Facebook chatbots have revolutionized the way brands connect with their customers on social media. With everything you have to do to create a powerful brand, it can be difficult to dedicate yourself to answer all the concerns and queries your customers have. But with Facebook chatbots for business, you can be present where your customers are and continuously communicate with them throughout the day.
At the moment, we have more than 400K Facebook chatbots that are helping businesses engage their customers and close more leads. The benefits of chatbots extend beyond their 24-hour availability. Brands can use them to give immediate replies, support instant transactions, and share incredible opportunities with their audience.
If you’re looking to get started with chatbots to run influencer marketing campaigns on Facebook, you will appreciate this guide that shares valuable tips on using chatbots to grow your business.
Chatbots Bring Business, ROI
Customer queries are routed through chatbots at least 50% of the time. Since customer services cost much money for brands, using Facebook chatbots is a great way to save costs. Companies using traditional customer service need to invest money in hiring people and training them, besides the everyday expenses. Now, let’s compare it to chatbot ROI.
How to calculate chatbot ROI?
Total queries
Check the number of customer inquiries you are receiving and identify those that a bot can resolve.
Resolvable or not
Now you need to find out how many of the total queries a chatbot can resolve. Generally, the 80:20 rule is used. 20% of inquiries account for 80% of query traffic.
Agent time
How much time does it take for an agent to resolve a query?
Annual cost
Multiply the agent’s hourly pay with the number of hours spent on such chats. For an annual estimate of your spending, multiply your monthly cost by 12.
Human vs. bots
Now that the figure is in front of you, compare it to the quote you’ve got for the chatbot.
For the first month, you can calculate the RoI for a chatbot using this formula:
RoI = (Gains through bot – Installation charge – maintenance charge)/(installation charge + maintenance charge)
Stats on bots
- Facebook chatbots have increased revenue by 7 to 25%.
- Chatbots reduce 30% of operational costs.
- Instead of a call, 56% of clients prefer chatting.
- Brands can save 30% on customer support.
- On average, chatbots have increased sales by 67%.
- Almost 60% of millennials use chatbots to make purchases.
- 38% of consumers want brands to use chatbots for deals, promotion coupons.
- 53% of people like to shop from a company they can message.
- 1.4 billion people are using chatbots.
- 24/7 service by bots is what 64% of Internet users like.
Best Practices To Achieve Your Marketing Goals With Chatbots
Building a chatbot is not that hard. However, achieving your marketing goals with chatbots requires more strategy. Use these tips to leverage Facebook AI chatbots.
1. Improve customer experience
Customers shouldn’t feel like they are chatting to a robot when interacting with your chatbot. The conversation should feel natural, and as such, ensure the chatbot replies conversationally. The bot should greet the customer at the start of a new conversation and use exclamation marks where necessary. The chatbot can also use unique emojis and GIFs to make the conversation fun and interactive.
These measures improve your overall brand image with shoppers. The customer experience is improved, and consumers will be happy to interact with the brand.
2. Answer instantly
Don’t leave users hanging when they ask a question. Provide instant replies to ensure customers have all the information they need to progress down the sales cycle.
Have a ready set of FAQs ready? Repurpose the content and add it to your Facebook chatbot to ensure it can reply immediately and the customer does not have to wait.
Also, ensure the chatbot has answers simple about the business and its products/services, such as opening hours, shipping prices, and the colors of your products. This also improves the overall customer experience and makes customers want to purchase. This is because customers don’t want to wait long to call the customer service hotline or spend time googling.
3. Personalize customer experience
The more personalized your services are, the higher your chances of customer conversion. You can personalize the customer experience with messenger bots by making personalized recommendations based on your brand’s previous interaction. However, remember not to over-suggest, or it may seem disruptive.
It has a built-in function whereby the chatbot can recommend products when the user asks for something specific from a multiple-choice. For example, if the customer is looking for white shoes, the chatbot can recommend some up and trending white-colored shoes.
Nike used this technique to push their sneaker advertising. This allows the consumer to make their purchase decisions quickly and form a connection with the brand.
