Bhushan Bhad
umanshavebeenquenchingtheirinnovativethirst
Hsincetheclassicage.BeittheStoneage,Ironage, Industrialera,thetimesoftheDigitalRevolution, ortheEvolvingTechnologies.
Areyoustillanchoredaroundtheabovesegmentthatrefers to“EvolvingTechnologies?”
Thetriggerofaninquiryisanobviousthoughtchain,and withthesametrainofthought,youmightbequestioning‘whataretheevolvingtechnologiesincontemporary times?’Toanswerthisquestion,youmightrequirea multidimensionalmindsetthatsetsitseyesonthe entertainmentindustrythathaspropelleditselfsincethe early1990swhilehavingathirdeyeonthedigitalscreen revolution.
Usheringinatimewhencomputersmettheirpopularity andtheworldhadbeenamazedbyitsnovelcontributions, digitaltechnologiesfoundanopportunitytosproutfromits ideatingstagetoturnintoaflourishingreality.Butas humanshavetheirevolvingnature,andsodoestechnology too!
Andastimemovedandscientificinventionstookitspace, theworldgotintroducedtomobiledevices,movingahead ofastationaryscreen,andgamingreceiveditsdeserving acknowledgment.
Thishadbeenaremarkablemomentinthetimelineof digitalevolutionthatlaterfounditsrevolutionaryholdin theformofAugmentedRealityandVirtualReality technologies.Isn’titamazingthatonecanstayinthe comfortofhomeandwitnessaliveconferencewithan experienceof‘beingpartofthereal-timeevent!’This experiencehadbeenwidelytestedandgloballyaccepted duringthepandemictimes.KnowingthemeritsofARVR, manyindustrieslikedigitalmarketing,website development,gaming,andcinemastartedutilizingthis technologicaladvancementtoitsadvantage.
Astonishedbythisdevelopment,weatInsightsSuccess scoutedtheglobeforthebestARVRCompaniesthatare revolutionizingtheworldwithitstechnologicalmarvels andfoundfiveeye-poppingsuccessstoriesintheARVR space.
Delveintothesestoriesandfindthetruemeaningof revolutionthroughtechnology.Whileyouflipthroughthe pages,ensuretoreadtheinsightfularticlecraftedbyourinhouseeditors.
Iwishyouhaveahappyread.
- Bhushan Bhad
,
, While the world awaits for imbibing AR VR in its socio-corporate normality, lets celebrate the technology marvels and embrace the future.
Driving the Bandwagon of Extended Reality Space
How Augmented Reality is Modernizing Employee Training
Disrupting the Gaming and Entertainment Industry with Virtual Reality
2immersive4u 2immersive4u.com
VanishingPointVR vanishingpointvr.com
DusanSimic (Co-founderandCEO) FilipMilinkovic (PresidentandCo-founder)
AnnieLukowski Co-founder
2immersive4ucreatesmemorablestories,worlds,andcharacters usingthenewesttechnologytransformingthemintothemusic videosofthefuture.
VanishingPointMediaisafull-serviceproductioncompany providingindustry-leadingexpertiseandexecutioninallphases ofproductionforbothVRand360photography:frompreproduction,toprincipalphotography,andstraightthroughto postproduction.
CXR cemtrex.com
BonsaiMediaGroup bonsaimediagroup.com
PresentiGO presentigo.com
LuckyGobindram GeneralManager JasonLaBaw CEO AdamMrstik COOandCo-founder
Cemtrexhasbeenaleadingtechnologypartnerfortheworld’s mostinfluentialbrands,empoweringthemwithinnovative technologythatdrivestheirbusinessesandtheirproducts.
BonsaiMediaGroupisafull-servicedigitalmarketingagency offeringSEO,webdesignanddevelopment,social,anddigital marketingservices.
PresentiGOishelpinginnovativecompaniespresentbetterin frontoftheirclientsandtransformsalesintoadigitalway,that canmeasureandanalyze.
By eliminating hardware,
the
right where
all
– on
Storytellinghasbeenanefficientmediumfor interactivecommunication.Startingwithpictographs toderivingastandardtextforeasyexpression, storytellinghasbeenattheheartofthehumanmind.
Fromwalkingonthepavementholdingbookstoeyes dippedintodigitalscreens,theworldhaswitnessedafastpaceddigitaltransformation.And,sproutingthroughthe digitalspace,VirtualRealityhasopenednewopportunities forstorytellerswhodesiretodeliveruponapromiseof interactivestorytelling.Butunfortunately,Virtualreality hasfocusedmoreonthehardwaresegmentrollingdown thesignificanceofVRcontentwithamobile-friendly experience.
Thrivingthroughthesechallengesandbeinginspiredwitha visiontocreateamobile-firstVRexperienceledtothe foundationof2IMMERSIVE4U,co-foundedbyDusan SimicasitsCEOandFilipMilinkovicasthecompany President.Thecompanyenvisionspartneringwithtalented creatorsandchartingthecoursefortheadoptionofVRin theanimespace.
WeatInsightsSuccessinterviewedDusanandFiliptolearn moreaboutthetechnologyleadershipof2IMMERSIVE4U.
Here are the key highlights of the interview:
Pleasebriefouraudienceabout2IMMERSIVE4Uand howithaspositioneditselfasaleadingplayerinthe AR/VRspace.
Dusan:Westartedfromadifferentanglethanmost companiesthatarestrictlydependentonthehardware.VR isnotanewthing.Theformatdidn'tstickwiththe audience,soadifferentapproachwasneeded.Ourinitial thoughtistostartfromthecontentside,notthehardware. Tellusmoreaboutyourofferingsthroughwhichyou haveascertainedyourstrongholdinthemarket.
Filip:Ouruniqueapproachin360°and180°isfocusedon storyandaccessibility.Youcanwatch2immersive4uvideos onanydevice(mobile,pc,orlaptop)andgetthefull immersiveexperience-enablingtheaudienceeasyaccessto theseexperiences.Ourvideosareperfectformarketing content,musicvideos&anime.
Dusan&Filip,pleasebriefusaboutyourjourneyinthe AR/VRindustryandhowyouhavecontributedtowards 2IMMERSIVE4U'ssuccess.
Dusan:I'vecomefromthemusicindustry,had12yearsof experiencethere,coupleofrewards&Sonydeal.Imet FilipatthelocalhubpriortoCovid,wherehewasleading theworkshopaboutDigitaltransformation.Theyassigned himasamentor,andIwasblownawaybyhisapproaches andthinking,soIwaslike–Ineedtostartacompanywith thisguy.Ithoughthewaslike25or26yearsold;hewas just19atthetime.
SoonI'vestartedpostingonlineadsandusingreferralsfrom myfriendstofindtherightguysfortheprojects.Nowwe havearemoteteamfrom4differentcontinents.
