WhatsApp Lead Generation: How to Get More Sales with the Messenger
Exploring the benefits of WhatsApp for lead gen and how to use it effectively.
Over the late 2010s, WhatsApp has become more than just a messaging app. Media sharing, groups, shops — all of these features open extensive possibilities for content creators and brands. From small business owners to global corporations, companies of all sizes actively explore the possibilities of utilizing the messenger for the purposes of staying in touch with the audience, providing support, receiving orders, and attracting prospects.
Despite such an active incorporation of WhatsApp into the roster of digital communication tools, only a handful of brands are taking full advantage of the app’s capabilities for lead generation. In this article, we’ll review the benefits of attracting leads through WhatsApp and the proven tactics for doing this.
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What is WhatsApp lead generation?
WhatsApp lead generation is the activity focused on attracting potential customers via the messaging platform. By allowing to be contacted via WhatsApp and reaching out to customers first, a brand can establish strong and meaningful connections with individuals and convert them into customers.
This can be done using either WhatsApp Business App or WhatsApp API for sales, the former being a free solution suitable for individuals and small businesses and the latter being a paid platform for developed and large businesses. While utilizing WhatsApp to create leads may be quite a novel approach to sales, the practice brings several proven advantages to companies.
Benefits of lead generation through WhatsApp
“In some countries, WhatsApp is like oxygen,” says Jan Koum, one of the creators of WhatsApp. Globally, it is by far the most popular messaging platform. The number of its active users exceeds 2.78 billion. This fact alone makes it impossible for any company serious about connecting with a global audience and scaling its operations to disregard the app. However, there is more to WhatsApp than the sheer size of its user base.
- Free and accessible. While mobile carriers charge fees for sending SMS, which can get especially high for international roaming, WhatsApp is an OTT messaging platform that transmits texts and media via the internet and allows one to connect with a person from any country for free. Also, WhatsApp messages can be received by any device with an internet connection and WhatsApp client installed, including desktops, laptops, and tablets. This increases the chances that a communication sent by a brand will be promptly opened and read by a prospect.
- High open rates. Studies show that WhatsApp communication has a 98% open rate and a 45-60% click-through rate, which is five times more than the average figures for email and SMS.
- Asynchronous. Compared to phone calls, which can be cumbersome across multiple time zones, WhatsApp comes as a perfect tool for sales teams — texts and voice messages don’t demand instant response and can be read and reacted to at the most convenient time for a prospect. At the same time, a company’s rep has time to prepare the most compelling offer as well.
- Pro-business features. With two types of solutions available for companies, WhatsApp has invested significant resources in making the messenger convenient for brands and supplying all the necessary functionality, from mass mailings and chatbot support to conversation labeling and extensive analytics. This makes WhatsApp an even more attractive tool for generating leads.
Best practices of WhatsApp lead generation
With WhatsApp advantages for business explained, it is time to take a look at some of the best ways to use the messenger to attract more clients to your company.
Set up WhatsApp chat on your website
Arguably the most optimal way for a business to generate more leads with WhatsApp is by allowing your website visitors to connect with your business through the messenger. This can be done by adding a WhatsApp icon in a live chat widget, usually located in the bottom right corner of a web page. This way, you give prospects an option to interact with your company’s reps here and now by sending a live chat inquiry or sending them a WhatsApp message and receiving a reply on their smartphone, without the need to wait for it with the web page opened.
For example, a real estate company can integrate a WhatsApp chat feature on its website, allowing visitors to ask questions about property listings in real time. If a potential buyer has questions about financing options, they can easily connect with a sales representative.
To take things a little further, we’d recommend integrating live chat with WhatsApp, so that a visitor can leave a live chat message and receive a reply to WhatsApp, and continue the conversation with the sales rep via the messenger.
Create a WhatsApp QR code
With the growing popularity of QR codes as a means of sharing a link to a website, social media profile, or payment page, it can be quite an effective tactic to place a QR code with the company’s WhatsApp number on both printed and digital media. Examples of such media include business cards, product catalogs, digital images, and videos. Placed strategically, WhatsApp QR codes can serve as a perfect call to action and lead to new engagements with potential customers.
