How to Sell on WhatsApp Business Successfully

Learn how to make sales on WhatsApp Business and maximize profit in 6 steps.

Are you wondering whether you should learn how to sell on WhatsApp and whether it will contribute to your Sales KPIs? The answers to both are yes. According to data provided by WhatsApp, more than 3 billion users in more than 180 countries use the app.

Since WhatsApp launched WhatsApp for Business in 2018, it has become a standard tool for businesses looking to increase revenue exponentially. Over 200 million businesses use the messaging app for customer communication. WhatsApp's Shopping features, such as catalogs, and average open rates of 90–98% (4–5 times higher than email’s) are just some of the benefits that brands can enjoy when selling online via the messenger.

If you want to discover how to sell on WhatsApp and get the most out of it, don’t miss this beginner guide, where we walk you through the best practices to set up your business profile, configure automatic messages, build a catalog, and attract new conversations with prospects.

5 reasons to learn how to sell on WhatsApp

There are many reasons for devoting time to learning how to sell using WhatsApp Business. Let’s discover what benefits the app can deliver to your company.

Stronger connection with the audience

Most people feel connected to a brand if it uses messaging platforms. For example, 70% of customers confirm that messaging the company has a positive impact on brand perception. This allows companies to build strong relationships with their customers and build loyalty. Maintaining this connection is vital for the company because it may reduce expenses — acquiring a new customer costs 5–7 times more than retaining one.

Higher conversion rate

A messaging app reaches customers where they already are and typically achieves higher engagement than email along the whole customer journey. For instance, promotional click-through rates on WhatsApp can be 10 times higher than email, while automated WhatsApp workflows can reduce cart abandonment rates by up to 25%. Around 60% of customers report making a purchase after chatting with a brand on WhatsApp.

Improved sales process

WhatsApp Business enhances the sales process by enabling direct, real-time communication with personalized interactions, automated messages, and digital product catalogs, all within a familiar platform. It streamlines customer engagement, integrates with CRM systems for data-driven personalization, and supports marketing campaigns, payment options, and customer support, fostering a seamless and efficient sales experience that boosts customer satisfaction and drives sales growth.

Minimal budget requirements

Compared to other tools, WhatsApp Business remains a low-cost channel, making it an excellent opportunity for small businesses. The WhatsApp Business app is completely free, while the paid WhatsApp Business API still offers some free utility messages if sent inside the 24-hour customer-service window.

Online store features

WhatsApp Business accounts have the option to set up a product catalog on the platform, making it easier for customers to access the company's offerings and view its products and services. Companies can add up to 500 items to their catalog, each with a photo, description, and price. Customers can browse the catalog and contact the business directly to learn more about a product or service, or to make a purchase.

Meta is also rolling out AI-powered tools for business messaging in selected markets, such as WhatsApp Business Agent for answering FAQs and recommending products from a catalog, as well as new payment features. For example, in India and Brazil, customers can pay without leaving the chat.

How to sell on WhatsApp in 6 steps

The following steps explain how to start selling on WhatsApp Business, attract customers, manage conversations, and guide prospects toward a purchase.

Here is a summary of the steps that you need to bring your business to the next level with selling on WhatsApp.

1. Download WhatsApp Business App and create a profile.
2. Set your welcome messages, description, and opening hours.
3. Start managing chats on your desktop.
4. Create and share WhatsApp shopping catalog.
5. Advertise your brand presence on WhatsApp via multiple channels.
6. Manage incoming chats and turn conversations into sales.

Let’s understand how and what you can do with WhatsApp Business once you have downloaded and installed it on your smartphone.

Step 1: Create a business profile on WhatsApp

To start selling on WhatsApp, you need to download the application on your iOS or Android device. Next, you will have to create your business profile; you need to understand that you cannot use the same phone number that you already use for WhatsApp Messenger for your personal reasons at the same time. Instead, you will need to get a new number that will be explicitly dedicated to your business or migrate the existing number from personal to WhatsApp Business.

After you open the app, you will be asked to verify your phone number, choose your business name, and set a profile picture for your business account. Fill the remaining fields: description, business category, real address, email, website, and hours.

To change your WhatsApp Business profile, you will need to:

1. Open WhatsApp Business > Settings > Business tools > Business profile.
2. Click on “Edit” in the upper right corner.
3. Edit the fields and save the changes.

Step 2: Set up welcome messages, description, and opening hours

This section is one of the main differences you will notice in comparison with the personal WhatsApp application. From here, you can configure:

1. Greeting message that will be sent once the first message from the client is received (or if they’ve been silent for 14 days).
2. Away message, sent when you are contacted outside of opening hours.
3. The opening hours of your business.
4. Quick replies (up to 50 shortcuts, support variables, such as name, order number) that allow you to respond quickly to frequently asked questions from your prospective clients.
5. Labels can be used to categorize chats similar to a CRM (New lead / Order placed / Support / VIP).

