Broadcast Promotional Messages on WhatsApp - A How-to Guide!

WhatsApp has long been a popular choice for businesses looking to communicate with their customers on a personal level. However, until September 2021, businesses were not allowed to send promotional messages using the WhatsApp Business API. This changed when WhatsApp introduced a new category of templates called 'Marketing', allowing businesses across the globe to send promotional messages like special offers, discount coupons, festival wishes, and much more to users who have opted-in.

This fantastic news has revolutionized the way brands interact with their customers on WhatsApp, allowing them to send promotional messages like discount vouchers, product launch updates, and alerts. However, just because you can send promotional messages, it doesn't mean you should do so indiscriminately. To ensure your promotional messages are well-received and to avoid the risk of getting your number blocked by WhatsApp or its users, you should:

1. Maintain a 3:1 ratio between transactional and promotional messages.
2. Personalize your promotional messages by including emojis, images, videos, and easy-to-read words.
3. Avoid spamming users with promotional messages.

In this blog, we'll delve into the latest policy change in WhatsApp Business API and share some expert tips on how to send promotional messages on WhatsApp effectively, along with some crazy WhatsApp promotional message templates that can instantly help you boost sales. Stay with us as we answer all your queries and explore the exciting world of WhatsApp marketing!

What are WhatsApp Promotional messages?

WhatsApp Promotional messages refer to any type of messages that businesses utilize to promote their products or services via WhatsApp. These are non-transactional messages that businesses send to their customers through WhatsApp Business API to offer discounts or coupons, announce new product launches, send back-in-stock alerts, promote an app, send product recommendations, or remind customers about abandoned shopping carts.

As more customers turn to WhatsApp to inquire about deals and discounts from their preferred brands, WhatsApp now authorizes non-transactional messages to enhance customer engagement and enable businesses to interact with their customers.

Looking for free WhatsApp Promotional Message Templates?

Click Here to access the 50+ Best WhatsApp Promotional Message Templates That Work Like a Charm!

Can Businesses Send Promotional Messages on WhatsApp Today?

Yes, businesses can now send promotional messages on WhatsApp to opted-in users!

WhatsApp has started allowing businesses to send promotional messages to their customers through the WhatsApp Business API since September 2021. These messages can include discounts, vouchers, coupons, and other offers in the form of pre-approved template messages, which ensure compliance with WhatsApp's business and commerce policies.

Moreover, creating a customized broadcast list with relevant customer segments is an efficient way for businesses to send personalized promotional notifications in bulk, enabling them to have more targeted communication with their customers.

Wanna know about WhatsApp Business API in detail? Here is your 2024 Ultimate Guide to WhatsApp Business API - Click Here to Read

What Makes WhatsApp Promotional Messages a Game-Changer for Businesses?

WhatsApp promotional messages can be a game-changer for businesses because-

Expected: 

• People have opted-in to receive promotional messages from the business over WhatsApp 
• This eliminates unexpectedness and increases the chances of engagement

Relevant:

• WhatsApp promotional messages are personalized to the specific person
• Personalization is based on recent purchases or engagement with the business
• This increases the relevance of the message and the chances of engagement

Timely:

• WhatsApp notifications are sent when they are most relevant to the recipient
• This maximizes the impact of the message and increases the chances of engagement and conversion

Key Benefits of Sending Promotional Messages on WhatsApp

WhatsApp promotional messages have become an integral part of brands' marketing strategies, as they provide a way to keep customers informed about ongoing sales, recent launches, and offers. The following are some key benefits of sending promotional messages on WhatsApp:

• Improve Customer Experience: Brands can create a more engaging and satisfying shopping experience by sending personalized messages based on buyers' interests or purchase history.
• Build Brand Loyalty: Incentives like discount codes or loyalty points can help increase customer retention and drive repeat purchases.
• Boost Conversion Rates: WhatsApp promotional messages have a higher chance of being read by recipients, which can help increase visibility and sales opportunities.
• Cost-effective Way to Boost Sales: WhatsApp promotional messages are an easy and cost-effective way to increase sales, particularly for MSMEs that need to stand out from the competition.
• Wider Audience Reach: With over 2.4+ billion active users worldwide, WhatsApp provides businesses with a new and highly effective way to reach potential customers and engage with existing ones.
• Improve ROI: Promotional messages on WhatsApp can help improve a business's ROI as they have a higher chance of being read by recipients.
• Increase Repeat Purchases: Sending WhatsApp promotional messages with discount codes or loyalty points can help brands increase their repeat purchases and improve customer retention rates.

By sending WhatsApp promotional messages with discounts or loyalty points, businesses can address customer dissatisfaction and increase repeat purchases, ultimately improving customer retention.