Filip:Thisfieldisunique.Inthelastfewmonths,wehave seentheemergenceofinterestintheAR/VRspacebecause ofthemetaverse,butthetechnologyisnotnew Theinitial VRwavestartedaround2015,andovertheyears,itslowly dieddownexceptinafewniches.Ibelievethatwhatwedo hereat2Immersive4Uisofcrucialimportance.Together withallcreators,wehaveachancetoredefinewhatAR/VR isandstiritintherightdirection.
Beinganexperiencedleader,shareyouropiniononwhy adoptingmoderntechnologiesisnecessaryforAR/VR companiesandhowhaveyouleverageddifferent technologiestodeliveryourofferings?
Dusan:AR/VRcompaniesarelargelyalreadyatthe forefrontofmoderntechnologies.In2Immmersive4U,we utilizemoderntoolstoenhanceourprocess.Oneofour favoritetoolsisUnrealEngine;welovewhattheydoand allthingstheyenableinthismedium.
DuringtheCOVID-19pandemic,whatchallengesdidyou face,andhowdidyousustainoperationswhileensuringthe safetyofyouremployees?
Filip:Pandemicdidn'timpactusverymuch.Wealready havearemoteteam,andwehavemasteredthattypeof production.Ifanything,wecouldsaythatCOVID-19has openedmanycompaniestobemindfulofthecutting-edge technologieswhichplayinourfavor.
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintotheAR/VRspace?
Dusan:Beforeweallagreethatadoptingmodern technologiesisthekey,weshouldmaybeproposea differentquestion:Whenistherighttimeforadopting?We sawinthepastthatfirstmoverswererightaboutfuture predictions,butsometimesbeingtooearlyinthegamecan leadyoutomakeallofthemistakes.
Weadvisebuddingentrepreneurstobuildonthetopofthe mistakescompaniesmakeinthisspaceandnottofollow themimeticdesire,akatotryandcopyothercompaniesjust becauseit'spopular
Forallaspiringcreatorsinthemedium,weadvisenotto limitcreativitybuttoexplorethemediumoutsideofitsset boundaries.
Howdoyouenvisionscalingyourcompany'soperations andofferingsin2022andbeyond?
Filip:Ourprocessiscurrentlypatent-pending,andweare expandingtoSoutheastAsianmarkets.Ourvisionfor2022 andbeyondistopartnerwithtalentedcreatorsinthefield ofanimationfromthatmarketandchartthecourseforthe adoptionofVRintheanimespace.
Pleasegiveusafewcasestudiesofyourproducts, testimonialsofyourclients/customers,and awards/recognitionsthataccuratelyhighlightyour company'spositioninthemarket.(If available/permissible)
Dusan:We'dliketopointouttoofourfavoritecase studies.
WithReactor5,ourfirstmusicvideo,wegotEmmy nominatedintheinteractivemediaspace.Onthisproject, wepartneredupwithPeopleLink,anon-profitfrom Clevelandare,tohelpsupportunderservedfamilies throughoutNortheastOhio.
WithMr.Memo,wetookanoldproductfromthe90sand reviveditusingthemodernmedium.Weutilizedourunique formatfortheYouTubeAdsandachieveda10-12%clickthroughrate,a100%increasefromtheaverageclickthroughrate.
Ashumansevolvedintosocialbeings,oneofthe mostsignificantfactorsthatprovedtobethe drivingforcefortechnologicaldevelopmenthas beenimagination.Asoriginatedfromtheorientationofthe humanpsyche,imaginationandideationhaveprovedtobe astrongcombination,assistinghumansocietyin transgressingdisruptivetechnologies.
OnesuchnovelinnovationinthisdigitalagehasbeenAR VRRevolution.Byleveragingthistechnological advancement,organizationsarefacilitatingnumerous servicessuchaswebsitedevelopment,socialmedia management,brandupliftment,andmanymore.Drivenby theobjectiveofbuildingcustomerexperiencewithan innovativewebsitewhileinfluencingpotentialclienteleis BonsaiMediaGroupInc
SpearheadingthischangeinthebusinessworldisitsCEO, JasonLaBaw.Hehasturnedthetideforthecompany whileopeningupAR/VRtechnologyopportunitiesinthe websitebuildingspace.
Inanendeavourtofindthebestcompaniesleadingthe AR/VRrevolution,weat Insights Success crossedpaths withJasontolearnmoreabouttheinnovativefootprintof BonsaiMediaintheAR/VRspace.
Below are the interview highlights:
Pleasebriefouraudienceaboutyourcompany,its values,andhowitispositionedasaleadingplayerinthe ARVRspace.
Bonsaiisafull-servicedigitalagencythatwasfoundedin 2009withthesimplegoalofutilizingtechnologytosolve businessproblemsandgoals.Ourvaluesare:Wetakepride, Wedeliver,GroworDie,BetterTogether,AtyourService, andfinally,DoDopeShit–whatwemeanbythatisthat peopleareinundatedbyhundredsandthousandsof marketingmessageseverydayifclientswanttostandout andbenoticedtheyneedtodosomethingworthbeing noticedandremembered.
Inaddition,Bonsaiispositionedasaleadingplayerinthe AR/VRworldbecauseofthe$1M+R&Dinvestmentwe've madeinlearningandapplyingthetechnology,its capabilities,andlimitations.Thislearninghasculminatedin anAR/VRtourismapp,SocialBee.Allofthishasledto clientwork,likewhatwedidforSupraBoatswiththeir AR/VRboattourandboatbuilderaswellastheirwebbasedboatbuilder
Elaboratemoreonthesolutionsandservicesthatyour companyoffersandhowarethesemakinganimpacton theindustryandyourclients?
Forthepast13years,we'vefocusedonproviding maximumvalueforclients.Wedon'tjustbuildpretty websites.Wefocusonbuildingwebsitesthatprovidean excellentcustomerexperienceanddriverealmarketingand salesgoalsthroughdigitalmarketingtechniques.
MakingamovetoAR/VRwasanaturaltransitionfor Bonsai.Bonsaialreadysitsonthemoretechnicalsideof marketing,oftenbuildingapps,whethernativeorweb-
We focus on building websites that provide an excellent customer experience and drive real marketing and sales goals through digital marketing techniques.
In 2012 Bonsai developed a social contests platform for companies where contestants would complete challenges and earn points towards a grand price. The challenges involved creating videos, going to various locations, and creating user-generated content that promoted the brand running the competition. The contests were a great success, and many contestants often reached out telling us what a fun experience and adventure these contests were. Around the same time, Bonsai's CEO, Jason LaBaw, sat on the board of a 3D product imaging company, and Bonsai helped design the UX of their product viewer. Combining these projects opened Mr. LaBaw's eyes to the possibilities of bringing 3D content into the real world, which led to the investment in AR/VR technologies.
based.Further,Bonsai'sfocushasalwaysbeentocreate amazingexperiencesfortheirclientsthatgrabpeople's attentionandimaginationandhelpbrandsachievetheir goals.AR/VRdoesallofthosethingslikeneverbefore.