You may notice that WhatsApp Business may lack many options to take your company to the next level and help in your selling efforts, but do not worry about it — from this article, you will learn about a robust fully customizable solution to fit your needs.

Step 3: Employ WhatsApp Business for desktop

In this phase, you must decide which tool to use to manage your chats.

If you're starting, you should expect a low volume of messages, so the WhatsApp Business app on your phone is enough to handle all the chats and selling activity.

When the volume of messages increases, you could then employ WhatsApp Web, a desktop interface that allows you to reply to chats from a desktop browser. One primary phone can be linked to up to 4 additional devices. The primary phone can be offline while the linked devices continue working. However, linked devices may be disconnected if the phone is inactive for 14 days. 

If you want to increase your capabilities to answer more users and sell on WhatsApp Business in a more structured way, try Umnico Inbox — an omnichannel messaging platform with customizable features, which allows you to process all inquiries and chats from several messengers in a single window, so that you will never miss a message from your client again.

Step 4: Set up and share WhatsApp Business catalog

Sharing and promoting your WhatsApp catalog provides a direct channel to connect with customers, showcase your products, and drive sales. WhatsApp's large user base and free-to-use platform make it an effective and cost-efficient marketing tool. Go to “Business tools — Catalog — Add new item”. You can add up to 500 items and group them by category so the storefront reads like aisles.

Promote your WhatsApp catalog through various channels, including:

• Link sharing: copy and paste the link to your catalog on your website, social media, email newsletters, and other marketing materials.
• WhatsApp sharing: share your catalog link or individual product pages within WhatsApp groups or individual chats.
• Website embedding: add a link to your website, email signature, social profiles, and product pages.
• Social media promotion: share your catalog link or embed it on your social media profiles.

Step 5: Advertise your brand’s presence on WhatsApp Business

Currently, WhatsApp includes a searchable in-app business directory in a limited number of countries. Eligibility for brands depends on a complete profile, a verified phone number, response rate, response time, and other account criteria. Outside those markets, you still have to bring customers to your number using other ways.

The possibilities to advertise your business are many and depend on your budget; you can start by simply offering your WhatsApp number in your store, printing a QR code with a profile link on your receipts, conducting online advertising campaigns, leveraging Google Business profile, social media or your website. There are also Click-to-WhatsApp ads (native Meta ad format that opens a chat) and WhatsApp Channels — good for announcements and broadcasts.

Step 6: Manage incoming chats and start selling 

Once you've followed those steps, you can finally begin chatting with your users and selling your products and services on WhatsApp. Use quick replies to answer common questions, label conversations, and build a catalog to allow customers make their whole journey to purchase within the messaging app. 

Track metrics such as response time, qualified conversations, orders, repeat purchases, and conversion rate. These metrics will show which parts of your WhatsApp sales process need improvement.

How to use WhatsApp broadcast lists

WhatsApp broadcast lists are an effective tool for sending bulk messages on WhatsApp to multiple contacts (up to 256 contacts) simultaneously, without the need to create a group chat. 

When you send a message through a broadcast list, it appears as an individual message to each recipient, and their replies will only be visible to you. This makes WhatsApp broadcasting useful for businesses that need to send the same message to a large number of people.

For a broadcast message to be delivered, the recipient generally needs to have your business number saved in their contacts.

Creating a WhatsApp broadcast list is a straightforward process and can be done only via the mobile app.

• Open WhatsApp app on your smartphone and tap on the "Chats" tab.
• Tap on the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner and select "New broadcast."
• Choose the contacts you want to add to your broadcast list (keep in mind that you can only add contacts who have your number saved in their address book) and tap the checkmark icon to create the list.
• Once your broadcast list is set up, sending messages is easy. Simply tap on the broadcast list, compose your message, and hit send.
• Your message will be delivered to all the contacts in the list individually, without revealing the other recipients' contact information.

Keep communications via WhatsApp Broadcasts concise, relevant, and engaging. Consider using multimedia content like images or videos to grab your recipients' attention. 

Ask customers to save your business number and obtain clear consent before sending promotional messages. Remove recipients promptly when they ask to opt out, and keep an internal suppression list so they are not added again. Be mindful of the timing and frequency of your broadcasts (1–2 per month is enough), and always be ready to unsubscribe a customer if they no longer wish to receive your messages.

If WhatsApp broadcasting to 256 contacts is not enough, consider launching a WhatsApp Channel with unlimited followers, ideal for announcements and audience building. Alternatively, switch to WhatsApp Business Platform for larger, opt-in campaigns that support templates, segmentation, scheduling, personalization, and analytics.

