In this day and age of technology, customers want marketing to approach them on a human level. They no longer want to be talked at, instead, they want to be part of the conversation. Customers want companies to find them where they are (in a non-creepy way) and engage with them by offering something of real value.
You can do that with social media, but the social media with which to do it is evolving. It’s not just Facebook anymore–it’s Facebook Messenger.
Here are five ways that you can use Facebook Messenger to generate more sales and create loyal customers, one conversation at a time.
How to generate more sales with Facebook Messenger
1) Set Up a Chatbot
Facebook Messenger is about communication.
So, if you want to engage with your customers (which you do), it’s time to start speaking with them. Now I agree that nothing beats real human interaction and for the majority of small business owners, automation is not an absolute must. But outside of regular work hours or if there’s a peak in demand, a chatbot can be a very useful tool to provide information and route customer support, as well as sales inquiries to the right department.
Chatbots allow you to have an automated conversation with people who click on Facebook Messenger on your business page or your website. It uses a series of menus and keywords to guide them towards their desired result, eliminated pointless requests.
That way, you can engage with your customers but don’t need to keep a staff on the job 24/7.
You don’t need to be a programmer to create a chatbot either. Just use a tool like ManyChat, Mobile Monkey, Chatfuel or OnSequel. Our guide will use Chatfuel.
Building Your Chatbots
Start by setting up a Chatfuel account. Then, log into your Facebook account through Chatfuel and click the + sign to create a new bot.
You can choose to create a bot from scratch or use a template. Either way, you’ll need to name it. Then, click the red Create a Chatbot button.
From there, you can co
nnect the chatbot to your Facebook business page. Then, click Build to start building your chatbot.
From here, you can create the default card (message) that users will see when your chatbot opens in Messenger, along with other cards after it. You can also add buttons to prompt users to take a specific action, like getting a phone number or opening a new block (a new message).
Friendly Advice on Building Your Bot
Remember to keep your chatbot language simple and direct– no technical jargon, no overly complex responses, no complicated instructions, no Shakespearean English. You should also use guided responses (i.e. prompts with response options). Open-ended questions are difficult to code for.
However, make sure that you’re not pushy and that you make it clear from the start that the user is interacting with a bot that is there to help route their request to the right individual(s) within the company.
2) Messenger Ads
Messenger ads are more in line with tried-and-true methods of marketing. They can actually be quite effective if you do them properly.
There are two main types of Messenger ads:
- Sponsored messages
- Click-to-Messenger ads (which can be used in combination with a chatbot)
Sponsored messages appear directly in a user’s chat box, while click-to-Messenger ads are standard Facebook ads displayed in the user’s newsfeed which prompt them to open a dialogue in Messenger.
Start by logging into Facebook Ads Manager. Click the little green button that says Create.
It will then prompt you to select a marketing goal. Pick one that’s most relevant to your goal–don’t try to hit everything with one ad. From there, select an ad type. If you choose a sponsored message, you’ll have to put in what page the message is coming from.
Then, use Facebook’s ad targeting options to target your audience. Again, don’t try to hit everything and everyone with one ad. Focus instead on your target audience. Be specific enough that you could pick this person out of a crowd.
From there, you can select your ad placements. Messenger ads will pre-populate options based on your ad type, but you can customize them if you think they’ll better suit your needs.
The next step is selecting your budget. Facebook ad budgets are based on lifetime ad spend (i.e. the most money you want to spend on an ad for the entire campaign). You’ll input your bid per impressions or the number of people that view your ad.
After that, you’re ready to create and launch your ad. Let your marketing team spend a bit of time creating an ad that’s really worth your viewer’s time–something that provides real value.
Once your ad is live, your work isn’t done. You need to monitor and optimize it as time goes on. You may even need to tweak it to improve its performance.
3) Comment to Messenger Ads
Although this feature is still in Beta within ManyChat, it’s a great way to initiate a conversation with your audience and start building your Messenger subscribers list.
Start by creating a post on your page, it could be something very simple like asking a question with potential a), b), c) and d) answers listed. You can tell users to answer that question in the comments. Once this post is published (or scheduled to be posted), navigate to your ManyChat dashboard and click on Growth Tools in the menu on the left.
There are 4 growth tools included in all free ManyChat plans so if you’re already at 4 you will either need to upgrade to pro or delete one of your other growth tools. No biggie, you can always create more later.
Once that’s done, click on New Growth Tool and select Facebook Comments. You will then be prompted to select a post from your page that is either already posted or scheduled for a later date.
Follow the prompts in ManyChat to finish setting up your growth tool. It’s easy as pie.
The last step is to navigate to your Ads Manager and boosting that post for engagement. You can also do this directly from your page but I always recommend to use the Ads Manager as it provides more options for your ad.
Launch your ad, kick back and watch your subscribers list grow while you get an answer to a question you have always wanted to know the answer to. This could be asking people about food allergies, their preferences when it comes to products, brands or anything else!
4) Help Your Followers Find Relevant Content
You’ve got your chatbot and your ads. What comes next?
If you want to engage potential customers, it’s time to start delivering great content.
Most marketers choose to deliver content through email. That’s a mistake–Facebook Messenger has a far higher open rate. The logic is simple.
In this day and age of technology and instant gratification, users are lazy. They aren’t going to fill out an email form if they could get the same information right away through Facebook Messenger.
You can also add extra value for your customers by helping them find relevant content through Messenger. Let’s say, for example, that you’re a company specializing in makeup.
You can deliver great content through Messenger by sharing relevant articles through your chatbot.
The easiest way to go about this is by treating your chatbot as another element of content marketing. Selling isn’t your main objective–your objective is to drive users to your site. It’s the foot-in-the-door technique. If they’re willing to let you in the door for good content, they’re more willing to buy when you prove your value.
5) Engage with Empathy (And Free Stuff)
Empathy is a fantastic tool for a marketer. So is free stuff.
Which is why you should use both of them to engage with your visitors.
One involves showing your visitor that you’re connecting with them on a human level. The other offers a good morsel without any effort, which gives us an emotional charge and leads us to think the free thing is better than it actually is.
On both sides, you’re creating a relationship with your would-be customers. You’re building trust. You’re proving that you value them.
Your free stuff doesn’t need to be anything huge. A small taste of what you offer is perfect for the job. Think of it as offering a taste of a piece of chocolate before inviting a customer into your store.
If you’re a local storefront type of business, try offering your clients something free but having them come in to the store to pick it up. It’s a nice way to try to get foot traffic into your business and transitioning from online to face-to-face interactions.
Making the Most of Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger is just one of the many ways you can engage with your customers.
It’s unique because of its psychology–normally, when someone uses Messenger, they’re connecting with a person. That psychological connection can work to your brand’s advantage if you know how to use Messenger properly.
Always remember that your goal is not to sell to your customers, but to connect with them and provide value. Once you form a connection, the sales will follow.
Author: Konstantin is an entrepreneur and digital marketing expert based out of Montreal, Canada. He is the founder and CEO of TTBA Group, a digital marketing agency with a focus on data-driven marketing, as well as co-founder and president of WishBox.gift, an online experiential gift boutique. He has extensive experience in advertising, lead generation and marketing strategy in the B2B and B2C sectors. If you'd like to speak or connect with Konstantin you can do that via LinkedIn or email at \kosta@ttbagroup.com.
