A good chatbot welcome message does three things in one or two short lines: says who's talking (a bot, a team, or both), names what the chat can help with, and gives the visitor an easy first tap. "Hi! I'm the [Company] assistant. I can get you pricing, help with an order, or connect you with the team. What do you need?" followed by three buttons beats a vague "How can I help you today?" almost every time, because the visitor doesn't have to think.
Below you'll find a simple formula, more than 20 examples grouped by goal, and the mistakes that make greetings fall flat.
The welcome message formula
Use this structure and adapt the wording to your brand:
- Greeting + identity. "Hi! I'm the [Company] assistant."
- What I can do. "I can help with pricing, bookings or support."
- Easy first step. Two to four quick-reply buttons, or one clear question.
- A way to a human. "Prefer a person? Tap 'Talk to a person' any time."
Why identity matters: being upfront that visitors are talking to a bot sets the right expectations. The Nielsen Norman Group's chatbot research notes that some businesses don't disclose that customers are talking to a bot, and calls that a mistake.
Examples for general triage
These work on a homepage where visitors arrive with all kinds of questions.
1. The classic triage
Hi! I'm the [Company] assistant. What can I help you with?
Buttons: Pricing · Support · Talk to sales · Just browsing
2. Friendly and short
Hey there 👋 Looking for something specific? Pick one and I'll point you the right way.
Buttons: Plans and pricing · I need help · Something else
3. Team-first
Hi! You've reached the [Company] team. Our assistant can answer quick questions, and a person is a tap away.
Buttons: Ask a question · Talk to a person
4. Plain and professional
Welcome to [Company]. How can we help today?
Buttons: New inquiry · Existing customer · General question
Examples for sales and lead generation
Use these on pricing, service and landing pages, where intent is higher. Each one leads into a short qualifying flow (see our lead qualification chatbot guide for the questions that follow).
5. Pricing page
Comparing plans? I can recommend one in under a minute. How many people will use it?
Buttons: Just me · 2–10 · 11–50 · More than 50
6. Quote request
Hi! Want a quote? Answer three quick questions and we'll send one to your inbox.
Buttons: Get a quote · I have a question first
7. Demo booking
Want to see it in action? Tell me a little about your team and we'll set up a walkthrough.
Buttons: Book a demo · Not yet, just looking
8. Consultative
Not sure which option fits? Tell me what you're trying to get done and I'll point you to the right one.
Free-text question: "What are you working on?"
9. Agency or freelancer
Hi! Thinking about a new project? I can get the basics to our team so you hear back with real answers, not a generic brochure.
Buttons: Website · Branding · Marketing · Something else
Examples for customer support
Support greetings should get people to answers fast and never ask sales questions.
10. Support-first
Hi! Need help? Choose a topic or tell me what's going on.
Buttons: Account and billing · Using the product · Something's not working · Talk to a person
11. Existing customers
Welcome back! Is this about an existing order or something new?
Buttons: Existing order · New question
12. Self-serve nudge
Hi! Most answers are one tap away. What do you need?
Buttons: Shipping · Returns · Changing my order · Other
13. Reassuring
Sorry you've hit a snag. Tell me what's happening and I'll get it to the right person.
Free-text question: "What's going on?"
Examples for local and service businesses
14. Appointment-based (clinic, salon, studio)
Hi! Want to book, reschedule or ask a question?
Buttons: Book · Reschedule · Prices · Ask a question
15. Trades and home services
Hi! Need a quote for a job? Tell me what you need and your area, and we'll get back to you.
Buttons: Get a quote · Emergency? Call us · Other question
16. Professional services (accounting, legal, consulting)
Welcome to [Firm]. I can help you find the right service or set up an introductory call.
Buttons: Our services · Book a call · Existing client
17. Restaurant or venue
Hi! Planning a visit or an event?
Buttons: Opening hours · Private events · Something else
Examples for after-hours and offline chats
When nobody is online, honesty beats pretending. The goal is to capture the question and an email, and say when you'll reply. Our guide to after-hours live chat covers the full setup.
18. Clear expectations
Hi! Our team is offline right now (we're back at 9am ET, Monday to Friday). Leave your question and email, and we'll reply first thing.
19. Bot plus follow-up
We're away at the moment, but I can still help with common questions. If you need a person, leave your email and the team will pick it up when they're back.
Buttons: Ask a question · Leave a message
20. Weekend
Thanks for stopping by! We're out for the weekend. Drop your question below and we'll get back to you on Monday.
Examples by tone
The same greeting can be written in different voices. Pick one that sounds like your website, not like a different company.
| Tone | Example |
|---|---|
| Warm | "Hi there! Happy to help. What brings you by today?" |
| Direct | "What do you need? Pricing, support or a demo?" |
| Playful | "Hello! I'm a bot, but a helpful one. What can I find for you?" |
| Formal | "Welcome. How may we assist you today?" |
| Expert | "Hi! Tell me your team size and I'll suggest the right setup." |
21. Using the visitor's name later. If your flow saves answers, you can personalize the next messages: "Thanks, {{name}}! What's the best email to send this to?" Don't use a name in the very first greeting unless you actually know it.
What to pair with your greeting
A welcome message is only the first step of a flow. Plan what each button does before you write the words:
- Every button needs a destination: a next question, an answer, or a person.
- "Just browsing" deserves a useful reply, not silence. A couple of helpful links works.
- "Talk to a person" should actually reach a person, or capture an email if nobody's online.
If you're mapping out those branches, our guide to planning a chatbot decision tree walks through it step by step.
Mistakes that make greetings fall flat
- "How can I help you?" with no options. It puts all the work on the visitor.
- Pretending to be human. It erodes trust the moment the visitor notices.
- Long paragraphs. Keep it to one or two short lines plus buttons.
- Too many buttons. More than four or five options becomes a menu, not a conversation.
- Asking for an email first. Earn it by being useful, then ask.
- One greeting for every page. A pricing page visitor and a help page visitor want different things. If your tool supports more than one flow, tailor them.
How to do this in RetroChat
In RetroChat you set the widget's title and greeting, and your chatbot flow starts with a message step followed by a question with quick-reply buttons, exactly the pattern above. Answers are saved to variables you name, so later messages can say "Thanks, {{name}}". The "Talk to a person" button stays visible in the widget, and you can change its label to match your tone. You can also customize the offline message shown when nobody is online, along with the accent color and launcher position. Starter includes one chatbot flow; Team and above include unlimited flows and full widget customization.
Try your new greeting today
Pick the example closest to your business, rewrite it in your own voice, and pair each button with a real next step. You can set it up and test it on your own site with a free 14-day RetroChat trial.
Frequently asked questions
What should a chatbot welcome message say?
It should say who's talking, what the chat can help with, and offer an easy first step, ideally a few quick-reply buttons. One or two short lines is enough. Mention that a person is available if that's true.
Should a chatbot say it's a bot?
Yes. Being upfront sets expectations and builds trust, and UX researchers recommend disclosing it. A friendly "I'm the [Company] assistant" is enough, as long as visitors can easily reach a person.
How long should a chatbot greeting be?
Keep it to one or two short sentences, followed by buttons or a single question. Long greetings get skimmed or ignored, especially on phones.
Should I use emojis in a chatbot welcome message?
Use them only if they fit your brand's voice elsewhere on the site. One emoji can soften a greeting; several can look unprofessional for some audiences. When in doubt, leave them out.