Virtual marketing environments skyrocketed this year due to the cancellation and restrictions of face to face opportunities and live events.  

While some of these platforms offer lots of cool features, there is still uncertainty for marketers around how exactly to utilize them for effective customer engagement.

One huge benefit of owning a virtual marketing environment for your brand is that it goes way beyond a 3D experience of a traditional brick and mortar store, event installation or limited engagement. There’s almost no limit to the type of environment designed in the virtual space. And there are several features to use to create effective marketing campaigns and customer engagement within a virtual environment.  

Here’s our list of favorites:  

1. Product Launch  

Get creative and add a virtual setting to your product launch. Pre-launch hype will go a long way to get your customers and prospects excited to see your new offering or product in your virtual environment.  

Best features for a virtual product launch:  

• Video
• Product/service infographics  
• Product animation  
• Lead capture
• Analytics  
• Media creation  

2. Product Demos  

With greatly reduced or banned travel and social distancing rules, what’s the best way to get in front of your customers to demonstrate your products?  

If you guessed “host product demos in a virtual environment,” you are correct!  

Your customers and prospects still want to hear from you and are still very interested in your products. So add an additional stage to show them your new offerings.

Best features for a virtual product demo:  

• Video
• Product/service infographics  
• Product animation  
• Website integration  
• Downloadable e-literature
• Meeting scheduler  
• Live chat
• CRM integration

3. Live Streaming & Live Webinars

Broadcast to your audience, whether they are local or global, with a “can’t miss!” live streaming event that is hosted in your virtual environment. Cool factor? Check.  

Best features for live streaming in a virtual environment:  

• Video
• Website integration  
• Lead capture
• Live chat
• Analytics

4. Facility & Office Tours

Not all virtual environments have to be designed by our imagination. Using technology such as 360 cameras, we can easily transport your real, physical space into an immersive virtual environment.  

Some businesses rely on tours of their facility or office as a way to build rapport with their customers and prospects. In a time when in-person tours are difficult, or impossible — you can still bring the tour to your audience.

Best features for a virtual tour:  

• Avatars
• Video
  

5. Pop Up Shop

With a customizable virtual environment, retailers have the opportunity to create an element of fun and customer appreciation by hosting their own virtual pop up shop. They can either be designed, or brick-and-mortar stores could use the 360 camera technology (mentioned above) to bring their physical store into a virtual setting.  

Best features for a virtual pop up shop:  

• Video
• Product animation
• Website integration
• Avatars  
• Gamification  

6. Classes & Education  

Stay in front of your customers by offering virtual classes and education sessions. A virtual environment can be flexible depending on the kind of classes you’re offering. Is it a cooking lesson? Let’s build a dream kitchen. Teaching a craft, or an art class? Let’s build a custom studio. Are you a Harry Potter fan who’d love to host a lecture series in a Hogwarts-esque lecture hall? We can make that happen!

Best features for virtual classes:  

• Video
• Downloadable e-literature  
• Live chat  
• Avatars  

7. Happy Hour & Customer Appreciation Party

Face-to-face gatherings are still very limited right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t treat your top customers to an interactive virtual happy hour, or a customer appreciation party.  

Host your virtual party in a swanky rooftop lounge or a gastropub. Bonus points if you mail your attendees a thoughtful care package (snacks, drink mixes, swag for home offices) to enjoy during the happy hour!  

Best features for virtual happy hours:  

• Video
• Gamification  
• Avatars  
• Live chat  

8. Trade Shows & Conferences

Obviously, right now there’s a need for customized virtual exhibits. And for good reason — as with recent events where show organizers offered a virtual expo hall, the reviews of these interfaces are lackluster.

Exhibitors may not know they have the option to integrate their own virtual environment into the virtual expo hall. And in some cases, this may not be possible. But if it is an option, why not take the opportunity to stand out? After all, this platform will allow you to build the exhibit of your dreams!

Best features for virtual trade shows:  

• Video
• Website integration  
• Product/Service infographics
• Lead capture
• Gamification  
• Downloadable e-literature
• Analytics  
• Meeting scheduler
• CRM Integration

Now that the wheels are turning, scheduling a brief discovery call with our team is a great next step in determining how these virtual engagement components can work for your brand. We look forward to chatting with you!