3 Tips for Growing Your Email List Using Chatbots

Chatbots and email are often pitted against each other in articles on the most effective ways to capture leads and communicate with customers. But that shouldn't be the case. After all, an omnichannel strategy considers all possible channels customers might use to contact your business. Email and chat don't have to compete — they can collaborate.

A true omnichannel strategy uses integrations to provide a seamless, consistent experience across all channels. But we've discussed that extensively in another post. For now, let's take a look at how you can use a chatbot to grow your email list.

Require an email address to complete the chat

Chatbots are an effective tool not only for communicating with customers, but also for capturing and qualifying leads.

Set up your bot to capture an email address for every person who messages you. Not only does this add a new contact to your list, but it's also a clever backup plan in case the chat gets disconnected.

Notice we didn't say "require an email to start the chat." Which leads us to our next point.

Know when to ask for the email address

Let's paint a picture for you. Let's say you're window-shopping, so to speak, for new shoes online. You've consulted a search engine to find shoe stores near you.

You click the first link. You haven't been on the site for 3 seconds when a huge pop-up blocks the screen, urging you to subscribe to the newsletter.

What do you do?

If you're like most, you might grumble while clicking the "X" in the corner. (Even worse if the pop-up has a cheesy opt-out message like, "No thanks, I don't like comfortable footwear.")

This example might seem a little off-topic, but bear with us!

Why would you sign up for an email newsletter for a site you haven't even had time to browse? What are the chances that you're just going to hand over your email address for yet another newsletter when your inbox is already overflowing with promotions?

Those are the exact questions you need to consider when setting up your chatbot.

You don't want to start asking new site visitors that engage with your bot to divulge personal information when they've just landed on your site.

Give them time to learn about your business. Don't assume that they're interested in your services or even intending to buy from a single site visit.

A chatbot that asks for an email address immediately is no better than that annoying pop-up from our example. It turns customers off and makes them less likely to complete the chat. Wait until have a good idea of their needs and pain points to ask for their email address.

Make them an offer they can't refuse

It's no secret that many businesses both small and large add incentives to entice leads to subscribe. Whether it's exclusive discounts, educational content, or a downloadable like a PDF, make them an offer they can't refuse.

You can set up a bot on landing pages and relevant blog posts prompting visitors to subscribe to unlock your resource.

And there you have it — 3 easy ways to grow your email list with chatbots! Need some more ideas for using automated chat to grow your business? Check out this guest post on how chatbots help home service businesses scale faster and improve conversion.

Disclaimer: Consumer data protection laws vary by state and country. This post does not and is not intended to substitute legal advice regarding data protection laws. Check the data protection and privacy laws in your area.