Shareyouropiniononhowmoderntechnologieshave transformedtheARVRsector,andwhatmorecouldbe expectedinthenearfuture?
FromUnity,ARCore,andARKit,bigTech'sinvestmentin thespaceisatestamenttothetechnology'spromiseand abilitytodisrupteveryindustryandbusiness.Thatsaid,the technologyisstillverymuchinitsearlyadolescence,ifnot infancy TherehavebeenanumberofAR/VRtechnologies thatareheretodayandgonetomorrow.Putsimply,it'sbeen avolatileandturbulentridetothispoint.
Inthenearfuture,we'llseethesetechnologiesmature,and thedevicesusingthemwillbecomemorepowerful.Thenet resultwillbemorestableplatformsfromwhichtodevelop andmoreconsistentuserexperiences.The10Xfactorinthe ARspacespecificallywillbethecommercializationand massadoptionofARglasses.Viewingdigitalcontentinthe realworldviaaphoneisareallypoorparadigm.We've seenthiswithVRsolutionslikeFacebook'sQuest2,it's pricedformassconsumptionandpowerfulenoughtoserve someprettyamazingexperiences.
Whatareyourkeytakeawaysinbusinesswhenyoulook backatyourcompany'sjourneysofar?
MykeytakeawaysafterrunningBonsaiforthepast13 yearsare:
Ÿ
People–Idon'tcareifyouarebuildingrobots;it'sall aboutthepeople.We'reallhumansanddeservetobe treatedwithdignityandrespect.Whetherit'sacolleague orclient,that'sanon-negotiable.
of"failure."It'snotafailureifyou'retrying.Learnfrom eachexperience,reflectnightly,andpivotdaily.
Howdoyouenvisionscalingyourcompany'soperations andofferingsin2022andbeyond?
We'vedevelopedafewAR/VRproducts,specifically,a producttourandproductconfigurator/builder.Independent ofthepandemic,thesearetoolsthatmanufacturershave usedformanyyears,albeitinadifferentmedium(i.e., producthighlightVHS/DVD).We'rereachingoutto manufacturerstoimplementinteractiveproducttoursand configuratorsthatbringtheproduct'sfeatures,advantages, andbenefitstolifeandmakethemfeelrealtotheend customersoastoinfluencethepurchase.
Giveusafewtestimonialsofyourclients/customersand awards/recognitionsthataccuratelyhighlightyour company'spositioninthemarket.(If available/permissible)
Ÿ
Knowthyfinanceinsideandout–Earlyinrunningthe business,Iavoidedthefinancialoperationsofthe businessandtriedtodelegate/outsourceallaspects.It wasn'tuntilIwasforcedtorunthemthatIlearnedto lovethemandlearnedhowIcouldleveragethe company'sfinancestocreatecompetitiveadvantages.
"Client saw a 39% increase in page views because of the Bonsai Media Group. The CEO, Jason, is responsive to feedback and quick to make corrections. The company experienced significant project management improvements early on in the relationship, and they remain satisfied with the results."
–AmandaLeBlanc,CMOofCTG,Inc.
Ÿ
Balance–youcan'twork60,70,or80hoursaweek.I hearpeoplesaytheydo,I'vedoneit,andIknowit'sbull shit.Remember,it'snotthequantityofwork;it'sthe quality.Iseetoomanyentrepreneurs,andI'vebeen theremyself,whoneglecteveryotheraspectoftheir life,andwhenitallcomescrashingdown,they'releft withnothing.
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs aspiringtoventureintotheARVRindustry?
Startwithaproblem,validatethatproblem,andifvalid, buildtheabsoluteminimalprototypefinally,don'tbeafraid
"In a time when customers couldn't go to a dealership and view our boats, Bonsai revolutionized our business and allowed our prospective buyers to learn about our boat's features and even customize and buy their boat from the comfort of their own home. Absolutely amazing work.”
AdamHigson,MarketingDirectorofSupraBoats AwardsandAccolades
heevolutionoftechnologyinthelastfewdecades
Thasbeenextraordinary Whenwetalkedof technologieslikeARandVRafewyearsback,it onlystartedwithmentionsofsciencefictionmovies.But now,therealityhaschanged.ARandVRhavebecomea significantpartofourlearningprocess.Thetechnology enableshands-onexperiencewhilewelearn.Itfacilitates learningbydoing,eveninplaceswheretheapproachseems tobeimpossible.Fromeducationalorganizationsto enterprises,ARandVRhavemadelearningmuchmorefun andsafer.Inthisarticle,wewillexploresomeoftheways inwhichAR/VRismodernizingemployeetrainingwithits numerousbenefits.
Itisarequirementinsomeindustriestotrainemployees beforetheyassumefullresponsibilityfortheirwork.For example,peopleworkinginthemanufacturingindustryand powerplantsneedtoknowhowtooperatethemachinery usedintheprocesson-site.Unlesstheseemployeeshave goodknowledgeofthings,theycannotbeallowedtotake overcompletelybecauseoftheriskofharm.
WiththehelpofmoderntechnologieslikeARandVR, trainingcanbemadesaferandfreeofconsequencesby creatingsimulations.Employerscanusethesetechnologies tocreateanexactsimulationoftheiroperationswiththe equipmenttheyuse.Newrecruitscangainexpertiseinthe operationthroughthispracticebeforeactuallyassuming fullresponsibilityonthefield.
Practicingyourlearnedskillsoverandoveragainisthebest waytosharpenandretainthem.Accordingtoresearch,we retainmuchmorememorybycombiningourlearningwith “doing.”Infact,ithasbeenobservedthathavinghands-on experiencewithsomethingisamuchmoreefficientwayof learningsomething.It’sabetterwaycomparedtoreading, discussions,lectures,orevenaudio-visuallearning.Ithasa retentionrateofalmost75%.
ARandVRareanidealwaytogetemployeespreparedfor anykindofoperation-relatedsituation.Thisadvancementis beingutilizedbysomeoftheairportscurrentlytotraintheir employeesforairportsafety TheVRplatformhaslong beenusedbytheInternationalAirTransportAssociationto trainemployeesinon-groundoperations.Thetechnique allowstheassociationtocutbackcostsanddamageto aircraftandequipmentintheprocessoftraining.
Someorganizationsareutilizingthistechnologytotrain theiremployeestohandleemergencysituations.For instance,Walmartisoneoftheorganizationsthathas pioneeredVRlearningbytrainingitsstafftolearnhowto controlashootingsituation.
ARandVRtechnologiesareanidealplatformfor employeestodeveloptheirsoftskillsandpractice-based
learning.However,thesametechnologiesarealsoeffective inhelpingthemdeveloptheirtechnicalskills.
