Smart Websites and Automated Conversations Can Help Ecommerce Businesses Make More Sales
Getting someone to your website is only the first step. What happens after they get there?
A visitor may have questions. They may not know which product is right for them. They may want to know about shipping, financing or availability. They may add something to their cart and leave. Or they may simply need a little help deciding what to do next.
Your website shouldn't make every visitor figure that out on their own.
Today, websites can do much more than display products and wait for someone to click Add to Cart.
They can help people find products, answer questions, collect leads, recommend the next step, book appointments, recover abandoned purchases and connect someone with a real person when needed.
That's what I mean when I talk about a smart website.
What Is a Smart Website?
Think about what happens when you walk into a store and talk to a good salesperson.
You might say: “I'm looking for something for dry skin.”
The salesperson doesn't point at every product in the store and tell you to figure it out.
They might ask:
- How sensitive is your skin?
- What have you already tried?
- Are you looking for a cleanser, moisturizer or complete routine?
Based on your answers, they can point you in the right direction.
Parts of that experience can now happen on a website.
For example, a skincare website could ask:
What are you trying to improve?
- Dryness
- Acne
- Dark spots
- Fine lines
Someone selects Dryness, and the website helps them find products related to that concern.
A pet store could start with: Who are you shopping for?
- Dog
- Cat
- Horse
Then ask what the customer needs help with.
That's very different from simply giving someone a navigation menu and expecting them to search through dozens or hundreds of products.
Your Website Doesn't Have to Do All of This by Itself
This is where tools like chatbots, email, SMS, push notifications and conversational automation can become part of the customer experience.
One tool I've worked with is @Manychat.
In layman's terms, ManyChat allows businesses to automate some of the conversations they have with potential customers through channels such as Instagram.
For example, you may have seen an Instagram post that says: “Comment GUIDE below and I'll send it to you.”
You comment GUIDE.
A message automatically appears in your Instagram DMs with the information or link you requested.
There doesn't necessarily have to be someone sitting behind the business's Instagram account waiting for your comment.
Automation can handle that part of the conversation. But that's only a simple example.
For an e-commerce business, these conversations can also be used to help someone discover a product, answer common questions, collect contact information, follow up with interested shoppers or direct someone back to the website.
I Was Talking About This With ManyChat's Co-Founder Back in 2021
Some of the conversations businesses are having today about smart websites, AI and automated customer experiences remind me of a conversation I had several years ago.
In 2021, I interviewed ManyChat co-founder and then @themikeyan about Instagram automation and abandoned carts.
At the time, we were primarily talking about rule based conversations.
That simply means: Someone does something > the system knows what to do next.
For example:
- Someone comments a specific word > send them a message.
- Someone selects a particular answer > take them down a specific path.
- Someone shows interest in a product > give them the appropriate next step.
We were creating the paths customers would follow based on their actions.
[LISTEN TO MANYCHAT INTERVIEW CLIP ABOVE]
In this clip, Mike and I specifically talk about Instagram and abandoned carts. The original article focused heavily on using email and Instagram to bring shoppers back after they left without completing their purchase.
Want to hear the entire conversation? email [email protected]
Rule Based Automation vs. AI
This is where things have gotten even more interesting.
Rule based automation and AI aren't necessarily the same thing.
With rule based automation, you decide what should happen.
Customer does A > system does B.
For example:
- Customer comments LINK > send the link.
- Customer chooses Dog > show dog products.
- Customer asks to schedule > provide the scheduling option.
Those paths are predetermined. AI can allow for a much more open conversation.
Instead of forcing someone to choose from a handful of predetermined answers, a visitor may be able to type a question in their own words.
The system can interpret what they're asking and determine an appropriate response or next step.
That starts getting much closer to having a salesperson available online. But that doesn't mean every conversation needs AI.
Sometimes you know exactly what you want someone to do next, and a simple automated path makes more sense.
The goal isn't to automate everything. The goal is to make it easier for the customer to move forward.
What Could This Look Like for an E-commerce Business?
Imagine someone arrives at your online store because they're interested in one of your products.
Instead of simply browsing, they could be given several ways to interact with the business.
They might:
- Find the right product - Answer a few questions and receive a recommendation based on what they're looking for.
- Ask a product question - Get an answer to a common question without having to search through the entire website.
- Join your email or SMS list - Give you permission to continue communicating with them even if they aren't ready to purchase today.
- Get notified when a product is back in stock - Instead of checking the website repeatedly, they can ask to be notified.
- Receive an abandoned cart reminder - If they start shopping but don't finish, your business has another opportunity to bring them back.
- Ask about financing or payment options - If price is keeping someone from purchasing, make it easy for them to learn about available options.
- Talk to a real person - Automation doesn't have to replace people. Sometimes its job should simply be recognizing when a customer needs a human and making that handoff easier.
This Isn't Just for E-commerce
The same idea applies to service businesses. I recently wrote about this in an Alignable group for contractors.
A contractor's website shouldn't only say: Call Us.
Think about why someone might be visiting.
- They may want an estimate.
- They may need to know if you service their area.
- They may want to see financing options.
- They may have photos of a project or problem they could send you.
So an HVAC, plumbing, roofing or electrical contractor could give visitors several ways to raise their hand:
- Request an estimate
- Upload project photos
- Check service availability
- Ask about financing
- Schedule an assessment
Now the website is doing more than displaying information. It's helping the visitor take the next step.
Start With the Questions Your Customers Already Ask
You don't have to start by shopping for AI software. Start with your customers.
Write down the questions people ask before they buy from you.
For an e-commerce business, those might include:
- Which product is right for me?
- What's the difference between these two products?
- When will my order arrive?
- Do you offer a subscription?
- Is this available in another size?
- Can I use this product for _____?
- Do you offer payment plans?
- When will this be back in stock?
Then look at your website. Can someone easily get those answers?
More importantly, what can they do after they get the answer?
That's where the opportunity is.
- Someone interested in an out of stock product should be able to request a notification.
- Someone unsure which product to buy should have a way to get help choosing.
- Someone interested but not ready to purchase should have a reason to give you their email or phone number.
- Someone with a question automation can't answer should have a clear path to a person.
Don't Forget About the Follow Up
This is one of the biggest missed opportunities I see. Someone visiting your website today doesn't necessarily mean they're buying today.
If 1,000 people visit your website and leave without purchasing or giving you any way to contact them, you're starting over with those people.
That's why your website shouldn't only be designed around the immediate sale.
Give interested visitors ways to stay connected.
That might include:
- SMS
- Push notifications
- Instagram conversations
- Back in stock notifications
- Abandoned cart messages
- Helpful resources
- Special offers
Now one website visit has the potential to become an ongoing relationship.
Getting Traffic Is Only Half the Job
I spend a lot of time talking about website traffic, search intent, SEO, content and getting the right people to a website. But traffic by itself doesn't generate revenue.
People do. Once someone reaches your website, ask yourself: What do I want this person to do next?
And don't assume the only answer is Buy Now. They may not be ready.
- Give them another way to raise their hand.
- Help them find what they need.
- Answer the question that's stopping them.
- Give them a reason to stay connected.
And when appropriate, make it easy for them to talk to a real person.
A smart website isn't smart because it uses AI.
It's smart because it helps people move from being visitors to taking the next step with your business.
This Clubhouse room was hosted under the Shopify 101 Club. The room was titled ManyChat CEO Talks Chatbots with Us (Q & A). You can find the complete audio of this room at MasteringPoP.com (membership required).
