The B2B Landscape is being reshaped by Augmented Reality

Augmented reality (AR) is rapidly changing the definition of business-to-business (B2B). In the past, B2B used to refer to how businesses transacted with each other, but now with AR, businesses are connecting with each other across multiple channels on a marketing level, and is becoming even more important than actual sales.

AR can help businesses promote their services and products to other enterprises and connect with partners, vendors and corporate customers.

B2B Marketing using augmented reality

B2B advertisers’ marketing is very different to advertising to consumers. They have a very select market which means their competition is high and they cannot afford to gamble with their marketing strategies. AR marketing strategies need to be implemented in a well-designed way, especially when it comes to emailing marketing campaigns.

The visual appeal of augmented reality works perfectly with B2B marketing and when marketing plans are carefully orchestrated with professionally designed AR apps, it can increase a company’s brand awareness in a way that nothing else can.

There are a few ways that AR technology can boost your B2B marketing efforts.

Sales & Demos

AR makes salespeople, who visit prospective clients daily, more effective at marketing when they have a mobile device loaded with custom AR software. Flyers and PowerPoint presentations are no competition when a sales person can bring the power of virtual products right to the meeting room when seeing potential clients.

Using AR apps, a company can show a manager which various decor designs and applications, like tiles and paint techniques, would  look like in their office. A veterinarian can see how new medical equipment can look and be placed when installed in their current surgery room.

The possibilities are limitless in which on-site AR product models and 3D interactions can be used to sell products. Companies using the power of AR will ensure their future growth and pave the way for those who follow. AR presentations at trade shows will soon become the norm, but in the meantime standing out from the crowd is essential.

AR Tools of the Trade

B2B marketing using AR is definitely not the only way businesses can benefit from this technology. It can also play a major role in how a company serves another when the sale has been finalised.

A good example of this is a carpenter can use AR apps to superimpose images of the final design over a camera image of the client’s office and use built-in measurement features to design the project layout. The applications of AR are endless and can have a major impact on marketing, sales and provide the tools a company can use to serve their customers.

Product Support for Augmented Reality B2B

Companies also need customer service for products they purchase, and a way they can do this is to layer how-to information over a product image which can be viewed on an AR viewer or mobile device. User manuals and online self-help, that is usually not very user-friendly, is becoming a thing of the past. AR can provide interactive text and images, instruct the user how to configure, set-up and troubleshoot a wide variety of products. AR is busy changing the business world.

B2B Collaboration

A world of opportunity is opened through digital collaboration by allowing B2B audiences to view interactive 3D models on their tablets and smartphones. Video conferencing can be limiting, but with AR, participants can be engaged on a whole new level. Project planning, product design and project maintenance are made easy through remote collaboration using AR.

AR Apps for B2B

A potentially huge market is being created by companies who are starting to use AR technology to serve their consumers in a ground-breaking way. AR app and software developers are entering a new market as every company that wants to use AR to engage their customers need an AR app developer who can make it happen.

There are many companies who have in-house development teams, but the need for 3rd-party AR B2B app development is rapidly growing. We can only hope there will be enough AR app developers to meet the demand.