Thehealthcareindustryhasalreadystartedmakinguseof thistechnologytotraindoctorsandnurses.Accordingto onestudybyYaleUniversity,theVirtualRealitylearners performedsurgeries29%fastercomparedtothetraditional learnersandalsomadesixtimesfewermistakesthanthe traditionalgroup.
TheconstructionindustryalsousesARandVRforthe safetytrainingofitsemployees.Recentlyastudywas conductedtoevaluatetheeffectivenessofimmersive training.OnegroupwasgiventrainingviaVR,andthe othergroupreceivedtrainingthroughtraditionalmethods. Theresearchersthentestedboththegroupsaftertheir trainingwasconcluded.Interestingly,afteramonth,they foundoutthattheVRgroupsignificantlyoutperformedthe traditionalgroupattheevaluations.
Theeffectivenessofthismethodisconvincingmany industriestooptforVRtrainingmethods.
Gamificationhaslongbeenusedtotrainonboard employees.Thisapproachhelpsemployeesinlearning betterandalsoshowsanincreasedsuccessrate.ARandVR nowhavethepotentialtotakeGamificationtoawholenew level.
EnterprisescannowmakeuseofVRtodevelopadvanced gamificationtechniquesforenhancedlearning.Theprocess fitsperfectlytogetemployeesonboardandcutthe tiresomeprocessinhalf.WiththehelpofVR,youcan develophighlyengagingtrainingmodulesandalsopresent thebestofyourcompany
Today,VRandARtechnologieshavebecomevery mainstreaminthegamingindustry,andslowlyother industriesarealsoadoptingthesetechnologiesfor interactiveandpersonalizedlearningexperiencesfortheir employees.VRgamificationisapreferredoutlettoday becauseofitsabilitytocreateasenseofrealityandhelp employeestolearninreal-time.
Conclusion Technologytodayhasreachednewheightsthatcouldhave beenonlyimaginedinthepast.Thisadvancementis makingalltheprocessesinvariousindustrieseasier,
affordable,andsafer.Employeetrainingisjustanother processthathasbeenelevatedbymoderntechnology.This trainingmethodisexpectedtogenerate$6billionby2022.
Duetothesignificantbenefitsthatitbrings,30%of enterpriseshaveidentifiedAR/VRlearningasoneoftheir topprioritiesinthecomingyears.Thefuturelooksbright forindustrieswithAR/VR-basedlearning.
- Trishika Rokade
CXR has partnered with some of the world's biggest brands to take digital experiences to new heights.
Lucky Gobindram General Manager CXR
Theneuroscientificcommunityhasoftenremarked thatrealityiscoupledwithperceptionthatcanbe mediatedwithremodelingperceptionandcreative technologicalinnovation.
Wehavethecreativecapabilitytoguidethecontentsofour conscience,toplaywithourownperception.Wedothis withstorytelling,withlanguage,withpoetry,through specialeffects.Thisishowwe"play".Thisishowwe manufactureourownrealitysimplybyideating.Thisisthe worldofmake-believeandinnovationslikeaugmentedand virtualrealitiesarethenewchampionsofthisworld.
Butthemarvelsofthesetechnologiesarehardlylimitedto therealmofmake-believe,wecanalsotracktheirinfluence
inamultitudeofbusinessesandindustries.Transforming theworldisthenameofthegame,andtheAR/VR companiesareleadingthecharge.
Acompanywithitsheritageinelectronicsmanufacturing, butinrecentyearshasshifteditsfocustoemergent technologieslikeaugmentedandvirtualrealitiesaswellas IoTdevices,istheNewYork-basedCXR.
CXRhasbeenamajortechnologypartnerfortheworld's mostprominentcompaniessince2004,providingthemwith cutting-edgetechnologythatpropelstheirbusinessesand goods.
CXRhaspartneredwithsomeoftheworld'sbiggestbrands totakedigitalexperiencestonewheights.Thecompany comprisesexpertsinhelpingbrandsunderstandthespatial computingrevolutionandhowitblursthelinesbetweenthe digitalandphysicalrealms.
Asthecompanyhasmadeitsstrongholdasacertified partnerwithindustry-leadingplatformslikeOculus,ithas becomeaone-stop-shopforhelpingbusinessessolvethe toughestchallenges.Thisentailsnotonlyshiftingtheir
consumer-facingstrategybutalsohowtheyoperateand buildaworkforce.
Anewgenerationofusersisreadyformorepersonalized contentthatnotonlygivesthemmoreinsightintoabrand butalsovaluableinformationwithrealutility Whetherit's forcustomersoremployees,contentischangingandCXR isheretohelpbrandsmaintainrelevance.
Armedwithyearsofexpertise,thecompanyhaspioneered thebrandedAR/VRexperienceandunderstandsevery aspectofwhereitstartedandwhereit'sgoing-andhowit canequipbrandswiththetoolstheyneedtogaina competitiveedge.
CXR'sproductsaredesignedtomakeiteasyforcompanies tomaximizethebenefitsofAR/VRintegrations.Concepts thatonceseemedfuturisticXRMarketing,VRTraining, and3DModeling,VirtualReality,AugmentedReality, RetailStoreVirtualization-arecornerstonesofthe company'sofferings.Thevalueofthesetechnologiesis clearerthaneverandthepathtoincreasedefficiencyand growththroughtheseproductsiseasytoexplaintoclients ofeverysize.
Asafull-stackagency,CXRisuniqueinitsabilityto acceptback-of-napkinnotesandevolvethatideaintoafullfledgedapplication.Itsteamofdevelopersissoftwareagnostic,meaningtheycancreateanexperienceinthe frameworkthat'sbestforaspecificproject.Similarly,its designersareexpertsinperfectingthedetailsofa3Dmodel andconceptualizingentirespatialenvironments-and everythinginbetween.
WhatsetsCXRapartisthat,whileitworkshardtodevelop thebesttoolsandplatforms,itstrueproductisproblemsolving.
"We look at problems and think about the best approach to
Top 5 Companies Leading The AR VR Revolu on 2022tactically solve that problem for the audience that needs to use it,"added theGeneralManageratCXR–Lucky Gobindram "We comb through the noise and passing trends to prescribe a bespoke solution that charts a course for the future. From ideation to execution, the next phase is iteration. Our designers and strategists continue to update our products based on results – we're a learning organization, and this is evident in the way we work with clients and within our own teams as well," headdedinan interviewwith Insights Success.
Comingfromafamilythatbuildstechnology,Lucky Gobindramhasalwayshadaninterestinplayingwiththe latesttechnology-fromWalkmantotheveryfirstiPod.He grewupattendingCESwithhisfather,learningeverything hecouldaboutdesign,products,andthepurposebehind them.Havingaccesstothisworldallowedhimto understandthepowerofempathyanditsutilityintheworld ofbusiness-asteadfastelementofCXR'sstrategy
"When you understand the end user's problems, you can solve real-world issues with solutions that are valuable and viable," remarkedLucky.
