If you're running a D2C brand or a Shopify store, you know how frustrating it can be to put so much effort into marketing campaigns only to see little to no results. It can be discouraging to feel like you're pouring your heart and soul into something that just isn't working.
If you can relate, it's time to say goodbye to low conversion strategies and hello to WhatsApp marketing. This article will explain how you can use this popular chat app to generate leads and sales for your business, as well as some tips on how to get started.
Let's start from the basics. And if you know it, jump into the strategies using the quick links. 😉
What Is WhatsApp Marketing?
As the name suggests, WhatsApp marketing is all about promoting your business on the WhatsApp platform. It is a form of digital marketing where you can send messages to your potential customers and build relationships with them.
With over 2.4 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp has become an integral part of people’s lives and is one of the most effective tools for business growth. With its potential, you can use WhatsApp to get in touch with your potential customers, and a perfect way to build a relationship without having to put pants on and leave the house.
Just be sure to keep it professional - you don't want to end up like that one guy at the party who talks too much and never gets invited back. 😉
Is WhatsApp Marketing beneficial?
Well, yes. Unlike any other marketing strategy, WhatsApp Marketing is the most cost-effective way to reach your customers. You can build a relationship, create a community and interact with them personally. It also helps you retain your existing customers by providing two-way communication, which increases customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Here are some important reasons why WhatsApp Marketing is the right choice for your business.
1. High open rates and conversion rates
When was the last time you checked your WhatsApp message? If you're like most people, it was probably just a few minutes or hours ago. That's the power of WhatsApp Marketing—it's always on. You might be surprised that an average user spends 19.4 hours per month, and all the messages get 98% open rates.
The reason?
When you send a message through WhatsApp, it will appear unread in your customer's inbox until they open it. This means your message doesn't get lost between other messages like email newsletters or text messages.
If your message is engaging and persuasive enough, you can get a better ROI rate as high as 10-15X.
2. Increased Engagement
It's no secret that engagement is one of the most important metrics in marketing. An engaged audience is likelier to buy from you, share your content, and recommend your brand to others.
WhatsApp allows you to engage with customers in a way that no other platform can—it gives them a direct line of communication with you at all times.
This means they can contact you whenever they want, and you can respond immediately. This kind of engagement is hard to come by in any other channel, so it's a great way to increase your company's reputation as an engaging brand that cares about its customers.
3. Acquisition
WhatsApp allows you to acquire new customers as no other platform can. This is because it provides an instant way of communicating with people interested in your business or products.
Once you have their contact information, you can send them relevant content about your brand and products—and they'll be more likely to respond than if they were approached via email, social media ads, or other channels.
4. Enhanced Customer Service
With WhatsApp Business API, businesses can provide quick and personalized customer support, leading to higher customer satisfaction rates. In fact, 72% of customers are more likely to purchase from a company communicating with them in real-time via chat messaging.
So why not prioritize the same?
Even WhatsApp has a chatbot that allows you to automate answering frequently asked questions and offering basic support. In addition, you should avoid leaving all responses to the bot. Humans need to be available for personalized responses as well.
5. Diverse content formats and cost-effective marketing options
When talking to customers about their problems, sending photos and videos might help resolve the situation. With WhatsApp, you can send all those files in one thread.
Moreover, you can use multiple formats while promoting your products rather than limiting yourself to a static image.
How to Get Started and Set Up WhatsApp Marketing to Promote Your Business?
Ah, the million-dollar question! Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use whatsapp for marketing:
1. Create a WhatsApp Business account
First things first, you'll need to create a WhatsApp Business account. This dedicated app is designed for businesses to interact with customers on the platform. It's free to download and use, and you can create your account using your existing phone number.
2. Add your business information
Once you've created your account, it's time to add your business information. This includes your business name, logo, and a brief description of what you do. This will help customers recognize your business and understand what you offer.
3. Build Your Contact List
The next step is to build your contact list. You can add contacts manually, import them from a CSV file, or let customers opt-in by providing a link on your website or social media channels. Here are the multiple ways how you can build your customer list,
A) Opti-in tools
One of the easiest ways to build your contact list is by using an opt-in tool. You can use an exit intent pop-up, gamified pop-ups, and more to collect their numbers in exchange for an offer. For example, you can give customers a freebie or discount in exchange for their contact details. Here's how Lavie leverages the same to build its contact list,
With BiteSpeed, you can easily use multiple opt-in tools to build your customer list.
