The world has gone mobile, and so should your sales strategy!
With over 3+ billion users worldwide, WhatsApp has become a key platform for businesses to engage with their customers. In this comprehensive guide, we'll dive into the world of how to sell on WhatsApp, covering tips, tricks, and hacks for SMBs to make the most of this powerful tool.
We'll also spotlight how you can leverage WhatsApp Business API, a game-changing WhatsApp MarCom solution for businesses like yours.
Get ready to be delighted and confident in your ability to sell on WhatsApp!
How to Sell on WhatsApp
In this section, we'll cover various strategies along with some tips, tricks, and hacks to help you master selling on WhatsApp.
- Build Your Product Catalogue on WhatsApp
- Start by Selling to Your Known Contacts
- Use WhatsApp Status Updates
- Join WhatsApp Seller Groups
- Leverage Your Social Media Accounts
- Add a WhatsApp Chat Widget To Your Website
- Leveraging Psychological Triggers in Content
- Leverage CTWA (Click to WhatsApp)
- Run WhatsApp-Based Contests and Giveaways
- Use Chat Automation to Automatically Qualify and Route Leads
- Manage and Automate Repeat Customer Enquiries
- Create Template Messages for Quick Replies
- Send Automated Confirmations and Updates
- Create a WhatsApp Broadcast List/Groups
- Reach More People with Bulk WhatsApp Broadcasts
- Send Messages With a Personal Touch
- Leverage Multimedia Content
- Reduce Work with Automated Marketing Campaigns
- Boost Sales with Direct Conversations
- Use Labels To Organize Your Chats
- Create a Messaging Schedule
- Use Link Shorteners With Tracking
- Follow Up With Leads and Customers
Let's talk about each of them in detail!
Build Your Product Catalogue on WhatsApp
Develop a comprehensive product catalogue within WhatsApp to showcase your offerings efficiently. This catalogue acts as a virtual storefront, allowing customers to browse and select products directly from the chat interface, enhancing the shopping experience and streamlining the purchase process.
Start by Selling to Your Known Contacts
Begin your WhatsApp selling journey by reaching out to people already in your contact list. This approach provides a safe space to refine your sales pitch, engage in negotiations, and gather honest feedback. These initial interactions can help improve your offerings before expanding to a broader, unknown audience on social platforms.
Use WhatsApp Status Updates
Share limited-time offers, product launches, or behind-the-scenes content with your contacts via WhatsApp Status updates. This feature allows you to post ephemeral content that disappears after 24 hours, creating a sense of urgency and exclusivity.
Join WhatsApp Seller Groups
Explore and join WhatsApp groups tailored for sellers. These communities are invaluable for networking, sharing experiences, and finding potential customers. To find relevant groups, you can ask fellow sellers, explore Facebook groups related to your industry, or search online platforms like Grupya, which lists numerous seller groups.
Leverage Your Social Media Accounts
Utilize your existing social media presence to funnel potential customers to your WhatsApp. Post engaging content about your products on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, and directly invite followers to contact you on WhatsApp for purchases. This method effectively turns your social media followers into WhatsApp contacts.
Add a WhatsApp Chat Widget To Your Website
Integrate a WhatsApp chat widget on your website to make it easy for visitors to initiate conversations and ask questions, which can lead to increased sales and better customer relationships.
Leveraging Psychological Triggers in Content
Enhance your sales strategy by incorporating psychological triggers such as scarcity, urgency, and exclusivity into your messages. These elements can make your offerings more attractive and prompt quicker decision-making from customers. For instance, inform customers about limited-time offers or exclusive products to create a sense of urgency.
Leverage CTWA (Click to WhatsApp)
Utilize the CTWA feature to create a direct connection from your social media campaigns on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to WhatsApp. By integrating CTWA links into your digital advertisements or posts, you encourage potential customers to initiate a WhatsApp conversation directly. This seamless transition greatly reduces barriers to communication, allowing for immediate engagement. Quick and direct contact through WhatsApp facilitates the process of qualifying leads and nurturing them towards conversion, enhancing the overall effectiveness of your social media marketing efforts.
