Abstract
Business-to-business (B2B) proposals are traditionally structured, compliance-driven documents, often criticised for being static and text-heavy despite their strategic role in procurement decisions. This study introduces Augmented Reality–Enhanced Proposal Experiences (ARPE), a novel approach that integrates immersive and interactive content into proposal submissions. Grounded in Media Richness Theory and the Elaboration Likelihood Model, ARPE is proposed as a means of enhancing comprehension, emotional engagement, credibility, and purchase intent among decision-makers. Using a mixed-methods experimental design, the study compared traditional proposal formats with ARPE-enabled submissions incorporating three-dimensional product visualisations, holographic testimonials, and interactive return-on-investment simulations. A controlled trial involving 60 B2B decision-makers revealed that ARPE significantly improved comprehension (42%), emotional engagement (35%), and perceived credibility (27%) relative to conventional formats. Qualitative interviews reinforced these findings, with participants describing ARPE as more engaging, innovative, and professional. The results indicate that ARPE not only strengthens brand differentiation but also increases the likelihood of proposals being shortlisted in competitive procurement contexts. This paper extends the literature on proposal development by introducing a framework for immersive proposal design and contributes to marketing practice by offering strategic recommendations for integrating augmented reality into sales enablement.
Keywords: Augmented Reality, B2B Marketing, Decision-Making, Immersive Marketing, Interactive Proposals, Proposal Development.