AI chatbots are redefining customer service. They are all about giving instant responses and dealing with the everyday questions, letting businesses concentrate on the more complex tasks. Being able to build and deploy an AI chatbot yourself is a valuable, in-demand skill, and you no longer need programming knowledge to do it!
This weekend's goal: Learn to build and deploy a functional AI-powered chatbot.
Level: Beginner. No coding skills necessary.
About the BuildThatSkill - SkillSprint Series
SkillSprint is a weekly series of bite-sized micro courses designed to teach you a valuable new skill or elevate an existing one in just a couple of days using hands-on learning and experimentation.
Realistically speaking, you won't become an expert in 2 days, but you will discover new cutting-edge tools and practical resources and gain insights into the latest trends, through experimentation and hands-on exercises.
To truly master it, apply what you've learned in real-world situations, monitor, and seek feedback for continuous improvement.
This SkillSprint will guide you through the process of creating and rolling out your own AI chatbot using user-friendly, free (or free trial) no-code tools in just one weekend! Not only will you learn a useful in-demand skill, but you'll also have a fully operational chatbot that you can use to enhance customer interactions and improve service efficiency.
Let's go!
DAY 1 : Understanding and Setting Up Your AI Chatbot
MORNING: Introduction and Basics
Gain a basic understanding of the various ways in which you can use AI Chatbots to improve customer interactions.
2. WATCH A VIDEO TUTORIAL: How chatbots and large language models work (30 mins)
This video by Khan Academy explains the core concepts of AI chatbots, including how they process and respond to user queries.
Now let's get down to business!
3. TRY A TOOL: Landbot
TOOL SETUP: Create an Account on Landbot Landbot is a user-friendly, no-code platform for building chatbots for marketing, sales, and customer service.
Sign up for the free "SANDBOX" account. No credit card required. I chose Landbot for this SkillSprint because it is highly rated, beginner-friendly, has excellent tutorials, and offers a free trial without credit card info. There are plenty of great no-code chatbot tools you can try later. I've listed some at the end of this post.
Introduction to the platform: Watch a quick 1.5 minute introductory video to learn what you can do and will be doing with your Landbot chatbot.
AFTERNOON: Building Your First AI Chatbot
1. READ/WATCH Two Quick Tutorials:
Quick read: Chatbots: Beginner's Guide by Landbot
Quick watch: Getting started with Website Chatbots | Landbot Academy
Watch this step-by-step video guide to create your first Landbot chatbot, setting up initial conversation flows.
2. HANDS-ON: Designing Basic Conversations
Read a walkthrough: How to Create a Chatbot for Your Website in Minutes
Experiment with creating blocks and setting up basic conversations, starting with simple greetings and FAQs. The walkthrough will show you all the elements you can add to your chatbot.
Use Landbot’s drag-and-drop interface to input common questions and their responses.
3. TRY A TECHNIQUE: Integrate your bot with WhatsApp (Optional)
Video: Getting started with WhatsApp Chatbots | Landbot Academy Follow this guide to connect your chatbot to WhatsApp for better reach.
Day 2: - Developing and Refining Your Chatbot
Morning: Adding Advanced Features
1.. WATCH A QUICK TUTORIAL VIDEO: "Introduction to Variables" (5 mins) Learn how to use variables in Landbot to store and manipulate data within your chatbot. This skill will help you create dynamic interactions. Introduction to Variables Video Tutorial
2. HANDS-ON: Implementing Variables (30 mins) Using what you've learned from the tutorial, practice setting up and using variables to personalize your chatbot interactions. Create a simple chatbot that remembers user names and preferences.
3. READ AN ARTICLE: "The Ultimate Guide to Conversational Design" Learn about best practices and principles of conversational design to make your chatbot more user-friendly and effective. Keep these in mind while designing your bot.
Afternoon: Testing and Rollout
1. TOOL SETUP: Test Your Chatbot (1 hour) Use Landbot's built-in simulator to test your chatbot's responses and interactions. This allows you to see how the chatbot will behave in real-time, making it easier to identify and fix any issues.
The process should look somewhat like this:
Open your Landbot dashboard.
Click on the "Preview" button at the top right of the builder interface.
Interact with your chatbot in the preview window, ensuring that all conversation flows work seamlessly and provide valuable responses.
Make adjustments as needed based on your testing.
(These steps may change from time to time as the platform evolves. Follow the instructions on your dashboard).
Congratulations on creating your very own chatbot! It's now time to roll it out into the world!
2. QUICK VIDEO GUIDE: Deploy your chatbot to a website (1 hour) Deploy or embed your chatbot on a website (if you have one) using Landbot’s Web Plugin. You can also choose to share it as a standalone link on social media or via email. This step will make your chatbot accessible to users online, providing real-world testing opportunities.
Video: Deploy your bot or embed on your website
3. EXPERIMENT: Customizing Your Chatbot’s Personality (1 hour) You can customize the tone and style of your chatbot’s responses to make it engaging and relatable to the user and consistent with your brand. Adding personality traits can enhance user interaction and satisfaction. Customizing Your Chatbot’s Personality - Landbot Blog
Congratulations!
You’ve built and deployed your own AI chatbot that is capable of handling customer service. Well done!
NEXT STEPS
This practical SkillSprint has equipped you with the tools and knowledge to create chatbots that can enhance customer interactions and streamline business operations. I hope you found it useful and will continue to practice and refine your chatbots. Good luck!
What do you think?
I’d love to hear about your experiences and any challenges you faced while building your chatbot. Share your thoughts and any additional tips you have in the comments!
Want to learn a valuable, sought-after skill every weekend? Subscribe to BuildThatSkill.com for a new SkillSprint in your inbox every Friday, and stay updated with the latest trends and tools to elevate your career. Happy learning!
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