Virtual Trade Shows and Virtual Demos, Transitioning to the New Normal.
We’re starting to see a blending of the physical and digital worlds as the industry starts its ramp back to a new normal workspace. The shift in building relationships with clients through video calls, virtual product demos, webinars and virtual showcasing has begun. Discovering digital tools to aid in the transition from a physical marketplace to a virtual version of continues to grow with demand from B2B suppliers and buyers. There are a few top virtual options to support event replacement and in person experiences.

• A virtual product demo is a powerful demonstration that shows the key features and benefits of your technology or solution, delivered in a fun and interactive presentation.
• Augmented Reality a technology that superimposes a computer-generated image or model on a user’s view of the real world, thus providing a composite view. While Virtual Reality implies a complete immersion experience that shuts out the physical world.
• An online 3D viewer lets you view 3D models with lighting controls, inspect model data and visualize different shading modes.

Virtual product demos can provide an interactive and effective experience of your technology products, allowing customers to better visualize themselves benefitting from your products. The interactive technology demo accomplishes this without requiring the use of, or even presence, of your actual product saving on shipping costs. Virtual product demos also offer your sales team the ability to reach more customers anytime, anywhere without unnecessary travel costs.

A product demonstration is one of your best sales tools if you have a high-quality product, helping you to get a potential customer interested and excited about your product or solution. Additionally, it is an effective way to address any specific product related concerns, customizable functionalities and built-to-order capabilities tailored specifically to your customer’s needs.

Traditional brochures full of product descriptions and images don’t always tell the full story, often times leaving out specific product requirements, hidden features, workflows or processes that could potentially impact use, functionality and customizability. Not to mention leaving out any potential customizations, which only add another layer onto what is already a lengthy buying process.

Augmented Reality introduces a new way for your potential customers to see and experience complex built-to-order products with an immersive, full-scale digital representation overlaid onto any physical space. Interact with animations or explosions to see in-depth detail and hidden features only visible with an AR virtual demo. Augmented Reality deepens the experience by bringing a model into your prospect’s work place, wherever they might be, bringing a WOW effect to the sales presentation.

According to a study from Deloitte, 20% of today’s companies identified that the most significant impact of digital disruption would be its enabling of new ways to interact with customers. Augmented reality is changing the way we do business and is now fast adopted by the companies for sales presentations, troubleshooting and customer support. In the same survey from Deloitte, 88% of mid-market companies (with annual revenues of between $100 million – $1 billion) are already using some form of virtual or augmented reality as part of their business.

Customers today have higher visual expectations now more than ever. Leveraging a 3D viewer for your products offers customers the ability to customize and configure their products in real time, with 360 degree views rather than a static picture or photograph. Not only will your ecommerce sales and engagements increase but so will conversions, while the product configurator ensures accuracy, decreasing unnecessary returns.

With the growth overnight in eCommerce sales, the reaction with Industrial B2B companies has been swift and continues to pick up steam. B2B companies must move upmarket, which means offering more complex products resulting in higher margins. Buyers on the other hand expect a multi-touch “amazon-like” buying experience, and in most cases, opt for convenience over long standing relationships. So how do the two come together in this new digital age? The expectation has shifted towards real-time customization, digital efficiency and convenience, all addressable by virtual demos leveraging augmented reality and 3D visualization technology.