Getting quality traffic to your website is hard enough. Don’t let poor user experience hold back the visits-to-leads outcome. When properly setup and implemented, live chat can greatly improve lead metrics and brand experience. Here are the best practices:
- Have a good and convincing call-to-action. Communicating hot and trending topics are a eye catchers. Complicated products or services probably require a personal conversation. Or big purchases might have a financing offering to present.
- Be personal. Similar to banner blindness, just having the title say Chat is plain and will not provoke more engagement. Does your chat tool allow for “real” employee photos? Can it use other personalized standouts?
- Don’t force your user to provide their contact details before chatting! Live chats should be easy for users to get answers and solutions. On the other side, chats are an opportunity for businesses to qualify, up-sell and be helpful at the same time. Not all of your website traffic is new. Figuring out who your chatting to is just as important as to why they want to chat. It is cheaper to retain a customer than to find a new one to sell to.
- Missed chats can still positively impact you. If you offer real employee chats and there isn’t a one to take a chat, make sure you have a catch-all message. “Sorry we are chatting with another client, please leave your details so we can get right back to you within the business day.”
- Offer to chat 24/7. With the latest chat technology it is possible to have the tool mobile manned or automated to handle inquiries past normal business hours. Not all users can be engaged during normal hours. Review your analytics and see what days and times you can be most effective.