Instagram Direct is a valuable tool for businesses looking to connect with their customers and drive sales or offer customer service. This article will explore the benefits of using Instagram Direct for business. We will also provide a list of Instagram DM examples, where you can find the best Instagram dm template for your use case.

What is Instagram Direct Message?

Instagram Direct is a messaging feature introduced by Instagram that allows users to send private messages to a user or a group of people. You can send photos, videos and text messages through private chats, rather than posting them publicly on your profile.

Let’s explore the advantages of using Instagram Direct Message.

Benefits of Using Instagram Direct Messages

Using Instagram Direct can help businesses establish a connection with their customers. We’ll take you through some of the benefits of this.

Private messaging is highly effective as it allows businesses to tailor their message to the specific needs and interests of the customer. Personalized communication can also help build trust and strengthen the relationship between businesses and customers.

By promoting products and special offers through Instagram Direct, businesses can drive sales and increase revenue. This can be particularly effective for businesses that have a strong following on Instagram and want to direct traffic to their website or store.

Instagram Direct can also be used as a customer service tool to resolve complaints or issues in a timely and efficient manner. When used well, it can improve the overall customer experience and reduce the likelihood of negative reviews or complaints.

Instagram Direct on Meta Business Suite provides businesses with insights into message performance, including the number of views and replies. This helps businesses understand their communication effectiveness and make informed decisions about their strategy.

Using Instagram Direct for business can be a powerful tool for establishing stronger connections with customers, pushing sales and improving customer satisfaction. Need some ideas on how to do this? We'll give you some Instagram DM templates to use.

Instagram DM Examples

Below, we’ve provided a few ready-to-use Instagram DM templates for different use cases. But before we begin, let’s review some guidelines to compose effective direct messages on Instagram.

Best Practices for Instagram Direct Messages

Before you start crafting your message, consider the purpose of the message and make sure to convey it clearly and directly. Then, use the following best practices to fine-tune the message.

• Keep your messages short and concise
• Use a friendly, approachable tone that aligns with your brand’s voice
• Personalize your message to make customers feel seen and heard
• Include a call-to-action (CTA) so customers know what to do next
• Monitor and respond to customer messages in a timely manner

Now that you’ve learned how to fine-tune your message, we’ll show you some Instagram DM templates in the following section.

Instagram DM Examples: Promotional Messages

Running a promotion for your business? Aside from advertising on your Instagram page, you can also slide into your followers’ DMs to get them to check out your promotions.

1. “Hello there 👋 We’re excited to announce our latest promotion for our jewelry collection. Don’t miss out on this limited-time offer. Just use [promo code] at checkout to redeem 10% off any new pieces. Follow the link in our bio to shop now!”

2. “Hi [Name]! Thank you for following us. As a token of appreciation, here’s a 20% discount voucher for your first purchase. Type [promo code] at the checkout.”

3. “Exciting news 💎 We’re offering a 50% discount on all items for a limited time. Use code [promo code] at checkout to redeem. Explore our shop and take advantage of this amazing deal today!”

Instagram DM Templates: Appointment Reminder

When sending an appointment reminder, you should always include the time of the appointment, as well as a reminder to arrive early to complete any necessary paperwork. Here are some examples you can refer to.

1. "Hello, this is a reminder about your appointment with us tomorrow at 2:00 PM ⏰. We look forward to seeing you then. If you need to reschedule or cancel, please let us know as soon as possible."

2. "Hi [Customer Name], just a quick reminder that you have an appointment with us on Thursday at 3:00 PM. Please arrive a few minutes early to allow time for check-in. If you need to make any changes to your appointment, please don't hesitate to contact us 😊"

3. "Hi, we just wanted to remind you about your upcoming appointment with us on Friday at 1:00 PM. Please bring your identity card for registration purposes. See you then!"

Instagram Direct Message Examples: Replying to Feedback

Received feedback on your product on Instagram? Be sure to respond in a timely and professional manner, even if the feedback was negative. Check out some examples here.

1. “Dear [Customer Name], thank you for your feedback. I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed [product name] and found it helpful 🥰 We hope to have the opportunity to serve you again in the future.”

2. "Thank you for your feedback. We apologize for your dissatisfaction with [Product Name]. We would like to offer you a refund as a gesture of goodwill 🙇‍♀️ Please let us know if this is acceptable to you and we will make the necessary arrangements.”

3. "Thank you for the positive review, [Customer Name]. We're glad to hear that you had a great experience with our services. Your satisfaction is important to us. We hope to see you again soon!”

Instagram DM Templates: Questions About Order Fulfillment

When answering questions about ongoing orders, make sure to provide an estimated delivery time and reassure them that their order is being processed. By responding promptly and professionally, businesses can help build trust and improve customer satisfaction.

1. "Thank you for your message. Your order is currently in the process of being fulfilled and is expected to ship within the next 2 days. We will keep you updated on the status of your order and let you know as soon as it has been shipped. 🚚"

2. "I apologize for the delay in fulfilling your order. We are experiencing some delays due to the festive season. We expect your order to ship within the next 3 days and will keep you updated on its progress. Thank you for your patience 🙏"

3. “We apologize for the inconvenience but [Product Name] is currently out of stock. Please let us know if you would prefer to wait for a restock or receive a full refund. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.”

Instagram Direct Message Examples: Questions About Shipping Options

It’s important to provide a brief overview of the available shipping options and estimated time of delivery so you can help customers make informed choices when choosing a delivery option.

