Recently we introduced a new feature: from now on you can add a clickable WhatsApp button to your video. When the viewer clicks the button, WhatsApp automatically opens and a message can be sent immediately.
But why would you want to use this feature? And in what ways can you use WhatsApp for business purposes? The answer lies in the enormous reach of the medium, the low threshold and the good possibilities for lead generation and customer service. You guessed it: keep reading!
WhatsApp for Business: what is it and why use it?
The chat app WhatsApp was launched in 2009 – indeed, only 12 years ago! Nowadays, it is nearly impossible to imagine life without it. After all, how did we communicate before 2009? Oh right, back then we sent texts: text messages with a limited number of characters. And without all those cute emoji, gifs and other possibilities, such as sending documents, web links and videos. The founders of WhatsApp therefore wanted to launch a fast, reliable alternative to SMS. And they succeeded.
Back to the present. WhatsApp was used by more than 2 billion people, in over 180 countries, in 2020. In most European countries, WhatsApp is the number one mobile messaging app. The Netherlands has as many as 12.4 million WhatsApp users, of which 9.8 million are daily users. This makes it the largest platform in the Netherlands. Many companies are cleverly capitalizing on this great success. The business use of WhatsApp as a communication channel brings great benefits:
- (Almost) everyone uses it
- It is easy and fast
- It is personal
- WhatsApp is secure, thanks to end-to-end encryption.
In short: WhatsApp is THE tool to communicate easily with customers and prospects. It is easy. It’s low-threshold. And almost everyone uses it. Exactly that is the power of this medium. And your organisation can also make smart use of the app. How, you may ask? We would like to highlight a few smart applications to you.
WhatsApp for lead generation
WhatsApp is an interesting platform to use for lead generation. By using the app as an extra communication channel, it’s easier for your customers and prospects to reach you. Sending a message through WhatsApp feels convenient – and it’s done in just a few seconds. A lot easier and faster than sending an email or picking up the phone, right? As soon as that first app message is sent, you can add the lead to your database and send targeted information or content. For example, you can easily send a link to a certain page on your website, or to a product in your webshop. Or you could match the lead to a specific account manager to guide them through the purchasing process.
It may sound like a lot of work – processing and responding to each app personally. But it is good to realise that this kind of contact is experienced as very pleasant. It may also lead to faster conversions – provided you do it right, of course! We are talking about warm leads here: people who have passed the orientation phase and are in the thinking phase. They are already gaining more in-depth knowledge about your product or service. So this is the moment to bring in that lead. And WhatsApp can be a great medium for that.
Customer support via WhatsApp
Customer support is extremely important for many companies; it can even make or break your business. So, it’s smart to invest in your customer support and to be approachable via various channels. In the past, this was done via letters, e-mail or telephone. Nowadays people ask their questions via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. After all, this is more quickly and easily done than going through the selection menu on the phone. And speed and convenience are crucial when it comes to customer service.
When it comes to quick and easy, WhatsApp is your best bet. So, this is also an excellent customer service tool. Because it is a very easy way for customers to ask questions. Moreover, the advantage for you as a company is that with WhatsApp for Business you can set standard answers, or have an automated out-of-office message sent. This way, a customer is always responded to quickly.
Service messages via WhatsApp
Sending service messages can also be done very well via WhatsApp. Think of order information or shipping confirmations. Many companies still do this via text messages. However, SMS is used less and less by consumers, which is why text messages sometimes go unread. This is not practical when important information needs to be communicated. WhatsApp, on the other hand, is used daily by many people. So it is good to offer messaging via WhatsApp.
But, rule number one remains: offer your customer options
Although WhatsApp is an increasingly important means of communication, and has great potential for business use, it is of course not the only one. Therefore, always make sure that you are available in different ways. So keep on answering that phone, read your emails and deploy a chat function on your site. Because not everyone in your target group has the same preferences. And not every problem can be solved via WhatsApp. So always offer your target group different options.
Want to get in touch with your target group easily?
The solution might be very simple: a green WhatsApp button in your video! Contact one of our professional partners for advice on using WhatsApp for business. They will be happy to explore the possibilities for your organisation together.
