WHAT DOES "VIRTUAL" REALLY MEAN?

Will Doing Things Virtually Become The New Norm?

You see it in almost any ebook, article, or interview that talks about digital technology: “prepare for doing things virtually to become the new norm.”

But how much truth is there in this statement? And what does it mean for your digital marketing strategy and business overall?

What Does Doing Things "Virtually" Mean?

In marketing, most of the efforts businesses put out take place online, meaning in the digital sphere. Sure, you may still order a few posters or flyers here and there, but there’s no denying that the better bulk of marketing efforts are unfolded online, through websites, Google ads, social media strategies, and more.

Given where we are in this moment in time, could the next step be more than digital, and go into the virtual? You’ve probably heard of the term virtual reality from movies or even other marketing resources. It’s a replica of reality plastered in the digital world, giving the viewer a more realistic experience of what they’re consuming. Audiences don’t just sit on their couch to watch - they put on some goggles and become part of the content.

Virtual Reality in Digital Marketing

Virtual reality poses some exciting new opportunities for digital marketers. These days, consumers are looking for content that can engage them and that they can interact with and control to some degree. And considering how much information is online, you really can’t blame the user for always looking for new forms of entertainment.

Enter virtual reality, the element that can allow digital marketing to meet these demands.

If you think this is something for the future, think again. Around 75% of top brands worldwide have integrated VR into their strategy, with even the New York Times jumping on the bandwagon.

VR technology can take your digital marketing efforts to the next level, and allow you to:

• Engage users in different ways;

• Establish yourself as a leader in your industry, especially since VR technology isn’t that widespread yet. Jumping on this trend soon can give you a competitive edge;

• Improve your storytelling;

• Showcase your products better, which can help increase sales;

• Attract a new audience, especially those most excited about new technologies.

But Will It Be the Norm?

It could, since it definitely has the potential, but it still has a long way to go. The technology isn’t that warmly embraced yet. You still have some issues in terms of accessibility - not everyone in the world has the necessary tools to view or take part in VR content. So, if brands would focus solely on it, it would effectively single out a big chunk of their audiences as a result.

It is a smart idea to adopt this technology now because it’s not yet the norm, and now more than ever consumers are making purchasing decisions online. Brands who jump on the trend today have time to perfect their digital marketing strategy so that by the time it does become the norm, they can become industry leaders.

Business, Post COVID-19: How to make the most of Virtual Technology to grow your business once the crisis is over.

How you use Intimate Digital Conference Room technology can set you apart from your competitors, get you closer to your clients, and leave you better off than your competitors when the crisis is over.

Canopy Futurist Advisor, John Krubski, reveals how Virtual Meetings Can Be More Effective than the “real thing.”

“It’s not about mechanics. It’s about dynamics. What we make of this moment in time can have a profound impact on the way we do business in the post COVID era." www.krubski.com

"As the business world moves towards virtual meetings out of necessity, I fear we might just miss the really big opportunity," says Krubski. "I believe that, done right, digital meetings can actually be more powerful and productive than same-room meetings. I have seen that happen over and over."

Here are three of the factors the video below covers in full that give virtual meetings an edge over their face-to-face counterparts. (Workshops and training are available.) 

1. The Safety of Digital Solitude: A virtual meeting puts up a barrier, but that does not mean it squashes the flow of ideas. Much like people are freer to speak their minds when posting to social media, employees are more likely to contribute in a bold way in front of their screens.

2. Permission to Think Out Loud: Just the presence of others makes thinking a cautious activity. Even though staff members are not alone during a virtual meeting, the simulated feeling of isolation is enough to get some creative thought patterns going.

3. Access to Collective Native Intelligence: When participating in an in-person meeting, we limit our contribution to our specific job function. Away from those constructs, people open up and open up to ideas that draw on the breadth of their experience.

How Do You Connect With Consumers Who Are Disconnected?

Photo by Trinity Kubassek from Pexels

Picture this: you have a few years in the business and have managed to create a rather impressive audience, be it a social following, website visitors, or even buyers. These are all, in a sense, consumers.

But many businesses may notice that a considerable portion of their consumers are disconnected from their brand. They don’t respond to posts anymore, they don’t read your articles, or they’ve stopped buying.

So, how can you reconnect with disconnected consumers?

1. Find Out Why They’ve Left

There has to be a reason users became disconnected from you, and finding it out is imperative to get them to come back. Essentially, you have to look at the way you are talking to them or interact with them to see if something may have put them off. This has a lot to do with consumer expectations. Ask yourself, are you meeting them? Because a lot of businesses don’t. One survey showed that 4 out of 5 consumers believe businesses provide a disconnected experience. This means that the businesses are lacking in something consumers want or expect to be offered.

To find out why they disconnected, you can even send out a short survey and ask. Not everyone will respond, but even if just a few do, you will get a better sense of why people stopped listening to you. It could be a confusing strategy, too many newsletters, or an unpopular campaign. Either way, these can be fixed.

2. Incentivize Them to Come Back

People can find anything they want online, and for them, not paying attention to your brand isn’t really affecting them in any way. It’s always a lot for the brand, not the consumer.

But when a business wants to convince a user to reconnect, they have to make it worth that user’s while and provide compelling reasons to do it. This can be a generous discount, access to something exclusive or even making them part of your future activities. These incentives show a user that you really care about them, and are going the extra mile to connect with them.

3. Leverage Technology to Stay Connected

If your communications process has any type of gap, you risk losing consumers. These days, people expect to receive what they want, when they want it, which is usually right now. This is almost impossible to achieve without staying logged in 24/7 unless you are using a chatbot.

Chatbots can pick up where human resources leave off, and communicate with users at any time of day to provide clarifications, answer questions, or even help with routine tasks. It’s an easy method to ensure a consumer can connect with you whenever they want.

Conclusion

In marketing, many focus on bringing in new people constantly, which is not a bad strategy, but it can make you forget to take care of the people who are already on your side. Reconnecting with users who’ve stopped engaging is essential because these people already know your brand and services.