holiday chat marketing - clicks and clients

I guess I inadvertently created a holiday marketing series. Chatbots are becoming more of a necessity for businesses, especially during the holiday season. 

What is chat marketing?

Chat marketing is a type of marketing that uses chatbots. A chatbot is a type of software that enables companies to simulate conversations with their consumers. It can be hard and tedious to reply to each individual comment or send out a promotion to each consumer on your list. You may not know it, but you have probably engaged with a chatbot before. Here are some examples:

  • Hi there! Thank you for stopping by today! Let us know how we did with this survey.
  • Hi! Your reservation is now ready!
  • Hello! Thank you for considering us for your personal loan. Can you tell me about the conditions of the loan?
  • Sorry, this action cannot be completed like this. Please reach out to a representative for additional questions. Here is the number.

How do I use it?

It can be used on any messaging platform. This includes email, text, Facebook Messenger, direct messaging, comments and many more. I listed some examples above about how you may have spotted it in the past. But, his guide is tailored to the upcoming holiday season. Here are a couple of ways you could utilize chat marketing.

  1. Text: This is a voluntary form of marketing. When customers give their numbers, they are essentially consenting to updates. Text is also a great way to engage with a customer post-transaction. This makes the shopping process less overwhelming.
    1. Ex. We value your experience with us. To say thanks, we would like to offer you an exclusive 15% off of any sale items on Black Friday.
    2. Ex. We saw that you purchased the 3 pc Ceramic Plate Set. Great choice! Thank you for shopping with us! Stay tuned for more upcoming Christmas sales
  2. Messenger or Direct Messaging: This is one of the best ways to interact with your consumer in a fast and ordered manner. This can be used for everyday to limit the amount of answerable questions causing higher volumes for phone calls. For the holidays, this is the best way to organize potential questions and concerns. 
    1. Ex. Hi! I understand that you would like to report an issue with your string lights. Send a picture so we can take a look at it. Once you have sent it, you will receive an email with further instructions.
    2. Ex. Hello! We know that receiving gifts is of utmost priority at this time of year. Standard shipping will take place between 5-7 days. If you are a premium member, your items will be shipped between 2-3 days. If you would like to know the progress of your package, please type in your account number.

These are just some of the ways that you can utilize chat marketing. Remember, that being creative and useful are very important. The consumer should feel intrigued to open the text or message. But, it should also be useful to them. The consumer should feel as if they haven’t wasted time on a software. After all, the point is to be more efficient than directly calling a representative. I would highly advise you all to revise your responses. Make your responses more festive and all-encompassing. Take the stress off this season by using chat marketing.