trust that lavender scent evokes also contributes to this! Because yes, if you trust someone you will also be more willing to buy something from them. The scent of lavender can be used widely in this area. From supermarkets to car dealerships and from shoe stores to electronics stores.
In short, a fragrance that can be used in very diverse organizations for very diverse purposes. Who knows, you might even kill several birds with one stone! Will you benefit from the effects of lavender fragrance or one of its variants?