Figure 2: Screenshot of Nike chatbot recommending products. Source: Nike
4. Increase potential customer base
Messenger chatbots are quite effective at reaching potential customers. They have a much higher engagement rate (80% open rates and 20% click-through rates) than email. But this doesn’t mean you should abandon email. Instead, use the chatbot to collect user emails and increase your potential customer base.
Casually ask the user for their email address when talking to potential customers on Messenger. The chatbot should try to do this conversationally so as not to seem pushy.
This increases your brand’s consumer base by reaching out to more people and creating a strong brand presence.
5. Shop through bots
A “Buy Now” button allows customers to enjoy a seamless shopping experience within the Messenger app. This cuts short the buyer’s journey and boosts conversion rates.
Allow customers to browse your products/services section through the chatbot. Burberry has an option where customers can browse the different products on offer. Shopping through bots has improved the shopping experience since customers can buy the products they need in just a few clicks.
Figure 3: Screengrab of Burberry shopping through chatbots. Source: Medium
If you have customers in different regions, make sure to implement Facebook chatbots’ new language to allow customers to engage your brand in their preferred language.
6. End off well!
Continue engaging the user as they add products to their cart. For example, you can let them know the number of days to ship or the similar products they can consider.
When they are about to checkout, ask them if they would like to add anything or check out. For example, you can ask, “Would you like to check out now? ” or “Anything else you would like to add?”
This assures the customer that they are well taken care of and provides a real-life shopping experience. Such kind gestures can leave a lasting impact on the customer.
7. Quick peak into business insights
When interacting with users, remember to store and manage the queries and challenges faced by the customer. When customers ask certain questions about products or face challenges, you gain a valuable perspective on how the product/service is performing.
This creates leads for your brand because you will better understand how customers feel about your brand. Use the knowledge gained from your reports and analytics to tweak future services/products while ensuring that the chatbots are updated to answer and solve similar challenges.
Overall, the customer insights gained from the chatbot help the brand cater to its audience base.
8. Send exclusive offers
Send limited discounts and exclusive pre-sale offers to your chatbot audience.
Check out how the band Frank Carter & the rattlesnakes used chatbots to offer their chatbot subscribers presale access. They promoted the link to drive traffic to Facebook Messenger and made this fantastic offer available to those subscribed.
Figure 4: Screenshot of Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes presale access. Source: Social Media Examiner
Extending special offers via chatbots makes customers keen to interact with the brand consistently via the channel, hence promoting a loyal consumer base.
9. Create an exclusive contact list
Find specific customers you would like your brand to engage with and create an exclusive VIP list. The VIP list can provide celebrities or influencers with PR packages to try out your brand products.
For example, a beauty brand can reach out to beauty influencers like Manny MUA to create branded experiences with their chatbot subscribers. This helps your brand create an influential consumer base that can increase awareness for your brand.
10. Entice your customers
Advertise giveaways and sales via chatbots. Customers are more likely to open your message when it’s delivered via Messenger than through email blasts. This makes chatbot communication an effective way to send promotional messages that draw customers to your brand.
You can use Facebook chatbots’ own language to announce giveaways, promotions, and discounts. This will encourage users to respond immediately. When they do, they interact with your brand, and this increases your brand awareness. Your click-through rate will also increase since users will want to take advantage of the amazing offers.
11. Promote your products
Use your chatbot to send out exciting promotions and offers on the new products and services you have launched. Customers are more likely to interact with your new products and services through messages than email because of the high open rates they exhibit. They will also be made aware that your brand has something new on the market that they should try.
This creates and strengthens your brand awareness.
12. Give existing customers preference
It’s easier to keep existing customers than to attract new ones. For this reason, notify the customers who have engaged with your chatbots about the upcoming sales beforehand. If a sale happens on 30th August, the chatbots can start sending messages on 1st August. This will attract the consumers as they will be made aware of the offers before they happen and will be the first to get in.
