Definition
A welcome message is the first automatic reply a person receives when they write to you: "Hi and welcome! Type PRICE for prices or SHIPPING for delivery." It does not answer the question; it points the way.
Two ways to send one
- Meta's instant reply (Meta Business Suite): the same fixed text to everyone who writes for the first time. Free, no trigger words.
- A keyword-based welcome (a BixoChat Direct Automation): a reply bound to greetings such as "hi" and "hello". With the Exactly trigger kind, only a message that is just a greeting gets the welcome (so add every greeting you actually see as its own trigger: "hi", "hello", "hey", "hiya"; capitals make no difference); "Hi, how much is it?" goes straight to the price automation.
Three rules for a good welcome
- Keep it short: a signpost, not the answer.
- Tell people which word gets them what ("Price", "Shipping", "Order").
- Send it with a 10 to 30 second reply delay, and do not require a follow.
Examples and setup: Instagram welcome message.