AI-powered lead engagement can increase the odds that your salon grand opening is a smashing success. If you’re launching a new business or opening a second location, let AI automation work its magic. You have more than enough things to do.
What is an AI-powered automated lead engagement system?
AI-powered lead engagement software follows up via SMS with every lead that comes from any marketing form. This includes those on your website, Facebook page, Instagram site, Google Ad or any other landing page. Lead engagement software provides:
- Automated appointment scheduling: An AI system can automate appointment scheduling and confirmations. This frees up your staff to focus on other important tasks. (Keep in mind that ease of appointment booking can make or break your business.)
- Personalized marketing campaigns: The AI system can analyze customer data and behavior to personalize marketing campaigns and send targeted messages to encourage sign-ups and attendance at the grand opening.
- 24/7 customer support: The AI system can provide around-the-clock support, answering common questions and directing customers to the right information or staff member.
- Efficient follow-up: The AI system can automate follow-up messages and reminders to ensure that customers don’t forget about the grand opening and show up on time.
What to Know Before Choosing Lead Engagement Software
There are plenty of players in the automated lead engagement software market. However, few have advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) trained on millions of client conversations in the beauty industry. This is key because low-functioning systems can do more harm than good, putting your grand opening at risk – as well as ongoing business success. We discuss this in more detail ahead.
Lead Engagement as Part of Communications Platform
While your event will hopefully create a compelling first impression, consider that the online form and follow-up communications happen before that. Since they are an extension of your event and brand, it’s just as important to get them right.
Lead engagement is the first step in converting an interested prospect into a loyal salon customer. Because it typically takes more than one touchpoint for a prospect to book an appointment (research suggests at least eight), the form follow-up is early in the process. Even if your prospect heard about your salon through word-of-mouth before filling out a form, the marketing page and follow-up message would be the second and third touchpoints. That’s not enough to close most deals.
When a lead engagement tool is part of a customer communications platform, you can automate more than just the initial follow-up from the form fill. AI-powered customer communication software continues the interaction as it converses with clients and prospects through SMS. Vendors market them under various names including Virtual Receptionists, Virtual Assistants and Customer Experience platforms. In addition, some salon management systems have a communication component that include a chatbot or Interactive Voice Response (IVR) tool.
Advanced Artificial Intelligence vs Keyword-Based Chatbot
Salon management software vendors are typically not AI specialists. The chatbots included are often no better than off-the-shelf tools. A basic chatbot generally doesn’t recognize anything beyond simple keywords or phrases. More often than not, it can’t resolve the customer’s request such as booking an appointment or answering anything but the most basic questions. The inability to complete a common transaction understandably frustrates the caller.
A poor initial experience can tarnish your brand and prevent prospects from attending your grand opening or booking their first appointment. For a successful launch, don’t risk turning prospective clients off with a brittle chatbot that fails to deliver. Your customers’ communications experience is integral to their overall experience. You should give it the same consideration as the employees you hire, physical location, equipment, furniture, decor – and everything else that plays into your brand identity. Systems with advanced Artificial Intelligence converse naturally and personably with prospective clients, resolve their requests the majority of the time and set the stage for an engaging in-person experience when they walk in your doors and start interacting with your team.
The Ideal Salon Grand Opening Lead Engagement Solution
For the most powerful lead engagement software, look for a company built from the ground up on Artificial Intelligence-powered salon client communications. Furthermore, confirm that the software integrates with your salon management, booking or payment software.
The TrueLark customer experience platform fits the bill. These are a few of the key features:
Automated Reminders
TrueLark can send automated reminders to customers who have expressed interest in your salon’s services. These reminders can include special promotions, discounts, and other incentives to encourage them to attend the grand opening.
Immediate Engagement
TrueLark provides real-time support to customers who have questions or concerns about the grand opening. If the AI can resolve their request, TrueLark will flag the conversation as unresolved. In your TrueLark dashboard, you can see which prospects have requested a call back and follow-up to engage personally. TrueLark stores the SMS exchange and caller details, so you can step in with context.
Post-Event Follow-Up
After the grand opening, follow up with attendees to thank them for their attendance, collect feedback, and offer special promotions or discounts for future visits.
Omni Channel Experience
With our new Business Messenger feature, you can consolidate communications from multiple sources (SMS tools, contact center systems, social media DMs, multi-location platforms, etc.) in one smart inbox.
Analytics
Track the success of your grand opening campaign. This includes data on customer engagement, response rates, and conversions. Use this to refine future campaigns and ensure that they are as effective as possible.
Client Support
Our solution is backed by a team of AI specialists who help you customize the platform for your business processes as well as help solve any problems in a timely manner.
By using an AI-powered customer communications system like TrueLark, you can streamline your customer interactions, personalize your communications, and provide a better customer experience before, during and after your grand opening. This can help you build a strong customer base right out of the gate. We wish you success with your event!
To talk with a TrueLark specialist about AI-powered lead engagement for your salon grand opening, schedule a demo today.
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