If you’re tired of chasing prospects just to get them to book a demo, you’re not alone. Nobody enjoys the endless back-and-forth emails, or watching leads drop off because scheduling is a pain. This guide is for B2B marketers, sales folks, or founders who want a working chatbot to handle demo bookings—without needing to code or buy some overhyped “AI” solution that’s more trouble than it’s worth.
We’ll use Manychat because it’s popular, affordable, and actually pretty easy to get started with. You’ll get a step-by-step walkthrough, pitfalls to watch out for, and some plain talk about what chatbots can (and can’t) do for B2B demo scheduling.
Why bother with a chatbot for demo scheduling?
Before we get into the how, let’s be real. Chatbots aren’t magic—they won’t double your pipeline overnight. But if you’re running paid ads, doing outbound, or getting decent web traffic, a bot is a legit way to:
- Qualify leads before they hit your calendar
- Cut down on no-shows and ghosting
- Let interested folks book demos right now, not after two days of emails
If you expect a chatbot to close deals for you, you’ll be disappointed. But if you want to automate the boring stuff so your team can actually talk to serious prospects, read on.
Step 1: Get your Manychat account set up
- Go to Manychat and set up an account. There’s a free plan, but for demo scheduling, the paid plan is usually worth it—mainly for integrations.
- Connect your Facebook page, Instagram, or WhatsApp (wherever you want your bot to run). Most B2B folks use Facebook Messenger or their website widget.
- Poke around the dashboard. It’s drag-and-drop, not code, but still takes a bit to get used to.
Pro tip: Don’t overthink the channel. If your audience isn’t on Messenger, use the website widget. You can always expand later.
Step 2: Map out your demo scheduling flow
Don’t just jump in and start dragging blocks around. You need a plan—or you’ll end up with a bot that confuses everyone.
What your flow needs: - A friendly intro (“Hey, want to see how X works? Let’s book a quick demo.”) - Basic qualification (just enough to weed out tire-kickers) - Calendar integration (so they can book a slot) - Confirmation + follow-up (reminders help keep no-shows down) - Human handoff (optional, but smart—sometimes you want the bot to “call in” a real person)
Keep it short. B2B buyers don’t have time for a 20-question quiz. Ask for: - Name - Work email - Company size or role (optional, but can help) - Anything else you really need to know before the call
Step 3: Build your flow in Manychat
3.1. Create a New Flow
- In Manychat, go to ‘Automation’ > ‘Flows’ > ‘New Flow’. Name it something obvious, like “Demo Booking Bot.”
- You’ll see a blank workspace. This is where you’ll wire up your messages and actions.
3.2. Add Your Welcome Message
- Start with a simple, direct welcome. No need for jokes or “Did you know?” trivia.
- Example:
“Hi there! Interested in seeing how [Your Product] works? I can help you book a demo—just takes a minute.”
3.3. Qualify Leads (Lightly)
- Add quick questions using ‘User Input’.
- “What’s your work email address?” (Set this to expect an email format.)
- “What’s your role at [Company]?” (Optional, but can help sales prioritize.)
- Save responses as custom fields in Manychat for later use.
Don’t:
- Ask for a phone number unless you really need it. People are wary.
- Force them through a long survey before booking.
3.4. Integrate Your Calendar
This is where most DIY bots fall apart. Manychat doesn’t have a built-in calendar, but you can connect one using tools like Calendly, HubSpot Meetings, or Google Calendar.
How to do it: - Create a booking link in your calendar tool (e.g., Calendly). - Add a “Send Message” block with a call-to-action:
“Great! Pick a time that works for you here: [Booking Link]” - If your calendar tool supports it, use UTM parameters or hidden fields to pass the user’s info (like email/name).
Pro tip:
If you want fancier automation (auto-populate fields, sync with CRM), you’ll need to use Manychat’s “Actions” and maybe tools like Zapier or Make. But for most, a simple booking link does the trick.
3.5. Confirm and Follow Up
- After they book, send a confirmation:
“You’re all set! Check your email for a calendar invite. Looking forward to chatting.”
- Set up an automated reminder (via Messenger or email) the day before the meeting. Manychat can handle basic scheduling, but for robust reminders, lean on your calendar tool.
3.6. Human Handoff (Optional, but Smart)
- If the bot gets stuck or someone types “talk to sales,” have a fallback: route the chat to a real person.
- In Manychat, you can use the “Notify Admins” action or assign the conversation to a live agent.
What to ignore:
- Don’t try to answer every possible question in the bot. If a lead asks something complex, escalate to a human.
- Don’t add “AI” small talk—nobody cares.
Step 4: Connect your CRM and notifications (if you need to)
If you want leads to show up in your CRM (like HubSpot, Salesforce, or Pipedrive), set up an integration using Manychat’s built-in tools or something like Zapier.
- In Manychat, go to ‘Integrations’.
- Connect to your CRM or set up a webhook.
- Map fields (email, name, company) from your flow to your CRM.
Also, set up notifications for your team. You can have Manychat send an email, Slack DM, or SMS when a new demo is booked. Don’t overcomplicate it—just make sure someone knows when a hot lead comes in.
Step 5: Test the whole flow (and break it on purpose)
Don’t trust that everything works just because it looks good in the builder. Run through the demo booking as a user. Try:
- Entering weird data (“asdf@asdf.com”)—does your bot catch bad emails?
- Skipping questions—does it politely nudge for required info?
- Booking a time—does the calendar link work? Do you get the confirmation?
- Typing random stuff (“help,” “I have a question”)—does the human handoff trigger?
You’ll find broken links, typos, and logic gaps. Better to catch them now than with a real prospect.
What works (and what doesn’t)
Works well: - Quick lead capture and scheduling—saves you and the prospect time. - Filtering out bad leads before they hit your calendar. - Simple reminders to reduce no-shows.
Doesn’t work so well: - Bots trying to sell or answer detailed product questions. People want real answers, not canned responses. - Over-automation. If your flow is too complex, it’ll break or annoy users. - Relying on bots to “warm up” cold leads. If someone isn’t interested, a chatbot won’t change their mind.
A few final tips
- Keep your flow short. The more clicks, the fewer bookings.
- Test on mobile and desktop—especially if your site traffic is split.
- Expect ~10-30% of people to drop off before booking. That’s normal. Focus on improving the flow, not chasing 100%.
Wrapping up
A Manychat bot won’t close deals for you, but it can make demo booking way less painful for everyone involved. Start simple: a short flow, a calendar link, and a follow-up. Don’t get sucked into building a “smart” bot that tries to do everything—just help people book a call, then iterate as you go. The more you keep things honest and straightforward, the better your results.