When deciphering trends and implementing strategy, marketers look everywhere for inspiration to get ahead of the curve.  

For example, during my recent work sabbatical in Northern Argentina, I observed local tour groups taking a personalized, conversational approach to their path to purchase. These small businesses prioritized immediate connections via WhatsApp or Instagram, rather than traditional website-driven interactions. 

This shift to conversational channels transformed their sales and booking processes (and my experience as a customer). My interactions with travel guide companies and their focus on converting conversation into revenue offer three valuable marketing lessons applicable across industries.

Lesson 1: Conversational marketing enables better recommendations

I landed in Salta without a real plan and no car. The mountains were calling to me, and I knew I needed to get up there. I looked up tour groups online, but it was difficult to differentiate on factors other than price. My Airbnb host recommended a local tour company. I visited the group’s website, which featured photos and embedded links to their Instagram and WhatsApp that opened a conversation. I was uncertain about the experience, but I messaged them on WhatsApp, sharing my travel dates and name.

The person on the other end introduced himself and began asking about the type of tour I wanted, my preferred travel style, and the purpose of my trip. I was surprised by the thoughtful nature of his questions. It felt genuine. We chatted for a few minutes and he suggested a unique itinerary based on my responses - joining a group traveling to the small village of Iruya in a Jeep. 

I would have never even thought of this type of tour on my own. He went on to explain more about the region, expressed why he thought I’d like it, and sent over a few photos of other groups on the tour.  

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Conversational messaging, I realized, helped him understand my needs, timeline, and budget. The guide's approach and information gathering helped me discover options with the support of an expert. The WhatsApp business verification made me feel safe in the channel and the immediate back and forth made me feel like I was planning an adventure with a friend - resulting in an easier sale.

I went from no plan to a booked adventure in a matter of minutes through the power of conversation. 

Lesson 2: Conversational marketing creates lasting relationships

The tour company reached out before my excursion, making sure I was comfortable. They sent over information about the driver and a checklist of items that I should make sure to bring. All of our communication was through WhatsApp and I could refer back to our conversation if I had any questions.  

The drive was breathtaking, the guide was informative and we made a few stops at viewpoints before arriving at the village.

A few hours later, back at my hostel, I received a message from the tour group asking for feedback about the trip. I sent over photos and told them about how our guide, who grew up in the area, shared stories that helped us understand the region from a personal perspective. I wished that we had more time for lunch at the village, and they said they’d take my feedback to the guide.

Looking back on the trip, I knew I’d recommend this group to another traveler because of the ease of communication. Conversational messaging combined with the authenticity of in-person experiences and the ease of digital communication to make an unforgettable experience. 

Lesson 3: Conversational marketing sets the stage for growth

I was incredibly impressed and inspired by the tour and tour company. Although it was being run by a handful of individuals, they were building a business based on engagement, strong buyer progression, and customer satisfaction. They tailored interactions based on individual preferences and behaviors and introduced visitors to their country on their own terms.

As a marketer, I thought of how they were actually facilitating the collection of customer data and insights. They just needed the right tools to allow them to scale their company ethos, which was based on ensuring customers and prospects felt valued when communicating with them. 

Combine the right use case with a powerful platform

Now that I’m back home, I am looking at my surroundings in a new way. Where is the potential for connection? Where are the moments for engagement? 

Conversational marketing revolutionizes the way companies connect and engage with customers. 53% of consumers are more likely to buy from a company that they can message directly (Kalera). The tour company understood the importance of building 1:1 conversations and, with the right resources, could easily scale their campaigns. 

Automation and AI bring the benefits of a human high-touch experience to high volumes. In addition, automated conversational marketing experiences improve the efficiency of the conversation by making it easier for customers to engage on their own time in their own way. 

The tour company’s entire conversational experience could be automated with Tildei. Here’s how: 

• The tour details and guide knowledge can be loaded into Tildei to train the AI. So when potential guests ask about specifics, the right details can be shared instantly. 
• Conversational campaigns can address each phase of the customer lifecycle that the company currently manages manually through multiple channels. For example, advertising QR codes at the airport at tourist destinations or letting potential customers know that they can  trigger conversations with the brand through specific keywords. Campaigns can include:
  • Discovery - through QR codes and customer initiated conversations
  • Consideration - for when I first asked about options 
  • Decision - for when I narrowed down my options and choose between the top few 
  • Pre-trip - giving me all of the tips and resources I needed to feel prepared and helping the tour company avoid any mishaps 
  • Post-trip - checking in, gathering feedback, and building loyalty 
• As customers ask different questions or new requests that veer from the intended campaign path, AI can support by providing answers and guidance while also ensuring customers don’t miss out on critical information from the campaign flow. 
• With automation these powerful conversations can happen at any time, whether someone is messaging in the middle of the night from a different time zone or while the guide is out with a group.

By implementing a conversational marketing platform with AI and automation, the tour company can also build on their current campaigns. 

To help prospects like me find the right trip, they could have triggered a quiz within WhatsApp and powered data-based customizations and recommendations. The quiz improves the speed of the back-and-forth conversation and the gamification increases engagement. 

Reviews are very important to their business and automated reminders to complete one would benefit their company. Bringing automation into their campaign, they could collect feedback through a form in WhatsApp and sync it directly into their review platform. Real-time customer conversations powered by automation and AI enable companies to build trust and foster strong relationships. 

Tildei’s conversational AI platform allows brands to easily set up conversational  marketing experiences at scale. The AI powered platform allows:

• Customers to initiate a personalized experience through keywords
• Marketers to direct customers to next best actions with no code required
• Marketers to sync customer data to their CDP, CRM, or marketing stack

There are so many places and channels to explore. Did inspiration strike? Learn how you can get started with conversational messaging.