September 18, 2020 
Chatbots are the future of digital marketing, and the future is here. As the industry is still very young and open, there has never been a better time than now to get started with chatbots.
Chatbots have been available for a while but only recently became very popular, especially after Facebook Messenger Chatbots were introduced in 2016.
Since then, the number of businesses that have taken advantage of this innovation has increased.
There are now more than 300,000 Facebook Messenger bots in existence today. That is thousands of businesses that have discovered how important chatbots can be for your business.
Although there are businesses that have might have had a better head start than you, recent studies confirm only 1% of these bots are being used properly.
Chatbots being underused or overused is due to a lack of adequate knowledge before entering the industry and using chatbots from unrecognized and ineffective bot builders.
Credit to you for trying to know how to get started with chatbots first before plunging in. Remember, one important rule is that you must choose a very good chatbot builder.
Here are a few tips that will help you get started with chatbots:
Choose the Best Platform to Build your Bot
The first and most important step is choosing the right bot-builders. Choosing a very good builder for your bot is the best possible foundation for a successful experience.
You need the right kind of foundation for a beautiful bot experience. Zebrabuzz as well as some other bot builders can help you get started with chatbots in the smoothest of ways.
Besides the regular benefits chatbots offer, here are some additional advantages Zebrabuzz offers if you decide to use it:
- It can work perfectly well with almost any other platform. Whether you plan on using your chatbot for Facebook, Facebook Messenger, for websites, email marketing, or mobile app, you can.
- The chatbots are AI-Powered. Have you heard of the power of AI? They are brilliant and exactly what your business needs. However, if you prefer simpler bots, you’ve got it too.
- Theychatbots can integrate with the major payment systems available.
- Can take orders, book appointments, and provide appointment reminders to customers.
- Personalized advertisements for each category of your customers.
- Selling your products for you; this may be part of a regular chatbot’s functionalities, but Zebrabuzz has a way of increasing your revenue from product sales only by more than 50%.
Establish your Expectations and Goal
Some businesses do not enjoy chatbots because they did not set goals. Most people hear about chatbots and jump right in without carefully elucidating what they want from it.
To get started with chatbots, you need to establish your expectations and goals. Ask yourself questions like:
In what areas do I want this chatbot to improve?
What is the timeframe in which this improvement must be met?
Another reason why most chatbots fail today is because they are overloaded with features.
Yes, chatbots are intelligent and can turn your business around. However, it is wise to select only a few features that improve your business in the areas it is lacking.
Chatbots have well over 20 features and areas in which it can help. Analyze your business, find out the few places where you most need it, and focus more on those.
Quality trumps quantity every time. A chatbot that is a master of one or two features is better than one that does 5 – 10 half-heartedly.
Read: What Do We Need To Build A Chatbot
Give your Bot a Distinctive Name
Part of getting started with chatbots is giving your bot a unique name, one that stands out. A name like Siri is unique and easy to remember. Use the simple and unique logic to name your bot too.
A bot with a unique name will also ensure it is easy to find by customers when searched for.
Keep it Simple
There is no need to be complex for starters. Over time, when your business continues to grow, you can be a little bit dynamic, but first of all, start simple and small.
Let the scope of the chatbots be a little bit limited at first. The chatbot should only be able to solve the simplest of problems that customers may face.
To successfully do this, you will need to have a back-up human representative to handle the more complex stuff.
Let your Customers Meet your Bot first
To get started with chatbots, ensure you approach your users and customers with your bot.
One effective way to do this is by creating a very effective welcome message capable of catching and holding attention.
Also, use the welcome message to let your customers know what your business offers and how they can get each product or service.
Use Conversational Flow
Another way you can successfully get started with chatbots is by using conversational flows when conversing with your customers or selling a product.
By conversational flow, we mean making use of the normal every day of speaking.
Nevertheless, this does not imply using an overload of informal language, slang, or ambiguous statements.
By using simple, short, and easy-to-read language and making references to everyday occurrences, you will be able to use your bot effectively.
The best part about this is that Zebrabuzz bots combine natural language processing with machine learning and semantic comprehension to achieve it.
Evaluate and Optimise Bot Regularly
One big mistake most businesses make is thinking once a bot has been launched, that is the end. Do not make that same mistake.
Part of knowing how to get started with chatbots is to understand the need to evaluate and optimize it regularly.
You need to conduct checks, see how it has answered customer questions.
Do the customers find it helpful? How many questions was it unable to answer? What kinds of questions give them problems? Is it doing the job we built it to do?
These are some of the many questions you need to ask yourself when evaluating your chatbot. You then use the answers to optimize the bot.
Besides, as this technology is still new, more features are being developed and added. Therefore, you need to be abreast of the latest developments to ensure you are not out-dated.
A chatbot built right can work incredible wonders for your business. There is no better way to achieve all these than first taking the time to understand how to get started with chatbots. Use the above tips to milk the best capabilities from your bot and not forget to choose the right platform to build your bot.
