4 hacks to create engagement with messaging

Over 2 billion messages are sent between customers and businesses every month. But what is the most effective and direct way to engage with your current community or gain new customers? We identified 4 ways to engage with your customers with messaging.

№1 Raising awareness for your brand with stickers and emojis within messaging

In 2016 more than 6 billion stickers and emojis were sent every day on mobile messaging apps worldwide. Brands like Starbucks, Disney and Sephora have created branded stickers and used them within messaging services like WhatsApp, WeChat or Line. Apple even used branded stickers as a theme for their latest advertising campaign called “sticker fight”. Watch the video here.

Why do people send stickers and what makes them so effective? People use emojis and stickers for the same reason they send photos in chat: imagery is a powerful communication tool, especially for conveying feelings. We respond to visual stimuli more engaged than we do to text and verbal stimuli. Using them within conversations with your customers provides a more intimate form of communication and can be personalised to a high degree.

№2 Enabling transactions via messaging

Let your customers pay directly within messaging apps. Not only is messaging evolving from private social conversations to business-customer communication, the whole transaction and payment process can also be done via messaging apps. LINE, WeChat, Whats App and Facebook offer payment via messenger. Facebook Messenger for example allows customers to connect Visa or MasterCard with their account. Afterwards users can easily transfer money to friends and businesses without paying fees. Meet your customers where they already are and deliver an unbeatable convenience.

№3 Acquiring new customers through messaging apps

The typical open rate for an email is 20%, the typical open rate for private messages is 98%. The average respond time to an email is 90 minutes. The average respond time to a message is 90 seconds. Do you need more reasons? Still, most important thing is to actually create a value for your customers. Instead of just spamming with information about your product or service, there are several creative and entertaining ways to acquire new customers through marketing via messaging apps. Read 5 examples of how other companies did it in this great example from Adespresso here.

№4 Delivering superior customer service via messaging

Giving your customers the possibility to easily reach your business via messaging not only gives options to raise awareness or acquire new customers but also makes communication more personal and convenient. To keep it efficient drive your first contact with chatbot integrations. With the help of chatbots workflows are manageable and your business can respond quickly to requests. Through the support of AI it is easier to help point your customers to the right information or helping them self-serve. It also allows your support agents to specifically concentrate on the issues that require a human touch.

But always keep in mind the whole nature of messaging: Personal contact. While chatbots can support quick replies to requests, there always needs to be personal interactions. We had a look at chances and limitations of chatbots here: link zu unserem anderen blog.

Note: This article was originally published on the Mesaic Blog.