Use-Cases of Promotional Messages on WhatsApp

WhatsApp promotional template messages can be utilized in a variety of ways to engage with your customers, promote your products and services, and drive sales. Some popular use cases for WhatsApp promotional template messages include:

1. Product Release Updates: Notify customers about new product releases and offer special discount codes to encourage purchases.
2. Regular Discount Offers: Engage leads and opted-in users by sending them exclusive discounts and promotional offers tailored to their interests.
3. Re-engage Inactive Customers: Reach out to inactive customers with enticing discounts, coupons, or personalized offers to rekindle their interest in your brand.
4. Upselling: Leverage WhatsApp promotional messages to upsell products or services by highlighting their benefits, exclusive deals, or limited-time offers.
5. WhatsApp Chatbot Integration: Use a WhatsApp chatbot to respond to customer queries and seamlessly integrate promotional messages into the conversation to drive conversions.
6. Seasonal Promotions: Send festive greetings or special seasonal offers to your customers to boost sales during holidays or other peak periods.
7. Flash Sales: Create a sense of urgency with limited-time flash sales or last-minute deals, delivered straight to your customers' WhatsApp inbox.
8. Loyalty Program Updates: Encourage customer loyalty by sharing updates about reward points, exclusive member-only offers, or other loyalty program perks.
9. Event Invitations: Promote events, webinars, or workshops by sending personalized invitations with registration links or discount codes.
10. Cross-promotion: Collaborate with other businesses or influencers to offer exclusive deals or promotions that benefit both parties and their customers.

To maximize the effectiveness of your WhatsApp promotional template messages, it's essential to adhere to WhatsApp guidelines and avoid spamming users. DoubleTick can help you craft the perfect template message strategy to engage your customers and boost your sales. 

Connect with us for FREE assistance in creating compelling promotional WhatsApp template messages. Click below to connect!

Should You Send Promotional Messages on WhatsApp?

Why not? WhatsApp promotional messages can significantly impact your customers' buying decisions, boasting a 10x greater effectiveness compared to emails and SMS. 

WhatsApp is considered a personal space for users, so it's crucial to craft engaging and attention-grabbing messages that inspire them to click the link and become a customer.

To ensure a positive experience and avoid any potential blocks, we've compiled a list of eligibility criteria, along with some essential do's and don'ts for your WhatsApp promotional messages. 

Eligibility to Send Promotional Messages on WhatsApp

In order to send non-transactional template messages to a large number of customers on WhatsApp, businesses must apply for the WhatsApp Business API.

If a business already has an approved WhatsApp Business API number, it can start broadcasting promotional messages to its customers.

However, there are certain prerequisites and restrictions that businesses must consider before sending promotional messages on WhatsApp:

• An active WhatsApp Business API number is required.
• Opt-in from customers is required and businesses must adhere to WhatsApp's opt-in policy guidelines.
• Each promotional template message will be reviewed by WhatsApp. Daily newsletters and excessive notifications are not allowed.
• Businesses must comply with WhatsApp's policies at all times.

WhatsApp Promotional Messages Best Practices: Do’s & Don’ts

Do's:

• Segment your audience to send personalized messages that are relevant to their interests and purchase history.
• Track your message data to know if you need to improve your strategy, audience, or messaging.
• Use a shared inbox to manage customer responses and assign incoming chats amongst your team members.
• Don't forget to use approved template messages while sending a promotional message on WhatsApp.
• Get template messages approved by WhatsApp by selecting the "ALERT_UPDATE" category
• Include a clear call to action in your messages
• Test your messages before sending them to a larger audience
• Keep your messages concise and to the point
• Use WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption for sensitive information
• Avoid broadcasting too many promotional messages as it could lead to account reporting and a decrease in your Quality Rating.
• Comply with WhatsApp’s commerce policy

Don'ts:

• Don't send multiple messages to less engaged users.
• Don't send generic messages, personalize them with the data available.
• Don't use WhatsApp as a channel for mass marketing communication.
• Don't send too many messages, as it can lead to spamming
• Avoid using too many emojis or exclamation marks in your messages
• Don't send messages to contacts who have not given you explicit consent
• Do not use WhatsApp for sending unsolicited or illegal messages.

