Facebook Messenger bots are becoming a popular way to connect with customers and prospects primarily because it’s quick and automated, allowing you to focus on your marketing and client calls. It’s a very cool form of Artificial Intelligence but it is merely another avenue for connecting with your market, not a replacement of other tried and true marketing methods.
Take email marketing, for example. People complain all the time that their inboxes are inundated with emails and some do a bulk delete without even scanning a single message, just to open up some space for the important stuff. But according to recent research, 77% of consumers prefer to receive permission-based emails with promotional offers compared to direct mail, text, or social media. In the business-to-business market, email is the third most influential information source behind colleague recommendations and opinions of industry leaders.
In short, there is room for using both bots and email marketing. Consider it another gear in the marketing machine, meant to get your message out to your public. Relying on simply one marketing method will limit your reach whereas using multiple methods will expand your reach considerably.
Survey Your Target Market
If you’re questioning whether to add a Facebook Messenger Bot to your business, a quick solution is to ask those in your target market how they prefer to be contacted. You may find a good mix between both email and bot replies or you may be surprised that one form is much more popular.
You may also find that those who are not connected to their phones 24/7 prefer email communication because they can check it at their leisure. Maybe those who conduct business with their phones prefer the bot because they can read your offers quickly and make a speedy decision. You truly won’t know the minds of your market until you ask them.
Effective Writing Tips for Wooing Your Audience
Whether you’re using email or bots, your audience will respond kindly to your authenticity. Show your true personality; write your messages as though you’re speaking to your best friend. Casual talk is perfectly acceptable. Focus on one primary topic per message to avoid confusion. Always include alternate ways to contact you because some people just prefer to speak to a live person when they have questions.
For bot messages, make them short and to the point, especially since people will most likely view these on their phones. Make the messages and responses sound human, just like you’re talking to a friend. Chatbots are meant to drive the conversation forward. For example, if your customer asks a simple question about a product, your bot should ideally lead them toward the purchase while answering questions along the way.
The primary difference with email messages is the amount of details. Most consumers won’t want to read a novel in your email but if you’re making a limited time offer on a new product, they will want details before making a decision. Here you can give all the details in one communication as opposed to using a bot and going back and forth with the consumer.
Introduce a Bot to Your Business
In the end, both email and Facebook Messenger bots are beneficial marketing methods. They are meant to work together to reach different segments of your broad target market. Take some time to plan out how you can use each to help grow your business.
