Over the last couple of years there has been a drastic shift in the way the world goes to work. Workflows and everyday processes had to shift to meet the rise of remote and hybrid work. Also, people's shopping habits have changed to become more virtual, with a reliance on ecommerce and new services. Things have begun to settle down in the workforce and the need to shift and adapt isn’t as high, but many services and tools introduced over the last few years seem like they are here to stay.
Infinite Showrooms, also known as Virtual Showrooms, have become an essential platform supporting both dealers and manufacturers to showcase their products and to close remote deals and sales. By creating a virtual space where customers can view your products in a more natural way and get a better idea of how they can fit into their life you lessen the need for them to see your products in person before they make their purchasing decision. You can remove barriers such as travel and time and make that decision all that much more easy for them.
If you’re looking to get started with virtual showrooms and want to know how to approach them, no worries! In today’s post, we’ll be sharing 5 steps on getting started with virtual showrooms and a few ideas to consider when starting to build out your vision.
1. Dream Big
Imagine diving into the world of virtual showrooms for your contract furniture business. The best part? You've got a blank canvas and no restrictions. No need to worry about the logistics of fitting everything into a physical space or constantly rearranging your showroom layout.
Picture showcasing your latest office desks and chairs in a sleek corporate environment, with modern skyscrapers looming outside the windows. Or perhaps you'd prefer to highlight your conference tables and seating options in a sophisticated boardroom setting, complete with polished wood floors and elegant lighting fixtures.
But why stop there? How about staging your collaborative workstations in a vibrant co-working space, buzzing with energy and creativity? The beauty of virtual showrooms is that you can let your creativity run wild. So go ahead, experiment with different environments and styles, because in this digital realm, the possibilities are endless.
2. Figure Out Logistics
Now that you have brainstormed and zeroed in on your vision for your showroom, it is now time to plan out the contents of your virtual space. Although there is limitless space to play around within an Infinite Showroom, it is still important to organize your products in a sequence that is easy to understand and flows well. The last thing you want is for your visitors to explore remotely feeling lost and confused inside your experience.
Here are a few ideas and considerations to explore when deciding what products to showcase and the flow of your showroom:
- Consider the beginning, middle, and end of your experience - what do you want your visitors to take away from your virtual showroom?
- What products or product lines are most important to showcase?
- How will you group the products? Ie. materials and color finishes or a common but specific type of technology
- Will the products all be showcased in their respective product lines or mix-and-match?
3. Gather Media
After planning what products you would like to highlight in your showroom and finalizing how you would like your space to look like, it is time to start compiling your different online media and resources to include inside your virtual showroom. Another winning benefit of virtual showrooms is the ability to share pertinent information about your space or a specific product right within your experiences. The vast range of materials you can include in your Infinite Showroom can include (and certainly not limited to):
- 3D animations highlighting different configurations or ways to use the product
- Videos introducing the latest features and technologies in your brand new product line
- Images showcasing a product’s color, material and finish options
- Spec sheets of a particular product
- Background music or ambient noise
While his third step may not seem to be absolutely necessary compared to the others we share, this preparation will make the following step much easier and quicker to complete - this leads us to the next point.
4. Enhance It
With the Infinite Showrooms our team at KiSP creates, the virtual experiences are hosted on Yulio, a virtual reality presentation tool. Within the Yulio ecosystem, the platform offers a wide selection of features that enable you to include the media you have gathered and enhance your presentations with them. For example, if you have an image, video, audio file or would like to type out further details about a product, you can do so with their line of Hotspots. These Hotspots will appear on your projects as clickable trigger points, allowing you to share more information in a sleek and interactive way.
Here’s a project that you can explore that includes most of the Hotspots available on Yulio - click on the dots to move around the experience and learn more about the project.
It’s important, especially if you are using virtual showrooms to connect with remote audiences, to share as much relevant information with an interested visitor, or even a prospective customer. Sometimes including just a bit more about a product can be the difference of missing an opportunity or landing your next sale.
5. Seek Expertise
And finally, one tip we always share with those that are interested in building virtual showrooms or maybe on the fence about it is to seek expertise. While virtual showrooms have existed since the mid-2000s, the concept is still fairly new to most people. Even though we just outlined the steps you need to take when building your virtual showroom, we understand it can be difficult even knowing how to begin to dream big or how overwhelming it can be getting started.
With over 20 years of experience, our Visualizations team at KiSP is made up of highly-skilled professionals specializing in creating stunning photorealistic experiences - we are always here and ready to deliver. We understand the importance of visual storytelling and its role in not only an exceptional showroom experience but in building the relationship between business and client. So if you are uncertain, unsure, or looking for greater guidance in creating your Infinite Showroom, it’s important to connect with those who have the knowledge, expertise and tools that can help you utilize these virtual tools. It will help you save time trying to execute this project on your own as well as achieve your showroom vision much quicker.
Get Started Today
Although the last few years have certainly increased demand for remote tools such as virtual showrooms, the overall trajectory especially in commercial design industries was always heading in this direction. It is only a matter of time before this solution becomes the industry norm where professionals can carry their showrooms in their pockets and can showcase their products and space on the go anytime, anywhere. The need to adapt is necessary, and it is time to make the move today.
With KiSP visualization services and space planning services, we can help you visualize your sustainable spaces clearly and effectively. Check out more about our visualization services and our space planning services. Also make sure to check out how you can expand your reach with online virtual showrooms.
Blog updated April 3, 2024