Withthesamethoughtinhismind,Luckyandhisbrother Ashstartedanagencythatquicklysnowballedinto completingdigitalsolutionsforclientssuchasHTC, Nissan,andBose.AsperLucky,theirsuccessislargelydue totherolethatempathyplayedinourbusinessstrategyand process.ApplyingthismindsettoXRhashelpedthem conceptualizewaysspatialexperiencescanfundamentally reshapeusers'livesandtheirrelationshipwithtechnologyforthebetter.ThisideacontinuestoinformthewayLucky andhisteamapproachtheirworkandtheindustryatlarge.
Whentheworldwasstillreelingfromtheeffectsof COVID-19,LuckyGobindramunderstoodthatthe pandemichadforcedthemtousetechnologytomaintaina senseofconnectionwitheachotherandtheoutsideworld.
VideoconferencingtoolssuchasZoomandTeamswere usuallythefirsttocometomind,buttheworldofAR/VR hasballoonedaswell.
Withrenewedinterestandinvestmentfrombrandsand consumersalike,thesemodesofcommunicationhave becomemoremainstream-especiallyasthetechnology itselfhasbecomemoreaccessible(e.g.,Meta'sOculus Quest2).Frommore3Dmodelsinonlineshoppingto
There's never been a be er me to enter the industry. While there's much to be done in terms of ge ng big brands to see the value, we're closer than ever before.
There are more companies that will listen and more users that already understand the u lity. Imagine a whole new world and take your vision to whomever will listen. If it's not possible today, it will be soon – the sky's the limit.
-Lucky GobindrambetterVRmeetingtools,weareseeingthetransitionof AR/VRfromanichegamingtechnologytoamainstream platformforday-to-dayinteractions.
"This surge in acceptance of AR/VR has led to a whole new realm of possibility. More companies than ever are jumping on the bandwagon as they realize that we're living in a changing world. Consumers - the younger generations, especially - are already using AR/VR wherever they can, and brands are coming to us to help them understand how they can leverage it to their advantage," opinedLucky Gobindram.
Raisedinaworldofhardwaredesignandengineering, Luckywasalwaysdeeplyawarethatsoftwareexistsin everythingaroundus-fromlightstodoorbellstohome appliances.WhenGoogleCardboardfirstcameoutandhe triedit,hewasstruckbytherealizationthatimmersionin 3Dallowsuserstoexperiencecontentinawholenewway
"I soon realized that computing would shift in this direction and that the future of digital consumption was immersive technology. Since then, we've seen that it's instrumental in creating the next wave of content and games, and it's also on its way to becoming a powerful tool for organizations and industrial applications," saidLuckywhenaskedabout howhisteamisinnovativelycateringtobothbusinesses andconsumers.
"As the use cases become more mainstream, these large companies will feed the adoption curve when they equip their employees with devices, and soon we'll be looking at multiple generations of emergent tech users," headded.
Withthecominggenerationofsmartglassesandnew headsets,itseesvisualrepresentationsofMLandAIisused tounderstanduserpreferencesandbehaviorsandmake helpfulrecommendationsinthatrespect.
Asaforward-thinkingagency,CXRisalreadyequipped withteamsofAIandMLexpertsthatcanattackeach projectindividually.Becauseitsprojectsaretailoredtothe needsofeachclient,theteammakesrecommendationsona case-by-casebasis.
TheteamatCXRexpectse-commercetobecomean integralpartoftheburgeoningmetaverse,andwiththisin mind,theyexpectincreasedinterestinretailvirtualization services.Brandsofeverysizeandindustrywillhaveaneed forXRcommerceexperiencesthatoffermuchmorethan traditionalonlineshopping.Userswillwanttophysically exploreproductsandtryoneverykindofapparel-notjust shoes,aswehavelargelyseenonthelikesofSnapchat.
Aswearablesincreaseinaccessibilityandutility,CXR expectstoscaleitsARofferingstoincludeapplicationsthat integratewiththerealworldinrealtime.Userswillsoon expectinformationtobebroughttothembasedontheir surroundingsandwhattheyarecurrentlydoing-whether it'sonthestreet,inastore,orintheoffice.
ThecompanyisexcitedtoexploretheintegrationofAR andAItocreateseamlessexperiencesthatmakeareal impactonusers'lives,givingthemtheinformationthey needtolearnfasterandmakesmarterdecisionsand purchases.
Itisalsoinvestinginanumberofcompaniesand technologiestohelpfortifytheindustry-fromVRcontent creationtoolslikeMasterpieceStudioProtoVRdriving simulatorslikeVirtualDriverInteractive.Agreaternumber ofpowerfulplatformswillincreaseadoptionand,inturn, helpusersaswellasCXRtoconverttheirideasintotrue applications.
Ineverywalkofourpersonalandprofessionallives,we sharestoriestocommunicate,exchangeinformation, andentertain.Inrecentyears,advancesindisplays, capturetechnology,computergeneratedimagery,AIand morehavetransformedstorytellingatabreakneckpace. NowhereisthismoretruethaninthefieldofExtended(or Virtual)Realitywhichpromisesanalmost incomprehensiblelevelofimmersion.Forobviousreasons, thatpromiseisirresistibletostorytellersandadvertisers alike,andabourgeoningclassofcompaniesarenow rushingtothescene. VanishingPointMedia,LLC(VPM), andit’sco-foundersAnnieLukowskiandBJSchwartzhave beenblazingthepathforXRcreatorsforalmostadecade.
Foundedin2013,VPMisafull-serviceVRproduction houseandaleadinglightinthefieldofXRnarrative contentcreation.Thecompanybothdevelopsitsown contentandprovidestechnicalexpertiseandscript-toheadsetproductionservicesforprestigeclientslikeBanana RepublicandJimmyKimmel,Live.
Whennotimmersedinproduction,BJandAnniearein constantdemandtospeakateventsrangingfromVRLAto NABtoOculus/MetaConnect,andthepagesofVarietyand Forbesmagazine.
WeatInsightsSuccessinterviewedAnnieandBJtolearn moreaboutVanishingPointMedia'ssuccessstory
Below are the interview highlights.
PleasebriefouraudienceaboutVanishingPointMedia, itsUSPs,andhowitiscurrentlypositionedasaleading playerintheVirtualRealityspace
Foundedin2013,VPMhasworkedextensivelyinthe extendedreality(VR/AR)spacecreatingoriginalnarrative contentandVRcommercials.Wehavebeenproudtowork withincrediblepartners,andamazingbrandsfromABC's JimmyKimmelLivetoToyotatoBananaRepublic–which soughtoutVPMtocreateandoverseethecompany'sfirsteverforayintoVRmarketing.Collaboratingwith wonderfulpartnerslikethese,VPMhasbecomeadeptat workingwithscalingbudgetsonawidevarietyofcontent.
