Conversational marketing platforms such as Drift are becoming increasingly popular to streamline the sales funnel and boost conversion rates. Chatbots are great for starting real-time conversations with prospects and routing qualified leads to the right representatives. Best of all, chatbots are available 24/7.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that solely integrating chatbots to your website won’t guarantee a sale or a new client. The quality of your conversations will determine your success. Every conversation should be personalized, engaging, and deliver a human experience. Here are a few tips to optimize your chatbot for successful lead generation:
Start a Meaningful Conversation
Beginning your conversation with “Hi, how can I help you?” is far too boring for a cool, intelligent chatbot. Studies from Drift have shown that generic openers convert only 1-3% of the time.
Chatbot conversations should flow just like any other human conversation. Start the conversation off with an intriguing statement or question that pertains to the landing page, white paper, or blog post that the prospect is currently viewing.
Many platforms even provide enriched data for contacts who engage with the chatbot such as their name, location, job title, and company. You can use this information to have a personalized conversation! For example, “Hey Mike! ? I see you’re checking out our pricing page. What service would you like to learn more about?”
Keep it Real
Chatbots should never be thought of as a replacement for sales reps or customer support. They can help move the sales process along, but it’s important that a live person monitors the conversation and assists as needed. According to Forrester Research, 44% of online consumers feel that having questions answered by a live person is one of the most important features a website can offer.
Giving prospects the option to speak with a representative will build trust and creditability from the very beginning. During work hours, a sales rep can jump right into the active conversation. After work hours, a team member’s calendar can be available for the prospect to schedule a call for a future date.
Don’t Give Up
So, a website visitor was interacting with your chatbot. It seemed like everything was moving in the right direction and then…nothing. They don’t want to schedule a call with your sales team. They don’t want to join your webinar. They don’t want to hear about your new product. They exit the chat.
Now what? If this happens all too often, you may need to reexamine the flow of your conversation. On the other hand, maybe they weren’t ready to pull the trigger just yet. If this is the case, don’t give up!
If you can’t secure a meeting right away, take the opportunity to direct your website visitor to other resources that may pique their interest. Providing links to case studies, videos, surveys, or infographics can demonstrate your company’s expertise and may influence them to reconsider scheduling a call to learn more.
Most importantly, ask for their email address! While they may be hesitant to set up a meeting, you still have a chance to get their contact information and reach out to them at a later date. In this scenario, keep it casual. For example, a simple “We’d love to stay in touch! What’s your email?” is sufficient. Prospects are more likely to hand over their contact information when there are no strings attached.
If you’re looking to improve your conversational marketing strategy, we can help! Let’s talk.