WhatsApp Business app: How to boost your sales

Small business owners are always looking for ways to meet customers’ needs as simply and efficiently as possible.

With that in mind, did you know WhatsApp has a free business app? Designed and built purposely for small business owners, the app lets you chat easily with your customers, giving them the trust and confidence they need to shop with you.

Read on to learn more about the WhatsApp Business app and how you can use it to drive sales and build great relationships with your customers.

Why should I use the WhatsApp Business app?

The way businesses communicate is changing. Today, many people don’t want to call or email a business, they prefer to send messages instead.

Indeed, messaging has become an indispensable part of how businesses connect with their customers. It’s not only immediate but has the effect of making business personal again – something that people crave.

Real connections to businesses help people be surer about the decisions they’re making. And the convenience of messaging helps them get what they need quickly.

How can it help my small business?

Customers have a better experience when they can talk to you and your business directly. For you, engaging with customers via the WhatsApp Business app can be a powerful way to connect with them wherever they are and on their terms.

The WhatsApp Business app has been shown to drive sales and make business processes more efficient. You can use it for marketing, increasing awareness in your brand, or to foster relationships with customers, suppliers or business partners.

How it works

The WhatsApp Business app makes interacting with customers easy by providing tools to automate, sort and quickly respond to messages. It’s also designed to feel and work just like WhatsApp Messenger.

You can use it to do everything you’re used to doing, from messaging to sending photos.

Providing real-time customer service is a luxury small businesses can’t always afford. But with the business app, you and your staff can quickly answer any questions your customers might have. This responsiveness is key to building valuable long-term relationships.

The ability to message businesses directly can not only bring new online shoppers, but also strengthen relationships with current customers.

Ongoing, trusting and personal connections people develop with brands and sellers via conversations often lead to new interactions, more effective personalised recommendations and higher levels of spending.

You can access WhatsApp Business on your smartphone, tablet or PC. So you’ll be able to talk to your customers anytime if you choose to make yourself available.

What’s the difference between the business app and Messenger?

Both apps share certain features. For example, you can:

• send messages

• send documents, pictures and videos

• make phone calls

• create groups

Added to that, they are both encrypted and have built-in security features for your online safety.

The WhatsApp Business app, however, has some additional features that, as a business owner, you might find very valuable:

• Link it to a business landline number so you don’t have to use your private smartphone number

• Set up a business profile to list important information, such as your address, email and website

• Use messaging tools to quickly respond to customers

• Statistics tell you how many of your messages were successfully sent, delivered and read

• Customer broadcasts allow you to push out a customer message but prevent recipients sending a ‘reply to all’ response

• Create labels so you can put groups of people or types of messages into easy-to-find categories

• Build a catalogue to showcase your products or services

• Create a cart for shopping

• Create short links and QR codes to share with customers

• Connect your account to your Facebook and/or Instagram profiles

Relevant resources

Use the WhatsApp Business app to:

• Create an engaging business profile

• Build an engagement plan

• Create engaging content

• Reach your target audience

• Boost your sales