How to build a WhatsApp sales funnel

In any messaging app, WhatsApp included, a prospect moves across funnel stages within a chat window. There are 5 key stages in the WhatsApp sales process. Use labels to tag chats according to these stages.

• Awareness. The goal is to make a customer contact your brand on WhatsApp. Use QR code, Click-to-WhatsApp ads, and links that lead to a chat window in the messenger.
• First contact. Ensure you have a greeting and away messages set, and an incoming message is quickly processed by a bot or relevant human agent. Any delay in reply decreases the chances that the customer would like to do business with a company.
• Consideration. A customer both looks up available options and competitors. Using WhatsApp Business catalog, quick replies for common questions about delivery or payment and sending product photos or videos in chats help to sway their mind towards your product.
• Checkout. After confirming an order in chat, send the customer a payment link or use in-app payment (select regions only).
• Retention. To make customers return, check on them a couple of days after purchase, remind them to buy supplies when they are likely to be running out of them, and use WhatsApp Broadcasts to notify them about new products or promotions.

WhatsApp Business integration by Umnico

It is becoming more common for businesses to use instant messaging services to communicate with their customers. Thanks to the WhatsApp integration by Umnico, you can communicate with your customers and sell products efficiently on WhatsApp in a user-friendly interface and from multiple devices at the same time.

Umnico API (application programming interface) allows company developers to leverage the functionality of various instant messengers, including WhatsApp Business, within a single interface. This is very useful since it will enable you to personalize customer communication and increase response speed.

The API lets you integrate all social media and instant messengers into your business environment. Integrate Umnico API and boost your communication between customer service teams and clients, decreasing response time massively.

Advantages of using WhatsApp in Umnico Inbox

Integrating Umnico API into your business can fully automate some aspects of the conversation, decreasing response time and helping to sell products or services on WhatsApp. People expect to reach brands on messaging apps and not wait hours to get a response.

• You can use as many devices as you want and not be restricted by the number of devices you can use simultaneously.
• Advanced automation and CRM Integration.
• Connect multiple accounts as you need.
• Start conversations with opted-in contacts using approved WhatsApp template messages.

How Umnico can help you sell on WhatsApp

Today, messengers and social media are crucial for the success of any brand. Integrating all your social messengers into one is a fantastic opportunity to engage with customers who already spend a lot of time on social media.

Umnico makes it easy for businesses to implement workflows and integrate their accounts on messaging applications and customer databases to drive meaningful conversations with customers and subscribers.

With thousands of customers following your business, it is common for them to comment on your posts frequently. Some may even go a step ahead and tag your brand in their stories. Umnico integration enables you to quickly respond to such comments and mentions with a direct reply. Thus, helping you to pay attention to customers seeking to connect with you.

Frequently asked questions

Here are answers to some of the common questions about how to sell on WhatsApp.

How do you sell products on WhatsApp?

To sell products on WhatsApp, create a WhatsApp Business profile and add essential information such as your business description, hours, website, and contact details. Then create a WhatsApp Business catalog with product photos, descriptions, prices, and collections.

Is WhatsApp good for sales?

WhatsApp can be an effective channel for sales because it combines product discovery, customer support, and direct communication in one conversation. Businesses can answer questions, recommend products, share catalogs, confirm orders, and follow up after delivery.

How can a small business use WhatsApp Business for sales?

For small business owners, selling on WhatsApp Business can start with the free app. You can add up to 500 items to your WhatsApp Business catalog, as well as send broadcasts to up to 256 contacts. As your inquiry volume grows, consider the WhatsApp Business Platform solution that offers more customizable broadcasting and detailed analytics. 

What is the difference between WhatsApp Business marketing and WhatsApp sales?

WhatsApp marketing for business focuses on attracting and nurturing an audience. It can include product announcements, educational content, promotional messages, WhatsApp Channels, QR codes, and Click-to-WhatsApp advertising.

Using WhatsApp for sales focuses on converting individual conversations into orders. It connects marketing touchpoints to one-to-one chats where agents or bots qualify leads, recommend products from catalogs, recover abandoned carts, and provide post-purchase support.

Can you sell products on WhatsApp without a website?

Yes, you can sell products on WhatsApp without a website. The WhatsApp Business app lets you create a business profile, display products in a catalog, answer customer questions, collect order details, and share payment or checkout links.

Keep in mind that native WhatsApp checkout is not available in most markets. In many countries, the usual process is to confirm the order in WhatsApp and send the customer a secure payment link.

The bottom line

If you are a business looking for the best way to sell on WhatsApp Business, consider trying out Umnico Inbox to start harnessing the power of Messaging APIs.

Umnico helps businesses across the world manage customer conversations on messengers within a single interface, providing robust integrations and prompt online support. Transition into omnichannel messaging automation seamlessly.