How SMEs Can Use WhatsApp Business Application For Increasing ROI?

A revolution is due in the world of business. Thinking why we are saying so?

WhatsApp Business

The reason is self-evident with the launch of WhatsApp Business application for Android this week. Although it has been launched only in selected markets such as United States, United Kingdom, Italy, India, Mexico and Indonesia, it is soon going to reach every hook and corner of the world.

 

The aim of WhatsApp Business ahead of its worldwide rollout is to make it the most efficient platform for businesses to connect with their customers. B2C companies are soon going to have a great platform to design their marketing campaigns, promote offers and collect feedback.

If you don’t know, over 80 percent of small businesses in India and Brazil accepted that WhatsApp Messenger (regular application) helps them to communicate with customers and grow their businesses. This in itself is a big welcome to the platform, that is centered around fulfilling the daily business needs.

Platform For Business Needs

The separate business communication application will also provide additional features, which are still unknown. But as far as we can see, WhatsApp definitely has a broader plan behind the addition of business profiles ad new messaging tools.

You may have to pay for the additional features, such as instant bot messaging, but if it benefits your business to grow online, it is a good option. Instead of investing a huge sum of money on advertising, you can invest it on the direct reach to your customers.

While the app is only available on Play Store as of now, it will soon be available for Windows Store and Apple App Store as well. But as the majority of business owners are Android users, it is not a major concern.

It is also expected that with the passage of time, the business application shall get monetized. That also means it becomes more equipped with features. It is advisable to test it today and see for yourself if you shall continue using it in the future as well.

WhatsApp Business Is A Smart Choice

For businesses or companies that aim to connect at faster speeds and expand magnanimously, this application is a blessing in disguise. How? The enterprises finally have a platform with advanced tools to communicate with over a billion people worldwide, who can be potential customers.

Business Choice

It might be possible that a person doesn’t check their Facebook or Instagram, but every person will definitely check their WhatsApp. The customers don’t need to do modify or switch or do anything. The business profiles can reach out to everyone who is using WhatsApp Messenger.

In short, it is the door to enter into the billion user network and find new customers every day.

Helpful For Smaller Businesses

Usually larger enterprises have a larger customer base. The free app (Android only for now) is very helpful for smaller businesses if they establish an official presence on WhatsApp’s service and use it efficiently.

WhatsApp has helped all customers to connect with small businesses they care about. From online clothing stores to jewelry sellers to auto part suppliers, users have praised the services of WhatsApp. The features are going to be more or less similar to that of a Facebook page, but the direct reach provided by WhatsApp is huge.

In the near future, WhatsApp is expected to launch payment system too. In that case, it will be a one-stop destination for all customers. The best part is you don’t have to advertise for your business and you actually have everything at your own disposal.

Builds Personal Relationships With Customers

The messaging application has been so addictive that business owners themselves began using it for business communications and negotiations. Most of the sales were generated through WhatsApp and personal relationships were build with the customers.

The separate application will give an added advantage to business users to manage and streamline their business communication needs while building more and more strong relationships with people.

Customer relationship

Features Of Business App

As mentioned above, the WhatsApp for business application has similar features like a Facebook Page. (And why shouldn’t it have? Facebook is the parent company of WhatsApp!)

The disclosed features of WhatsApp for business application are given below:

  • A Green Checkmark: The business accounts will be verified by WhatsApp and will be given a green checkmark as a means of demonstrating their authenticity. Like the blue checkmark on Facebook, this too will contribute to the trust value of your business profile.
  • Business Details: Small companies or enterprises can set up their WhatsApp Business profiles simply by downloading the application. The business profile gives them the opportunity to add a business description, email, address, and website address, for public display.
  • Quick Replies: This is a pretty nice feature as it will enable businesses to provide fast answers to customers’ frequently asked questions. The businesses can enhance the FAQs to make the answers more specific and relevant to the customer’s query. An answer may be given quickly using forward slash to access the previously fed FAQs.
  • Greeting And Away Messages: Unlike the usual WhatsApp messenger that we all use, you can automate greeting and busy messages for your customers. You can introduce them to your business when they text you for the first time in the day and even let them know if you are busy.
  • Messaging Statistics: Besides the above-mentioned feature, you also have messaging stats like the number of messages read, the number of customers online, best time to message, etc. It would be enhanced with more and more analytics in the future for sure.
  • Separate Identity: The business accounts will be notified to the regular users. The people will know when they’re talking to a business. Just like the Facebook Messenger, the business profiles will have a different set of tools to communicate with their customers. Additionally, business profiles can connect with only those people who allow businesses to send them messages.

The Only Disadvantage

People using WhatsApp may block or report spam the business profiles, which trouble them. This can be prevented only by providing relevant information to the customers, which neither wastes their time nor makes them lose their trust from the application.

But that happens everywhere! Businesses cannot satisfy each and every customer. However, they can try to satisfy the maximum customers.

Digital Marketing Revolution Is Here

So far, the businesses have been worried about appearing in searches on Google, in the news feed on Facebook and Instagram, in advertisements on YouTube, etc. The digital marketing campaigns have always been centered around social media and search engines.

Now, the messaging application has triggered a new race. Only the businesses that will be able to keep up with this change are going to be in the race for the longer period of time. There has to be a shift in the strategy and design of marketing campaigns. They should be centered around virility, around the WhatsApp business application.

A lot many creative ideas can be implemented by businesses to increase their sales. (For example, offer coupons received from businesses over WhatsApp to avail discounts, WhatsApp stories to make people aware of an upcoming sale, etc.) The smaller businesses can have a team to handle campaigns centered around the loved WhatsApp.

In previous posts, we have discussed how the gap between search engines and social engines will slim down until it finally vanishes. Here is yet another example of it. Business profiles will be searched on WhatsApp and contacted here itself.

While the profiles can contact only those who permit them, all WhatsApp users around the globe will be able to find and message the business applications. Isn’t that something that needs care and attention?

WhatsApp Marketing Services

WhatsApp Business Profile Setup and Management will soon need efficient and creative people. The day is not far when businesses will hire marketing services to handle their WhatsApp profiles and run marketing campaigns through them.

In other words, the business application developed by WhatsApp is very promising and will surely open up a lot of possibilities in the future. As important it is for businesses, similarly important it is for digital marketing companies to keep a watch on the prospects it unfolds.

You never know, when the need arises!

Conclusion

With 1.3 billion people using WhatsApp across the globe, this dedicated application for businesses is more than welcome. It is now vital to see how the businesses utilize it to boost their website traffic, reduce their marketing efforts and enhance their ROI.

All business will surely benefit if they begin using WhatsApp Business. It will be an addition to their online presence, besides being an easy medium of communication. People on WhatsApp will soon be searching for businesses on the regular app and reach out to them directly!

The next generation of digital marketing is here. Smarter businesses will kick-start today itself. It is not tough at all. You would feel like using the regular WhatsApp messenger, with little modifications that satisfy your business needs.

What are you waiting for?

 

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Amit Mishra

Amit Mishra, the co-founder of Media Search Group, loves to pen down about marketing and designing. Be it search engine optimization(SEO) tips and strategies, Social Media Optimization, Increasing Engagement, and Traffic Score, Web Design and Development, Mobile Applications, Conversion/Sales, he covers it all. Been in the business for a long time, Amit Mishra knows some of the best strategies on how to expand and grow a Business Online.