Social media and messaging services like WhatsApp are changing the way we communicate, and as a sales professional, you need to adapt to this. For instance, WhatsApp has experienced explosive growth.
The messaging service is used by no less than 1,2 billion people worldwide, and in the Netherlands, 9,8 million people use the app on a daily basis. There is even talk of brand dilution, because nowadays we 'app' instead of 'SMS' or 'send a message'.
The use of WhatsApp is therefore an opportunity that you, as a sales professional, cannot simply pass up. For companies, there are already various ways to use WhatsApp for business purposes, for example as a channel for customer service.
Soon, it will even be possible to receive your booking confirmation and boarding pass at KLM via a messaging app. In this blog article, we focus on the business use of WhatsApp for sales professionals and explain how WhatsApp can be used within the marketing and communication mix.
Business and WhatsApp Web
WhatsApp is originally a messaging service intended exclusively for your smartphone. However, since the autumn of 2015, WhatsApp has also launched an official web version called WhatsApp Web, which allows you to chat from the web browser on your computer or laptop.
All conversations are shown on both WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp itself, so you can seamlessly switch between devices.
For business use, WhatsApp Web speeds up communication, as you no longer need to constantly be on your phone and can use it for what a phone is meant for: making calls.
Below we explain how WhatsApp fits into the communication mix of the sales professional:
Customer communication
WhatsApp offers three options for chatting: individual chat, group chat, and broadcast lists. Individual chat offers the ideal way to communicate with your customers in an accessible and direct manner.
First of all, the customer can contact you directly and quickly with all their questions, provided that clear agreements have been made about availability so that expectations are managed.
Secondly, WhatsApp offers a solution as a follow-up channel. No customer likes being called by an unknown number. A WhatsApp message, on the other hand, is personal and to the point and can significantly increase your response rate.
Due to the personal aspect of WhatsApp, communication also becomes more informal. You can keep calling back, but a short and concise message about that one important quote is more likely to elicit a response.
Finally, as mentioned above, there are WhatsApp broadcast lists. With a broadcast list, you can send a message to everyone on the list without the recipients knowing who the message was sent to.
An ideal way to keep specific customer groups informed about important updates regarding your product or the company in general.
For example, consider temporary promotions or sending a 'lookbook' of the new collection, as it is quite easy to send images and even PDF files via WhatsApp.
Creating a mailing list is done as follows:
1. Go to the tab Cat.
2. Tap the button Mailing lists and create a new list.
3. Select the recipients and tap
Internal communications
Many companies already use WhatsApp as an internal communication channel, particularly through the use of WhatsApp group chats. A group chat for general announcements offers a solution for short updates such as sick leave notifications.
A group chat can also be used effectively for your sales team, provided that agreements are made about what can and cannot be discussed within the chat.
This allows for quick updates within the sales team on leads, the sales process, negotiations and follow-up strategies, giving the sales manager additional overview for monitoring results.
Thinking of using WhatsApp for business as well? Then first check out this article about the legal pitfalls of the messaging service.
