One thing every successful retailer knows is that in today’s economy, it's absolutely essential to have a competitive edge. For many, music plays an important role in the crucial esthetic blend. Long recognized as a major contributing factor in the shopping experience, music draws shoppers into the store, keeps them there and has been proven to actually influence buying decisions.

It's been said that it takes less than 30 seconds for a shopper to decide whether or not to do business in one particular store as opposed to another. Businesses worldwide -- including iconic brands like Nike, Harley-Davidson and H&M in the retail trade, and Starwood Hotels, Swiss Chalet, and Second Cup in the hospitality and foodservice trade -- have turned to DMX to supply music for their offerings.

“It all starts with a consultation between the retailer and our music designer” explains Burke Morley, Vice President of Music Design. “We typically discuss who the target shopper is, the types of promotions taking place during the year, special sales, and how the business generally flows.” From there the team develops a creative design model explaining why the unique mix of music was chosen. “ We continually update our music selections based on marketplace trends, brand maturity, emerging artists and other factors,” says Brian McKinley, Vice President of Marketing. “We call it Music DNA for our clients and it is just that unique.

“DMX excels at identifying what goes on at a store during various points during any given day, and it is very much client-driven,” McKinley points out. “Where a retailer notices shifts in lifestyle and music tastes, they bring it to us and we help them stay ahead of the trends,” he adds.

During the holiday season, a whole different set of reference points come into play. For example, parents and grandparents shopping for their children may never come to the store at any other time of year, but tend to make seasonal purchases and have a whole different set of values. Getting the mix right is important. But Holiday music doesn’t mean just the same old Christmas tunes. “There is a lot of great music that imparts the festive spirit and that’s what we look for at this time of year,” says McKinley, whose company has now expanded to include the latest trend, “sensory congruency,” including the dimension of aroma for clients. “It’s what really sets us apart” he explains.