For instance, a coffee shop can place QR codes on its digital ads and flyers that link to its WhatsApp number for easy ordering. Customers can scan the code to message the cafe for takeout while on their way to the establishment.
Click-to-WhatsApp ads
As we all know, WhatsApp is kept under the same roof as two major social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram, and this roof is called Meta Inc. The corporation’s ecosystem provides business users with multiple tools for promoting their brands across all of these three platforms, including sophisticated advertising options.
Click-to-WhatsApp ads are available to WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp Business API users and allow them to create targeted campaigns displayed to Facebook and Instagram users with a CTA button linked to a WhatsApp chat. Such ads provide user journey shortcuts for prospects — instead of clicking on an ad to visit a company’s website, they are redirected to a conversation with a brand’s representative right away, which is quite similar to the experience of one walking into a physical store and being greeted by the store’s assistant.
For example, an online clothing store can run targeted social media ads with a "Shop Now" button that opens a WhatsApp chat. This allows potential customers to quickly ask questions about products, such as color availability. Instant answers help drive sales and improve customer satisfaction.
Broadcast messages on WhatsApp
WhatsApp's broadcasting feature allows businesses to send messages to multiple contacts at once. It can be used to share updates and promotions with existing customers and serve as an effective lead- generation tool.
However, using broadcasting on WhatsApp to send non-personalized messages to a wide audience can be counterproductive, as such message blasting can be perceived as spam by some customers. To maximize the effectiveness of broadcast messages, a company should segment its audience based on interests or history of previous interactions and tailor the content of its broadcasts accordingly.
Including a clear call-to-action in broadcasts is critical because it encourages recipients to respond to the message. Including questions or prompts can encourage interaction and provide valuable feedback. Finally, monitor and analyze the performance of broadcast messages. Keeping an eye on metrics such as open and response rates will help you understand what resonates with your audience, and you can use these insights to inform future messaging campaigns.
For example, a local gym can use WhatsApp broadcasting to inform members about new classes and promotions. They can segment messages based on the types of classes attended and send personalized invites like, "Hey [name], we have a new yoga class starting next week!" This tailored approach increases engagement and encourages sign-ups.
WhatsApp chatbot for generating leads
‘Chatbot’ can surely be called the word of the moment and for all good reasons. AI and automation have made significant progress recently in their understanding and processing of personalized replies to human inquiries. Lead generation through WhatsApp can benefit from using the capabilities of artificial intelligence as well. Here are the reasons for a business to use chatbots to communicate with prospects.
- 24/7 availability. Making sales consultants available round the clock every day of the week requires solid investment in Human Resources, which not every company can afford. However, high competition dictates the importance of a prompt reply to a customer inquiry at any time to prevent them from defecting to competitors. WhatsApp chatbots make it possible to provide quick replies to frequent questions even in the middle of the night and ensure to collect lead data for future contacts.
- Initial contact. Even during working hours, chatbots can be of great help to the company’s representatives and handle incoming inquiries initially. By analyzing keywords in customer messages, a chatbot can categorize the contact and determine whether it’s a qualified lead, or, for example, an existing client. When the inquiry ends in the hands of a human agent, they instantly have all key characteristics of the request and its sender highlighted by the chatbot.
- Multilingual support. A chatbot can easily understand messages and create replies in hundreds of languages, a feat quite impossible for a human agent. By providing support to a potential lead in their native language, a chatbot improves the chances of them converting into actual customers.
How to track and analyze leads on WhatsApp
To maximize the return on WhatsApp lead generation efforts, it's crucial to track and analyze key metrics related to your leads. In the following section, we're going to explore what these metrics are and how WhatsApp Business API functions can help measure them.
Response time
This metric shows the time it takes for team members to respond to a lead's initial message on WhatsApp. A quick response (under 5 minutes) can significantly enhance customer satisfaction and increase the likelihood of conversion. Studies show that leads are more likely to engage when they receive timely replies.
