Stop Blaming AI Agents for Low ROI If There’s No Traffic

(And of course, a RACI matrix because…consulting)

Two things can be true:

1. AI Agents need to show positive ROI and be additive to the business (like any other investment)
2. It doesn’t matter how great your AI Agent is if they get 3-5 chats per day

AI sales agents, like human sales associates, can only engage, nurture, and convert leads if they have the opportunity to do so. Imagine a mobile phone store where a skilled sales associate only has three walk-ins per day. You wouldn’t blame the associate for low sales; instead, you’d look at the lack of foot traffic as the root issue. Similarly, for an AI agent to deliver ROI, there must be a strategic effort to drive traffic to it.? WWWAAAYYYY too many pop-up AI consultants are railing on AI right now because they themselves have only been in the technology or digital transformation seat and not in revenue leadership. They themselves compare AI agents to adopting CRM or similar instead of thinking about it like a workforce (we need them to think in terms of OpEx not CapEx).??

Traffic, Not Talent Issues

AI agents are designed to convert visitors into customers. They can’t create leads out of thin air (worth noting, we are talking about inbound AI SDRs not outbound). For an AI agent to succeed, the marketing and business teams must work in tandem to ensure it has enough traffic to interact with and convert.

Spend a little $ for a lot of traffic: Without minor traffic (1,000+ at bats per month), an AI agent’s abilities are underutilized. In a physical store, you might run promotions or invest in better signage to increase foot traffic. Online, this means optimizing SEO, running paid ads, sharing the AI link widely, and more. The good news?? Your traffic doesn’t need to be nearly as qualified if you have an AI agent that can qualify and solution without a human stepping in. So, consider a few landing pages and let it rip, at a minimum you can get lots of voice of customer like observations and worst case it costs you nothing but the traffic (hundreds of dollars) to test.

AI Agents as Sales Enablers: AI agents are incredibly skilled at engaging and nurturing prospective customers, answering questions, and guiding them toward purchases but that doesn’t need to be limited to your website.? A quick list of where agents could go:?

1. Homepage Chat: Embed directly into the homepage chat feature (WordPress, Webflow, etc.)- Example: https://luca.ai/ or https://www.robopgh.org/ in the traditional bottom right. You can also embed this in a top banner format: https://www.classcommunity.org.?
2. Landing Pages: Add the URL or iFrame to specific landing pages for tailored engagement. Example: https://www.myrevea.com/hyperpigmentation-ai/?
3. Linktree: Place the URL in Linktree, which is used widely for social media bio links.
4. Social Media Bios: Deploy your Skilly URL in your social media bios (LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook).
5. Email Signatures: Insert the Skilly URL in your email signature for quick access. You might link it with a phrase like “Not ready for a meeting but want answers?? Chat with [Your Skilly Name] now.”
6. Pop-Ups and Modals: Include the iFrame in pop-up chat boxes across your website.
7. Event Registration Pages: Include the Skilly URL on sign-up pages for your upcoming events.
8. Product Pages: Add the iFrame to product-specific pages to provide relevant sales info.
9. Thank You Pages: Embed the chat on thank you pages after form submissions to upsell.
10. Customer Portals: Deploy in a customer login portal to assist users with real-time queries.
11. Help Centers/Knowledge Bases: Embed the iFrame in FAQ or Help sections for instant support.
12. Webinars and Virtual Events: Place the URL in webinar platforms for real-time interaction.
13. QR Codes: Create a QR code linked to the URL for printed marketing materials, trade show booths, and others
14. Mobile Apps: Use the URL within your app as a support or sales tool.
15. Ecommerce Checkouts: Add the iFrame at checkout pages for product recommendations.
16. Pop-Over Banners: Use in header or footer pop-over banners to catch attention.
17. Ad Campaigns: Link the URL within online ad campaigns (Google Ads, Facebook Ads).
18. Blog Posts: Deploy the URL in the sidebar or at the bottom of blog posts.
19. Pricing Pages: Embed the iFrame in pricing or subscription pages to assist with queries.
20. Online Directories: Place the URL in online directories or resource pages for added exposure.
21. Client Portfolios: Feature the iFrame in client portfolio sections to demonstrate interactive features.
22. Membership Sites: Integrate the URL within a gated membership section.
23. White Papers or Case Studies: Include the URL at the end of downloadable content to continue the conversation.
24. Industry Forums: Share the URL in your industry’s discussion forums or community groups.
25. Influencer Partnerships: Collaborate with influencers and embed the URL on their platforms.
26. Affiliate Sites: Integrate the URL within affiliate partner sites for expanded reach.
27. Physical Store Kiosks: Embed the URL or chat interface on in-store kiosks for real-time assistance.
28. Event Booths: Deploy the URL on tablets or screens at trade shows or conferences.
29. Customer Feedback Forms: Include the AI chat in feedback or survey pages for immediate follow-up.

Not sure who should do what?? Here’s a RACI Matrix: Assigning Responsibility for Traffic vs. Closing Sales

(This is an oversimplification and likely not EXACTLY what your org does but hoping you get the idea)

For AI to deliver real ROI, it’s essential to have a steady stream of traffic. Without traffic, even the best AI agent is like a world-class salesperson in an empty store. Need help driving traffic?? Reach out to our friends at corkboard concepts or even better, talk to their AI Tack - they can help get you sorted.

We can’t take the pressure off of AI to deliver measurable and tangible results but we have to run this experiment like others where we are TRYING TO SUCCEED not superficially eliminate a once-in-two-decades breakthrough just because it doesn’t immediately work seamlessly with a legacy organization.?

Now, that’s maybe where consultants could help (change management).