Run WhatsApp-Based Contests and Giveaways
Encourage user engagement and expand your reach by running contests and giveaways that require participants to share your content, invite new contacts, or engage with your brand on WhatsApp.
Use Chat Automation to Automatically Qualify and Route Leads
Implement WhatsApp automation tools to qualify leads quickly and efficiently. Automation can collect essential information, such as business details, email addresses or specific needs, and route qualified leads to the appropriate sales team member. This process ensures that potential customers are engaged promptly and personally, increasing the likelihood of conversion.
Manage and Automate Repeat Customer Enquiries
Set up automated responses for common customer inquiries regarding payment confirmations, order updates, and delivery statuses. Automating these responses not only saves time but also ensures that your customers receive timely updates, enhancing their post-purchase experience.
Create Template Messages for Quick Replies
Save time by preparing template messages for frequently asked questions or common responses. This allows you to respond promptly and maintain consistency in your messaging.
Send Automated Confirmations and Updates
Implement automated messaging within WhatsApp to send instant confirmations for payments, bookings, and updates on order shipping and delivery. This automation ensures customers are consistently informed about their transactions and order progress, enhancing transparency and building trust.
Create a WhatsApp Broadcast List/Groups
Organize your contacts into broadcast lists or groups based on their sales stage in the customer journey. This segmentation allows you to send targeted messages that are relevant to each group, increasing the effectiveness of your communications. Regular updates via these lists keep your audience engaged and informed about new products and offers.
Reach More People with Bulk WhatsApp Broadcasts
Maximize your outreach by utilizing WhatsApp’s broadcasting feature to send messages to a large number of contacts simultaneously. This is particularly effective for announcements, promotions, and general updates, allowing you to efficiently communicate with a broad audience while maintaining a personal touch.
Send Messages With a Personal Touch
Address your customers by their name, use emojis, and refer to previous interactions to make your messages feel more personal and engaging.
Leverage Multimedia Content
Diversify your content by sharing images, videos, GIFs, and voice notes that showcase your products or services, provide valuable information, or entertain your audience.
Reduce Work with Automated Marketing Campaigns
Automate your marketing campaigns to deliver consistent, timely messages without manual intervention. Set up triggers for messages based on specific customer actions or milestones, like purchases or inquiries, ensuring that every interaction is captured and appropriately responded to, thereby maximizing engagement and potential sales.
Boost Sales with Direct Conversations
Encourage direct, personal conversations with your customers to foster a deeper connection and trust. These interactions can lead to increased sales, as well as opportunities for cross-selling and upselling. Direct communication reduces the sales cycle and allows for more dynamic and responsive customer service.
Use Labels To Organize Your Chats
Categorize your customer conversations with labels like "New Lead," "Follow-up," or "Order Complete" to keep track of each interaction's status and ensure timely responses.
Create a Messaging Schedule
Establish a consistent messaging schedule to ensure regular and timely engagements with your audience. This helps maintain a continual presence in your customers’ WhatsApp feeds, which is crucial for keeping your brand top-of-mind. Schedule messages based on optimal engagement times to increase the chances of your messages being read and acted upon.
Use Link Shorteners With Tracking
Utilize link shorteners like Bitly or Rebrandly to track the performance of your links shared on WhatsApp. This helps you analyze the effectiveness of your campaigns and identify areas for improvement. With DoubleTick you can seamlessly track the engagement on the links shared without any third-party tool.
Follow Up With Leads and Customers
Keep the conversation going by following up with leads and customers after a certain period. This shows that you care about their experience and are ready to assist them further, ultimately leading to stronger customer relationships and repeat business.
Selling on WhatsApp Business vs. WhatsApp API Platform: Which One is Better?
If you’re deciding between WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp API for selling, the choice boils down to your business size and operational needs.