B) WhatsApp chatbot
It is much similar to the normal chatbot but works on WhatsApp. This is an easy way to connect with customers and build your contact list. You can use a WhatsApp chatbot to send personalized messages, offer special discounts, or ask for feedback.
4. Develop a Messaging Strategy
Before sending messages, you'll need to develop a messaging strategy. This includes deciding what kind of messages you'll send, how often you'll send them, and your goals. For example, if your goal is to recover abandoned carts, your campaign should focus on sending messages to customers who have added items to their carts but still need to complete the purchase.
If your goal is to build relationships with customers, choose a more casual tone and send more conversational messages.
5. Create Engaging Content
To get the most out of WhatsApp marketing, you must create engaging content that resonates with your target audience. This could include promotions, special offers, or informative content that adds value to their lives.
How? Let's assume you have a skin care product that people can use to eliminate dark spots on their faces. You could create a WhatsApp chatbot that provides customers with an informative guide about how to get rid of dark spots, along with tips and tricks for using your product.
We have some templates, but we will discuss that in a while.
6. Start Sending Messages
Once you've got your messaging strategy and content in place, it's time to start sending messages! You can send messages to individual contacts, groups, or broadcast lists.
But it will be a headache if you do this manually, and that's why you should leverage an app that automates this process. We will see some of the best apps to help you automate this process later in this article.
7. Monitor Your Results
Once you've started sending messages, it's time to monitor your results! You should check if your message is being opened and read by recipients, how many times they're being clicked on, and so on. This information will tell you whether or not your message strategy is working well.
WhatsApp Marketing Campaigns Examples
Now it might be tempting to send your customers the first message and see how they react. However, you should always prepare in advance for any possible scenario.
By doing so, you can effectively plan your campaign and develop a winning strategy that works. Let's look at some examples of companies that have used the platform well to generate leads:
1. Fitshot
Fitshot uses WhatsApp for various purposes. One is helping customers choose the best product that suits their needs. The best thing is that it allows their customers to build their cart without leaving WhatsApp.
Once the user has finished choosing the product, Fitshot will allow them to place their order from your website by redirecting them. This helps them to reduce the cart abandonment rate and increase conversion.
2. Blue Nectar
Blue Nectar is an online store that sells essential oils and other health-related products. They have used WhatsApp to create a community of their customers where they can share information on various topics related to essential oils. This helps them build trust among their customers and increase sales by providing them with the right information at the right time.
They also guide users in selecting the best product based on their issues and questions. It is a win-win situation, as the customer doesn't have to spend on researching the best product, and they can convert them by suggesting the best product.
3. Cyahi
Cyahi leverages the catalog feature to help its customers get the right product. They have a huge catalog of products, which is quite hard to navigate.
This feature allows their customers to quickly find the right product for their needs by filtering the results based on the price range, brand name, and other criteria.
WhatsApp Marketing Message Templates for D2C Brands
Here are the five best sample templates for WhatsApp marketing messages for D2C businesses.
1. For product launch.
Here is a sample template to launch your product and gain traction,
Hey [Name],
The most awaited "product" is here!
And guess what? For those who place within the next 24 hours, we offer a 20% discount on the MRP! So, hurry up and place your order now.
Click here to order: [URL]
Pro tips,
- Create a sense of urgency: Tell your audience they need to place their order before the deadline. This will help you gain more traction and drive more sales.
- Offer a limited-time discount: Offering the best price during a launch will help you gain more traction, as your audience won’t hesitate to grab it before the offer ends. You can also increase your sales by offering multiple discounts on different products.
- Use a compelling copy: Make it engaging and clear for your audience to understand your offering. They will be more likely to place their order if they understand the benefits of each product you sell.
2. Order confirmation.
Here is a sample template to help you get started:
Hi [Name],
You have ordered a black dress from [Store]. Great choice!
Your order is successful and will reach your doorstep by [Date].
And your dress will look great on you when you wear this pair of shoes!
Would you like to get it?
Yes/No.
Pro tips,
- Give tracking URL to check the order status: This will help them keep track of their order and know when it’s arriving.
- Offer a discount: The customer has placed an order recently, so it’s a good idea to offer them a discount on their next purchase when they respond "yes" to your cross-selling message.
3. Auto reply.
Here is a sample template to help you out:
Hi [Name],
Thanks for reaching out to us.
