Dollars and Scents

As marketers and salespeople, we often fall in love with adjectives. But let’s be honest—many words that once packed a punch have been dulled by overuse. Think about it: boutique, luxury, bespoke, value—what do they even mean anymore? These words are so overplayed that they’ve lost their emotional pull and storytelling power. Let’s face it: most of us barely skim the copy in a listing these days, and when we do, we immediately tune out anything dripping with hollow adjectives.

The magic is gone.

Here’s the truth: the most compelling marketing doesn’t rely on empty descriptors—it taps into our senses. Our senses anchor us in a moment, spark memories, and connect us on a deeply emotional level. Yes, stunning visuals can stir the spirit, but there’s a secret weapon in marketing that’s often overlooked: smell.Smell has a unique ability to bypass logic and hit our subconscious like a lightning bolt. It’s more visceral than sight or sound. A single scent can transport you to a moment or a feeling faster than anything else. I’ll never forget one of my first apartments in New York City. It sat right above an Indian restaurant. The kitchen’s venting system wasn’t exactly... by the book, so the aroma of curry wove its way into the lobby, hallways, and even my apartment. But I loved it. Indian food is one of my favorite cuisines, and growing up immersed in Indian culture, it felt like home.

To this day, I still light incense in my home office every morning—it’s a small ritual that grounds me. Now, of the ten places I’ve called home in Manhattan, at least half were near or above restaurants. Some were delightful. Others? Well, let’s just say less so.Take one of my toughest marketing gigs, for example. It wasn’t the product or the strategy that tripped me up—it was the neighbor. A chain smoker. Every time I stepped out of the elevator with a potential client, we’d hit a wall of stale cigarette smoke. The hallway reeked of ashtrays, and no amount of scented candles or air fresheners could cover it up. It killed deals before they even began.

Speaking of smoking, my wife and I just got back from Paris. And yes, it’s still the most breathtaking city in the world. But one thing struck me on this trip: the sheer number of people smoking. Cigarettes, vapes—it seemed like every other person had something in hand. There’s something timeless about Paris, but this detail made me pause.

And it made me think.

What we smell becomes part of our story, whether we realize it or not. It lingers, shaping our memories and emotions, for better or worse. From the comforting aroma of curry that made a tiny apartment feel like home to the unescapable smell of cigarette smoke that has derailed a sale more than once, scent is more than a sense—it’s an anchor.

In life and in marketing, it’s not only the words we use but rather the feelings we create that truly matter. Remember this the next time you spend hours creating artfully worded or grandiose listing descriptions that can be killed in an instant by a single draw of a Marlboro Light.

Side Note:Next week, I’ll share my list of the best books I’ve read this year. But right now, I need to talk about one that completely floored me: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. It’s beautifully written and heartbreakingly raw—a must-read for anyone who didn’t grow up in Appalachia. And for those who did, it feels like a long-overdue acknowledgment of their reality. It’s the kind of story that deepens your empathy and broadens your perspective on what it means to be American. If more of us read it, maybe we’d all understand each other a little better.

Let's do this-

Shaun