Marketing evolution: VR and AR benefits for business | Crysberry
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Marketing evolution: VR and AR benefits for business

Marketing, Technology, VR / AR

18 September 2019

There is no secret about the growth of VR and AR benefits for business. Nowadays, these technologies are implemented in lots of areas, and their list is constantly growing. We have already provided some overview of these technologies impact on the main industries:

How to Boost Your Business with Augmented Reality

6 Jaw-Dropping Virtual Reality Benefits for Businesses

However, today we are going to share with you some more thoughts about overall VR and AR benefits for business.

Know your customers

There is a great market size of customers, who grew up (or still growing up) in a world dominated by technological devices. That influenced their searching and buying habits. However, even among them, two main groups can be located:

  • Generation Z (or post-millennials), who is highly influenced by AR/VR experience;
  • Millennials, who tend to weigh the differences between traditional and technological choices looking for the best option.

Post-millennials expect companies to offer digital experience as a rule. This refers to computerized forms of reviewing, informing and purchasing their products and services.

Also, the global growth of the digital and mobile markets reflects into increasing numbers of technologically hungry consumers, who are expecting similar venues

The future of marketing

Now ask yourself a few questions:

  • How can you tap new markets and effectively expose your brand in the modern tech-based reality?
  • How can you engage the new tech-savvy audience to your product?

Unfortunately, classic marketing tactics might not work 100% these days, and won’t help you to reach the business goals.

Luckily, we can show you the answers hidden in technologies. So here are some ways to improve your marketing tactics using AR and VR benefits for business:

In-store experience with Augmented Reality

The in-store marketing (or the in-store promotion) refers to a set of techniques to invite more customers to the store and to drive sales. What can be more encouraging than entertaining? And AR/VR turns out to be highly effective for this purpose.

Here’s an example of how trying on clothes without actually wearing them can convert potential visitors into actual buyers:

Augmented Reality campaign

There is also another way to use an AR app to scan a specific item in your store and offer customers a discount in return.

Shopping with Augmented Reality

And, did you hear about AR-enabled mirrors? Intelligent dressing rooms can offer convenient and enjoyable shopping for anyone.

Augmented Reality campaign for the beauty industry

Customized AR marketing campaigns

AR can use real-time information about customers’ preferences to offer a more personalized user experience.

AR for the online shop

Enhanced print ads campaigns

Let’s admit that businesses are still using print advertising. However, the increasing tendency to perceive digital information can’t be denied as well. AR/VR usage can become a smooth path between print and digital formats. Magazines, catalogs and other kinds of printed ads can become AR/VR-enabled.

AR Lego catalog

“Try before you buy” principle

Customers tend to shop more via retail apps. So business owners need to offer them the best and the most convenient experience. This “try before you buy” experience is especially essential while dealing with luxury products.

The AR apps allow customers to see the size and shape, check all in detail and make a wiser buying decision.

Also, this is one of the ways to cut down customer’s costs and time as there is no need to visit the physical store.

AR for retailers

Increased duration of stay

Everyone heard about the real-world location-based games (for example, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite), which involves virtual spots in physical locations. Most of these spots are at public gathering places like parks and public art, as well as restaurants and corner stores. Players visit these spots to collect game items but also can make purchases at the physical location. Local businesses can create integrations with AR locations or game heroes.

Also, branded content can be integrated into gameplay, like mini-games or sponsored in-game events. This is just an example of how even a game can bring benefits to your business.

AR game Harry Potter

The impact of VR and AR on customers

We can name the exact reasons why AR/VR technologies have the power to drive customers buying decisions and sales in general:

VR and AR benefits for business
How AR and VR technologies impact the business
  1. Ownership feeling:
    People are more likely to buy items they’re used to. The more time a customer interacts with the product, the more chances he will make a purchase. Being connected with a certain item via AR/VR visualization and interaction capabilities makes people more sensitive to its purchase.
  2. Emotional experience:
    Shopping decisions are more emotions based then logic based. The brighter emotions people experience the more they want to get a product they interact with.
  3. Eliminating doubts:
    Before buying most of the customers evaluate the pros and cons of their decision. If marketing efforts couldn’t get customers assured that a certain product would fully satisfy their needs, they may switch to another retailer. AR/VR can eliminate doubts about product characteristics and options by visualization.

All of these factors make brands closer to their customers. So we can say that AR and VR technologies are forcing an evolution of the marketing industry and business areas in general. You can find a detailed example of technologies implementation in one of our previous articles How AR in toy production is changing the industry.

To sum up, we can say that it’s a MUST to involve new technologies in business strategies to become a leader in the industry. The world is in constant change nowadays. And, if you don’t start implementing new solutions now, you can easily fall behind your more progressive competitors.

l.sidorenko