Further,ourcollaborationswithbrandspositioned throughouttheentertainmentindustryhaveallowedVPMto developsomeofthekeyworkflowsthatarenowstaplesof VRproductionandpost-production.Itsfounderscanbe heardspeakingatmajorindustryeventsthroughoutthe year,includingVRLA,NABinLasVegas,GoogleLabs andForbesmagazine.Wefeelprivilegedtoberaisingthe barinthisnewanddynamicentertainmentmedium.
Shedsomelightonyourofferingsandhowarethese makinganimpactontheindustryandyourcustomers?
Well,firstandforemost,we'refilmmakersandstorytellers. Atroot,VanishingPointisaproductioncompanyworking inanewspace.Technologyisthemedium,notthemessage, butthereisnodoubtitiscentraltoourmission.
WeareproudthatVPMhasledthewayininnovatingnew techniquesintheXRspaceintermsofstorytelling, advertising,andlocation-basedinstallations.Whetherwe're workingtohelpToyotathrillitscustomersorassistingthe ACLUtoeducatethecitizenry–wearealwaysaimingto hitthesweetspotbetweeninnovation,storytelling,and clientservice.
AnnieandBJ,pleasetellusaboutyourselves,your individualjourneysintheindustry,andhowyouboth havecontributedtowardsthecompany'ssuccess.
Ourpartnershipstartedwhenwejokinglyfoundedthe "AnnieandBJMutualAdmirationClub"duringfilmschool attheUniversityofSouthernCalifornia.Andthiscontinued aftergraduationwhenBJworkedatLionsgateandtoured withhisshortfilm"WolvesintheWoods"whileIheadedto thedigitalsidewithbrandedentertainmentatFunnyorDie andJeep.
In2014,thenascentbutelectrifyingmediumofVRentered themarket;webothsawitspotentialandwantedtolearn
more.Ofcourse,nothinginVRworkedasadvertised, particularlyintheearlydays,butthesechallengesonly spurreduson.Infact,ittookusbacktoourheadyfilm schooldaysofschleppinggear,shootingonshoestring budgets,andlearningaboutnewwaystotellastorythat wasnothingshortofelectrifying.
Weweresimplydelightedtohavethelatitudetoexplorea mediumthatwassountested.TherewerenoclassesinVR storytelling–wewerediscoveringtherulesaswecreated–
We are storytellers pushing the medium forward and filmmakers with the technical expertise to help others create top-tier content in this exciting new space.
sowewouldbreakoutourcameraandlearnbydoing. Wouldsomethingwork?Filmit,throwonaheadsetand see.Thatwasallwehad,andwelovedit.
Soonenough,webuiltourownvocabulary,whichwecould sharewithcolleaguesanddiscussatpanelsandtalksthat werebubblinguparoundVRfilmmaking.Beingonthe cuttingedgeisscaryandverycool–butnotnecessarilyin thewaysyouanticipate.
BeinganexperiencedleaderintheVRfield,shareyour opiniononwhereyourindustryisheadednext.
Well,that'sabig,openquestioninavery,veryvolatileand developingindustry Thefirstquestionwewouldhaveto askiswhatyoumeanby"field."Thesedays,people workinginourcirclesrefertothemediumas"XR"(or "ExtendedReality")asthatembracesbothVR(Virtual Reality)andAR(AugmentedReality).
WehavemostlyworkedinVR–whichisthemodality,like thatseeninReadyPlayerOne,whereusersputonaheadset andenterawholenewworld."AR,"ontheotherhand,is morelikeTonyStark'sglassesinMarvel–overlaying graphicsanddataovertheworldwealreadysee.
WeagreethatARwillbehugeincomingyears,butuntil consumerscangettheirhandsonStark'sglasses–wearein await-and-seepostureaboutsomeaspectsofstorytellingin thatformat.It'salljustsonew,andthetoolsarenotquite readyforprimetimeintermsofcamera-captured storytelling.
So,intermsofVanishingPoint–wethinktheimmediate futureholdsalotmore"traditional"VRcontentcreation withpartnerslikeABC,PowEntertainment,andtheBanana Republic.
Consideringthecurrentpandemic,whatinitial challengesdidyouface,andhowdidyoudriveyour companytosustainoperationswhileensuringthesafety ofyouremployeesatthesametime?
Likemostfilmcompanies,wewereonsetwhenthecall wasmadetoshutdownforwhatwethoughtwasgoingto be"twoweeks."Itwasalotlongerthantwoweeks,andwe neededtopivottodevelopandprepareourslateofother long-termprojects.
Inshort–exceptforanincrediblyfunprojectwithJimmy Kimmel,thepandemichasbeendowntimeforusinterms
ofVRproduction,andwehaveusedthattimetofocuson developmentandseveraltechnologyprojects,whichare currentlyalittletopsecret.
Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintotheVRSpace?
Experimentalot.Beforeyourfirstrealproject.Visual storytellingisalanguage,andwehavebeenimmersedin the2-Dlanguageoffilmandtelevisionfromourearliest days.So,wecometothetaskoftraditionalfilmmaking alreadyunconsciously"fluent"inthelanguage.
It'seasytotakethatexposureforgrantedandthinkthings are"intuitive"whentheyareinformedbydecadesof engagementwithamedium.Thenyouhitsomethinglike VRandfindyourselflearningthelimitsandpossibilitiesof anewlanguageasyouareliterallytryingtocreateit.
It'swild.Honestly-theonlywaytogetgoodatitisto makesomethingandthenputtheheadsetonandexperience ityourself.Andyouhavetodothatoverandoverandover tillyoufindjustwhatworkstoelicitanemotionordraw attentioninthe360-degreespace.Itisajoyfuland sometimespainfulprocess.Andyoucannotshortcutit; experienceiseverything.
Howdoyouenvisionscalingyourcompany'soperations andofferingsin2022andbeyond?
WiththehighlyanticipatedjumpintothefieldbyAppleand allthedevelopmentsatFacebook–theXRspaceisvery busy(thoughthisworkmightbebehindthecurtainformost people).Theinitialbuzzthatcamebackin2014has (thankfully)wornoff,butnowthatmeansrealapplications haveroomtoenterthefield.
Thecameras,stitching(whichisthecompostingofallthe lensestomakeaone-360image),andeditingsoftwarehave evolvedquickly.Themajormissingelementwas distribution.Headsetsweretooheavy,tooexpensive,and notuser-friendlyenoughformassappeal.Butnow,forthe firsttime,thatisnottrue.Therewillbeafloodtothe marketofheadsets,andpeoplewillbeyearningforcontent.
Backinthebeginning,wewouldoftenbeaskedwhatwe thoughtthefutureofVRwouldlooklike:Wouldthefad wearoff?Wealwayssaidwearenotworriedaboutthe futureofVR;weareworriedthatkidsmightnotbetaking offtheirheadsets.
