DMtoLeadDMtoLead
LoginStart free →
DocsGetting startedQuick start

Quick start

Get from empty workspace to your first AI reply in about 5 minutes. We'll wire one channel, set the AI's personality and send a test message.

What you'll need
A DMtoLead account (free, no credit card), and admin access to one of: an Instagram Business/Creator account, a WhatsApp Business number, a Facebook Page or a Telegram bot.

1. Create your workspace

Head to app.dmtolead.com/register and sign up with email. You'll land in an empty dashboard with the Free plan active (100 credits/month, no credit card).

2. Connect your first channel

From the dashboard, open Integrations and pick the channel that's most important to you. Each takes 1–2 minutes:

  1. 1

    Instagram

    Click Connect Instagram, log in to Facebook, and select the Instagram Business or Creator account linked to your Facebook Page. We'll subscribe to message webhooks automatically. (Full guide: connect Instagram.)

  2. 2

    WhatsApp

    Click Connect WhatsApp, log in to Facebook Business, pick the Business Account, then the phone number to use. (Full guide: connect WhatsApp.)

  3. 3

    Telegram

    Talk to @BotFather on Telegram, run /newbot, copy the token, paste into DMtoLead. (Full guide: connect Telegram.)

3. Train your AI

Open Automations and create one. The defaults work — you only need to set two things to make replies feel right:

  • Personality — role (e.g. "support agent for a running-gear store"), tone (friendly/formal), max reply length, emoji usage.
  • Knowledge base — a few FAQ entries the AI should know cold (return policy, shipping times, opening hours).

For live product data, link a RAG source (Shopify is most common — see connect Shopify). You can skip this for now and add it later.

4. Send a test message

From the device you connected: DM your Instagram account, message your WhatsApp number, or message your Telegram bot. Within 2–3 seconds you should see a reply. The message appears in your DMtoLead inbox in real time.

No reply within 10 seconds?
Check the conversation in your inbox — there's usually a status row showing why. Common causes: the AI couldn't find a relevant answer (extend the knowledge base), or webhook subscription failed (reconnect the channel). See troubleshooting.

5. Go live (when you're ready)

Replies are on as soon as a channel is connected — there's no separate "publish" step. To pause, open the automation and toggle it off; to take a single conversation off AI, switch it to manual mode in the inbox.

From here:

  • Add more channels — one workspace, multiple channels, one AI.
  • Link your Shopify store so the AI can quote prices and check stock.
  • Embed the chat widget on your website — see embed the chat widget.
Related
Core concepts
Workspace, automation, channel, credit, RAG.
Connect Shopify
Live product, order and inventory data in every reply.
Train your AI
Personality, knowledge base and RAG sources.
Previous
Introduction
Next
Core concepts