Guidelines to Broadcast Promotional Messages on WhatsApp

WhatsApp puts customers first, so it's crucial for businesses to abide by their policies when promoting products or services. Here are some essential tips to keep in mind when sending promotional messages on WhatsApp

1. Get customer consent: Make sure your customers have opted-in before sending them promotional messages to avoid spamming their inboxes.
2. Balance your messages: Aim for a 3:1 ratio between transactional and promotional messages to maintain variety and relevance.
3. Personalize and segment: Tailor your messages to your audience's interests and send timely, relevant content.
4. Respect opt-outs: Don't send promotional messages to users who have unsubscribed or opted out.
5. Mind your timing and frequency: Send messages when your audience is most likely to engage and avoid overwhelming them with too many notifications.
6. Keep messages relevant: Provide all necessary information about discounts, deals, or loyalty points to make your promotions more enticing.

Note: 

Only businesses in eligible countries can use WhatsApp promotional messages.

By following these tips and keeping a conversational tone, you can create engaging and effective promotional messages on WhatsApp that resonate with your customers.

How to Broadcast Promotional Messages with DoubleTick WhatsApp Business API?

Step 1: Open the app and from the Hamburger menu click on "Broadcast Channel"

Step 2: Now on the next screen click on "New Channel" and name the channel and tap on "CREATE CHANNEL"

Step 3: You'll now have a list of contacts to be added to the created channel. You can now either select the contacts you want to be added or add the customer contact details in the Excel sheet and import it to the DoubleTick

Step 4: Now open the channel and tap on the "Send message" button

Step 5: Now select the approved message template and tap on the send button

Congratulations! Your broadcast message has been sent and you can track the analytics in real time in the same channel. 

How to Send Broadcast Messages in DoubleTick on Mobile

Note:

• Select ALERT_UPDATE as the category to get your promotional message template approved from WhatsApp
• For each broadcast, you'll have to create the message template and get approval in advance from WhatsApp
• You can also use approved templates as many times as you want
• You can't send a broadcast without an approved template
• You can only have a limited number of Message Templates. If you need more, open a support ticket with WhatsApp stating your reason. WhatsApp may approve a higher limit at its discretion.

Why DoubleTick?

If you're looking for the best MarCom tool that can send unlimited messages to your customers on WhatsApp without getting blocked then DoubleTick is the best business solution for you. Here are a few of the top reasons to sign up with DoubleTick WhatsApp Business API.  

• ​Bulk broadcast your messages and catalogue to unlimited saved and unsaved contacts
• Automate WhatsApp marketing by scheduling your broadcast messages
• Detailed broadcast analytics report to track your WhatsApp marketing broadcast campaign metrics in real-time
• Single WhatsApp number for your entire company with a cloud-based team inbox and role-based access.
• End-to-end automated catalogue sharing and order booking via AI-Powered Commerce BOT
• WhatsApp Automation via AI-powered active chatbot that can answer customers’ queries, send automated anniversaries & birthday wishes, abandoned cart notifications, pending balance reminders, bills and all kinds of alerts to customers
• Choose your favourite tool and integrate it with DoubleTick in just a few clicks
• Super intuitive, easy to use and mobile-friendly.
• 24/7 Customer support is available on call, WhatsApp or email

Read more about DoubleTick here - What is DoubleTick and How This Could Be Your Greatest WhatsApp Marketing and Sales Tool 

How to Get DoubleTick?

Kindly email us at grow@quicksell.co or click below to schedule a free demo to learn about DoubleTick’s features and pricing plans.

Now transform WhatsApp into the ultimate sales engine to delight customers and drive revenue with DoubleTick!

The Future of Promotional Messages on WhatsApp

As WhatsApp solidifies its position as a leading communication platform, promotional messages are poised to become even more impactful for businesses. Looking ahead, we can expect a few key developments to shape the future of promotional messaging on WhatsApp:

• Enhanced targeting capabilities: Improved customer segmentation and targeting will allow businesses to send personalized promotional messages based on user behaviour and preferences, ensuring higher engagement and conversion rates.
• Advanced automation and AI integration: The development of more sophisticated chatbots and AI solutions will enable businesses to automate aspects of their promotional campaigns, providing timely and relevant offers to customers based on their interactions with the brand.
• Rich media and interactive content: WhatsApp is likely to expand its support for rich media and interactive content within promotional messages, such as videos, images, and interactive buttons, allowing businesses to create more engaging and immersive marketing experiences.
• Improved analytics and performance tracking: Better data and analytics tools will help businesses gain valuable insights into the performance of their promotional messages, enabling them to optimize their campaigns and improve their overall marketing strategy on WhatsApp.

By staying informed of these emerging trends and adapting their promotional messaging strategies accordingly, businesses can leverage the full potential of WhatsApp as a powerful marketing channel.

​Know How To Get a Verified Green Tick Badge on WhatsApp - A Step-by-Step Guide: Click Here

Wrapping Up!