IIntheworldoffiction,nothingisimpossible.Whenit comestofiction,theentertainmentandgaming industriesaretheforerunnersinexploringpossibilities withtheaidoftechnology.Theyaretheoneswhoinspire theaudiencetodelveintoascenariocalled“WhatIf?” morerealisticallyandmoreclosely.
Eversincetheworld’sfirst-ever(short)filmwasreleased bytheLumièrebrothersinParisonDecember28th,1895, theideaofstorytellinghasevolvedbeyondimagination.
Theevolvingvideoformatkeepsongivingtheaudiencethe thrillsofastorymorethaneverbefore.Inaddition,the rapidlypopularizingvideogamesarefulfillingpeople’s hungerforadventurefromthecomfortsoftheirhomesand allowingthemtobetheheroofthestory
Now,astheentertainmentandgamingindustriesaresettled inandreadyforthenextdisruption,itistimeforVirtual Reality(VR)totakeovertoscaleuptheusers’experience andengagethemlikeneverbefore.
Today,theentertainmentandgamingindustrieshave becomesignificantpartsofpeople’slivesglobally Withthe helpofadvancedtechnologiesandvisualeffects(VFX),
theseindustriesarebringingenormouslyoverwhelming experiencestotheaudience’ssenses.
Whiletheentertainmentandgamingindustrieshavemade theexperienceofentertainmentasrealasitcouldbe,the audiencestillcravesmoreastheydesiretointeractwith theworldofthestory
Naturally,theyearningformorebroughtanewsolution intothepicturecalledVirtualReality.Itiswidelyaccepted asthenextstepintheevolutionofbothindustries.
ManymaythinkthatVRtechnologyisaconceptfromthe st21 century,buttheymaybeamazedbythefactthatitwas inventedinthe1960s.Theworld’sfirstimmersivedevice iswidelyrecognizedastheSensorama,introducedby MortonHeiligin1962.Itwasamachinethathadabuiltinseat,played3Dmovies,gaveoffodors,andgenerated vibrationstomaketheexperienceasvividaspossible.
Fastforwardto2022,thecomputer-generatedenvironment ofVRnowenablesuserstoperceivetheobjectsand scenesappearinginitasreal,makingtheuserthinkand feelthattheyareimmersedinthosescenesappearingon
thescreens.Thevirtualrealityenvironmentcanbe experiencedwiththehelpofdevicesknownasVirtual RealityHeadsetsorHelmets.
TheageofVRtechnologyisjustbeginninginthe entertainmentandgamingindustries.Accordingtoresearch, therevenuefromvirtualandaugmentedrealitystoodat $22.1billionintheyear2020,anditisestimatedtoreacha whopping$161.1billionby2025,whichisa48.8%CAGR withinjustfiveyears.Asthefrontrunnersinadoptingthe VRtechnology,thegamingandentertainmentindustryis expectedtogenerateamassivechunkofthatprojected revenue.
ThebiggestadvantageofVRinthegamingand entertainmentindustriesisitscapabilitytoengageusersin thevirtualenvironmentdeeply.Sinceeverystoryandgame canhaveitsownenvironment,theexperiencethatcanbe gainedfromitisasunlimitedastheimaginationitself.
VRtechnologyissteadilybecomingpopularamong gamers,resultingintherisingdemandforVRheadsetsin themarket.Majortechcompaniesworldwideareactively workingtowardsdevelopingmobiledevicesandappsthat enableuserstoeasilyplugintothevirtualenvironment.
Moreover,theCOVID-19pandemichassignificantly increasedthedemandforenjoyinggamesandentertainment safelyfromhomewhilebeingconnectedwiththeworldon avirtualbasis.
ThewideavailabilityofVR-capablemobiledeviceshas openedthegatesofopportunityfortheentertainmentand gamingindustriestoexpandtheirhorizonsbybringingreal-
worldeventstothevirtualenvironment.Withthis invention,peoplecaneffortlesslyattendeventsthatare happeningmilesawayfromtheirhomesandgettheactual feelingofbeingpresentatthevenue.
Theentertainmentandgamingindustriesareindeepneed oftechnologythatimprovesuserretentionandattention. Thedigitalworldisfullofattention-fetchingcontent.In thisscenario,usersareoftendistractedfromoneplatformto anotherwithinaveryshortspanoftime.Digitalworldis givingentertainmentandgamingcompaniesitsdeserving attention,butsustainingitistherealchallenge.
Tothislimitation,VRtechnologyisseentobeaconcrete solution.Manylarge-scaleentertainmentandgaming companiesarejumpingintotheVRmovementtotakethe user’sengagementtothenextlevel.
Life is the game, and you are the player Mostofyoumay haveheardthissaying.WithVR,entertainmentand gaming,onecangetasrealisticasreallife,allowingmany toimmersethemselvesintheworldoffictionandengage withthecompellingcontent.Themorethecontentbecomes engagingandresponsive,thebetteritwillgenerate demandsinthemarket.
Allinall,itcanbesaidthattheenhancedengagement capabilityofferedbyVRtechnologycansignificantly changethefaceofgamingandtheentertainmentindustry.It hashugepotentialtobethenextbigrevenuegeneratorin theindustry.
AmyKenigsbergisCOOandCo-founderofK2 GlobalCommunications,aninboundcontent,PR, andsocialmediamarketingagency.Herintuitive graspoftechnologyandherinherent understandingoftechnologylethertranslatethe howwhatandwhysofsolutionsintoclearly focused"What's-in-it-for-me"communications. Shespenttheearlypartofhercareerasa journalist,sosheunderstandstheneedsofthe media.Nicknamed'thebulldog'byaclient,she's renownedforhertenacityinreachingyourtarget audiences.Whennotattheof ice,she'sreading, exercising,andmanagingafamilyof ive.Amy holdsabachelor'sdegreeinjournalismfromthe UniversityofMissouriandanMBAfromthe UniversityofKansas.
Whenonly61%ofmarketersbelievetheir marketingstrategyiseffective,and58%of marketersarestrugglingtotargetorsegment theiraudience,itbehovesyoutoask:Howcanmarketers getsmarteraboutmarketingstrategy?
Theanswerisgoalsetting,andmorespecifically-SMART goalssetting.SMARTstandsforSpecific,Measurable, Achievable,Relevant,Time-bound.
Oneofthemostdifficultmarketingtasks,itis,nevertheless, theoneeffortthatcanhelpmarketersfocus,getmotivated tosucceed,andprovejusthowsuccessfultheyare.
SMARTgoalsgroundyourmarketinghopesanddreamsin reality,controlyourteam’sworkdirection,andprovidethe benchmarksforfuturemarketingplans.
SMARTismorethanjustanacronym;it’saprovengoalsettingframeworkthathelpscompaniesandindividualsset andachieverealisticobjectives.
