If you’re working on the marketing strategy for your small business, you know that there are huge changes on the horizon that will change the game. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has moved out of the realm of science fiction into the everyday planning of your business. People are speaking to their phones and homes like they are living in a modern-day Star Trek. These changes are part of the drive and response to conversational marketing. Read on to learn more about ways you can leverage conversational marketing to drive sales and customer satisfaction.
Voice Search
Over half of all searches are now voice search. Whether people are using a smart speaker like Alexa or Google Assistant or using voice queries on their phones, voice search is continuing to do nothing but grow. Interestingly, the way people word voice searches and what they search for is different than a typed search. If you haven’t optimized your marketing to take advantage of this difference, consider turning to a pro like Eyal Gutentag to help you create a marketing strategy.
These vocal searches are conversational, often with more words and naturally asked as questions. They are also more localized. Unlike a typed search that might be for school or work research, voice searches are often off the cuff to answer a trivial question or to find a local business that can immediately provide what the customer is looking for.
Artificial Intelligence
AI can do so much for your business. It can track your trends, analyze your data, even buy your ads, but one of the most exciting innovations in AI is chatbots. Using natural speech and learning technology, even small businesses have the ability to provide around-the-clock support.
Maybe you have a knowledge base, but for many customers who aren’t tech-savvy, having to search out their own answers is not a positive customer experience. Chatbots create a conversation and allow your technology to guide customers through their most frequently asked questions. Most customers will never realize they aren’t speaking to a live person. Customer satisfaction goes up and your customer service team can focus on the questions that can’t be quickly and easily answered.
Conversational marketing moves at the speed people have come to expect for all of their interactions: fast. Even waiting for business hours, or a response to an email can decrease customer satisfaction. Think about the last time you had to send a customer request. Even if you get an immediate reply, it is generally just telling you that your request is received and not to respond to the email. It’s hardly an answer and provides no satisfaction.
The future of conversational marketing is nearly unlimited. Today a chatbot takes care of basic customer service, but soon it will be used to develop leads and provide ultra-personalized advertising tailored to each customer. As a small business, this technology may feel intimidating, or even unnecessary, after all, as a small business, isn’t one of the benefits personal interaction? Even with a small business, you can’t be there all the time. Don’t be afraid to do more research and reach out to those who can help you leverage this amazing technology for yourself.