In West Africa, WhatsApp is often the first channel a customer uses to contact you. Yet many businesses still use the regular app without taking advantage of the free tools in WhatsApp Business. Here are seven tips to turn your conversations into sales.
1. Complete your business profile
Add your logo, a clear description of your business, your opening hours, your address and a link to your website. A complete profile builds trust from the very first message.
2. Create your catalogue
The catalogue lets you present your products or services with photos, descriptions and prices. Customers can browse your offers without asking ten questions, and you can share an item in one tap.
3. Turn on the greeting and away messages
The greeting message automatically answers the first contact (“Hello, thank you for your message, we will get back to you shortly”). The away message lets customers know when you are closed. Nobody is left without a reply.
4. Set up quick replies
Your prices, payment methods, address: save these answers once, then send them by typing “/” followed by a shortcut. You save valuable time every day.
5. Organise customers with labels
“New customer”, “Quote sent”, “Payment pending”, “Order delivered”: labels let you track every conversation and follow up at the right time.
6. Post regularly in your status
Your contacts watch your status updates. Share news, recent work, customer reviews or a limited offer. It is free advertising to people who already know you.
7. Connect WhatsApp to your website
Add a WhatsApp button on every page of your website, with a pre-written message (“Hello, I would like a quote for…”). Visitors reach you in one click, and you immediately know what they are looking for. We build this into every website we create.
One last tip: stay professional
Reply quickly, be polite and never send bulk messages to people who did not ask for them. WhatsApp penalises accounts reported as spam.
Need help setting up WhatsApp Business, your social media or your website? Explore our digital marketing services or message us directly on WhatsApp.