Who should use WhatsApp Business and how does one set it up

As discussed earlier, WhatsApp has been built to cater to different purposes as well as different business sizes, when we talk about the business model front.

In this blog, we will cover the need for WhatsApp Business, who it's relevant for, and how to set it up.

But first, what is WhatsApp Business?

WAB, at the crux of it, is a business model of the WhatsApp personal chat tool, with complimentary features to help any business that is starting off and requires a channel to communicate with their end clients.

This essentially means, that a small business, with mostly the proprietor or owner of the business running the show, will run the WhatsApp Business account too, from the convenience of his mobile or WebApp device. It’s that simple.

First things first, though. Is this the right fit for your business?

Ideally, the right audience for such a WhatsApp Business setup is:

1. Home-grown businesses like salons, hardware stores, cafes and even boutiques
2. On-Line Retailers like influencer fashion or merchandise sale services, where they can use WhatsApp business to set up sales.
3. Service Based Businesses like life-coaching, health-coaching etc, who can then use WhatsApp Business to set up their services for clients to choose from.
4. Organizations and communities for setting up of volunteer programs and sign-up processes for different programs that are available.
5. Travel and Hospitality businesses like local tour guides or vehicle rentals in a city so that the turists can easily get in touch as well as peruse the services at a glance.

So without further ado, let’s dive right in!

Once you have decided that WhatsApp Business is the right choice for your business, we can get started with the following steps:

1. Installation and set-up of WhatsApp Business account
2. Best practices for a stellar WhatsApp Business account
3. Advance settings to boost your WhatsApp Business account

What we need to remember through the entire process is that WhatsApp will now be the official communication channel for your business and this needs to be correctly represented with the features that have been made available on this version.

Installation and setup of WhatsApp Business account.

The process of installation of WAB is quite simple.

All you will need to do is access your Apple Store or Play Store, depending on your OS, and find and install the WhatsApp Business application.

Once installed, the application will run you through the basics of the sign-on process. You can choose to use your existing number (which will be auto-detected if you are using the same device the SIM is plugged into) or register with a new number for the business exclusively.

💡 An important point to keep in mind here is, if your business has already been associated with the number that you were using, then it is wise to use the same and plan to transition the number later, once brand recognition and association have been established with the name and not the number!

There are multiple things that you can do to set up an excellent and informative profile, which your clients can leverage to find out more about your business.

1. Add a Cover Photo
   We all have seen the banner concept on LinkedIn profiles and on Facebook. WAB’s Cover Photo is the same concept. The idea behind this is that it acts like a supporting image that reinforces your business’ brand image. We strongly suggest you not use the same image as the one you are using as the display image for the Business account.
2. Add a Business Description and Category

Having a good business description is very important, to ensure that your clients or potential clients who come across your profile get a clear sense of what you’re selling. While your business name may not reflect what your company does, but writing a short and crisp description for your business can help turn it around.

A pro tip is to remember to end the description on a hook, or a “reason to return”, if you will. For example:

Business description for a locally sourced vegetable store without a hook:

We have a wide variety of locally sourced fruits and vegetables, available all days from 8 am - 8 pm.

Business description for a locally sourced vegetable store with a hook:

We have a wide variety of locally sourced fruits and vegetables, with exotic new varieties being added daily. Check out our catalogue for more details, between 8 am - 8 pm.

Adding a category helps bucket our business into the relevant categories and provides credibility and makes it easier for a person who is looking at your business to have a glance and understand what you are in the business of

💡 image of the above examples in screenshots

‍

3. Add your working hours and how to reach you.

Keeping your clients informed about how to reach you by different modes **creates a redundant structure, allowing them the flexibility to connect with you regarding a service, product or query. It is recommended, therefore, that you update your “Website” (another way for them to log in possibly and look around your products, services, etc), “Email address”, “Contact number” and the “About” information.

Keeping them informed about your working hours is just good business etiquette. Adding these details would not take you more than a few minutes.

You can find the link on how to do all these on the WhatsApp Set-Up guide page.

Easy, right?