Everything You Need to Know About 3D Virtual Showrooms and Digital Twins

At MARTECH3D, we are pioneers of 3D virtual showrooms and digital twins for B2B product marketers and manufacturers. We build immersive 3D environments that house realistic, digital replicas of physical products, with the goal of improving lead generation, boosting conversions, and creating memorable, distinctive sales experiences unlike any other. 

We know that our 3D product sales and marketing platform generates tangible financial results for our clients, but we also know that using digital twin technology for sales and marketing is a new concept that we’re proposing in an industry with a high level of risk aversion. 

Many industrial business leaders are of the view that current sales and marketing techniques (door-to-door pitches with slide decks and live event lead gen) work well enough, and they’d be right. But what if we told you that they could be better, and the way to make them so is through 3D virtual showrooms and digital twins? 

In this short guide, we’re going to explain the beating heart of the MARTECH3D platform - 3D virtual environments and digital twins - in more detail, highlighting exactly what they are, how they work, and the benefits of them. In doing so, you’ll gain a better understanding of why 3D is the future of product marketing and sales, and how it can work in tandem with your existing strategies. 

What is a 3D Virtual Showroom?

Imagine stepping into a virtual space that mirrors real-world environments where products are typically used, e.g., an office, a construction site, or a packing line. This is precisely what a 3D virtual showroom is. It's a lifelike, immersive digital space that allows potential buyers to visualise products in their intended context. 

Whether it's industrial machinery on a factory floor, furniture in a home setting, or healthcare equipment in a hospital room, the 3D virtual showroom recreates the setting, providing a powerful visual experience.

At MARTECH3D, we have a library of 3D virtual environments that you can use, or we can create a bespoke environment that is unique to your exact needs. Unlike other 3D virtual showroom platforms, we can blend both 360 panoramas and 3D models within our environments.

If you want interaction with a 3D model in an environment, we can do that without the whole environment being real-time. This allows us to keep the photorealism of 3D models without affecting the quality of the background, maintaining a seamless look.

What are the Benefits of 3D Virtual Showrooms?

You might be wondering, why bother creating a 3D environment in the first place? There are four main advantages of going 3D for product marketing that each address core concerns cited by industrial marketing and sales people:

1. Enhanced Visualisation: Buyers can see how a product fits into their environment, facilitating a deeper understanding of its utility. They can also see the scale of the product against a realistic backdrop.
2. Interactive Engagement: Users can explore the virtual space and interact with products, turning a passive viewing experience into an engaging, memorable one.
3. Educational Value: Showcasing products in context allows for better product education, making it easier for buyers to grasp the benefits and features. This is of particular note in manufacturing, where increasing product complexity is cited as a top challenge by marketers. 
4. Competitive Advantage: By offering a more immersive experience, manufacturers can stand out from competitors still relying on traditional marketing methods. This is key for UK manufacturers looking to grow rapidly following years of stagnant activity. 

What are Digital Twins for Marketing?

A digital twin for is essentially the same as a digital twin used in the development and optimisation stage: a highly detailed, interactive 3D replica of a product. We place digital twins within 3D virtual showrooms, where they serve as a gateway to understanding the product's unique selling points (USPs), but there's more to it than just a 3D model:

• Interactivity: Digital twins come with interactive hotspots, which provide real-time information about the product when clicked. This interactive feature simplifies the presentation of complex technical specifications.
• To-Scale AR Viewing: With digital twins, potential buyers can view the product in Augmented Reality (AR) to see it at scale. This feature bridges the gap between digital representation and reality. 

The Benefits of Digital Twins:

• Efficient Product Showcase: Digital twins simplify the presentation of product features, making it easier for buyers to grasp the product's value.
• Realistic Experience: By integrating AR, manufacturers enable buyers to virtually place the product in their own surroundings, fostering a stronger connection. 
• Informed Decision-Making: Interactive hotspots provide essential information, empowering buyers to make informed purchasing decisions. 

Why 3D Virtual Showrooms and Digital Twins are the Future

The future of product marketing is interactive, engaging, and informative. 3D virtual showrooms and digital twins offer a solution that goes beyond traditional sales presentations. They enable manufacturers to generate more leads, engage buyers better, educate them more effectively, and differentiate themselves from competitors. In a world where attention spans are shrinking and the demand for immersive experiences is rising, marketing innovation is a must, and 3D is the way to do it. 

• 3D content can increase customer engagement by 66%. (Forbes)
• 40% of B2B buyers prefer interactive content, such as 3D product demos, for researching and evaluating products. (Demand Gen Report)
• Companies using 3D content in their marketing campaigns have seen a 20% increase in sales opportunities. (Deloitte)
• 90% of buyers say they are more likely to purchase from a brand that uses interactive content, including 3D product visuals. (SnapApp)

Conclusion 

MARTECH3D’s 3D virtual showrooms and digital twins create an immersive, informative, and engaging platform that not only meets the demands of the modern B2B market, but that also positions manufacturers as industry leaders. 

You can take a look at some of the 3D virtual showrooms we’ve created and the results they’ve yielded for clients here. Alternatively, to explore the MARTECH3D platform in more detail and learn exactly how it can work for your needs, book a quick demo with a member of our team.