Since the late 1990’s, businesses have gradually expanded their sales and marketing initiatives to combine digital experiences with physical ones. Billboards and brochures no longer provide the competitive edge businesses need to woo their customers today.
Although social media platforms allow marketers to engage directly with prospects through content marketing, a new era of marketing practices is on the horizon giving customers a deeper, digital tech experience – augmented selling.
Augmented selling is a highly effective way to provide customers with a virtual experience through the use of speedy, convenient, and impressive technology. The physical experience of seeing, touching, and testing out products in person will never go away completely, but the key is to bridge the gap by using them together in the AR sales process.
Here are 5 highly effective ways to employ augmented selling techniques :
PROMOTING AT AN EVENT OR CONVENTION
A considerable amount of time and energy go into preparing marketing materials for a convention and every company can’t bring all of their products to an event. Using augmented reality in sales in this setting is a life saver.
Product demonstrations go faster, while engaging prospects with impressive technology, allowing contact with more customers and the ability to show more products.
VISITING A CLIENT ON-SITE
Companies that use augmented reality can provide clients with a 3D product experience on-site. For example, AR can be used to show a prospective client how office furniture will look in their environment by simply pointing an iPad to the designated area and placing digital furnishings into the environment.
Sales staff can demonstrate a variety of layouts and provide the client a sense of the look and feel of office furniture without having to deliver a physical mockup.
CONDUCTING CONFERENCE ROOM MEETINGS
In the AR sales process, product demonstrations in the conference room can be more interactive and engaging.
Instead of preparing a PowerPoint presentation and projecting it on a big screen, an iPad AR platform will allow clients a 3D experience that is “virtually’’ more tangible than a slide deck. This can be done in conjunction with videos and photos to expand on product details.
CREATING INTERACTIVE ADS/SPECIAL OFFERS
The internet is congested with competitor ads that confuse customers and ultimately force them to do research before making a purchasing decision. Using interactive ads in the AR sales process can set your product apart from the rest.
One good way to get customers to use your AR app is to run an internet ad that invites customers to your store at a designated time to receive special discounts or gift certificates through the AR app in exchange for visiting the store.
IN-STORE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
Using augmented reality in sales in the brick and mortar setting can enhance a customer’s overall shopping experience, making it more enjoyable and highly immersive. An AR app can be used to provide customers with directions on where to find products in the store along with product details.
If you want to sell products that are in stock, but not on display in the store, an AR app can provide 3D views and product dimensions for the customer who needs the information before making a purchasing decision.
When using AR in the sales process to market your business, the goal should be to take advantage of providing customers with both an immersive and physical experience along with the efficiency and sophistication of digital tech. Employing augmented reality in sales is still a very new concept, but you can be one of the first to take your business to the next level right now.
