Music is an integral part of the human experience – infiltrating almost every waking moment of your day. Whether humming along to the radio during your morning commute or bobbing your head to the tunes playing at a local coffeeshop, your auditory senses are almost constantly engaged – and this engagement runs deep.

The presence of music in our everyday lives often goes unnoticed, but it holds a strong and subtle unconscious influence over many of our decisions – including where we choose to shop, eat, or spend our time lingering.

This is no news to savvy marketers, who have been using music to influence sales and brand loyalty since the invention of the advertising jingle. However, the insight offered by today’s technology is changing the way marketers approach music, especially with regard to brand association. Additionally, the availability of “big data” for statistical and analytical purposes can offer deeper insight into the demographics of musical listeners than ever before – which means more opportunity for businesses to hone their musical approach to meet the preferences of their preferred clientele.

The impact of background music on business cannot be stressed enough. Just imagine a skateboard park pumping smooth jazz through their speakers or a high-end spa playing only heavy metal, and you’ll begin to get the point.

Choosing the right business soundtrack is absolutely essential to the customer experience. Brands should carefully consider their audience demographic prior to crafting a custom business soundtrack. Failing to consider the auditory preferences of your clientele is sure to make a forgettable customer experience.

However, you should never lose sight of your brand story when deciding on the right in-store music, regardless of the clientele you serve. The key here is to strike a balance between your clientele’s auditory preferences and expectations of your brand. For example, let’s say you own a restaurant that serves authentic Cuban food. The interior is designed with traditional Latino drapes and paintings, and the food is so true to style that local Cubans make up a bulk of your regular customers.

You also know that a majority of your clientele are middle-class millennials, who primarily listen to contemporary pop music. While these individuals probably don’t listen to Cuban music in their cars, they might not have the same exotic experience they’re looking for at your restaurant if your in-store music consists of the likes of Luke Bryan, One Direction and Drake. In this case, perhaps your best bet would be to play some traditional and contemporary Cuban pop music. This way, your customer experience will be consistent with your brand story, ensuring that all of your guests feel connected to your brand.

So, what informs your musical selection? Your company should already have a clearly defined mission and targeted demographic – but how do these factors translate into musical preference?