Chatbots for Marketing: The Complete Guide

Accessibility matters more than ever in business. When potential customers contact your business for any reason, they expect a useful and speedy response. Some questions might seem small, such as checking if an item is in stock or your business hours, but they still require prompt attention. 

If you don’t have a human being available 24/7 to engage with people online, you may wish to consider a chatbot for online marketing. These AI-driven conversational agents are transforming how consumers engage with businesses. Here’s what you need to know about chatbots for marketing and how your business can successfully implement this digital marketing strategy. 

What Are Chatbots?

So, just what is a chatbot? Chatbots are automated tools that simulate human conversations. They are usually integrated with a website or app, where visitors can click a button on the page to interact with a support agent. 

There are two basic types of chatbots—rule-based chatbots and AI chatbots. A rule-based chatbot is the simplest form of the technology that works according to a series of “if-then” statements. For example, if a customer asks about your hours, then you would tell them they are from 10-5, M-F. An AI chatbot relies on more complex technology, including machine learning, to have more human-like interactions with customers and provide more advanced solutions. 

How Chatbots Are Being Used for Marketing

Chatbots are often the first point of contact for potential customers or clients. They have become a common element found on websites, messaging platforms, and mobile apps, answering questions, offering assistance, or guiding visitors to their next step. 

A chatbot’s primary role is often to welcome visitors and steer them toward a specific action. 

Unlike one-way emails or static web pages, chatbots encourage interaction. They give people the ability to explore, ask questions, and take action on their own timeline and terms. Chatbot marketing is often used to guide and convert visitors through the sales funnel. These interactions might include:

• Asking visitors if they need assistance
• Offering support before someone leaves your site
• Recommending personalized products or content
• Capturing email addresses and other customer data
• Scheduling appointments for consultations

Why Your Business Should Consider Using a Chatbot

Chatbots have been around for quite a few years. They were originally effective marketing tools because having a “robot” available to interact with was something novel for people. However, some users wanted nothing to do with a chatbot simply because they weren’t dealing with a human being. 

Modern AI chatbots have become a key component to most digital marketing strategies because they solve challenges that traditional tools can’t. Some of the reasons your business should consider using a chatbot for marketing include:

1. Efficient Lead Generation and Qualification

Speed is vital when making connections with potential customers. Using AI chatbots, you have a resource available that can engage with visitors in real time and ask qualifying questions. You can also use chatbots to segment visitors based on their intent, such as offering them a discount or a free download. 

2. Personalized Engagement Via Automation

Having the right tool in your marketing arsenal can help you deliver the personalized experience many consumers appreciate. Whether it’s a long-time customer or a first-time visitor, a chatbot can access things like browsing or purchase history to offer helpful guidance in many different areas. 

3. Around the Clock Customer Support

Microsoft reports that callers spend an average of over 14 minutes on hold, which is rarely considered a positive experience. In fact, 55% of consumers would rather interact with a chatbot than wait for a live agent. One of the top benefits of chatbots is they can work 24/7 for your business. 

4. Valuable Customer Insights

AI chatbots not only interact with your visitors, but they also collect valuable data you can use to improve your marketing and business strategy. The questions people ask and the answers the provide can allow your business to spot industry trends or potential challenges and learn more about your audience’s preferences.

5. Streamline Appointment Scheduling & Reminders

Chatbots have become so advanced that they can now perform many functions that previously required a lot of time and effort. For example, a chatbot can book an appointment for a consultation with your business if the visitor qualifies. It can also send automated reminders to the customer, which can reduce no-shows. 

Elements of a Successful Chatbot Marketing Strategy

If you want your marketing strategy to product results, you need a well-informed and structured approach. Deploying an AI chatbot for marketing can feel intimidating if you’ve never used the technology before. Here are a few steps to you started:

1. Define Your Chatbot Marketing Goals

Clearly define what you wish to achieve with your chatbot. Your goals should be specific, such as boosting brand awareness, gaining new customers, streamlining customer service, collecting useful insights, or something else. 

2. Choose a Chatbot Provider

Most businesses will start by integrating a chatbot on their websites. You’ll want to choose a chatbot provider that integrates with your existing CRM, offers the customization you need, and has AI capabilities. 

3. Build the Message Flow

Most of the work in creating a chatbot is in defining the message flow. This is where you specify how a visitor will move through their journey as well as what responses you want the chatbot to give to specific inquiries. 

4. Establish Voice and Tone

Make sure your marketing chatbot sounds like your brand. Whether that’s professional, casual, direct, or friendly, it shouldn’t have a voice and tone that competes with what you’ve established. Instead, it should be consistent to build trust. 

5. Test and Refine 

No matter how well you design your chatbot, it will likely need a few adjustments. Test it thoroughly before launching it and continue to refine it over time. 

Contact Too Darn Loud Marketing to Learn More About Using Chatbots

If you want to learn more about using chatbots to connect with your target audience, we can help. Too Darn Loud Marketing is a full-service digital marketing agency that helps businesses throughout the United States get more leads and boost overall results. We offer a full suite of online marketing services, including website design, SEO, engaging content, and chatbot marketing. 

Our digital marketing specialists will review your website and learn as much as possible about your business before customizing a solution designed to produce the best possible results. Call us today at (800) 649-1764 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation and website evaluation.