Selling Opens Up with 3-D Visualization
3-D video, combined with animation, Perlow adds, also can be used to show not just a machine, but also what’s happening on the inside of that machine. The human body would be another example of visualization that could be enhanced and made more immersive through 3-D video, he notes.
“Animation isn’t just for kids; animation appeals to adults just as much,” Perlow says. In addition, he notes, animation can make what might otherwise be a rather “boring” presentation significantly more interesting. “It captures attention very quickly, whether it’s just drawings or machines operating in a manufacturing facility,” he says.
CHOOSING A VENDOR OR APPLICATION
For B2B marketers or sales reps who think 3-D visualization could provide benefits to them and their customers, how should they evaluate the options available to them? Thompson suggests the following considerations:
• Look for an integrated solution, especially in the case of complex manufacturing products.
• Evaluate the work that the company or tool has done in the past. “You want a team that has the experience of actually getting these products from the computer-aided design drawing to deliver the most realistic-looking product,” Thompson says. “Not everyone can do that.”
• How will the end product work online, and what will the end user experience be? “User experience is super-important; if this isn’t going to physically look good on the website and provide a good experience for the customer, then I would probably not want to go with someone who didn’t have those capabilities.”
• Look at the style and variety of their work and consider whether there’s a good match for your specific project and brand.
• Ask for and check with references. The vendor-selection process here, really, is no different than any other screening processes involved in marketing decisions.
Chances are, these are decisions that many marketers and sales reps will be making in the not-too-distant future. Two related trends—showrooming (starting the shopping process in store before buying online) and webrooming (starting the process online and then going to a physical store to purchase)—are both popular options for consumers. The ability to show webroomers not only how the product looks or operates but how it would look and operate in their space can offer significant benefit.
The case could also be made for businesses of all types challenged to stay relevant with customers who were being asked to stay home as a way to curtail the spread of the coronavirus. 3-D video could be one of the many digitally enabled options businesses have to stay connected with customers without having to go out themselves. “One of the great things about 3-D animation is we can do the work remotely and it requires no in-person meetings, video shoots, etc.,” Perlow says. “That’s a great option during the coronavirus crisis and, of course, allows us to work with clients worldwide.”
It’s likely that the changes in work and shopping patterns driven by coronavirus fears will lead to new awareness of the myriad ways that technology can help us do things as well—or even better—than we have in the past. 3-D visualization is one of those technologies.
Linda Pophal is a freelance business journalist and content marketer who writes for various business and trade publications. Pophal does content marketing for Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and individuals on a wide range of subjects, from human resource management and employee relations to marketing, technology, healthcare industry trends, and more.