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.

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.)

  Image credit: TechCrunch

Meanwhile, 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.

The 3 Tiers of Implementing Augmented Reality Campaigns

Various industry reports are concluding that augmented and virtual reality will be taking over in the next few years. Digi-Capital forecasts revenue from AR and VR to hit $120 billion by 2020! Thought leader Aviram Eisenberg simply states, “Mixed reality is the next phase of computing.” Interestingly, $30 billion of that is VR while $90 billion is AR. Trends are indicating that in this first wave AR will be 3 times as profitable as VR for businesses.

We’re still in the early-adopter phase. This is a challenge, as most businesses don’t understand AR, think it’s too expensive and assume it’s not for them. But of course, a challenge is an opportunity and those who get ahead of this trend can gain serious competitive advantage. Think of the rise of the computer and how those who adopted early became major winners. The arrow of progress indicates AR is the next step and, as Moore’s Law has made clear, it will happen very quickly.

So let’s address the affordability and accessibility question many have about using AR for business. There are three tiers of AR campaign creation and depending on your budget, you can pick the right starting point:

The High End: Completely Custom AR Apps 

The biggest companies have the budget to hire leading AR development firms. They build a custom app experience completely unique to the brand. Early adopters at this level include Coca-Cola, Disney, Nike, Heinz and TaylorMade. Firms provide a team of software developers, 3D artists, graphic designers, marketers and a project manager. 

Use Cases: Some of these custom projects are for entertainment value, such as the Jurassic Park experience at Universal Studios which makes waiting in line mindblowing. Pokémon trading cards come alive as the character jumps out of the card and onto your table. They may be more for education, like enabling tourists to see fun facts about buildings as they walk around. Some apps are created for product marketing purposes, such as IKEA’s AR catalog which allows you to see furniture in your room, making you more confident in a purchase. In-store applications may involve a kiosk that displays products with AR, such as Lego's.

Image credit: Indestry 

Pricing & Turnaround: Costs for these fully custom apps can range enormously. It depends on features, quality, end-use platforms… just about every variable in the project. As a ballpark, the top AR firms charge around $25K - $300K. We’ve heard of an app that cost $2 million! Huge cost, but if done right it has the potential for huge return. Turnaround time also depends on complexity, with some projects taking 3-6 months, while the most advanced take up to several years.

The Mid-Tier: White-Label AR Marketing Campaigns

The next tier down in cost is a popular entry point for established brands. This is where you hire an AR platform company that has a pre-built app you can customize for your brand. These white-label apps are often used in promotional marketing campaigns. Image recognition and geolocation drive the tech. Examples of companies leveraging this tier are Budweiser, Volkswagen, Best Western, Cisco and EPSON. This hybrid model saves money by building off an existing platform, rather than from scratch.

Use Cases: The AR content is often animated 3D elements or 3D overlays on a product that a user can change, such as car apps that allow you to see different color options, look around 360° inside the car, and click parts to see more info on features. For simpler uses, some platforms allow you to add informational notes to 3D pictures and scans of rooms. You can give an immersive tour of a building to promote real estate or show your company’s office.

Image credit: Volkswagen 

Pricing & Turnaround: Prices again can vary widely depending on the type of app. A ballpark puts this tier in the $5K - $25K range. There are ongoing costs to continue offering an AR app, such as licensing and maintenance. This is doable for big companies and some that are mid-size and growing rapidly, but it’s still out of range for many mid-size companies and small businesses. Turnaround times are quicker than fully custom apps, typically around 1-3 months and even shorter for the simplest use cases like adding basic notes.

The Entry Level: AR-Enhanced Print Materials 

Many businesses are turned off by the price of those more advanced apps and are not aware that there is a more inexpensive entry level for them to start leveraging AR. These are essentially do-it-yourself platforms. While they aren’t fully custom with sophisticated 3D animation, if done right they create a wow factor and are proven to drive business results. Users range from a freelancer with next-to-no budget to startups just beginning to invest in marketing and even bigger companies that want a quick and easy AR solution.

Use Cases: These entry-level techniques typically involve taking a company’s video content and overlaying it on print marketing materials. When a user views your business card, a flyer or tradeshow booth through their phone, it comes alive with a video about your brand and products. Companies using this technique have found that candid video messages, like a person talking to the camera, are very effective as it shows a face behind the company and feels like a more genuine connection. You can customize multiple call-to-action buttons that overlay below the video. This drives conversions when viewers are captivated by the experience. The virtual call-to-action buttons allow viewers to instantly RSVP, visit a website, email, or share promotional material on social media.

Image credit: REVEALiO

Pricing & Turnaround: A big plus of this tier is the affordability and quick turnaround, making it the most accessible for businesses that want to adopt AR now. Pricing can be as low as $100 to link your video content to print materials and add call-to-action buttons. Custom solutions are available too with a range up to $25K depending on complexity. Turnaround can be as quick as 3 days, mostly depending on the company’s delivery of video content, though if needed some AR platforms offer video production services, as well. 

Using augmented reality for marketing is more within reach than most companies realize. The high-end custom apps are very expensive and only fit with large companies at this time. White-label apps are more realistic for established companies that want a more affordable option. What’s not as well known currently is that there is an entry level option that enables businesses to test the AR waters with little risk, making their print materials come alive to build brand loyalty and awareness.

To learn more about entry level AR marketing, click here.