- Choose WhatsApp Business if you’re a small business with a limited customer base and need basic tools to interact with your customers.
- Opt for WhatsApp API if you’re managing a large customer base, require robust automation, and need advanced WhatsApp marketing solutions to scale your business effectively.
Here’s a comprehensive comparison table to help you make an informed decision:
Features | WhatsApp Business | WhatsApp API |
Best For | Small businesses | Medium to large businesses |
Cost | Free | Messaging cost involved |
Bulk Messaging | Up to 256 contacts per broadcast list. Limited to saved contacts. | Unlimited, depending on your messaging tier. Both saved and unsaved contacts. |
Automation | Basic (greeting messages, away messages) | Advanced (AI-powered chatbots, automated campaigns, auto lead qualification and nurturing) |
Multi-User Access | Limited to one user with up to four linked devices | Shared team inbox with multiple user access |
CRM and Third-party App Integration | Not possible | Supports integrations with CRM, e-commerce platforms, and third-party tools. For example: integrates with Shopify, Google Sheets, WooCommerce, and more |
Green Tick Badge | Not possible | Possible |
Advanced Analytics | Basic message metrics | Real-time insights, campaign performance tracking, and detailed reports |
Product Catalogue | Possible | Advanced catalogue management with enhanced customization |
WhatsApp Chatbots | Not possible | Supports AI-powered smart chatbots |
Personalization | Limited to manual replies | Automated personalized messages based on customer actions and preferences |
Message Type | Basic | Interactive messages with CTA buttons |
Scalability | Not scalable for growing businesses | Highly scalable as your customer base and business grow |
In a nutshell, if your business demands efficiency, automation, and the ability to handle a large audience, WhatsApp API is the clear winner. However, for simpler needs and cost-free communication, WhatsApp Business gets the job done effectively.
Benefits of Selling on WhatsApp
WhatsApp has become a go-to platform for businesses due to its direct, convenient, and customer-friendly approach. Here’s why selling on WhatsApp can transform your business:
- Direct Customer Connection: Engage with customers in real-time, fostering trust and building stronger relationships.
- Personalized Interactions: Send tailored messages to customers, ensuring they feel valued and understood.
- Cost-Effective Sales Channel: WhatsApp Business is free and WhatsApp API is cost-effective as compared to email and SMS, making it an affordable way to communicate and sell.
- Enhanced Customer Experience: Offer seamless support and product information directly in the chat, reducing the need for customers to navigate through websites.
- Higher Engagement Rates: Messages sent on WhatsApp enjoy a 98% open rate, ensuring your offers and updates are noticed.
- Easy Catalog Management: Showcase your products in a virtual catalogue, making browsing and purchasing seamless for customers.
- Automated Responses: Save time with chatbots that handle FAQs, lead qualification, and post-sale support automatically.
- Convenience for Mobile Users: WhatsApp’s mobile-first approach ensures an easy shopping experience, wherever your customers are.
- Global Accessibility: Break geographical barriers and connect with customers across the globe instantly.
Selling on WhatsApp isn’t just about transactions, it’s about creating a personalized and engaging shopping journey that drives customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Wrapping-Up!
Selling on WhatsApp is more than a trend, it’s a powerful way to connect with customers, drive sales, and build lasting relationships. Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, leveraging WhatsApp’s features can transform your customer interactions.
Ready to elevate your sales game?
Start selling on WhatsApp today and experience the difference!
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: How do I become a seller on WhatsApp?
To become a seller on WhatsApp, create a WhatsApp Business Account via the app or WhatsApp API, build a digital WhatsApp storefront by showcasing your product or service catalogue, and share your offerings with customers. Use features like WhatsApp Broadcast to market your product and streamline communication to boost sales.
Question: Can I earn money on WhatsApp?
Yes! You can earn money by selling products or services, providing consultations, or running campaigns. WhatsApp’s features like catalogues, broadcast campaigns, and automation make it easy to monetize your business communication.