You post on Instagram and TikTok to bring in customers. To turn that attention into leads you need what ManyChat offers: automatic replies, a welcome message, multiple-choice questions. In Nepal that is awkward. ManyChat needs a dollar card, and even with one the monthly cost is high.
Prajwal Pant shows a free route that uses only Facebook's own tool, Meta Business Suite. No third-party app to download. He works as a consultant for service-based businesses and builds systems like this for clients. He says this is the same kind of system, and that you can follow the video and get results yourself.
One scope note from him: this is not about posting content to earn money. It is about selling your product or service through social media using automation, and it is not an in-depth course.
How do you open Meta Business Suite?
The direct link is in the video description. Without the link: open Facebook, click your profile, find the button beside the bell icon, scroll down and click Meta Business Suite.
There is a lot in there. He covers only automation. Click Inbox, then Automations, then View all. The options include auto reply, away message, frequently asked questions, location, contact information, business hours, custom keyword and comment-to-message.
How do you set a welcome message for first-time chats?
When someone messages your business for the first time, an automatic greeting is sent.
- Select both Messenger and Instagram so the message works whether they reach you from your Facebook page or from Instagram.
- Replace the default "Thank you for contacting us" template with your own text.
- Say it is automated. Prajwal starts his with "Automated message from Prajwal." His reason: never trick people into thinking a person typed it. Your customer is the smartest person in the business, and once they find out you lied, they will never trust you.
- Add their name with the full name option so each message is personal. His example reads: "Automated message from Prajwal. Hello [name] ji, welcome. Thanks for messaging me. What business do you run? I'll reply personally when I can."
- Save.
Test it. Message your page from a different account. Note that if the account you test from has already messaged the page, the welcome message will not fire again, since it is for first-time chats only. He had to create a fresh account to see it work.
How do you set FAQ answers on your profile?
Under Frequently asked questions, choose Messenger and Instagram, then set the questions people usually ask. When someone visits your profile they see these questions and get the answers you wrote. You can edit them, add your website link, and include an appointment request option. Review old ones occasionally and delete anything out of date.
How does comment-to-message work?
You have seen videos that say "comment this word and I'll send it to you." This is how that works. It helps in two ways:
- More engagement. You asked for a comment, people comment, interaction rises, and your video travels further.
- Lead collection. You can build an email list and phone list, so you can contact those people directly later.
Setup:
- Open Comment to message and set your trigger keywords. You can set several, one after another.
- Write the private message. Again start with "Automated message from [your name]", add their full name, and include the link to what they asked for.
- Set a public comment reply as well, so the commenter sees a response under the post.
- Save, then test from your phone: comment the keyword on your post and see the message arrive.
Prajwal admits this setup is a boring process, because you enter each keyword and message one at a time, and says the video is sped up there. He let his own AI assistant draft the messages and comment replies, and then pasted them in.
Where does the message send people?
In his test, the message contained a link to a page offering a free guide, "The 5-Step Follow-Up." On that page the person enters their name, WhatsApp number and email, and gives permission to be emailed. They then download the guide, and the guide is also emailed to them.
The follower got what they asked for. You got their contact details.
Why build your own list?
A social media follower sits on someone else's platform. An email list and phone numbers are owned media: your audience, which you can contact whenever you like, and which does not depend on any platform. His closing point is that from this list you can make money and grow your business without relying on anyone.
What to do this week
- Set the welcome message for Messenger and Instagram, and say it is automated.
- Set the profile FAQ answers.
- Set one comment keyword that sends something useful, to a page that collects name, WhatsApp and email.
- Test each from a second account and your phone.
Which of the three will you set up first? Tell me in the comments.