Instagram DM Automation That Finishes the Sale or Booking
Instagram DM automation with AeroChat runs the whole conversation, from the first question to the finished sale or booking. Automated messages answer from your knowledge base, recommend from your Shopify catalogue or Google Sheet, book in Google Calendar or Calendly, send an Airwallex payment link and record the customer in HubSpot or Klaviyo.
What happens today
Many Instagram automation tools send a fixed reply or a menu of buttons. When the customer asks something the menu did not expect, the flow stops and a person has to pick it up.
Even when the customer is ready to buy, someone still has to check stock, send the link, confirm payment and type the order or booking into another system. On a busy day that work waits, and so does the customer.
How it runs on Instagram
- A customer asks about a product or service in a DM.
- AeroChat answers from your knowledge base and asks one or two questions to understand what they need.
- It reads your catalogue in Shopify or a Google Sheet and recommends items that are in stock, with prices.
- When the customer chooses, it sends a checkout link or an Airwallex payment link, or books the slot in Google Calendar or Calendly.
- It writes the result back: the order goes to your store or sheet, and the contact goes to HubSpot or Klaviyo with Instagram as the source.
- It confirms the order or booking to the customer in the same DM.
- If the customer asks for a person or the request is outside your rules, it hands the conversation to your team in the inbox or on the mobile app.
The recipe
Copy this into AeroChat
When someone asks about our products on Instagram, help them choose and buy. Follow these steps.
- Ask what they are looking for and their budget if they have not said.
- Look up matching products in our Google Sheet “Catalogue” (example) and suggest up to three that are in stock, with price and a photo link.
- When they choose, ask for their name, email and delivery address.
- Send an Airwallex payment link for the total, including delivery of S$5 (example).
- Add the order to the Google Sheet “Orders” (example) with the status Awaiting payment.
- Create or update the contact in HubSpot with the source Instagram.
- If they ask for a discount above 10% (example) or want to speak to someone, hand the conversation to our team.
Do not suggest products marked out of stock. Reply in the customer’s language.
Change the sheet names, delivery fee and discount limit to your own. If you sell on Shopify, name Shopify instead and AeroChat uses your store’s checkout.
Connect the systems behind it
- Google Sheets. AeroChat reads your catalogue and writes each order as a new row.
- HubSpot. AeroChat finds or creates the contact and logs what they bought or asked about.
- Klaviyo. AeroChat adds buyers who opt in to your list for future campaigns.
- Calendly. AeroChat offers open times and books the appointment for service businesses.
Shopify, Airwallex payment links and Google Calendar are built in. Payment links come with the Growth plan and above.
Using a different system? If it has a public API, it connects to AeroChat the same way: describe what you want, paste in its key, and it runs.
Can’t find your tool? Message us in the chat on this page and we’ll tell you how it connects.
Meta’s rules on Instagram
Automated messages on Instagram can go out within 24 hours of the customer’s last message, and promotional content is allowed inside that window. Each new message from the customer restarts it. Replies typed by your team have a separate 7-day window. Chats that start from a click-to-Instagram-Direct ad can be answered for up to 7 days from the first message. A business cannot start a DM with someone who has not messaged it.
Also on WhatsApp, TikTok and web chat
The same workflow runs on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, TikTok (direct messages and TikTok Shop buyer chat), Telegram, the chat on your website and email, with the same catalogue, payment and CRM connections. See the WhatsApp workflows library.
Who uses it
Businesses that sell or book through Instagram use it, including fashion stores recommending products, beauty stores, spas taking bookings with a deposit and restaurants and caterers.
Read more: Instagram DM automation for ecommerce.
Questions
What is Instagram DM automation?
It means software replies to your Instagram direct messages for you. With AeroChat, the automated messages also act in your systems: they check stock, send payment links, book appointments and update your CRM.
Is Instagram DM automation allowed?
Yes, through Meta’s messaging API for Instagram professional accounts. Automated replies can go out within 24 hours of the customer’s last message. Your team has 7 days to reply by hand.
Can automated messages take payment on Instagram?
AeroChat sends a payment link in the DM, and the customer pays without leaving the conversation. AeroChat never sees card numbers and never holds your funds.
Which AeroChat plan do I need?
Workflows via Skills are on every plan, Free included. Payment links start on Growth, which includes 2,000 AI responses and 10 seats. Advanced includes 5,000 and 25 seats.
Let your Instagram DMs finish the sale
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On Shopify? Install AeroChat from the Shopify App Store.
Related: comment to DM automation and Instagram customer service.