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Last Tuesday at 10:47 PM, someone visited your website. They wanted to know if you could handle their project. They had their credit card ready. Your contact form said you’d get back to them “within 24 hours.”

They didn’t wait. They found your competitor, got an instant answer, and booked with them instead.

This isn’t a story. It’s happening to you right now, probably multiple times a week. You just don’t see it because these people never become customers.

Meanwhile, you’re answering the same questions over and over:

  • What are your hours?
  • How much does it cost?
  • Do you do [specific thing]?
  • Can I book an appointment?

Your team hates it. You hate it. But someone has to do it, right?

Wrong. A chatbot can handle this stuff while you sleep. And I’m going to show you exactly how to set one up today – not in 30 days, not after you “develop a strategy,” but today.

AI Chatbots for Small Business

Stop Researching and pick your tool right now

I’ve set up chatbots for 50+ small businesses. Here’s what actually works, not what looks good in demos.

If you’re a Local Business (Salons, Dentists, Contractors, Gyms)

Just use Tidio. Period.

  • Free for your first 50 conversations per month
  • After that, $29/month (cheaper than one hour of your time)
  • Takes 20 minutes to set up
  • Works with any website
  • Has appointment booking built in

Go to tidio.com, sign up, and come back here.

Or if your customers live on Facebook:

Use ManyChat instead. It’s free up to 1,000 contacts and your customers are already there anyway. Go to manychat.com.

If you run an online store

Still Tidio. It plugs right into Shopify and WooCommerce.

There’s a plugin in your store’s app section. Install it. Seriously, it takes 5 minutes.

If You’re B2B or Sell Expensive Stuff

Use Respond.io if you need serious lead qualification. It’s $79/month but worth it if your average sale is over $2,000.

Free for 100 conversations, then $79/month. Go to respond.io.

Or use HubSpot’s free chatbot if you already have HubSpot. It’s literally already in there, you just need to turn it on.

That’s it. Those are your options. Pick one based on what you do, not what has the most features. More features = more confusion.

Your 2 hour sprint to get this running

Forget everything else you’ve read about chatbots. Here’s what you’re actually going to do.

First 30 Minutes: Get it install on your website

If you have WordPress:

  1. Log into WordPress
  2. Click Plugins → Add New
  3. Search for “Tidio” (or whatever you picked)
  4. Click Install, then Activate
  5. Put in your email when it asks
  6. Done

If you have Shopify:

  1. Log into Shopify
  2. Go to Apps
  3. Search “Tidio Live Chat”
  4. Click Add App
  5. Done

If you have something else:

  1. Your chatbot tool will give you a piece of code
  2. Copy it
  3. Text your web guy: “Hey, can you add this code to the site before the closing body tag?”
  4. If you don’t have a web guy, look for “Custom Code” or “Footer” in your website settings and paste it there

That’s it. Your website now has a little chat bubble in the corner.

Next 60 Minutes: Make it Useful

Now we’re going to make your chatbot do ONE thing really well. Not ten things poorly. One thing.

What’s the one question people ask you ALL THE TIME?

For most businesses, it’s one of these:

  • What are your hours?
  • How much do you charge?
  • How do I book an appointment?
  • Do you do [specific service]?

Pick one. I’ll show you how to set it up.

Let’s say it’s “What are your hours?” Here’s what you do:

  1. Open your chatbot dashboard (Tidio, ManyChat, whatever)
  2. Look for “Chatbots” or “Automation” in the menu
  3. Click “Create New” or “Add Bot”
  4. You’ll see a blank canvas with boxes

Now here’s exactly what to type:

Box 1 (The Greeting):

Hey! Thanks for stopping by. I can help you with:

• Our hours and location

• Booking an appointment  

• General questions

What do you need?

Then add three buttons under that message:

  • Button 1: “What are your hours?”
  • Button 2: “Book appointment”
  • Button 3: “Talk to a person”

Box 2 (Connects to Button 1):

We're open:

Monday-Friday: 9am-6pm

Saturday: 10am-4pm  

Sunday: Closed

Want to schedule a visit?