The consumers will feel like they matter and can communicate directly with the brand about what you are offering. This way, you create a loyal consumer base through chatbots, and maximize your brand presence online.
13. Interact with ex-customers
Take note of previous customers who have visited your website but did not buy anything. Send them offers and alerts on new products in an interesting way.
Consumers who viewed your page had previously taken an interest in you. So, try to entice them with product offers and discounts to boost sales and get new customers.
14. Send exciting alerts
Broadcast existing media content via chatbots. Selling shouldn’t be your primary objective when using Facebook chatbots. You can also use it for content marketing, where you share some of the branded content you have published elsewhere. For example, you can use chatbots to send content you’ve posted on social media sites like Instagram.
Also, use this opportunity to provide the latest information about your brand. Are you introducing new products soon? Are you planning any corporate restructuring?
Sharing the latest news ensures your consumers are updated with what you are doing and they can remember the brand. As such, consumers will stay with the brand even when they have not interacted with it personally.
15. Enable easy redirecting
When the chatbot cannot answer, it should immediately apologize and acknowledge that it cannot answer. For example, it can say, “We truly apologize, but we are unable to answer your question right now.”
Provide an alternative solution immediately after apologizing. At this moment, you can give the consumer another number to contact for assistance, or a customer service representative can step in to solve the issue.
With this measure, you ensure your customers get answers to all their questions. By attending to every customer, you make them feel valued and earn their trust.
16. Advertise your brand
Chatbots can advertise your business by promoting your brand’s infographics, press releases, or unique content. Send these promotional materials to your target users to build brand awareness and advertise your offering.
However, don’t do it in a pushy way but rather fit the advertisement naturally into your everyday conversations. For example, you can say, “Did you know that our products are designed with the latest technology to solve your problem?
Doing so increases your brand’s reach and awareness.
17. Gather feedback
Chatbots on Facebook can be used to collect customer reviews and feedback. Use pre-filled buttons or a set of questions to understand how customers feel about your brand. For example, you can ask consumers, “On a scale of 1 – 10, how satisfied are you with your purchase?”
This helps you collect valuable customer feedback easily while making the process hassle-free because of the options provided. Your brand will also be able to understand your consumer expectations and meet them.
Figure 5: Chatbot gathering feedback. Source: Get Feedback
18. Track consumer’s order
When a customer connected to your brand through Messenger makes a purchase, use chatbots to keep them updated on the status of their order. Track the delivery status of the consumer’s package and send them notifications such as, “The package has been shipped.”
Also, remind the customer when the order will arrive and help them set the time and day they prefer for the delivery. Such chats ensure that the consumer still interacts with the brand, which helps build relationships with your brand.
19. Schedule appointments
Chatbots also come in handy when customers need to book a session with you. Consumers can use them to book appointments with your business in a faster and efficient manner. For example, Sephora used this scheduling system, and their appointments rose by 11% because the chatbots reduced the time taken to book an appointment.
Figure 6: Screengrab of Sephora’s booking system through a chatbot. Source: Messenger
To ensure customers don’t miss their appointment, send them reminders a few hours before the appointment time. It has been found that Facebook chatbots help reduce the number of missed appointments, so don’t forget to send them to drive traffic to your physical store. Such an appointment system also makes the customer feel valued, thus helping you build strong bonds with your audience.
20. Create on the go surveys
Do you need to send surveys to understand how consumers feel about your brand? Well, Facebook chatbots can have a ready set of survey questions to understand the customer experience. Messenger surveys are quick and easy to fill out. They are also mobile-friendly and have high engagement rates because they are easy to use.
Save the survey results in customer profiles to understand where the traffic is coming from and what consumers expect from you. The chatbots can send follow-up messages using the data they have collected if desired. This will help you deliver incredible marketing value from a conversion standpoint by understanding what is working and what isn’t.
Facebook chatbots are a fantastic way for brands to establish one-to-one conversations with their audience. With consumers spending more time on social media than before, chatbots allow you to share valuable information with your audience, answer their questions, and help them shop for their favorite products.
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