It’s hard to overestimate the power of an image to make your sale. It seems that so many people would consider buying anything from furniture to landscaping services if they could just see what the outcome might be . . . before buying. Unfortunately, you can’t really “try on” a couch or landscaping services. Or . . . can you?

Google’s Sketchup 3D modeling tool might be able to help you close the deal. It lets you build and modify 3D models quickly and easily, certainly such things as homes (a nice loft) or offices (the Campanile building in Atlanta). So, if you want to help your customers see how that new couch looks in the living room, it’s not out of the question. Sketchup democratizes 3D modeling so that it can be put to work selling just about anything - see this gallery of modeling examples.

In addition, you can also search the Google 3D Warehouse to get a sense of the types of things that people are designing, using this tool. As you might have already noted with gaming advertising, 3D modeling has arrived. It’s only natural that it should be put to work in selling materials.