Our team of experts will get in touch with you soon! To explore our services or schedule a callback, please select the option below: [insert CTAs here].
Pro tips,
- Keep it short and simple. The main goal of your auto-reply is to let customers know that you received their message and when they can expect a response and any other relevant information about the company.
- Give an estimate about getting a response: It’s important to estimate when you can respond, even if it’s just a rough estimate. This helps customers know that you are on top of things and will get back to them soon.
4. Cart abandonment.
Here is a simple template that helps you recover your abandoned carts,
Hi [Name],
We noticed that you were about to check out but then left your cart.
We’re wondering if there is anything we can do for you.
Would you mind telling us why you decided not to purchase today?
CTA: 1. Price is high, 2. No suitable payment method, 3. Shipping costs.
Based on their response, you can send a message offering a discount or free shipping.
Pro tips,
- Provide discounts: If it's your first-time user, try to provide a discount code. This way, you can attract new customers and increase your sales.
- Offer free shipping: If shipping is their primary concern, ask them to add more items to their cart for free shipping.
5. Collecting reviews.
Here is a template that gets you more reviews,
Hi [Name],
Your order is delivered on the promised date and time.
But we want to know about your experience with our store.
Send us the original image of your order and ratings directly on WhatsApp and help others to make informed decisions.
CTA: Rate your experience from 1-5.
Pro tips,
- Provide the rating scale: Though asking for star ratings is impossible, you can create multiple CTA from 1-5. You can later upload the same on your Shopify store.
WhatsApp Marketing Strategies and Tips to Get Started
Now you have everything you need, it's time to start. Here are the best working WhatsApp marketing strategies you can use immediately.
1. Run click to WhatsApp ads
One way to generate leads quickly and efficiently while reducing the cost per lead is through running Click to WhatsApp Ads on Facebook. This advertising format allows users to be seamlessly redirected to your WhatsApp, where you can engage them in a personalized one-on-one conversation.
A significant advantage of using Direct to WhatsApp Ads is the ability to obtain a user's name and mobile number immediately upon landing on your WhatsApp page, eliminating the need for them to fill out time-consuming landing page forms. This streamlined process can greatly improve the overall user experience and increase the likelihood of successfully converting leads into customers.
And the best part? You don't have to run retargeting campaigns again, as you can directly contact them through WhatsApp and continue the conversation from there.
2. Personalized promotions
Offering personalized promotions will help you stand out from the crowd and increase your WhatsApp Ads' conversion rate. You can easily create a custom audience based on user data, targeting users with specific interests, demographics, or behaviors. Using this feature, you can send highly relevant messages that speak directly to people's needs and desires.
With BiteSpeed, you can create a promotion campaign that automatically personalizes the message with your user's name. Just within a click, your campaign will go live.
3. Run abandoned cart campaigns with a unique discount
You can send a WhatsApp message to customers who abandon their carts and drive them back to complete their purchases.
By using BiteSpeed's abandoned cart campaigns, you can automatically create a unique discount for each customer based on the items they left in their cart. With this feature, you don't have to spend time manually creating new discounts for every user or sending out discounts that may not be relevant anymore.
Moreover, you can personalize everything and even create workflows that enable you to send out SMS messages automatically when a customer abandons their cart.
4. Create a loyalty program for customers
To keep customers returning to your store, you need a loyalty program. A loyalty program can help you get more repeat customers and drive sales in the long run.
In fact, businesses that run loyalty programs are 88% more likely to be profitable than their competitors, according to a recent survey. You can announce this through a broadcast message and start offering incentives for their referrals.
5. Introduce customer support chatbot
Customers expect a fast and easy way to get customer support in today's digital world. Chatbots are a good way to provide your customers with the assistance they need without waiting on hold or going through an agent.
You can use chatbots to answer basic questions about products or services, provide product information, and even recommend other products that might interest you. Just like Fitshot or Blue Nectar from the above examples, you can give your customers the ability to chat with a customer support bot for help and easily provide them with answers.
Popular WhatsApp Marketing Software & Tools
Though WhatsApp allows you to drive conversions, there are limited features that you can automate. What if you can automate most of the processes?
That's where WhatsApp marketing software comes in handy. In this section, we have listed some of the most popular WhatsApp marketing tools that can help you automate your campaigns and boost conversions.
