Providing an authentic experience to every customer is more important than ever. There are many ways to make this a reality, but conversational marketing is exactly what can help you hit the nail on the head.
What is conversational marketing?
The term "conversational marketing" itself reveals what it's all about. It's about nurturing relationships with (potential) customers, in which dialogue plays a major role. The point is to fulfill your customers' needs as best as possible, and in the shortest possible time.
It is highly likely that every internet user has come across an example of conversational marketing at least once, especially in the past few years.
Companies are constantly trying to keep up with the ever-increasing expectations of their customers in order to survive in the business world. For this reason, many of them have implemented chatbot or live chat software on their websites and/or started communicating with customers through messaging apps.
Chatbot
You've probably heard a lot about chatbots, and how they're an indispensable part of the future of marketing and technology. You can find out more about what chatbots are and how they can improve your marketing strategy in our previous blog dedicated to this very topic.
Chatbots are essentially a simulation of a conversation. Although there is someone behind each chatbot who developed and implemented it, you are actually just having a kind of "dialogue" with a computer program.
However, these bots are designed to provide users with exactly the content they are looking for. This way, companies can save up to 30% on customer service costs. So, even though chatbots technically don't communicate with another human, they are still extremely popular marketing tools for improving the customer experience through conversation.
Live chat
Live chat is an increasingly popular way to quickly connect with customers/clients. Unlike lithuania phone number data chatbots, live chat connects you with a person, not a program.
Live chat is one of the favorite alternatives to email or phone communication because the response time is much shorter. Thanks to this, customers no longer have to wait for several days for a return email or waste time waiting on phone lines.
Additionally, for many people, phone conversations are an unpleasant experience, so live chat is a great option because it provides a more comfortable environment for communication.
Messaging apps
All those apps that people use on a daily basis to text each other, send funny stickers, or share cute pet videos can actually do wonders for your business. You can make the most of them to quickly and successfully reach customers and improve your marketing strategy.
You can think of chatbots as a hybrid between chatbots and live chat. On the one hand, they can be used to send automated notifications and offers, as well as AI-powered customer service. On the other hand, they can be used to provide customer support through real-time, face-to-face conversations.
Why is it important to “chat” with customers?
In the world of business and commerce, customer experience is a top priority. No matter what sector, the main goal is to provide customers/clients with a service that will make them completely satisfied. For example, a survey conducted by Oracle shows that 90% of respondents believe that their companies' primary focus is precisely on customer experience.
So, it's good for every business to invest effort in building quality relationships with customers and meeting their demands and expectations. One of the best ways to achieve this is through conversation, and through channels they are familiar with and enjoy using.
In fact , over two-thirds of consumers actually prefer to contact companies via chatbots or live chat rather than by phone or using forms. Additionally, 87% of customers feel frustrated if they have to go through several communication channels to get a final answer.
But it doesn't even take research to conclude that customers value your dedication to their wants and needs. With digital transformation truly taking off, it's understandable that customers expect companies to solve their dilemmas quickly and in a way that makes them feel valued.
The power of conversation
Now that we've covered the basics, let's get to the main question: what are the real benefits of conversational marketing? Is there tangible evidence of its importance for successful business?
There are a number of benefits to conversational marketing, both for customers and businesses. Let's first look at what this strategy means for customers.
Convenience: Customers have the ability to start a conversation with your company at a time and in a way that suits them. A chatbot provides them with automated solutions at any time of day or night, effectively becoming 24/7 support. If they opt for live chat or messaging apps, they will be connected to a company employee in real time. So, they can be sure that their problem will be resolved no matter what.
Immediacy: Conversational marketing tools generally guarantee that a customer's problem will be resolved quickly, and most often within a single communication channel. Namely, customer expectations have risen and patience has waned. Therefore, it is desirable for companies to give customers what they are looking for almost immediately.
Personalized solutions: The purpose of conversation is to provide solutions tailored to each individual customer, whether it's an AI-powered conversation or a communication with a company employee. Given the increasing importance of content personalization in the digital world, this is something worth keeping in mind.
Building customer relationships : Conversational marketing allows you to better connect with your customers. New customers will feel welcome and valued, and existing customers will remain loyal to your brand.