9 Proven Ways Chat Marketing Helps Increase Ecommerce Conversions
This is a guest post submitted by Jake Rheude from Red Stag Fulfillment.
If you‘re an entrepreneur who just started learning the ropes of digital marketing, you may have come across the practice of chat marketing.
It's the process of using real-time conversations to generate leads and drive sales. This is made possible by establishing two-way communication with your customers.
Doing so helps you build a meaningful relationship with your customers. You're also encouraging them to be loyal to your brand.
The best part? You can automate your chat marketing processes.
These days, there are many tools and APIs that allow you to automate connecting with your customers. And when done right, it'll enable you to expand your market reach. However, we understand that nothing beats genuine human interaction.
Why you should use chat marketing
Chat marketing allows companies to have two-way communication with their customers. It is also an excellent tool in turning prospects into loyal customers. After all, people will always require some bit of help when it comes to product suggestions.
For instance, a customer needs help on which product or package to choose, and they'll likely seek advice from you. Although they can get in touch through a customer support number or via email, they'll be more comfortable if a chat service is offered.
And when you work with one of the best fulfillment service companies, you can focus on connecting with your customers. Here's why:
- A large number of people are using chat applications on their devices. Therefore, it's easier to reach your audience where they are.
- Users don't have to wait for an email reply or even call support for their queries because chat will help visitors with their doubts.
- Users won't have difficulty reaching your business again. That's because they can quickly get in touch with you through the messaging application itself.
- It's easier for you to keep track of previous orders, queries, or customer purchases. That way, you can provide your customers with more personalized information.
- Most importantly, it provides your audience with a feeling that your business is always available to help them with their needs.
Now, let's walk you through nine ways how chat marketing can help increase ecommerce conversions:
1. Chat marketing allows you to be where your users are
Chances are, your users are already using messaging apps. One benefit of chat as to other types of social networks is that many users spend their time on various messaging applications.
Most of them spend 91% of their online time on messaging. Therefore, chat marketing allows you to be where your users are.
2. It minimizes response times
Customers will ask at least one or two questions before making a potential purchase when shopping.
Prospects can ask any question they like from any website page if you have a seamless chat option integrated into your site. They can ask about the product's material, inquire about a product out of stock, or some gift wrapping options for a particular purchase.
By responding promptly using the chat interface, prospects can immediately decide whether to buy from you or not. This can help boost your sales and conversion rate.
3. It makes your chat support more visible
It would be best if you also put in the effort to make your chat support more visible. Apart from placing the 'chat' link on the top corner of your site's header area, you should:
- Place a chat link on your product page's "Add to Cart" button.
- Put a prominent chat link on both your cart and checkout pages.
- Place chat invites on deep funnel pages like your product page and checkout page.
Remember that while people who visit your site will perceive most of your page, their focus area has only a width of two thumbnails. Therefore, your chat link has to be evident for it to be seen by visitors.
4. Chat marketing improves customer service
Providing excellent customer service is crucial in setting yourself apart from the competition. And doing so can help boost your conversion rate.
The reason why chat can boost conversions is pretty apparent. You can offer an immediate response to any questions they might have. Chat marketing enhances your business' performance and provides better client support.
Apart from that, a fast response time to customers can really warm up leads and quickens the whole sales cycle. The longer you make your customers wait, the closer you are to losing perspective leads.
5. Chat marketing lets you build brand loyalty
As we mentioned earlier, chat marketing cultivates customer relationships. It also helps improve the overall customer experience to improve brand loyalty.
By offering highly personalized experiences, it enhances customer loyalty.
In fact, after having a highly personalized experience from a brand, 44% of consumers say that they want to buy from a business again.
6. It makes sure you’re always in touch with your leads and customers
Chat marketing lets you reach your audience more effectively than any communication channel.
Getting in touch with leads through chat is a lot more comfortable in an easier and more automated way.
7. Chat marketing lets you make the most out of every campaign
Drive traffic from all sources from your website or app where your chat platform is available.
Use every possible campaign or channel to do chat marketing effectively.
For instance, you can:
- Embed your messenger chat on your site or app.
- Place a QR code wherever you can to drive more traffic to your messaging platform.
- Put your messaging platform ref link on your display ads, email signature, or even your blog posts.
- Take advantage of all platforms that you are active in. Then place the Messenger link, QR, or ref link to drive more users to your messaging platform.
8. Conversations are highly personalized
Data shows that 71% of consumers are frustrated with the impersonal shopping experience. Luckily, chat marketing gives your customers a more casual environment. Meaning, they can do your marketing as personalized as with one-on-one sales.
Through personalization, you can send the right messages to the right people at the right time. This allows you to build long-term relationships with customers.
In the same way, you'll gain insight from customer data and keep on enhancing your chats and messages. Additionally, you can maintain customer context because of previous chat history.
Chat marketing personalizes every step of the customer journey, from an ad click to make a purchase.
9. Chat marketing has high engagement rates
Chat marketing also keeps your visitors engaged in your platform by providing them with highly relevant answers. This can include an immediate response with the help of a chatbot or a media-rich knowledge base content.
Conclusion: is investing in chat marketing worth it?
As an entrepreneur, the best way to attract customers is to stand out from the rest of the competition. And this is where chat marketing could come in handy.
Whether you use a chatbot, hire live customer support, or do it manually, this method can help you build connections. And through those connections, you can reap the benefits listed above.
More than that, you are building a genuine and meaningful relationship with your customers. Doing so is achievable in two ways:
- You're ensuring that your customers will not be frustrated due to impersonal transactions.
- You're making it easy for them to stay loyal to your brand, resulting in high conversion and sales.
That said, now would be the ideal time to start implementing and improving your chat marketing tactics.
About the Author:
Jake Rheude is the Director of Marketing at Red Stag Fulfillment, an ecommerce fulfillment warehouse that was born out of ecommerce. He has years of experience in ecommerce and business development. In his free time, Jake enjoys reading about business and sharing his own experience with others.