1. “Hello there 👋 thank you for your message. We offer standard shipping, which takes approximately 3-5 business days, as well as expedited shipping, which takes 1-2 business days. Which option would you prefer?”

2. "We offer both domestic and international shipping. For domestic orders, we have standard and express options. For international orders, we have a variety of options depending on the destination country. Can you let me know where you would like the order shipped?"

3. "We offer free standard shipping on all orders over $50. For orders under $50, we have a flat rate shipping fee of $5. If you need faster delivery, we also offer expedited shipping for an additional fee. Which option would you like to choose? 😊"

Instagram Direct Message Examples: Return and Refund Policy

When you receive an inquiry about returns and refunds, make sure to include a brief overview of your business's return and refund policy, including the time frame and any requirements for returning the item. Let’s look at some examples below.

1. "We offer a 30-day return policy for most items. If you are not satisfied with your purchase, you can return it for a full refund within 30 days of receiving the item. Some exclusions apply, so please check our refund policy on our website for more details.”

2. "We accept returns on non-sale items within 60 days of purchase. To initiate a return, please email our customer service team at [email address] and they will assist you with the process. A refund will be issued once we receive the returned item and confirm that it meets the conditions of our return policy."

3. "Hello 👋 We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you are not happy with your purchase, you can return it for a full refund within 14 days of receiving the item. Please note that the item must be in its original condition and packaging to be eligible for a refund."

Instagram DM Templates: Influencer Collaboration

Looking to collaborate with an influencer for your brand? You have to first introduce your business and provide some background information before you express your reason for reaching out to them.

By providing a clear, professional pitch, businesses can communicate their goals and values to potential influencer partners and establish a strong foundation for a successful collaboration.

1. "Hi there! I love your content on Instagram. I work for [Business Name] and we're looking for influencers to collaborate with on a new campaign. We think your style and audience would be a great fit 🥰 Are you interested in discussing a potential collaboration? Let me know!”

2. "Hi [Influencer Name]! I'm the social media manager for [Business Name] and I've been following your content. We're looking for talented content creators to work with our brand. Let me know if you're available for a call to discuss this further. Thank you!”

3. "Hi [Influencer Name], we at [Business Name] are interested in a long-term collaboration. By partnering with us, you’d have the opportunity to reach a wider audience through our marketing efforts and we’d love to discuss it further with you."

Next, we will demonstrate the various methods for sending Instagram Direct Messages.

How to Send Instagram Direct Message

Now we’ll go through the steps for sending an Instagram Direct Message via the Instagram app inbox, the Meta Business Suite Inbox and a third-party business messaging platform like respond.io.

How to Send Instagram DM on Instagram Message App Inbox

First, let’s go through the steps for sending an Instagram DM via your Instagram app inbox.

On your Instagram home feed, click the paper plane icon in the top right corner to access your direct messages. In the direct message page, click the New Message button in the top right corner and select the recipient for your message.

Type your message in the text field and click Send to send the message. You can also add photos or videos by clicking the camera icon. Alternatively, you can send a direct message to someone by clicking the Send Message button on their Instagram profile.

Next, we’ll take a look at the steps to send an Instagram Direct Message from your Meta Business Suite Inbox.

How to Send Instagram DM on Meta Business Suite Inbox

To send Instagram direct messages through Meta Business Suite Inbox, keep in mind that you will need to connect your Instagram account to Facebook. Once connected, follow the steps below.

1. Click Inbox on the left panel of the page.

2. Click Instagram Direct in the top panel of the page.

3. Search for the Instagram user to whom you want to send a Direct Message.

Businesses can respond to messages from followers at any time but they can only send messages to Instagram users whom they have interacted with in the past.

4. Type your message in the text field and click Send to send the message.

You can also attach photos, videos or files to your message by clicking the file icon.

As convenient as both the Instagram app inbox and Meta Business Suite Inbox are, they’re only sufficient if you’re running a small business.

As your business grows, you’ll find yourself looking for a messaging platform that offers advanced features like chat automation. For this, you’ll need the Instagram Direct Message API, which we’ll explore next.

How to Send Instagram DM on respond.io

With Messenger API for Instagram, you can automate responses to inquiries, capture customers’ information and automate sales and customer support, which in turn increases customer engagement and satisfaction.

Before you begin, you need to first connect your Instagram API to a third-party messaging platform like respond.io as it doesn’t come with a front-end interface.

One thing to note though, Instagram does impose a 24-hour messaging window for the API account. Thankfully, respond.io’s Human Agent Tag opens a 7-day messaging window, allowing agents more time to solve complex inquiries.

1. Select Messages on the side navigation menu of the respond.io platform.

2. Search for the Instagram user to whom you want to send a message and make sure the messaging window is not closed.

3. Type your message in the text field and click Send.

You can add emojis, photos, videos, files or voice messages to your message by clicking the file icon. Alternatively, use the Snippets feature to create and save canned responses to reply to frequently asked questions with a couple of keystrokes.

Using respond.io allows you to contact the customer on another connected channel if the Instagram messaging window has closed. However, the customer must have previously chatted with you on the alternate channel and some conditions may apply, such as using Message Tags for Facebook or template messages for WhatsApp.

Sending a Direct Message on Instagram is a quick and easy way to communicate with your customers and build stronger relationships with them. Want to get started? Sign up for a free trial with respond.io and start using Instagram to chat with your customers today.

Further Reading

If you found this helpful, here are some additional articles on Instagram to level up your business:

• How to Sell on Instagram
• Instagram Business Account Multiple Users: A How-To Guide
• A Guide to Using Instagram Web Chat for Business