Digital sales rooms, also known as virtual sales rooms or digital showrooms, are becoming a popular and effective way for businesses to showcase their products and services to potential customers.
These digital platforms provide businesses with the ability to create an immersive and interactive experience for customers without the need for in-person meetings. A report by MarketsandMarkets estimates that the global digital sales room market size is expected to grow from $1.1 billion in 2020 to $2.5 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 17.9% during the forecast period.
The increasing adoption of digital technologies in the sales process, the growing need for remote selling, and the growing trend of virtual trade shows and events are some of the major factors driving the growth of the digital sales room market.
What exactly are digital sales rooms and how are they used?
Essentially, these salesrooms are virtual environments where businesses can showcase their products and services. These environments can include 3D models, videos, images, and other types of digital content.
This content can be organized into different sections and categories, making it easy for customers to find and learn about specific products or services.
According to a recent survey by the Content Marketing Institute, around 80% of B2B companies are using digital sales rooms as part of their sales strategy, and this number is expected to continue to rise in the future.
Another research report by Zion Market Research states that the Global Digital Sales Room market is expected to reach over USD 2.5 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of around 18% during the forecast period from 2020 to 2026.
The report also estimates that the market for digital sales rooms would grow rapidly due to the increasing use of digital technologies in the sales process, the growing need for remote selling, and the growing trend of virtual trade shows and events.
These projections indicate that the use of digital sales rooms is becoming increasingly popular, as more companies recognize the benefits they offer in terms of increased customer engagement and improved sales strategies. As the world becomes digitized, the use of digital sales rooms will likely continue to grow in the future.
What are the advantages of such sales rooms?
One of the biggest advantages of digital sales rooms is the ability to reach a wider audience. With a physical salesroom, the audience is limited to those who can physically visit the location.
On the other hand, a digital sales room can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection, regardless of their location. This means that businesses can reach customers globally, increasing their potential customer base and sales opportunities.
Another advantage of digital sales rooms is the ability to easily update and customize the display information. This is especially useful for businesses that frequently update their products and services.
With a physical salesroom, updating the content can be time-consuming and costly. In contrast, digital sales rooms can be updated in real-time and with minimal effort, allowing businesses to keep their content current and relevant.
A Case Study
GE Healthcare, a provider of medical equipment and technology, implemented a digital sales room to showcase its products and services to potential customers. The digital sales room includes 3D models of equipment, videos, and interactive features such as virtual tours and simulations.
This allows potential customers to experience the equipment and technology in a realistic and immersive way, without the need for in-person meetings. The digital sales room also provides GE Healthcare with valuable analytics and digital sales data on customer engagement, which they use to improve their sales strategies.
Data and research
This data can help businesses understand how customers are interacting with their products and services and can provide insights into which products and services are most popular. This information can be used to improve sales strategies and target marketing efforts more effectively.
In addition to these benefits, digital sales rooms also have the potential to reduce costs for businesses. It’s also worth noting that many digital sales room providers allow customizing the virtual environment with the company branding, making it a powerful tool for branding and engagement.
For example, by eliminating the need for in-person meetings and physical sales rooms, businesses can save money on travel and accommodation expenses. Digital sales rooms also reduce the need for physical materials, such as brochures and product samples, which can also help to lower costs.
A Case Study
Siemens, a technology company that specializes in industrial automation and digitalization, also implemented a digital sales room to showcase its products and services to potential customers. The digital sales room includes interactive 3D models, videos, and simulations of their products and services in action.
This allows potential customers to see how the products and services work in real-world scenarios and to better understand their capabilities. The digital sales room also provides Siemens with valuable digital sales data and allows them to easily update and customize the display information.
Is there a flip side?
Despite these benefits, there are also some potential drawbacks to digital selling. One of the main drawbacks is that the customer experience may not be as personal or engaging as an in-person meeting. Additionally, digital sales rooms may not be accessible to customers without internet access or with limited technical capabilities.
A Case Study
One example of a company that has addressed this issue of personalization in its digital sales room is HubSpot. HubSpot is a company that provides inbound marketing and sales software to businesses.
To provide a more personalized and engaging customer experience, they have incorporated a virtual agent, known as “HubSpot Sales Bot,” into their digital sellingstrategy. The virtual agent is programmed to greet visitors, answer their questions, and give them relevant information about the company’s products and services.
The virtual agent also uses artificial intelligence to learn about the visitor’s needs and preferences and to provide personalized recommendations and follow-up. By incorporating this virtual agent, HubSpot can provide a more personalized and engaging customer experience while still utilizing the benefits of a digital sales room.
In addition, HubSpot also offers video conferencing and screen-sharing tools to allow for real-time interactions with the sales team. This allows them to provide a more interactive and personalized experience for the customer, even in a remote setting.
This case study shows that even though digital sales rooms cannot replace the human touch and personal touch of an in-person meeting, with the right tools, it’s possible to enhance the customer experience and make it more personal and engaging.
A complete guide to seamlessly incorporate this into your company
- Start by identifying your target audience and their needs. This will help you to create a digital sales room that is tailored to their interests and preferences.
- Create a clear and well-organized structure for your digital sales room. This will make it easy for customers to find and learn about your products and services.
- Use interactive and immersive features such as 3D models, videos, and simulations to bring your products and services to life and provide customers with a realistic and engaging experience.
- Incorporate analytics and data tracking tools to gather information on customer engagement and use this information to improve your sales strategies and target marketing efforts.
- Integrate your digital sales room with your CRM and Marketing Automation platforms, to personalize the customer experience and enable more targeted communication and follow-up.
- Offer virtual tours and/or personal demonstrations to allow customers to learn more about your products and services.
- Train your sales team to use the digital sales room and provide them with the necessary resources to answer customer questions and provide a great customer experience.
By following these steps, you can seamlessly incorporate a digital sales room into your company and start reaping the benefits of increased customer engagement and improved sales strategies. For more information, speak to our experts!
