Benefits of a 3D catalogue for your sales representatives

Printing catalogs can be a very slow and expensive process. Make new products available to your sales reps in 3D before they go into production.

Every manufacturer knows what it takes to bring a new product to market. The Marketing mix, which includes product photos, videos, catalogues, must be ready before the products leave the production lines.

Usually, a few prototypes are made before launch and go from studio to studio where the marketing materials are prepared. This method is very slow, expensive and has certain pitfalls. For example, when a product changes due to the manufacturing process. We have all encountered the fact that product photos differ from the product itself.

That’s why recently the Marketing mix is based on 3D model rendering, which in some cases is based on 3D data used for production. This has not only made the whole process faster but also cheaper. In addition, it is quite flexible, so if the product changes, you can replace the old 3D model with a new one. If you want a product in the glow of the setting sun in the Caribbean, you just change the scene.

The speed at which manufacturers in some segments are bringing new products to market is forcing them to look for new ways to make the Marketing Mix even faster and cheaper. One option is to use 3D models to present products directly. 3D display technology on the web is already so common that 3D models are beginning to displace traditional product photography in some segments. One example is mobile phones. T-mobile and O2 already display primarily 3D models in their e-stores. There is no need to talk about the advantages of 3D models compared to product photography and they are gradually gaining ground in other segments. For example Alza, furniture manufacturer JP-Kontakt, school backpack manufacturer Topgal

Remember the days when we had thick catalogues on our desks at home with everything from underwear to home accessories? With the advent of the internet, they have completely disappeared. And they are on the way out of the corporate environment as well. They are replaced by promotional materials that emphasize the presentation of the company’s image and the best it has to offer. Product catalogues are thus gradually becoming a luxury for the internal needs of the company. However, it is still necessary to have a comprehensive overview of the product line. A product catalogue based on 3D models offers the speed and flexibility of a digital environment as well as the clarity and integrity of printed material.

The sales representative discusses the owner’s vision with him and offers the customer several styles on a tablet.  On the tablet in the 3D configurator, they select the colour for the table top and table legs from a large number of materials. They choose the right table size and select the right chairs for the table. The sales representative then displays the entire set-up via augmented reality in the room to give the customer a better idea of how the table will look in the room. After all, this is a representative room where deals will be closed.

• Interactivity: the customer can view the product from any angle, zoom in on the details, This greatly increases interest and understanding of the product.
• Realism: Thanks to the high quality of the 3D models, it is possible to create visuals that are almost indistinguishable from real photographs. This gives the customer an accurate idea of the product before they buy it.
• A wider range of options: In printed catalogues you only have a limited number of options. In 3D, this limitation is virtually non-existent.
• Flexibility. Changes in product design can easily be reflected in the 3D model and the entire catalogue can be updated. Add material, subtract material. How simple.
• Centralisation: The 3D catalogue is updated and synchronised across your business.
• Cost savings. Creating 3D models comes with a cost, but it is worth it in the long run. It eliminates the need to produce expensive prototypes and take professional photographs.
• Ecology: Digital catalogues save paper and reduce the ecological footprint.
• Personalisation: 3D models make it easy to create different versions for specific markets or customers.
• Multifunctionality. The catalogue with 3D models can be easily integrated into the online environment, used for presentations or as a basis for the creation of other marketing materials.

3D content is key. Just as 3D models for marketing are different from 3D models for manufacturing, 3D models for the web have their own specifics. That’s why we have specialized in creating 3D models for the web and AR from the very beginning and have been very effective .