In conclusion, promotional messages on WhatsApp offer a unique and highly effective way for businesses to engage with their customers on a personal level. By adhering to WhatsApp guidelines, personalizing content, and respecting user preferences, businesses can create meaningful connections and drive sales.

As the platform continues to evolve, it's crucial for marketers to stay up-to-date with the latest developments and best practices to maximize their marketing potential on WhatsApp. Embracing these opportunities will help businesses stay ahead of the competition and forge lasting relationships with their customers, leading to long-term success in the digital marketing landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Which countries are eligible to use WhatsApp promotional messages?

Answer: There are only a handful of countries eligible to use WhatsApp promotional messages for their businesses.

• USA
• Jamaica
• Columbia
• Brazil
• UK
• Netherland
• Spain
• Germany
• Italy
• Egypt
• Nigeria
• South Africa
• Russia
• UAE
• Saudi Arabia
• Singapore
• Malaysia

However, this list may change in the future and it's always good to check the WhatsApp official website for the current list of eligible countries to use WhatsApp promotional messages.

Question: What are the consequences of violating WhatsApp promotional message guidelines?

Answer: If you breach WhatsApp promotional message guidelines, your account might face temporary or permanent suspension from the platform.

Question: Can I send promotional messages to individuals not in my contact list?

Answer: Yes, you can send promotional messages to those who aren't saved in your contact list. However, you'd need consent from them. 

Question: Are there limitations on how frequently I can send WhatsApp promotional messages?

Answer: Yes, WhatsApp imposes restrictions on promotional message frequency. You should only send messages to customers who have opted in, and avoid sending more than one promotional message per day to each recipient.

Question: What is the maximum character count for WhatsApp promotional messages?

Answer: WhatsApp promotional messages can contain up to 4096 characters, including spaces and special characters.

Question: Is it possible to include images or videos in WhatsApp promotional messages?

Answer: Yes, you can incorporate images and videos into your WhatsApp promotional messages.

Question: How do WhatsApp promotional and transactional messages differ?

Answer: WhatsApp promotional messages aim to market products or services, whereas transactional messages convey information about ongoing transactions, like order confirmations or delivery updates.

Question: Can I distribute promotional messages to customers via WhatsApp?

Answer: Yes, you can send promotional messages to customers on WhatsApp, but you must adhere to the guidelines and restrictions set by the platform. Ensure you obtain customer consent and comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

Question: What constitutes a WhatsApp promotional message?

Answer: A WhatsApp promotional message is an automated message sent by businesses to customers or prospects in order to advertise their products or services.

Question: How do I create an effective promotional message on WhatsApp?

Answer: To compose an impactful promotional message on WhatsApp, follow these tips:

• Craft an engaging and captivating message
• Keep it brief and to the point
• Be specific and honest about your offerings
• Promote without overdoing it
• Avoid spamming recipients
• Continuously refine your messages

Question: Are promotional messages on WhatsApp successful?

Answer: Promotional messages on WhatsApp can be effective if the target audience is accurately identified, the message quality is high, the timing is appropriate, and the call to action is clear. With a vast user base and support for personalized, rich media messages, WhatsApp can be a powerful marketing tool. However, it's crucial to abide by WhatsApp's terms of use and avoid sending messages to users who haven't consented to receive promotional content.

Question: Can I use chatbots with the WhatsApp Business API? 

Answer: Yes, the WhatsApp Business API supports chatbots, which can help automate responses to frequently asked questions, appointment scheduling, and other tasks, freeing up time for your support team to focus on more complex issues.

Question: What is the key factor for getting the WhatsApp Green Tick badge?

Answer: Our experience working with brands has shown that having 3-5 organic PR articles about your business increases the likelihood of getting the WhatsApp Green Tick badge. Other factors, such as your business should be at Tier 2 or higher in WhatsApp's messaging levels and reputable brand identity, may also help but do not guarantee the badge. Ultimately, the decision rests with Meta.

Question: What should I do if my Green Tick application is rejected?

Answer: While the Green Tick badge adds a professional appearance to your profile and contact information, its rejection does not affect running campaigns and supporting customers. You may reapply after 30 days.

Question: Does DoubleTick offer a free trial?

Answer: Yes, we do offer a demo account that you can play with. Download the DoubleTick App to test with a demo account.

Question: What’s DoubleTick’s pricing plan? 

Answer: Kindly email us at grow@quicksell.co or Click here to BOOK a FREE DEMO with us to learn about DoubleTick’s features and pricing plans.

Question: How many team members can I add to my DoubleTick account?

Answer: You can add unlimited team members to DoubleTick.

Question: How many devices does DoubleTick support?

Answer: An unlimited number of devices can be used with DoubleTick. However, access to the number of accounts will be based on your subscription.