Humans have been telling each other stories since the dawn of time. The incredible advancements in communications technology have helped us make our stories more impactful. While the tools will keep changing, the key to effectively use them will always be focusing on the timeless need for genuine human-to-human connection.
Society has settled into the digital routine. People are comfortable relying on computers and conversations through screens. Now, many are turning their attention to the next wave of innovation: Technology With A Heart. People don’t want the digital reality to take away from our relationships – they want it to enhance them. The traditional is made new yet again.
Technology That Enhances Human Relationships
This trend has major implications for business. Those who adopt these emerging tools can connect with their prospects and customers like never before. Thought leader David Amerland says that cultivating trust is crucial for brands. “There’s an interesting paradox of the importance of human qualities in a domain that is increasingly controlled by machines. When the traditional barriers to connectivity that were posed by the technical challenge of overcoming lack of proximity, access to content, an interactive digital presence and a high-quality connection, are removed, what truly remains is the perception of whether we can trust who we are dealing with or not.”
Here are 4 awesome tools driving this paradigm shift and enabling more genuine relationships. Think about how you could apply them to your business.
1. Live Streaming Changes the Conversation
You’ve probably noticed the recent surge in Live Streaming on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The trend is quickly catching fire. Our news feeds are no longer just static images, there are live video feeds of events, Q&As and simply friends hanging out! Comments come up in real-time and Like icons fly across the screen. This provides an amazing, intimate view into another person or brand’s world – with a much more real and empathetic quality.
We all know life usually isn’t buttoned up all nice and tidy – Live Streaming taps into this truth. You feel a tone of honesty, which is more relatable and draws you in. Watching a live view inherently brings you closer to their experience and interacting in real-time creates a context of action.
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Image credit: The Verge
It will be interesting to see how brands use this new medium to build better relationships with their customers. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with scripting a live stream somewhat, as it will still likely be an authentic look at the brand’s people. Streaming events can reach a much wider audience than just those who pay for a ticket. Interactivity is the key to success – that’s the arrow of progress here. Brands will want to interact with fans as they comment. Genuine, live conversations demonstrate transparency and build trust.
2. The Power of Meeting In Person
Some of these new wave technologies are simply reinventing old ways of communication. Now that we spend so much of our time online, there is new potential for meeting in person – remember how we used to do that?
Image credit: Bottleshake
Bottleshake, a new app from San Francisco, is leading the charge. It connects users who are looking to meet about the same topic, be it business networking or just fun. Searching is keyword-driven, so if I’m looking for a co-founder in a certain tech space, I can find just the right person who’s looking for me! Once we’ve chosen to message each other, the “shake” is initiated and we can schedule a meetup for coffee. In-person meetings will always be a great way to connect, influence and close deals.
This app is the new way of meeting people and building relationships. “People want that connectivity that’s real” comments Mary, a Bottleshake app user. Bottleshake is among this new trend of technologies focused on the human element; creating a new kind of enhanced, genuine connection. It’s still always about the people. Technology just unlocks it.
3. Social Storytelling
Storytelling has been core to the human experience since the beginning. Now social media is exploring this timeless truth in new ways. Snapchat has seen great success with its Stories, where users can present a montage of short video clips, giving friends an entertaining view into a day in their life. Instagram noticed and launched its own Stories feature last summer. It caught on quick – after just a few months, 100 million users were creating Stories. (50 million use the same feature on Snapchat.) Meanwhile,
Image credit: TechCrunch
Facebook is testing “Messenger Day,” a social storytelling tool within their Messenger and “Moments” is now available in the Twittersphere.
These story formats are changing the context of digital communication. Again, we want to see honest, full views of others, not just a perfect, staged glimpse. 360-degree photos and videos are gaining popularity on Facebook. A company can post a 360-degree picture of their office to promote their culture and attract talent. As viewers look around, they feel immersed in your world. New formats like this are an effective way to stand out from all the static pictures in our news feeds.
4. Physical Takes on Virtual Through Augmented Reality Technology
Augmented reality and virtual reality play an exciting role in this shift to deeper digital-driven connection. Augmented reality bridges the real world with virtual content without removing the user from their current environment. REVEALiO‘s use of augmented reality technology bridges traditional print marketing with virtual storytelling (via video overlays). As the world has moved online, so have marketing budgets. Digital marketing is the new, and traditional mediums like TV, radio and print are the old. But, again, some innovators are reshaping those age-old channels for the digital age and creating something new altogether.
With the newly released REVEALiO – AR Marketing App, sales and marketing professionals can instantly stand out from their competitors as they make their branded products COME ALIVE with virtual content. They are able to connect with prospective customers by captivating and influencing them with the augmented reality experience.
Image Credit: Revealio, Inc
55% of customers interviewed said that if a product or app had AR/VR components, it positively influenced their buying decisions. (Prismetric Technologies)
As a follow-up, send a physical augmented reality greeting card in the mail. It’s a genuine personal gesture that enhances relationships. Recipients download the Revealio Greetings app and, voila, your card COMES ALIVE with a video message from you! Talk about unique!
Again, the videos used in these augmented reality experiences should follow the same principals as Live Streaming, a genuine message from one person to another. It’s all about connection. Interactive printed cards with a personal video message will impact and influence recipients and motivate response.
The beauty of augmented reality experiences is that they provide the end user with call-to-action buttons, directing them to further engage with you or your content. How much do you think that tactic alone would increase your sales conversion rates? Try it out and see!
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Do you know of other new technologies that is enabling more genuine human connection? Comment below!
If you want to leverage this powerful trend for business, try REVEALiO – AR Marketing.