7 tips for playing Christmas music

1) Turn on the Christmas music – now!

Studies show that over 80% of guests and customers notice the background music in a store, and 56% prefer to hear Christmas music during the holiday season. If you haven't already put your holiday favorites on rotation in your playlist, you should start playing the Christmas music right away. Your guests like it, and it provides them with an extra pleasant experience when they visit you.

2) Play one Christmas song every 10 minutes

Even though Christmas music is now playing through your speakers, don't forget your existing music style. Gradually increase the percentage of Christmas music over the next few months, so you offer both guests and employees a varied selection of music. Specifically, you can create a playlist where you play one Christmas song every 10 minutes – this creates a nice balance, where the Christmas spirit is slowly built up without becoming too intense. You can also create different playlists for morning, afternoon, and evening, varying the tempo of the songs to match the mood of the guests throughout the day.

3) Match the Christmas music to the company's style

How do you usually set the mood for your guests and employees? Do you play Brazilian jazz, 80s hits, or maybe indie rock for them? Remember, you can find a lot of of variations of the common Christmas hymns in just the genre that matches your guests' music style. If you choose alternative Christmas music that matches your brand, you manage to both stand out and get the guests to listen extra carefully.

4) Avoid playing the same songs over and over again

As tempting as it is to put the 'Christmas Songs You Know' playlist on repeat, just wait a moment. Studies show that guests do not like to hear Christmas music if it is too repetitive. Therefore, you should avoid letting Christmas music take over your entire playlist during the holiday season. If you don't want to scare away your guests and employees, then find a wide selection of the many Christmas songs available out there. It will bring a smile to your guests' and employees' faces and enhance their experience, so they stay longer – and they might even come back.

5) Don't forget the great Christmas classics

Even though you're now playing a wide variety of Christmas songs suitable for your business, don't forget the classics. There's a reason why many of the same Christmas songs have been in the top 10 for many years – because they work, and because they evoke emotions in your guests. Even the perfect indie version of "All I Want For Christmas" can easily be mixed with the original versions.

6) Involve the employees in the decision-making

Studies show that 77% of employees believe they are more productive when background music is played in a business. That alone is an excellent reason to involve your employees in the decision-making process when choosing the music. Of course, you should have your own music strategy. But your employees spend many hours with the guests and see how the guests react to the music, so they know when to adjust the tempo and volume to the mood. By asking them about their favorite Christmas songs, you might get new suggestions and at the same time ensure that the music brings joy to both customers and employees.

7) Gain access to the oldest and greatest Christmas hits

You can access the oldest, best, and newest Christmas hits that will go straight to the hearts of your guests with a music license. In fact, you'll have access to more than 38 million songs from all over the world, so you won't have to settle for playing the same three Christmas songs over and over again.

If you decide to organize a Christmas concert with the local choir in your business, you must also remember to obtain a music license. The music license exists so that composers and songwriters get paid when their music is played in public settings.

So it's just about diving into the universe of Christmas songs and choosing the songs that create a cozy atmosphere for your guests and employees.

If you use a royalty-free music service with limited access to all the songs in the world – including Christmas songs – you can choose to set up a music license with Koda for the couple of months you play Christmas music. Contact Koda at [email protected].