AnarticlebyCliffordChiinHubSpotmentionsastudyin which76percentoftheparticipantswhoactuallywrote downtheirgoals,theactionstheytooktoachievethose goals,andweeklyprogressreportsachievedsaidgoals-33 percenthigherthanthosewhodidn’tbothertoputthemto paper.HealsodetailsaUSpollheconductedwithroughly 300respondentsinwhich52percentsaidusingaSMART frameworkhelpedthemachievetheirgoalsmoreoftenthan iftheydidn’tusesuchaframework.
TenreasonswhySMARTmarketinggoalsareso effective:
• Createteamcohesionbyworkingtowardaunified purpose.
• Providecleardirectionandsharpenfocus.
• Determinewhichdatacollectionprotocolstousetoreach yourmarketinggoals.
• Helpyourteambecomemoreorganizedandmaketheir progressmoretrackable.
• Achieveclearcommunicationandamorealignedand motivatedteamwhoknowshowtheirindividualefforts contributetoalargergoal.
• Knowtheexactroadmaptowardyourgoal-and when/wherethefinishlinewillbe.
• Savetimebecauseallactivitieswillbegoal-oriented.
• Evaluatethesuccessofyoureffortsandlessonslearnedin termsofstrengthsandareasforimprovement.
• Avoidfailurebysettingtoogeneralortoo-unrealistic goals.
Do’sanddon'tstohelpyoustartthejourneyofyour SMARTgoals
Writer’sblockcanimpacteventhebestprofessional wordsmiths,sohereareafewpointersthat'llhelpyou overcomethathurdleasyoudoyourSMARTgoalwriting exercises:
• Useactivewordsthatenticereaderstoact-wordslike start, deliver, cut, speed up.
• Giveyoursmartgoalsmeaningandvalueforthe customer.
• Beambitiousbutalsorealistic.
• WriteSMARTgoalsthatreflectwhereyouwanttotake yourbrand/company
• Beclear,specific,andgranular,evenifyouhaveto overdoit.
• IncludereasonableKPIsthatareneithertoohighnortoo low
• Aligngoalswithoverarchingorganizationalgoals.
• Usevague,confusing,andbig-picturelanguage.
• Mixupdreamsandsolid,realistic,measurable,timelineorientedgoals(orluckwithrealeffort).
• Beafraidoffailuretoreachyourgoal;instead,planon howyoucangoaroundroadblocks.
• Confuse‘wish,’‘want,’or‘desire’withagoalthatyou clearlyintendtoattain.
• Maketoolargeortoobroadagoal-smaller,more specificobjectivesaremorelikelytobeachieved.
• Losesightofyourcorebusiness.
• Forgettheimportanceofprioritizationtoavoidbeing overwhelmed.
Examples:FiveSMARTgoalsforsmallbusinesses
1. Increasepositivecustomerreviewsby25percentin12 months.
2. Increasesalescoldcallsby5percentwithinsixmonths.
3. Developamarketingplanforanewproductin4weeks.
4. Takecontroloffinancesbypayingoff50percentof businessdebtin24months.
5. Growmarketshareforyourtopproductlinebe10 percentintheNEmarketin1year
1. Cutdownoperationalcostsbytenpercentbymovingto amoreaffordablearea.
2. Increasecustomerresponsetimeby50percentby increasingtrainedpersonnelfromfivetoten.
3. Improveoperationalefficiencybyautomatingthree majorproductionprocesses.
4. Increasepotentialbankcustomersbyopeningupfive newbranchesinunderservedareas.
5. Reduceemployeeturnoverfrom15percenttofive percentthroughimprovedtrainingandnewreward systems.
It’snotenoughtosetSMARTgoals;youalsohaveto increasethelikelihoodofachievingthem.
•
Setgoalsyoucancontrol-oratleastonesyour departmentcancontrol
• Makesureyourgoalscanadapttofitchangingmarket situationsorbusinessenvironments
• Trackyourgoalsandconnectthemtoyourteam’sdaily output
• ShareyourSMARTgoalswithotherprojectand companystakeholders
• Establishregularproblem-solvingmeetings
• Create marketinggoalsthatcomplement,notdetract from,eachother
• Makesureyourteammembershavetheresourcesto achieveyourSMARTgoals
Ifyou’restillunsurehowtoadapttheSMARTgoals frameworktoyourbusiness-theseexamples-ofSMART vs.Not-So-Smartgoals-canhelp:
Not-so-smartGoal-Increaseblogreadership.
Specific:Achievea10%increaseintrafficbyincreasing publishingfrequencyfromthreepostsperweektofive postsperweek.
Measurable:Metric-totalvisitstoablogpost.
Attainable:Ourblogwritercanwritethreeinsteadoftwo postsperweek,whileoureditorcanaddtwopoststoher editingduties.
Relevant:Ouroverallmarketingobjectiveistogenerate moresalesleadsforournewapp.Themoreblogsdealing withourappbenefitsanduses,thegreaterthetrafficand salesopportunities.
Time-bound:Endofthemonth.
SMARTgoalsforyourcustomersupportteam
Not-so-smartGoal-Makemorecustomershappy
Specific:Achievean80%to90%customersatisfactionrate inthreemonths.
Measurable:Metrics-customersatisfactionscore,postservicecustomersurveys.
Attainable:Withanewlyapprovedbudget,wecanaddtwo morememberstoourcustomersupportteamandincrease training.
Relevant:Increasedcustomersatisfactionpromotesthe company'sstatedgoalofcustomerretentionand, subsequently,bettersales.
Time-bound:Three-monthtimeframe.
Not-so-smartGoal-Getmorepeopletosignup.
Specific:Achievea25%increaseinsignupsviapromotion insocialmedia,email,website,andblogs.
Measurable:Metrics–thepercentageofyoursocial media/blog/website'svisitorsandemailrecipientsthatsign upinresponsetoyourmarketingcampaign.
Attainable:Thepreviouswebinarsawa10%increasein signupswithaFacebook-onlypromotion.
Relevant:Morewebinarsignupsmeanmoresalesleadsand potentiallymoreclosedsales.
Time-bound:Bythedayofthewebinar(twomonths).
Themarketingstrategyistheheartandsoulofyour campaign-directlyimpactingthewayyourunyour businessandsettingtheoveralldirectionofyourmarketing efforts.Itneedstobefocused,well-planned,well-informed, comprehensive,measurable,andmedium-tolong-term.
Thecriticalfirststepisidentifyingyourgoals.
Makeyourjobeasierbypartneringwithamarketingexpert whocanhelpyoualignthesegoalswithyouroverall businessobjectives,super-targetthemtomakeiteasierto measuresuccess,andensuretheymeettheSMARTcriteria forgoal-setting–Specific,Measurable,Achievable, Relevant,andTime-limited.
