Before COVID-19 there were visual experiences inspiring interest, driving demand, and creating a path to purchase in today’s digital economies. Manufacturers have modified Visual Commerce customer outreach efforts to compensate for a non-deployable salesperson during COVID-19.
COVID-19 Driving Visual Commerce Accelerator for Hand-Selected Manufacturers
Thomas R. Cutler | TR Cutler Inc.
According to Chris Beaudin of ATLATL Software, the number of companies reliant on online customer interaction (B2C, B2B, D2C) has grown significantly during the pandemic.
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During COVID-19 a 3-dimensional, interactive, visual product presentation is simply the best way to sell products. Chris Beaudin, ATLATL Software
The demise of retail forces manufacturers to Visual Commerce
The demise of retail has driven the urgency for the creation of a new Visual Commerce accelerator program. Traditional sales and marketing efforts are no longer possible during the pandemic. Even as states begin to test reopening strategies, conferences, tradeshows, direct selling teams, and regional distribution must be replaced in favor of Visual Commerce.
Beaudin asserts, “The customer experience is now about leveraging product visualization across the visual landscape. Previously a photograph would have sufficed, but now Visual Commerce communicates with a more sophisticated customer with higher expectations.”
Manufacturing sales teams are sidelined and have adopted virtual meetings like everyone else; however many products are difficult to sell without a Visual Commerce solution. Static visual experiences including any 2D still images are simply ineffective.
Motion-based imagery shows a captured sequence of a product in action, usually through videos or product GIFs. Presenting products in motion can be as simple as a brief demo reel, but also might include more elaborate productions with full studio quality. Motion is great for creating inspiration as well as answering more of the buyer’s expectations than merely showing a static picture.
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Budgets must be reallocated: Investments in Visual Commerce
Sales predictions for 2020 do not need to be grounded. Manufacturers are enrolling in the new 12 Step Visual Commerce Accelerator Program.
Both vice presidents of marketing and sales have cautioned, “We knew going digital with our product through visualization would be important, but we had ten other important things as well. If we invested in our customer experience first, we’d still be operational.”
“I need a way to let my customers buy. Putting up pictures isn’t enough. I know they judge the quality of my products by the level of sophistication I present to them. We need a way to let them experience and engage with the product.”
“Our current site has pre-rendered imagery, but they have serious load times. We need a better way to display our product online.”
Rapid deployment of Visual Commerce Accelerator
Interactive product experiences can be deployed rapidly using the Visual Commerce Accelerator. With 3D interactive product presentation, the buyer is now in the driver seat. Empowered to control their own process, the buyer navigates a personal journey. No longer constrained by static images and video control, the buyer has the ability to view and configure a product to best meet their expectations.
Since successful manufacturers are data-driven, the rapid adoption of Visual Commerce is 60,000X faster processing of information through sight. Ninety percent (90%) of the information captured is visual. According to Beaudin, “There is a 43% increase in conversion to sales with visual cues. Eighty-six (86%) percent of consumers pay more for a brand offering a better experience. It all forms a winning sales combination.”
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©2020 ATLATL Software
Manufacturers who fail to implement Visual Commerce immediately will suffer
Regardless of the reopening strategies and other resurgent COVID-19 outbreaks, taking Q3 2020 to implement an accelerated Visual Commerce approach provides the most optimistic prognosis for 2021 sales and beyond.
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About Thomas R. Cutler
Thomas R. Cutler is the President and CEO of Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based, TR Cutler, Inc., celebrating its 21st year. Cutler is the founder of the Manufacturing Media Consortium including more than 8000 journalists, editors, and economists writing about trends in manufacturing, industry, material handling, and process improvement. Cutler authors more than 1000 feature articles annually regarding the manufacturing sector.
The content & opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of ManufacturingTomorrow
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