Whether you’re in your car driving to work, sitting down for a casual dinner with friends, or -- like me -- pounding the pavement on a morning run, it’s probably safe to assume that music is playing on your speaker or headphones. It’s a habit most all of us possess, and when we are in one of the situations described above we’re in complete control of what we are hearing.

But what about when you walk into a restaurant, casino or your favorite store? 

That’s when your ears are at the mercy of someone else. And the decision that someone else makes regarding what you hear can either greatly enhance or hamper your level of enjoyment.  

So, if you are a business owner or the person behind the controls of what your guests are hearing, you have been tasked with a very important job, one that is often ignored by many of your competitors. 

Simply put, the music and messaging heard throughout your business requires a well-thought-out and strategic plan. 

Remember, a recent study by Walnut Unlimited suggests that 90% of shoppers say they’re more likely to revisit a brick and mortar business if the music and visuals and scent “create an enjoyable atmosphere.”

With that daunting statistic in mind, we present five questions you need to ask yourself before deciding on the music and messaging for your business, in order to ensure it creates an atmosphere in which your customers will be happier, stay longer and spend more, while also boosting staff productivity.

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This is the first question we ask a business if it is seeking the advice of New Level Radio. It’s important for us to get an understanding of what has been used and why it’s not working.

In addition, we would want to know how you are introducing your messaging into the music, if at all. Any promotional info that interrupts the music should be seamless and flow in between songs. You don’t want to go through the time and effort of choosing the perfect plan for your business, and then take away from it by randomly dropping in annoying commercials or announcements that are going to turn off your guests. 

This is the most important question you need to answer before making any decisions regarding music and messaging. What is the average age and other demographic info of the guests in each space of your business? Does it change throughout the day or the week?

If you have a space that typically draws Baby Boomers, you don’t want to be playing country music. You want music that is appealing. Think Elvis, The Beatles, The Temptations, tunes that are going to put those people at ease and in their comfort zone.

In the case of one of our many casino clients, a certain space within the property may see the demographic of the guest change at different times of the day. It’s vital to dovetail the music and messaging to the specific guest or demographic in each space.

Speaking of our casino clients, New Level Radio always takes careful notice of each property’s event calendar because it allows us to leverage the concerts or special events that are coming up with the music that is played.

For instance, this past spring the 2019 Billboard Music Awards were hosted by our partner MGM Grand in Las Vegas. As we got closer and closer to the actual date of the event, New Level Radio made sure that much of this massive property was hearing songs from the likes of Drake, Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson, Jona Brothers, Cardi B and other artists who were nominated and/or performing at the show.

Later this month, Lenny Kravitz will be playing a concert at Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Connecticut, another one of our clients. You can bet that in the next few weeks we will be playing lots of Lenny in key spaces throughout the property, while mixing in messaging about tickets for the show.

New Level Radio has been working with multiple businesses all over the U.S. for the last 12 years. This in-depth experience allows us to rely on and mimic best practices that we have used successfully at other properties, if there is a clear similarity to another venue or specific market.

This gives us a tremendous advantage when we join forces with a new client because we know what works -- and what doesn’t work -- at specific properties in specific areas of the country.

Yes, it’s true. If you are relying on a personal playlist or simply cueing up Pandora at your place of business as a music provider, you may very well be breaking the law.

Due to copyright laws in countries all over the world, businesses must have a license in order to stream music. But studies have shown that 83% of businesses illicitly use their Spotify or Pandora account, and the large majority of these U.S. business owners (71%) have no idea that using a personal music account is illegal.