Facebook Messenger marketing may sound like it’s a little bit too much. Something about ads in people’s inboxes. Such a turnoff. Well, not really. It all depends on how you do it.
Facebook Messenger has been the second most downloaded app on both iOS and Android for a while now. One of the fastest-growing ones too. That sounds like one thing. Traffic!
When you tap into these numbers, the next step is sales.
You need a theme with features that encourage visitors to buy. Download Debutify today, it’s the highest converting free Shopify theme.
Let’s take a look at how to use Facebook Messenger for e-commerce marketing:
Befriend The Bot
A Facebook Messenger bot is basically a tool you can give instructions on how to message people. It comes in the form of software. Like ManyChat. Or MobileMonkey. Find out the most common questions from customers. Set up the bot to answer them.
Throw in some extra customer care messages. Use the bot to collect leads. Like email, Facebook allows you to build a subscriber list for your messages. Check out this complete guide on the best bots for business.
Understand The Rules
You’ll only be able to send free promotional messages within 24 hours of a subscriber’s last response. Keep track of messages from subscribers. This helps you squeeze in some free communication.
That’s good for the budget. Outside of that, prepare to spend at least $0.02 for each subscriber reached. You can send non-promo messages outside the 24-hour window. Here’s the catch.
They have to be one of the following:
- An update reminding the customer about an event they said they would attend.
- A message about a customer’s order right after they’ve made a purchase.
- An update about the status of a customer's account.
- A 1-on-1 chat message with a customer in real-time.
Ask random customers questions. The aim is to get responses. These help you qualify to send free messages within a day. Slip in the offers. Even with a big budget for paid Facebook Ads, set some rules. Space your messages. Don’t blast customers back-to-back.
Set a response target. When you get a regular number of clicks, repeat the method used. Change topics often. The quickest way to get ignored is by sending the same thing over and over.
If all you have is one message, change its presentation. Use different product pictures. Rotate colors and fonts. With well-timed, better-looking messages, you can get over 20% of subscribers clicking. Have your store set up to make shopping easy for these visitors.
To have more of this Facebook traffic converted, use the right theme.
Set Some Automated Flows
Come up with a list of purchasing situations where the bot can be of help. Create a unique message for each one. Instruct the bot to send these out quickly.
Some examples of automated e-commerce flows are:
- Whenever a customer completes an order, send them a confirmation. Thank them. Include an invitation to look at other offers. If they respond, you can send more information.
- If a customer abandons a cart, have the bot send them a reminder a few hours late. Suggest a chance to look at other options.
- When a customer uses promo or discount codes, send a message a little later. Point them towards other discounts available.
- If a customer views a certain product’s page but doesn’t add to the cart, take note. Send them a reminder about that product later.
- If the site detects that a visitor is new, send them a welcome message. This should have a summary of the value you give.
Download the free Debutify theme to make your automated flows more effective using the various powerful add-ons it offers for Shopify stores.
Run A Loyalty Program
Ask a customer whether they want to join your loyalty rewards program. If they click, yes, have the 24-hour message ready. Don’t get carried away. Stick to the mission.
Send a request for the email address they used to buy from your store. When you receive it, tag them as a member. Award them some free bonus points. On to the order. As the customer places an order, give them a messenger link.
This contains the order number that is also stored within the bot tool. Send the customer an email to confirm the order. Once done, a customer who’s a member of the program will be awarded points. Thank them. Invite them to use the points.
The bot makes sure the order number is put on another list so it can’t be used to get points twice. It also connects with the website and sends a coupon code when the member has enough points.
Remove free shipping from items ordered with coupon codes. This may encourage members to shop more.
Give Customers Support
Go to the keyword automation feature. This helps you give it a list of words that usually appear in customers’ questions. Write a response for each. In some cases, you’ll need to set it up to ask another question first.
An example is when you have different delivery times for some products. The customer asks for the shipping duration. It asks “For which product?” This can simply be a yes/no answer where a customer is asked for a type.
The customer answers. It matches the keyword or answers to a stored response. A message is sent. Keywords can include “ship, international, discounts” etc. Have all the common ones covered? Keep track of what needs follow-up questions.
Facebook Messenger marketing for eCommerce stores isn’t as effective without a long subscriber list. Here’s how to grow it:
Hold A Giveaway
Download the chatbot conversation flow. Ask customers whether they want to join the giveaway. Those who click yes instantly become subscribers. Get their email. Pick a winner at random. You can use a randomizer for this.
Give them instructions on how to get the prize from the website. The rest can get a consolation coupon. As these people head to the site for their prizes, try to sell more to them. Use a theme with features that keep them looking around.
Download the free Debutify theme to turn these prize claimers into buyers for your Shopify store.
Add Live Chat
Have a live chat window on your store website. Give a button for someone to chat through their Facebook account. “Continue as Jeff”. Or whatever their Facebook name is. For it to draw more people in, use important suggestions.
Try the most commonly asked questions. “Get Delivery Time”, “Ask A Question” etc. One-click on any of these turns them into a subscriber. Connect each of these to a related page.
Make Live Videos
The important part here is the comment section. Let viewers know that they can get extra information sent to them when they comment. Once a person comments, they receive a message. That’s another subscriber added.
Ease the comment bit into the video. Don’t put it clearly in the post’s text. This may cause Facebook to limit the number of people seeing it.
You can make videos on how to use the store features. Even product unboxing. Tutorials. Announcements etc. Here is a nice checklist on how to make good Facebook Live videos.
Offer A Spin-To-Win Game
This is a fun way for store visitors to win prizes or discounts. Request for an email address. Then they can participate. Keep the gift a secret to draw people in. The trick is to give a Messenger chatbot link to winners.
This is how the prize is claimed. A click equals another subscriber. A trick similar to this is the gift card when adding to the cart. Put a checkbox next to the “Add to Cart” button labeled “Free gift on checkout”.
Those who check it become subscribers. It also helps you sell more.
Put Out Some Ads
Make ads with your best offers in them. A viewer who clicks gets a Facebook message. Thank them for showing interest. Display a button for claiming the offer.
This click gets you an extra subscriber. You can also retarget customers who haven’t bought in a while.
Conclusion
To use Facebook Messenger in your Facebook marketing, you have to break things down a bit. The most important part is to learn how to use the bot. Leave no gaps. People don’t want to chat with “someone” who isn’t helping.
Set up all those keywords. Know where you need to ask for more details and tune that too. Another part is the freebies. If you’re going to be in people’s inboxes this much, have something free to give.
Learn more about your customers. Which products do they like? How much do they spend? All this will help you know what to offer if you want to hook them. With the right freebies, they will be clicking on links to visit your site for them. This is your chance to get another sale. Make the entire process smooth.
Place some products nearby. Bring their attention to other things using the right features. Download Debutify, the top-performing Shopify theme for features that convert – it’s totally free!
Trisha Ballesteros