Add two buttons:

  • “Yes, book now”
  • “No, just looking”

Box 3 (Connects to “Yes, book now”):

If you use Calendly or Acuity:

Perfect! Click here to see available times:

[Your booking link]

If you don't have online booking yet:

Great! What's your email? I'll have someone reach out to schedule.

(Then add an email field)

Box 4 (For “Talk to a person” button):

No problem! Someone from our team will be right with you.

While you wait, what's your question about?

(Then it transfers to you or your team)

That's your first chatbot. It's simple. It works. Save it and turn it on.

Last 30 Minutes: Test It Like a Customer Would

Open your website in a private/incognito window (this makes sure you see it like a new visitor).

Click the chat bubble. Try every button. Make sure:

  • The greeting shows up
  • All buttons work
  • Links go to the right place
  • It doesn’t say anything stupid

If something’s broken, go back and fix it. This shouldn’t take long.

Week 2: Add more stuff only if week 1 worked

Don’t add more until your first thing is working. I’m serious. Most people try to do everything at once and quit because it’s overwhelming.

After a week, look at your chatbot stats. How many conversations happened? Are people using it? Good.

Now add ONE more thing. Here are the best additions:

Option 1: Your Pricing

Add a button that says “Check pricing” and have it list your prices. Simple as that.

Our most popular options:

  • Basic Service: $99
  • Standard Service: $199  
  • Premium Service: $349

All include [whatever they include].

Want details on what’s different?

Option 2: FAQ Section

Look at your last 20 customer emails. What questions show up multiple times? Add those.

Example:

  • “Do you offer refunds?” → Yes, within 30 days
  • “Do you travel?” → Yes, within 50 miles
  • “What payment methods?” → Credit card, PayPal, Venmo

Add a button for each question. Easy.

Option 3: Lead Capture

If someone’s asking questions, they might be a good lead. Grab their email.

I can send you more detailed info about this!

What email should I use?

Then that email goes into your spreadsheet or CRM automatically. (You set this up in your chatbot’s integrations section – most connect to Google Sheets for free.)

What you’ll spend on this

Month 1: Probably Free

Most small businesses stay under 50-100 conversations in the first month. That’s free on Tidio, ManyChat, and most others.

Month 2-3: Still Maybe Free

If you’re getting more traffic, you might hit the limit. Then it’s $15-29/month depending on the tool.

After That: $29-99/month

Once you’re getting results and using it a lot, expect to pay $50-100/month. That’s still cheaper than paying someone to answer these questions.

Is it worth it?

If your chatbot saves you 2 hours per week, that’s 8 hours per month. What’s your time worth? Probably more than $100.

Plus you’re capturing leads at midnight that you’d never get otherwise. How much is one extra customer worth?

Take these templates and customize as needed

Greeting for Service Businesses:

Hi! I'm the virtual assistant for [Your Business Name].

I can help you:

✓ Check our availability  

✓ Learn about our services

✓ Answer quick questions

What can I help with?

After-Hours Auto-Response:

Thanks for reaching out! 

We're closed right now (it's [TIME]), but I can still help with:

• Booking an appointment for tomorrow

• Answering common questions

• Getting you a call back first thing

What works for you?

When Someone Asks About Pricing:

Happy to share! Our pricing is:

[Service 1]: Starting at $[X]

[Service 2]: Starting at $[X]  

[Service 3]: Starting at $[X]

Exact price depends on [whatever it depends on].

Want a custom quote? Takes 2 minutes.

Passing to a Human:

Got it - let me get someone who can help with that.

Quick question while you wait: what's this about?

(We'll respond in under 5 minutes during business hours)

Just swap in your details and use these. They work.

Your Monday Morning Checklist

Open your chatbot dashboard and look at these three things:

  • How many conversations happened?
    • Week 1: Probably 10-30
    • Week 4: Probably 50-100
    • If it’s zero, something’s wrong (is it actually showing up on your site?)
  • What are people asking about?
    • Read 5-10 conversations
    • See what questions keep coming up
    • Add those to your bot
  • How many people are asking for a human?
    • If it’s everyone, your bot isn’t helpful enough
    • If it’s nobody, you might be making it too hard to reach you
    • Aim for about 30-40% of people being happy with just the bot

That’s it. Takes 10 minutes.

