How Virtual Reality Will Change B2B Marketing. Presence is the idea that when you are wearing a virtual reality headset, the virtual environment you see around you seems real and you feel present within it. Want to show how your product can interact with a potential customer’s workflow? Unlike previous marketing tools like video or infographics, virtual reality can also have complicated interactive features. You can create an exact replica of your product in the virtual environment and then allow customers to get a feel for using it. Not only can you put your customers in a virtual product simulation, you can also be there with them. You can bring in 3D visuals, change the environment, and actually have a real back-and-forth discussion about customer needs. But the best part about virtual reality, is that the effectiveness of a simulation can be measured in real time. Virtual reality analytics can determine what product a customer is most interested in, what parts of the presentation are most engaging, and which customer seems most likely to buy. With explosive growth in the number of virtual reality headsets over the next few years, marketers will need to move quickly to take advantage of this new technology.
Over the past year, virtual reality has quickly become one of
the hottest trends in consumer marketing.
Audi,
Coca-Cola,
Marriott and even
IKEA have dipped their toes in the water and created immersive
marketing experiences. But how does this new technology apply to
the far more convoluted B2B marketing process?
The key to B2B marketing is driving customers through the sales
and marketing funnel. The most important stage is evaluation. The
customer has already decided to make a purchase but must choose
whether to buy your product or the competition.
It’s at this crucial moment where virtual reality can help your
product stand out. With virtual reality, your customers can see
your product up close and personal to see exactly why it’s
superior. It’s like a trade show, a site visit, and a marketing
presentation rolled into one.
Virtual reality is able to achieve this due to a concept called
Presence. Presence is the idea that when you are wearing a
virtual reality headset, the virtual environment you see around you
seems real and you feel present within it. Because the environment
is entirely virtual, it can be manipulated and changed to fit your
marketing needs. Depending on the virtual reality simulation,
Presence allows you to do anything, with anyone, anywhere you can
imagine.
This gives marketing teams total control over the marketing
experience. Want to show how your product can interact with a
potential customer’s workflow? Put them right in the middle of a
demonstration. Want to add visual cues highlighting key features?
Add them at a push of a button. Want to wow a new client with a
literal fireworks show? In virtual reality, it’s easy.
Unlike previous marketing tools like video or infographics,
virtual reality can also have complicated interactive features. You
can create an exact replica of your product in the virtual
environment and then allow customers to get a feel for using it.
This is try before you buy on a whole new level.
One of the things that separates business from consumer
marketing is that it tends to involve much more high-touch
interaction….
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