Why do we buy what we buy? It’s well understood that we buy for emotional reasons and justify our decision with rational thinking. So what are the emotions at play when people invest in their home? Pride, comfort, security and care are a few that come to mind. 

Knowing this, how do we tap into these emotions with our marketing messages? In most cases words are not enough – we need the power of images to connect to these deep feelings.

The “before” and “after” story – depicted in images – is a favourite tactic, frequently located in the gallery section of a website and packed with stunning “after” images. It’s an ideal strategy for businesses that offer a small number of options to a specific market segment such as builders, kitchen designers and wardrobe manufacturers. If done well, it can inspire the buyer by showing them  something that matches their dream outcome. 

But what if your business offers a multitude of dream outcomes? How many images will your gallery need to cater to your visitors? A hundred? A thousand? 

Flooring is a good example of this problem. Think through the categories – carpet, vinyl, timber, tiles (both natural and engineered). Within each group are different designs, colours and textures. 

Sure, your photo gallery will provide some interest, but good luck correctly matching images with your prospects’ ideal outcomes.

Thankfully new technology is available to solve this problem.

Provided by Roomvo – a Canadian software company we have partnered with in New Zealand – the software lets prospects visualise how their space will look for the options they like. It’s a simple process.  

Your visitor just captures their “before” image on their smartphone camera and upload it into the Roomvo platform hosted within the retailer’s website. Within seconds they can then pick options the retailer provides and quickly transform their “before” space into the “after” look they are hunting for. You can try it out here.

The “after” shot won’t be an exact match for how the room will finally look, and further advice will most likely be required. For instance, deciding between timber vs vinyl flooring or wool vs synthetic carpet will need the expertise of a flooring expert. However, there’s enough functionality in here to help people cull their list of “possibles” down to a more manageable size. 

Then the obvious next step is to complete a form and become a lead. 

Visualisation software like this can help in a variety of markets. This example will help you pick the difficult dual colour combinations for walls and flooring. This one solves the triple problem of matching colours across countertops, flooring and walls. 

There’s enough functionality in here to fill the gap left by a struggling website gallery. What’s more,enabling the buyer to see how their space will change delivers a greater emotional impact. All this translates into increased conversion rates and more sales. 

Case study results back this up. Flooret experienced a 23% lift in sales and a 20% increase in conversion rates with a 4.2x more product views and 2x increase in time on site. Then there’s Designtegels, who experienced a stunning 11x increase in conversion rate, and Crate and Barrel, who had a 200% lift in sales.

Interested in learning more? Contact us today to see how Roomvo could work with your business.