1. BiteSpeed
BiteSpeed is a one-stop solution for all your WhatsApp marketing needs. It allows you to send automated messages, manage your WhatsApp groups, create campaigns, and more. To grow your subscriber list, it comes with several opt-in tools (they are irresistible 😉), so you can grow your list fast and gain more sales.
Here are the top features of BiteSpeed,
- With BiteSpeed, you can make your customers say "WhatsAppening?" with their customizable exit intent pop-ups!
- You can send advanced abandoned cart recovery messages with one click.
- BiteSpeed provides a user-friendly dashboard to create, edit, manage, and deploy messages.
- Chatbot flow builder automates customer queries and orders.
- WhatsApp shop and catalog are available to showcase products.
- BiteSpeed lets you collect photo reviews from customers directly from WhatsApp.
- Segmented broadcast messages allow targeted marketing to avoid being marked as SPAM.
- BiteSpeed provides upselling and cross-selling capabilities to increase order value and customer lifetime value.
In a nutshell, think of BiteSpeed when it comes to WhatsApp marketing, as it has everything from abandoned cart recovery campaigns to collecting user reviews.
2. Whatso
Whatso is a software application that enables businesses to send bulk messages through WhatsApp. It provides a user-friendly interface allowing you to create and send messages to multiple recipients simultaneously. With Whatso, you can add text, images, documents, and links to your messages and even schedule them for later delivery.
The app also includes message personalization, group chat management, contact filtering, and anti-blocking technology to ensure message delivery.
Here are the top features of Whatso,
- Bulk messaging: Allows users to send bulk messages to multiple recipients simultaneously.
- Personalization: Offers the ability to personalize messages with custom fields such as first name, last name, and more.
- Attachments: Let users add attachments such as images, documents, and links to their messages.
- Scheduling: Allows users to schedule messages for later delivery.
- Anti-blocking technology: Ensures that messages are delivered even if they are flagged as spam or blocked by WhatsApp.
- Group chat management: Allows users to manage their WhatsApp groups, including adding or removing members and sending messages.
- Contact filtering: Enables users to filter their contact list to target specific groups of recipients.
- Analytics: Provides detailed analytics on message delivery, open rates, and click-through rates.
- Integrations: Offers integrations with other popular marketing tools such as WordPress and SMS services.
This app is more like bulk sending messages with a touch of personalization. If you want to send messages, Whatso is the best option but remember it has some limitations like auto campaigns. You have to do it manually again.
3. Vepaar
Vepaar is a powerful WhatsApp marketing tool that streamlines your marketing campaigns while assisting with CRM. It enables you to connect with clients, send reminders, and build an eCommerce store with features such as managing products, categories, attributes, charges, and inventory.
Additionally, the built-in CRM enables you to perform customer-related actions such as creating contacts, groups, and broadcast lists. You can even access saved data in various formats and review previous chats.
The key features of Vepaar include the following:
- Inventory management: Allows businesses to manage their inventory levels, track sales, and generate reports on inventory performance.
- Sales management: Offers tools for managing customer data, sales orders, and invoicing.
- Purchasing management: Provides tools for managing purchase orders, vendor data, and payments.
- Financial management: Enables users to manage their finances, including cash flow, profit and loss, and balance sheets.
- Reporting and analytics: Offers a range of reporting and analytics tools to help businesses track their performance and make data-driven decisions.
- Mobile app: Allows users to manage their business on the go with the Vepaar mobile app.
- Multi-language support: Provides support for multiple languages, making it a great choice for businesses with international operations.
Vepaar is particularly useful for those who want to build an eCommerce store on WhatsApp, as it provides tools for managing product information, inventory, and payments. However, you have to consider other alternatives if you need more options.
Wrapping Up
That's all, folks; now you know every detail of WhatsApp marketing with this ultimate guide. So what's next? You can start using WhatsApp for your business. You don't have to spend much time learning and implementing the tools. Just follow what we've discussed in this article, and you'll be good to go!
If you need a tool that automates everything and brings sales on autopilot, BiteSpeed is the best option. It's an all-in-one solution to grow your business without any effort. You don't have to learn how it works or implement its features. Just install the plugin, turn it on, and watch the money roll in!
Hold on; we have more strategies that helped several Shopify owners like you to make more sales. But don't take our word for it; schedule a demo with BiteSpeed and see for yourself how easy it is to skyrocket your sales with WhatsApp marketing (as it's not fair to discuss them in a public blog. 👉🏻👈🏻😌
