Conversational marketing, to put it very simply, is the dialogue between the consumer and the brand. It allows capturing, engaging, and retaining the customer throughout their journey.

Technological advancements, the culture of data, and marketing automation strategies promote a more refined understanding of users. Thus, brands can address all their customers in a personalized manner, on the right channels, with the appropriate message. 

While automation has taken up a lot of space (chatbot, workflow, etc.), human interaction remains at the heart of conversations, notably due to the significant growth of messaging.

Listen to your customers

In order to implement effective conversational marketing strategies, it is crucial to listen to your customers, understand their requests, answer their questions, and identify gaps in the service. Indeed, thanks to the attention you give them, you will be able to streamline the customer journey by removing irritants, thus creating a seamless experience. To top it off, you may even imagine new services or content to enhance user satisfaction.

The goal for a brand is therefore to be present throughout the customer journey. A journey often fragmented where conversational marketing plays a crucial role both in terms of emotional connection to the brand and in performance. 

Interact on instant messaging

Social networks are used by more than half of the world's population  and they largely contribute to the creation of a conversation habit in the customer journey.

• French people spend an average of 1 hour and 42 minutes every day. 

• 62% of respondents stated that their interest in a brand or product increased after seeing it in Instagram stories.

Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp are now conversational hubs for customers who wish to interact with a brand. What could be simpler than contacting a brand via Messenger to ask for information about a product or an order? The consumers' desire for immediacy drives them to use instant messaging for quick responses.

This resurgence of private exchanges demands organization and adequate resource allocation to satisfy customers. Community managers must be experts of the brand they converse for and connected to the rest of the company to provide accurate responses in a timely manner. In this sense, they play an important role in the business relationship that the brand maintains with its consumers.

Example: The natural skincare brand Kerzon responds very quickly (even on weekends) to these private messages on Instagram. In less than an hour, while its payment module was not functioning, the brand was able to resolve the issue and ensure its potential orders thanks to its responsiveness on its conversational channels.

Example of a “customer service” conversation in private with a brand on Instagram

Automate part of the conversations

Humans are at the heart of conversational strategies, but nothing prevents automating certain responses or triggers. Thus, chat boxes that pop up after x minutes on a site or the recording of certain automatic responses to frequently asked questions favor customer satisfaction.

Message personalization is also essential. Automating does not mean dehumanizing. Adding a first name, signing a message, or taking control of the conversation when the machine cannot deliver a relevant message are all elements to consider when implementing marketing strategies. 

Example: Auvergne Tourism has recorded some automatic responses in Messenger. Upon clicking on “Message,” the user has the option to click on questions that appear in a list. An automatic response is then proposed along with a link to appropriate content that enriches the proposition. Nothing prevents the user from dialoguing with the tourist destination either.

Example of implementing automatic responses in Messenger

Create lasting connections

By providing answers and resolving issues, you take care of your reputation with your communities. A satisfied customer will be even more loyal.

• Make sure to write human responses (even if they are automated) and in accordance with your editorial line to homogenize your content.

• Provide reassurance elements during each exchange to minimize questioning, fears, and stress.

• Offer useful content to deepen the relationship.

Example: The French fashion brand Sezane provides reassurance elements following an order: cancellation, shipping information, etc. But it does not stop there. To create a stronger bond with its customer, it does not limit itself to a “classic” e-commerce process; it offers additional content aligned with its values: cheat sheets for properly caring for clothes and making them last longer:  https://www.sezane.com/fr/a-propos/guide-entretien

Example of reassurance elements and additional content to create a lasting link between a brand and a customer.

By integrating conversational logic into your marketing strategies, you streamline relationships between your brand and your customers, and this, over the long term.

“Think social.” This is somewhat the mantra around which the social media hub of Nouvelle Vague is structured. Discover our dedicated hub without further delay:   https://nouvellevague.fr/agence-communication/social-data-media/