Chatbots have been around for years in the form of automated phone answering systems and online chat features for websites, but now they have arrived for Facebook Messenger. Using chatbots as a Facebook Messenger automation system can help law firms respond quickly to general questions, which saves time and money — and allows you to focus on running your firm and serving your clients. They can also be used as part of your larger holistic marketing strategy, working in tandem with your content marketing initiatives and paid digital advertising tactics.
What Are Facebook Messenger Chatbots?
Chatbots on Facebook business pages automatically respond when people reach out through Messenger. This can help your law firm improve its customer service response time and free up employees who would otherwise be monitoring Messenger to focus on other tasks.
When a user types a keyword into Messenger, the chatbot interprets what they’re looking for and responds with the appropriate message. For example, if your law firm provides free consultations, you could create an auto response for “free consultations.” The chatbot would respond to the user with a direct link to a form fill for a consultation and even a message about what to bring to the meeting and what to expect.
Another option is to have a menu-based chatbot integrated within Facebook Messenger. With this system, the user doesn’t have to type a response in Messenger. When they click the “Message” button on your page, a Facebook Messenger window pops up with a pre-populated menu. You could include buttons such as office hours, links to helpful pages on your website or a call button that will put them in touch with someone at your firm directly. You can make this feature as simple or complicated as you like by including multiple paths depending on the sequence of buttons the user selects.
Chatbots as Marketing Tools
In addition to being a great way to cut down on Facebook Messenger response time and save your firm time and money, chatbots can also be an integral part of your overall marketing approach. Companies like MobileMonkey, ChatFuel, and Many Chat are producing Facebook Messenger chatbots with specific intentions to help companies grow their customer base and reach their customers more efficiently.
Here are three advantages of using Messenger Marketing.
1. High Engagement Rates
Due to the amount of spam or promotional emails most of us receive every day, people are more likely to open and read a message on Messenger than they are an email. According to a 2016 report from Statista, the average email open rates are between roughly 6% and 19%. Compare that to Facebook Messenger marketing where companies are receiving open rates of 80% or more.
2. A More Personable Approach
Traditional advertising channels (TV, radio, billboards, print, etc.) only offer one-way communication — the ads speak at you with no opportunity for two-way interaction. With Messenger marketing, however, you can speak directly to your potential clients through an app many of us use every day. This method of two-way communication between a prospect and a company is becoming the norm because it invites the potential client to take a more active role in the sale journey, which inspires consumer confidence and increases brand loyalty.
3. Combine Your Efforts With Facebook Advertising
Another advantage of Facebook Messenger marketing is that you can tap into the large Facebook Advertising network. For example, if your goal is to reach small business owners for your tax resolution law firm, you can use Facebook ads to target those business owners and prompt them with a Message button. Once they click that button, you can have your chatbot give them more information about your firm or provide them with a free ebook. The chatbot software can also collect their information, enabling you to reach out to them in the future with remarketing materials right in Facebook Messenger.
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Don’t Know Where to Start? LaFleur Can Help!
Taking full advantage of Facebook Messenger chatbots can be a daunting and time-consuming task, especially for someone who is trying to run a law firm and provide a great customer experience. LaFleur’s social media specialists can help you set and achieve your goals and also suggest innovative ways in which social media can augment your other marketing tactics.
If you are interested in learning more about Facebook Messenger chatbots and how they can help your firm reach its marketing goals, please contact us by completing this brief form or calling (888) 222-1512.
References
The Ultimate Guide To Messenger Marketing and Facebook Chatbots: https://blog.manychat.com/ultimate-guide-messenger-marketing-and-facebook-chatbots/
Hendrick, S. (2017, January 9). Social Media Examiner. Retrieved from https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-to-create-facebook-messenger-chatbot/