How to track: use timestamps on incoming messages and log your responses.
Lead conversion rate
Conversion indicates the percentage of leads that have been converted into paying customers. Understanding the share of conversed leads helps assess the effectiveness of the current sales strategy and identify areas for improvement.
How to track: calculate the conversion rate by dividing the number of converted leads by the total number of leads, then multiply by 100. For example, if you have 20 converted out of 100 leads in total, the conversion rate is 20%.
Engagement rate
This metric measures how actively leads are interacting with your messages on WhatsApp (e.g., replies, clicks on links, etc.). High engagement rates indicate that your content resonates with the audience, which is crucial for successful lead generation.
How to track: monitor the number of responses, shares, and clicks on links sent via WhatsApp.
Source tracking
This insight helps to identify where the best leads are coming from to allocate resources more effectively.
How to track: use unique links or UTM snippets for different channels to trace where leads originate from when they first contact the brand on WhatsApp.
Customer satisfaction score (CSAT)
The metric shows how satisfied customers are with their interaction through WhatsApp. High scores indicate that your communication is effective and that customers feel themselves valued by the brand.
How to track: after a WhatsApp dialogue is finished, send a follow-up message asking the customer to rate their experience.
WhatsApp Business API analytical capabilities
WhatsApp Business API offers valuable analytical tools for tracking and analyzing incoming leads. Key features include tracking message delivery and read receipts, which allow businesses to gauge the effectiveness of their communication efforts.
Utilizing analytics for performance monitoring enables businesses to identify trends and make data-driven decisions. Custom reports tailored to specific business needs, which are available in WhatsApp Business API provide detailed insights into campaign performance, customer interactions, and operational efficiency.
How Umnico enhances WhatsApp usage for sales
Umnico Inbox is an omnichannel platform that provides secure official integrations with all major social media and messengers, including WhatsApp. The platform supplies businesses with several ways to attract leads through WhatsApp, as well as WhatsApp integration with CRM systems and WhatsApp API for business apps. Among notable capabilities of Umnico for WhatsApp are the following.
Reaching out first through WhatsApp is a great way to start a conversation and convert leads into customers. With Umnico, businesses can communicate without the need to save clients' phone numbers, streamlining the process and ensuring quick outreach. The platform’s real-time message delivery status feature allows teams to see whether messages have been sent and read, providing valuable insights into customer engagement.
Multiple WhatsApp accounts can be connected to Umnico and managed via a single interface. The centralized management of all conversations reduces the risks associated with agents using personal devices for customer interactions, ensuring that all communications are secure and compliant. Additionally, business gains a holistic view of customer interactions along with robust analytics to track performance and improve service quality.
Customizable notifications for WhatsApp ensure that not a single lead is missed. Umnico can notify about incoming WhatsApp messages not only with sound and pop-up notifications in the desktop app but also by sending emails or Telegram messages to an agent.
Quote and reply to WhatsApp messages via convenient Umnico desktop and mobile apps. Fully-featured integration makes conversations with leads via Umnico as easy as chatting through a personal WhatsApp app, sans any corporate risks.
CRM integration provided by Umnico can automatically generate client cards for new leads and transfer their details into the CRM system of your choice. This integration also provides valuable metrics such as sales performance, conversion rates, and staff response times directly within the company's CRM system, empowering managers to make informed decisions based on real-time data.
Summing things up
Among emerging ways to generate leads, WhatsApp can be certainly called one of the most cost-effective ones. Though not as popular as other channels, WhatsApp lead generation possesses huge potential for the companies that decide to pioneer it. From a global audience of immense size to an above-average engagement rate, all of this makes the messenger a worthy tool for lead generation.
WhatsApp integration by Umnico provides all the necessary features for streamlining and optimizing lead generation through WhatsApp. With Umnico, you can process incoming WhatsApp inquiries along with messages from other social media and messengers in a single app, reach out to prospects first, and track & analyze the effectiveness of your sales and support departments. All of Umnico’s features can be evaluated for free during the trial period available to every new user.
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