Once a month, update any info that changed (hours, prices, services).

Common issues and their fixes

“Nobody’s using it.”

Check if it’s actually visible. Go to your website. Do you see the chat bubble? No? Then nobody else does either.

Make it bigger. Change the color. Add a little “Need help?” message that pops up after 10 seconds.

“Everyone immediately clicks ‘Talk to a person.'”

Your greeting probably isn’t clear about what the bot can actually do. Rewrite it to be specific:

Bad: “Hi! How can I help?”
Good: “Hi! I can check our schedule and answer questions about pricing. What do you need?”

“People are asking questions the bot can’t answer.”

Good! Read those conversations. Add those questions to your bot. Do this every week for a month and you’ll cover 80% of what people ask.

“The bot is giving wrong information.”

Go update it right now. This takes 2 minutes. Just edit the response.

“It’s not capturing any leads.”

You’re probably not asking for their contact info. Add an email field somewhere logical, like after they ask about pricing or services.

The results you will see after doing this

Week 1:
Your phone rings less. You get a few emails from the chatbot. It feels weird.

Week 2:
You stop thinking about it. It’s just… there, working.

Month 2:
You check the stats and realize it’s handled 150 conversations. That’s 150 times you didn’t have to type “We’re open Monday-Friday 9-6.”

Month 3:
Someone books an appointment at 11 PM. You wake up to a new customer. This happens weekly now.

Month 6:
You can’t imagine not having it. It feels like having an extra team member who works 24/7 and never complains.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does this really cost per month?

Most small businesses pay $0-29/month in the first few months. Tidio is free up to 50 conversations/month, then $29/month. ManyChat is free up to 1,000 contacts. After you’re getting good traffic, expect $50-100/month – still cheaper than paying someone for even 2 hours of answering repetitive questions.

How long does it actually take to set up a chatbot?

About 2 hours total for your first basic setup. 30 minutes to install it on your website, 1 hour to create your first conversation flow, and 30 minutes to test everything. You don’t need to know how to code – modern chatbot tools like Tidio and ManyChat use visual builders with drag-and-drop boxes and buttons.

What if someone asks a question the bot can’t answer?

You set up a “Talk to a person” button that transfers the conversation to you or your team via email, SMS, or your dashboard. You can also have the bot collect their question and contact info so you can follow up. The goal is for the bot to handle 60-70% of questions, not all of them.

How do I know if it’s actually working?

Check these metrics weekly: number of conversations, most common questions being asked, and how many people request a human vs. get answered by the bot. Most tools give you a simple dashboard with these stats. If nobody’s using it, make it more visible by changing the color, making it larger, or adding a pop-up after 10 seconds.

Will a chatbot make my business look cheap or impersonal?

No. It makes you look responsive and professional. Customers prefer instant answers at 11 PM over waiting until tomorrow for an email reply. You’re not replacing human interaction – you’re handling “What are your hours?” so you can spend quality time on customers who need actual help.

Can it book appointments and capture leads automatically?

Yes. If you connect it to scheduling tools like Calendly, Acuity, or Google Calendar, the bot can provide booking links or embed your calendar right in the chat. For leads, you can have the bot ask for emails after someone inquires about pricing or services, and that information automatically goes to your spreadsheet or CRM.

How often do I need to update it?

Check conversations every Monday (takes 10 minutes) to see what people are asking. Add new questions to your bot based on what comes up. Update your bot monthly when prices, hours, or services change. It’s less maintenance than updating your voicemail, and you control every single message it sends.

Stop Reading and Go Do It

Here’s what you’re going to do right now:

  1. Pick a tool (I recommend Tidio for most people)
  2. Sign up and install it (30 minutes max)
  3. Add ONE simple conversation flow (another 30 minutes)
  4. Test it
  5. Turn it on

That’s it. You’re done. You now have a chatbot.

Next week, add one more thing. The week after, add another. In a month, you’ll have something really useful.

But only if you start today.

Go to tidio.com (or whatever tool you picked). I’ll be here when you’re done if you get stuck.

Don’t want to do this yourself? Let us build it for you. We’ll have it ready in a week and the price is probably lower than you’re thinking. Reach out and we’ll share what it looks like.

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