With virtual reality headsets becoming more affordable and accessible to consumers nationwide, businesses are finding ways to use virtual reality technology to deliver special experiences to their customers.

Virtual reality provides customers with deeper experiences than pictures or video can provide. With virtual reality, prospective customers can get a better feel for a product, actually seeing it in action.

VR headsets are available from Samsung and Oculus, owned by Facebook, with more undoubtedly coming. Big companies might have interactive websites and commercials, but a virtual reality experience can really set a business apart from competition.

Here are several ways that companies can use virtual reality to help promote their business and products.

Save Money by Making a Virtual Prototype

Companies that are introducing a product have to show customers what the product will look like and how it will work. This usually means that they have to create a mock unit of the product or a prototype, but this process can get expensive. With virtual reality headsets, businesses can instead deliver a virtual reality clip of how the product works without going into production.

"Model creation in VR, for example, can save companies time and money, as these types of models or prototypes allow viewers to examine a product and make changes without the time or expense of building a physical model," Abi Mandelbaum, CEO of virtual reality platform YouVisit, said in an email to Small Business Trends.

Map out a Location or Tour a Property

With virtual reality, businesses like hotels and amusement parks can show their future guests a full view of their location. Guests will no longer miss the second pool at a hotel or a ride on the far end of an amusement park.

Real estate agents can provide future home owners with a room-by-room view of a house, something a few pictures on a website could never deliver. This could be especially useful for out-of-state buyers who want to make sure it is worth visiting a home in person.

Show Thrill Seekers Some Excitement

Virtual reality gives an accurate replay of experiences. Amusement parks can show future guests what rides are like with first person VR demos.

Six Flags is partnering with Samsung to actually provide their guests with virtual reality headsets while they are aboard roller coasters. Guests will still be riding the actual coasters, but with the headsets, they will experience extra visuals and senses. While aboard Superman the Ride, guests will actually feel like they are in a Superman comic book.

Show People How to Assemble Products

If a business is selling a product that requires some assembly, a great way to show customers how to construct the product is by showing someone else assembling it. With a virtual reality headset, customers can watch the product being assembled at their own pace and then assemble the product themselves.

Related