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Using Facebook Messenger chatbots for marketing and customer service

Marketing
Using Facebook Messenger chatbots for marketing and customer service

Many small businesses sent out email blasts for marketing today that ended up in spam folders or buried in the sheer volume of email that people get now. Aside from the fact that email blasts are bad for business, offering Facebook Messenger as a delivery option is a sure-fire way to avoid the spam box and reach people where they are.

Chances are you're familiar with using Messenger to chat with friends, but I'll bet you had no idea you can use it to communicate with your clients and prospects, too. Well, now you do.

You can even automate customer service and other types of communications! That's called a chatbot.

What's a chatbot? It's just a small program that automates specific tasks and can also act like a virtual assistant.

Why use Facebook Messenger for marketing?

As of February 1, 2017, Facebook has over 1.23 billion active daily users. I can assure you that your customers are some of those users, and it's easier to reach people where they already are.

  • Like text messaging, Messenger sends push notifications so your customers are alerted immediately to your message.
  • You can send important alerts or news, as well as subscription-based info.
  • Unlike text messaging, there's no charge to use Messenger.
  • You can automate certain messages to help your customers until you're able to reply personally.

Warning: do NOT use Messenger to spam people; it should only be used to add value.

Ok, so now that you know Messenger chatbots might be good for small business marketing and customer service, how in the heck can YOU use them?

Here are a few examples of how several types of businesses could use chatbots:

  • Any type of business: give people the option to get their newsletters through Messenger instead of email, or in addition to email.
  • Realtors and Real Estate Agents: send out information on new listings, price reductions, Open Houses, tips for selling your home, tips for buying a home – the list goes on and on.
  • Restaurants: send daily or weekly specials, promote events, offer discount codes, promote new additions to your menu.
  • Medical: send out daily health tips; automate FAQ's about location, hours, and other important information; send alerts about topics like flu season.
  • YMCA's and community centers: automate info like class times; send reminders of swim meets or practice; send alerts of weather closings.

contact Glerin on Facebook MessengerYou can see several samples in action on our Messenger; click here to reach us on Messenger, or scan our Messenger code at right.

If you haven't messaged us before you'll need to click “Get Started;” this lets Facebook know it's ok for us to message you back. After that, type in “samples” and we'll send you back several simple examples to view.

Using Facebook Messenger chatbots is one more automation tool that we've added to our already deep automation toolbox and I'm excited about the possibilities!

PS - If you'd like to get our weekly Insider marketing tips you can sign up by email, Messenger, or both. Each week we filter through all the marketing bull and share only the good stuff. Stuff you can use. Short, sweet, and to the point. Twice a month in your inbox.

 
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11-11
Web design & development for 11/11 Veteran Project. Our CEO is their Director of Strategy & uses their national platform and extensive network to help clients reach strategic business goals while supporting organizations that provide access to resources for veterans and their families.
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Print Design
print
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websites
edgewood website
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Mother Cluckers
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websites
lisa
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Websites
Colin
Website design and marketing automation services for NASCAR driver Colin Garrett.
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illustration
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VGA
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rebranding & website
south hill
Town of South Hill, Virginia, rebranding and web design.
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Social Media
social
When we were invited by Virginia's Department of Housing and Community Development to speak about marketing to Virginia Main Street Community directors from across the state, we needed something helpful to give them to take back to the office. Our Quicky Guide to Social Media ended up being quite a hit! This poster is different from anything we've ever seen: It has dry erase blocks to let the user jot notes for planning their social media. The poster is 11"x17" - large enough to accommodate the dry erase blocks but small enough to not take up too much of the user's office wall.
vineland website
websites
vineland website
Web design and development for Vineland Downtown Improvement District / Main Street Vineland, NJ. Part of a project awarded to VDID through a Branding & Digital Design Grant from Main Street New Jersey.
Branding
Branding
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New branding identity for Stand Up For Salem (New Jersey), a nonprofit that stimulates business opportunity, historic preservation and community growth through grassroots community development.
print
Print Design
print
This magazine won an Award of Merit for Communication from the Southern Economic Development Council. Virginia's Growth Alliance is geographically the largest economic development region in Virginia. They provide a printed quarterly quality of life magazine to prospects; the magazine is printed on glossy paper that is of the quality you would find on a magazine rack. A low-res version is also available for download on their website and for distribution on usb's.
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fact sheets
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vineland branding
Branding
vineland branding
New branding identity for Main Street Vineland, NJ / Downtown Vineland Improvement District, a group that promotes, enhances and revitalizes historic Landis Avenue as a thriving commercial district and community-gathering place for shoppers, residents and visitors. Part of a project awarded to VDID through a Branding & Digital Design Grant from Main Street New Jersey.

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