The distribution channel is a fast-paced industrial marketplace, and equipment distributors need to go beyond simple text descriptions and static images to engage potential buyers truly. If you’re not delivering the right kind of content, you’re missing out on conversions and falling behind thecompetition. The answer lies in a powerful shift – transforming standard product information into dynamic, interactive visualization content for distributors – built directly from your existing CAD assets.
HackeyStack Labs recently published a 2024 survey of B2B business leaders from over 50 companies, finding that the average deal requires 220 touchpoints from initial search to close. While that number is staggering, it proves the importance of delivering engaging content that influences buyers across channels. More content than ever is needed to support the buying journey, but making sure you focus on the best content is key to engaging and converting customers.
The Content Evolution: The Rise of Engaging Content in Today’s Customer Journey
The information age is fueled by the internet and mobile devices, giving us constant content consumption at our fingertips. With a simple search, vast libraries of information are readily available at our fingertips. This abundance highlights the critical need for content that is both influential and helpful to guide customers through their buying journey.
Gone are the days of static images, pictures, and spec sheets. Today’s B2B customers crave interactive and engaging content formats that deliver value at every touchpoint.
But what types of content can truly enhance the customer experience and drive conversions for distributors of industrial equipment?
Customers need more than brochures, images, or spec sheets to make informed decisions. They need to see the equipment in action, explore its features, and even sometimes configure it to their needs. Interactive 3D product visualization content for distributors gives customers this power, creating a virtual showroom right on your website.
Here’s what this type of experience offers:
- Clarity and Confidence: 2D and 3D visualizations leave no room for misinterpretation. They bring complex equipment to life, enhancing customer understanding and ultimately boosting buying confidence.
- Streamlined Decision-Making: Interactive configurations allow buyers to tailor equipment and create bespoke solutions, speeding up the buying journey and reducing back-and-forth.
- The CAD Advantage: By utilizing existing supplier CAD files, you maximize accuracy and minimize content creation effort, ensuring a seamless customer experience.
Differentiating with Downloadable CAD
Take the customer experience even further by offering CAD file downloads for visualized products. Empowering others to download CAD assets for products is a game-changer for engineers and designers, integrating your offerings directly into their workflows and increasing the likelihood of design wins.
Real-World Success: CDS Visual & a Fortune 500 Industrial Supply Distributor
The strategy is more than just theoretical; CDS has worked with several distribution partners of major players. One of our Fortune 500 industrial distributor customers has partnered with CDS Visual to leverage this transformative approach to deliver 300k+ visualizations.
CDS Visual’s seamless CAD integration and customizable visualization solutions outperformed generic visualization tools, helping the distributor achieve higher engagement and increased conversion through ecommerce and customer portals.
Your Roadmap to Successful Implementation Visualization Content for Distributors
Don’t let outdated content hold you back. Here’s how to embrace the future of content for industrial equipment distributors:
- Partner with the Right Tool: Choose a visualization platform that understands the unique needs of industrial equipment and integrates effortlessly with your CAD assets.
- Prioritize Interactivity: Focus on building visualizations that allow for zooming, rotating, configuring, and fully exploring your products.
- Offer Downloadable CAD: Provide CAD engineers and designers with essential data for design and procurement.
The Bottom Line?
Content is still king, but not just any content – highly visual, interactive content that speaks directly to the technical needs of your customers. By investing in CAD-driven visualizations and downloadable CAD files, you’ll transform your website into a powerful sales engine, building trust, streamlining the buying process, and ultimately driving revenue growth.
Are you a distributor looking to build visualization content? Get in touch with us today to learn more!
