Customer support staff is expensive and cumbersome.  But without them, how do you answer the call when your online visitors inquire?  Better yet, how do you convert your online visitors into prospects?  Since online traffic is useless without conversion, consider using a ChatBot to capture leads and convert them into solid prospects.

So what is a ChatBot and how does it work?  Read more to uncover what ChatBots are and how they are used on your website and social media pages.

Simple answer to “What is a ChatBot?”

A ChatBot is a chat app used to conduct online conversations using a messaging platform like Facebook Messenger.  It typically filters inquiries after starting the conversation.  And all of this happens prior to providing direct contact with an agent.ChatBots are fast and intuitive – they communicate well with your online visitors. And the responses they receive are short and easy to read. Most importantly, people like to use them, especially on Facebook!  So capitalize on that right away.  The more people get accustomed to using them, the less they will communicate using another means.

Now that you have an answer to “what is a ChatBot,” other questions quickly follow:

How do ChatBots capture leads?

What is a ChatBot script or conversation flow?

How do you install a ChatBot on your website?

Let’s answer these questions fast, so you can start using your ChatBot online to bring in leads.

How ChatBots capture and convert

ChatBots qualify leads before passing them along to a live agent to close the deal.  They do this by asking simple questions to place them in categories.  As an example, real estate professionals place prospects into two primary categories:  home buyer and home seller.  Then, additional questions determine their sub-categories, like:

Which area or region?

What is their budget or price?

What features are they looking for or selling?

Once your online visitors answer those questions, they become viable prospects.  Then, those prospects add to your list along with the answers appended to their name.  Most importantly, your agents have answers before their conversations begin.  This allows them to craft their conversation ahead of time.

ChatBots allow agents to focus on relationship building versus information gathering.  Building relationships is key to gaining customer loyalty.  And, you’ll gain more returning customers, referrals and net income in the process.

What is a ChatBot script?

A ChatBot script is a sequence of conversational messages.  To elaborate, the messages are crafted to capture user intention based on questions and responses.  This is called a “conversation flow.”

Conversation flow

To begin writing your conversation flow, carefully craft your initial message copy to capture their attention.  Include a simple question to begin the conversation.  In turn, this will categorize the lead, like buyer or seller in the previous example.

Responses and follow-ups

After your introduction is written, proceed by writing your responses to all the common answers you can think of.  Then, write your follow-up questions.  An example of a follow-up question is “which area would you like to search for a new home?”

Always write friendly responses to each of the questions that are answered.  Then, be sure to use their answer in each response, when possible.  Here’s a conversation flow that includes friendly responses that are tailored to their answer:

How to install a ChatBot on your website

Fortunately, RE-MEX-IMAGE specializes in ChatBots. That means, all you need to do is get your Facebook Messenger code.  First, create your Facebook business page if you don’t have one.  Then, on your Facebook business page, click “Settings” at the bottom on the left.  Next, click “Messaging” near the top on the left.  Scroll down – you’ll see an option like this:

Click Get Started to begin.  Then, click the Next button below “Add Messenger to Your Website.”  You’re now on slide one of three.  Now click the Next button two more times, to go to slide three of three.  Click on “add another domain” at the bottom of the big box in the upper left corner.   Add the domain URL (web address) there and enter it.  Lastly, hover over the big box on the right and click “Copy code to clipboard.”

Now you can provide the code to me, and I’ll put it on your website.  To do this yourself, click on “Chat Plugin reference” above the Finish button in the bottom right corner.  Click the Finish button to close the window.

Conversion

Converting visitors into viable prospects is the name-of-the-game.  And, a well-crafted ChatBot brings online conversion to your doorstep.  Now you have a good understanding of what a chatbot is and how it works.