The Conversational Messaging Advantage: 6 Tips For Turning Chats into Conversions

With over 6.5 billion smartphones globally, mobile commerce is booming. But are you overlooking a powerful sales channel: messaging? By 2025, 80% of customer service teams plan to ditch their apps for messaging, according to Gartner. Why? Because that’s where customers are – constantly engaged in messaging.

While messaging is often seen as a customer support tool, it’s a goldmine for the entire customer journey. It goes beyond simple text exchanges. Advanced chatbots can engage prospects, answer questions, and even close sales. 85% of consumers want to message brands directly.

Today’s messaging platforms offer seamless integration with your omnichannel strategy, allowing you to connect with customers on their preferred platforms. Many competitors still need to embrace messaging as a sales channel fully. This presents a unique opportunity to differentiate yourself, provide exceptional customer service, and capture additional revenue.

The Messaging Revolution: Transforming Customer Engagement and Sales

The e-commerce landscape is constantly evolving, and the power of conversational messaging is rising to the forefront. By combining an engaging customer experience with the convenience of online shopping, messaging unlocks a new way for businesses to connect with customers and drive sales.

Meeting Customers Where They Are: The Power of Mobile Messaging

The modern consumer lives a mobile-first life. Today, smartphones are more than just communication devices; they’re shopping companions. A 2020 study revealed that consumers dedicate over 4 hours daily to mobile devices. Nearly every phone supports IP messaging apps (like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger), and consumers are comfortable using them to connect with friends, family, and increasingly, businesses. This familiarity and convenience make messaging a natural channel for brands to engage customers.

The importance of mobile extends beyond app usage statistics. A 2020 study found that 66% of global shoppers consider mobile devices their primary shopping tool. With this shift in consumer behavior, integrating messaging into your mobile strategy becomes crucial. Messaging allows you to be present where your customers are, fostering trust and accessibility.

Beyond Clicks: Driving Conversions with Interactive Communication

Traditionally, clicking on an ad directed customers to a landing page or product page. However, static information may not address all their questions or concerns. Messaging platforms offer a dynamic solution. When an ad provides the option to initiate a conversation with your brand through a messaging app, customers can ask questions and receive personalized guidance – all within a familiar environment. This proactive approach eliminates the need for extensive browsing and brings them closer to a purchase decision.

Building Deeper Relationships Through Personalized Conversations

The true power of conversational messaging lies in its ability to foster deeper customer relationships. Unlike passive shopping experiences, like browsing a website, messaging is inherently interactive. Customers can engage in a two-way conversation, feeling heard and valued. This creates an active shopping experience, encouraging them to reach a purchase decision faster through real-time guidance.

Furthermore, messaging platforms can leverage customer data to deliver personalized content at scale. A 2020 study revealed that 61% of shoppers feel more connected to brands offering personalized experiences. Messaging allows you to deliver targeted recommendations, deals, and assistance, driving engagement and sales compared to a one-size-fits-all approach on websites or in-store.

Cultivating Customer Loyalty: A Channel for Repeat Business

Once customers discover the convenience of conducting business through familiar messaging apps, they’re likely to return. A 2020 study highlighted that 70% of shoppers are more likely to purchase from a company they can contact via messaging. Additionally, a 2021 study found that 68% of shoppers would revisit a store that offers in-chat payment options. By fostering loyalty and repeat business through messaging, you can increase your average customer lifetime value and maximize your acquisition ROI.

In conclusion, conversational messaging presents a revolutionary opportunity for businesses. This engaging and interactive platform allows you to meet customers where they are, provide personalized guidance, and build stronger relationships. Ultimately, messaging empowers you to drive conversions, cultivate loyalty, and unlock a new era of customer engagement.

Building a Winning Messaging Strategy: 6 Key Tips

While messaging holds immense potential for e-commerce, only 24% of global consumers surveyed in 2020 have actually purchased something directly through messaging. This gap highlights the need for a well-defined messaging strategy to bridge the gap between customer interaction and sales. Here are 6 crucial tips to set your business communication strategy for success in the age of messaging:

1. Define Your Goals and Metrics

Before diving in, establish clear objectives for your messaging efforts. What do you hope to achieve? Increased customer engagement? Higher conversion rates? Reduced cart abandonment? Focus on one or two key metrics to keep your team aligned and prioritize use cases effectively. This ensures your messaging strategy directly impacts your desired business outcomes.

2. Secure Customer Opt-in

Remember, trust is key. Before initiating communication with customers, obtain their explicit permission (opt-in) to receive messages. Be transparent about the types of content you’ll be sending, ensuring it aligns with their needs and interests. This helps avoid unwanted messages and positions your business communication as a valuable service, not spam.

3. Leverage Messaging for Order Communication

Messaging excels at keeping customers informed. Utilize it for order updates, receipts, and delivery notifications. These messages often get lost or ignored in crowded email inboxes. Using messaging as your primary channel keeps customers engaged with your brand and familiarizes them with interacting through their preferred messaging app, paving the way for future sales messages.

4. Prioritize the Human Touch

While chatbots can automate some communication, remember the importance of human interaction. Ensure customers have a seamless way to escalate conversations to a live agent when needed. Even if human support isn’t available 24/7, acknowledge receipt of messages and inform customers when an agent can assist them. This builds trust and prevents frustration from getting stuck in automated loops.

5. Embrace a Conversational Tone

Messaging thrives on a casual, conversational approach. Keep language clear and concise, catering to varying levels of comprehension. Don’t be afraid to use a friendly tone – it’s a conversation, not a formal brochure. For instance, use phrases like “How many would you like?” instead of “Enter quantity.” These subtle details personalize the experience and nurture stronger customer relationships.

6. Integrate for Seamless Communication

For an optimal experience, integrate your messaging platform with your existing business tools. This includes your CRM, e-commerce platform, customer communication platform, and marketing tools. By consolidating customer data across all touchpoints, you can leverage personalization to deliver targeted recommendations and address specific account inquiries, further enhancing your messaging strategy’s effectiveness.

By following these tips, you can craft a compelling messaging strategy that fosters trust, drives customer engagement, and ultimately unlocks the full potential of messaging for your business communication needs.

The Power of Messaging: Beyond Sales, It’s About Customer Experience

Customer experience is the cornerstone of any successful business strategy. While enabling commerce through messaging apps presents a new sales channel, its true value lies in delivering exceptional customer experiences. It’s about providing the service people want, where they want it.

This is the core principle behind every tip we’ve discussed. Whether it’s defining clear goals, prioritizing the human touch, or integrating your messaging platform, each element contributes to creating a seamless and engaging chat experience for the user.

Why prioritize customer experience?

Because happy, engaged customers are loyal customers. Focusing on their needs fosters positive interactions, keeping them coming back for more. They’ll be eager to connect with your brand through messaging, knowing they’ll receive personalized attention and efficient service.

Ready to unlock the power of conversational messaging for your business?

Gupshup, a leading provider of messaging APIs and customer engagement solutions, can help you transform your customer experience strategy. Our platform empowers businesses to leverage the power of messaging across the entire customer journey, from personalized recommendations to frictionless in-chat purchases. Contact Gupshup today and discover how conversational AI can revolutionize the way you connect with your customers!