How to Boost Conversions with Live Chat

CPA website

Brian O'Connell, President

Your CPA website exists to bring in more clients – to convert prospects into paying customers.

Websites from CPA Site Solutions come loaded with thousands of pages of Ready-to-Go content, so that when a visitor comes to your site, they’re immediately impressed by your professionalism.

But some people want more than to just read about you. They want to get in there right away and ask questions. And they’re used to doing everything online – they’re not going to pick up the phone .

For those folks, you want Live Chat on your site.

Imagine that a potential client is looking around for a new accountant. They have a question they want answered immediately. They come to your site and see the Live Chat box – and within minutes, they’re chatting with a real accountant, all without picking up a phone or meeting in an office.

That sounds to me like an excellent way to convert a lead into a client.

What Kinds of Questions Do People Ask?

People want to know all kinds of things when they visit your site – questions like:

  • What are your rates?
  • What are your specialities?
  • How much experience do you have?
  • How long would it take you to complete my return?
  • Do you have time to take me on as a business client?

They also might have specific questions about their financial situation. It can be a bit time-consuming to answer these, but it’s a powerful way to demonstrate your professionalism and caring.

CPA website

The Meebo Me chat box.

Meebo

Meebo offers a free chat box widget called Meebo Me that you can put wherever you’d like on your website. Any visitor can click on the box and ask you a question.

If you’re not taking chats, simply adjust your status to “offline” and folks can leave a message.

To get the code for your Meebo Me chat box, visit the Meebo website.

If you’re a Gold or Platinum client, take advantage of our We Do It All for You service and ask us to add the code for you. Call us at 1-800-896-4500 or email support@cpasitesolutions.com.

Volusion

Volusion is another free live chat option.

Just like Meebo, Volusion gives you the option to change your status to “offline.”

One advantage of Volusion over Meebo is that it allows you to use your own image in the chat box rather than the stock photo.

Here’s an example of the Volusion chat box, on a Contact Us page:

CPA Website

This is what clients see when you insert the Volusion chat box on your site.

To download this free software, visit the Volusion site.

Again, if you’re a Gold or Platinum client, we help you situate the chat box wherever you’d like on your site. Just call 1-800-896-4500, or email support@cpasitesolutions.com.

Don’t Let a Prospect Slip Away

Your website is a valuable marketing tool. Extend its usefulness by impressing all the potential clients who visit, including those who want to make live contact right away – without picking up the phone.

Even if the chat option converts just two clients a year, it’s a worthwhile investment in time. And because the software is free, it’s certainly worth it in dollars.

If you have any questions about Live chat, let us know! 1-800-896-4500, or support@cpasitesolutions.com

Your CPA Website with Free Live Chat Increases Visitor Contact

Your CPA website needs to attract new visitors, but that is just step one. The next step is helping to ensure contact with your accounting firm is made. One of the tools freely available is the use of online chat. Another choice for free online chat is available that also allows for keeping track of all your instant messaging networks in one place.

CPA Website with Free Online Chat. Meebo.com offers the chance to add free online chat almost anywhere on your CPA website. Not only is Meebo.com free but you can create any number of different custom windows (widgets).

Free Online Chat from Meebo.com

Online chat allows someone visiting on your CPA website to send your firm an instant message. The message could be a quick question about what your accounting firm offers or where to go on your CPA website. Making communication this easy for any visitor increases the likelihood of future contact.

Create the Chat Window. After signing up, click on accounts, Meebo Me!, and then the “Add a New Widget” button. You name the chat window (widget), choose the size, click save and you are done.

Multiple Widgets. Create different widgets or chat windows to be added to different parts of your website. One could be named “Contact” and placed on your Contact Us or About Us page. Another could be named “Welcome” and be placed on your Welcome page. You then know, based on the widget name, where the visitor is located.

Add to Your CPA Website. Copy and paste the “Widget embed” and email it to support@cpasitesolutions.com. Be sure to mention where you want each widget to be located on your CPA website.

Keep Track on Desktop. An extra bonus can be had by adding the desktop application. You can then have the browser closed and still see when a visitor starts chatting on your CPA website.

IM All in One. You can also use Meebo.com to view all of your IM or social accounts. If you allow your Facebook and Twitter accounts, you can see all your activity in one place.

Do you ever use live chat yourself? Do you like having that feature available on websites? Send a comment and share with other readers.