WhatsApp is the most popular communication tool around the world. As long as you have anybody’s phone number, and they have WhatsApp, a messaging app, you can connect. The app has become an undisputed ruler of free mobile messaging worldwide. As of 2022, the app has 2.26 billion unique monthly active users.
WhatsApp does a lot more than a text messaging app. There is a consumer app and a business app. WhatsApp Business helps you drive your business more successfully with added features. It’s a dedicated business account where entrepreneurs can market and promote their brands. It provides an enormous audience, where you can build strong relationships with customers, and increase sales.
Strategies To Boost your Business with WhatsApp Business.
- Download WhatsApp Business from the App Store or Apple Store. Go to More options > Business tools > Business profile. Make sure to use the name of your business.
- Show what the business is all about. Is it education, apparel, events planning etc.?
- Include your business’ website. A link to your website.
- Provide a good profile photo. Preferably, your business’ logo. This is because a logo is the foundation of your business, it reveals your identity. Moreover, your customers will immediately recognize you once they see the logo.
- A physical address is ideal. Set your location on Map. It boosts credibility, professionalism, and trust.
- Remember to include an email address. A professional email address.
- Set business hours to let your customers know when you are open.
- Provide a description of your business. Here, you have an opportunity to grab your customers’ attention. Craft an intriguing copy that makes your customers curious enough to reach out to you. Most importantly, include a call-to-action that invites them to connect with you.
WhatsApp Business Features
The business app has all the available features of regular WhatsApp and more for business owners. It is ideal to use a different phone number for your WhatsApp business. If you use the same phone number, the standard WhatsApp Messenger will log you out and register the number for the business account, but it won’t remove your number from the groups you are added to. It will transfer all the numbers from your standard WhatsApp to the new account.
Labels
Labels help you stay organized. You can organize and filter important customer conversations. To see the available labels, tap More options > Labels. You can create your own label by clicking on the plus button.
Press and hold any conversation that you want to label, and tap on any label. You can keep up with conversations by giving different customers labels with colors or names. These customers can be added to chats such as “New customers” or “Returning customers”. It helps you keep track of your customers’ habits.
Away message
Enabling away message ensures your customers automatically receive a customized message whenever they try to reach you when you are not available. This feature helps you save your time, and also makes your customer feel seen and that you are not neglecting them.
To set an away message, tap more options > business tools > Away message. You can turn on away message, edit the message to your preference and schedule it. You can also choose who should receive the away message. Then save.
Quick replies
For messages that customers regularly ask. For example, when people always ask for the price of your product. You can create an answer to that question and save it. You can create quick replies containing your hours, address or the whole profile.
To use quick replies open a chat, tap message, then type “ /” or open a chat, tap message, tap attach > Quick Reply. It will bring out all the quick replies. This will help you to quickly answer frequently asked questions. This way you don’t have to type responses all the time.
Product Catalog
You’ve created a good profile that provides helpful information to your customers. A description that earns trust. One that will make a great first impression. Now it’s time for you to showcase your products/services.
Go to More Options > Business tools > Catalog. There you can add items, describe them, provide a link and a code, and show prices for your products/services.
Broadcast
You can also promote your products/services and boost sales. Use the broadcast feature to let all your customers know about a new product/service. Go to More options > New broadcast.
Instagram and Facebook Link
You can provide your customers with an additional way to communicate with you. When you link your WhatsApp Business with your Facebook page and Instagram profile, it will show up as a contact option. When a customer taps on it, they will be able to message you directly on WhatsApp.
If you sync business information from your Facebook page to your WhatsApp Business account. Your WhatsApp business profile will automatically be updated with information from your Facebook page.
Short Link
This feature allows you to create and share a short link with your customers. It enables them to chat with you directly. If a customer opens the link on a device that has WhatsApp on it, it opens a secure chat between the two of you. If they are using a web browser, they will be sent to a web page with your business information. They can then click continue to open a chat with you.
QR Code
Alternatively, you can provide a QR code that your customers can scan and reach out to your business. Your customers can send you messages through the WhatsApp business app by scanning your business account’s QR code.
TIP. For both the short link and QR code, create a pre-populated message that customers can quickly edit and send once they open the link.
Advertise
This feature allows you to reach even more people by advertising on Facebook. You can create Facebook ads that allow people to start a WhatsApp chat with you. It allows you to use a budget that you can control.
You will be able to choose who sees your ads, how long they run and how much you are willing to spend. It allows you to pause or stop the ads at any moment.
Facebook and Instagram provide more opportunities to reach your customers. There are billions of people on these platforms every month. Use your ads to let new customers contact you on WhatsApp.