According to a report, around 80% of the organizations will start using a chatbot by the year 2020 comes to an end. So, if you intend to grow and expand your organization, then consider using a chatbot for generating enough leads for your business. In this article, learn more about chatbots and how they are helpful in generating leads for your business.
What are chatbots?
Chatbots are essentially computer-based programs that are designed to simulate human conversation in a natural and effective manner. Users communicate with chatbots through voice or chat interface, similar to how they talk with real people. Chatbots are capable of interpreting and processing user’s phrases or words and providing pre-set answers instantly.
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They are designed for platforms such as Whatsapp, FB Messenger, Skype, Kik, Line and even a website. Similar to the regular applications, chatbots come with an application layer, APIs, a database as well as CUI.
In essence, chatbots are of three different types including:
A Rule-based chatbot: This is a simple chatbot and people use it for interaction by clicking on the buttons as well as using the pre-designed options. In order to provide relevant answers, these bots require one to make a couple of selections.
Independent chatbots: These chatbots use ML or Machine Learning which helps them to learn through user’s inputs as well as requests. ML is essentially the ability of the computer to learn through data, while recognizing patterns and deciding without the need for any human interference.
Chatbots Powered by AI: The AI-powered chatbots use Artificial Intelligence which make them capable of understanding free language. They come with a pre-defined flow which helps them to solve the problems of a user. They are capable of remembering the context in which a conversation is being made and they also understand the preferences of the users.
The Use and Benefits of Chatbots
Brands, across the globe have realized that with the help of chatbots, they can easily engage clients on the social media. This is precisely why today there are more than 300,000 chatbots that are being used on Facebook.
A study conducted by HubSpot revealed that nearly 71% of individuals look at using messaging apps for acquiring customer help. Thus, there’s no denying the fact that using chatbots, companies can utilize messengers for communicating with leads as well as clients on platforms that they prefer to use.
Companies that choose to implement a chatbot on their social media platforms are able to interact with more consumers and generate more leads via multiple avenues. Facebook, for instance, has more than two billion users, whereas Twitter has more than 350 million users who actively participate on these channels.
How Effective Are Chatbots for Generating Leads?
As already mentioned above, chatbots are an excellent option for brands that are looking to generate higher number of leads for their business. Below, check out how chatbots are ideal for lead generation.
1. Help in Gaining an Understanding of the Audience: In order to better sell to their customers, companies must understand their buying preferences and interests. With chatbots, this task becomes a lot easier. Chatbots make it convenient for businesses to understand their target audience. It helps them to collate information about the likes, dislikes, product interests etc. of consumers, which eventually facilitates higher lead engagement. Chatbots are capable of conducting surveys, asking questions when users interact with it. This helps to gain an idea about the best and worst performing products. For instance, an E-Commerce website can utilize a sale-based chatbot for increasing lead generation.
2. Audience Segmentation: Audience segmentation is the key to creating relevant content. It also helps businesses in implementing an effective lead generation strategy. Chatbots are capable of segmenting consumers on the basis of the data that they offer. It does the same using several factors such as interests, demographics, gender, age etc. Thus, businesses can use chatbots for nurturing their leads. If you feel that a certain set of consumers belong to a specific category, then you provide them with the product/solution that is ideal for them.
3. Relationship Building: Consumers stick to a brand if they trust it. This is exactly why almost every brand or business focuses on building customer relationship and trust. With chatbots, businesses can gain consumer trust by interacting with them on a regular basis. They engage consumers by providing them with instant support, which ultimately helps businesses in generating higher number of leads.
5. Replacing Forms: With chatbots, companies can replace forms and acquire all the relevant information about consumers. Consumers often find the form filling task both tedious and time-consuming. However, with chatbots this task can be easily replaced to generate higher leads. It asks users about age, demographics, phone, address and other vital things, thus eliminating the need for filling out any forms. Companies can later use this information to generate increased leads and sales for their business. Additionally, they can use this data to target the right set of consumers and sell better.
6. Educating Audience: Education has an integral role to play when it comes to generating more leads. In the absence of sufficient knowledge about any product, consumers won’t purchase it. However, a chatbot can make this task easier for companies. Organizations can use chatbots to inform and educate their target audience about their latest products and offerings. Users, on the other hand, can access this information to acquire relevant content or information about a brand, its products and services.
Conclusion
To sum up, organizations have understood that in the absence of an effective lead generation strategy, they can lose their potential customers. This would not only impact their cash flow but also impact the overall health of their business. With chatbots, brands can easily fulfill this objective and generate higher leads for their business. Chatbots make it convenient for businesses to engage with their customers anytime. In addition to this, they also provide instant service to consumers, thereby helping organizations to convert their potential clients into permanent customers.
