Whatsapp is the world leader when it comes to communication apps. With over 1 billion users, it is a goldmine of untapped potential.
As a small or medium business owner, how can you successfully leverage the opportunity presented by this behemoth?
I offer a couple of suggestions -
1) A dedicated business number - Having a distinct number through which you conduct your business dealings make it easier for you to follow through on leads.
2) A small landing page to showcase all your products in one place - Most, if not all, WhatsApp groups for SMEs allow you to post links to the group. It would be good practice to post your landing page link and encourage prospective customers to have a look there. A landing page will allow you to add new products to an already existing catalogue. A customer will be able to go through your entire collection in one place at one time, instead of going through only a few photographs at a time. She would also have the ability to bookmark the link to visit later. Landing pages are easy to create and costs vary from 400-800 a month for most sites. Alternatively, you could hire a web freelancer to do it for you.
This is what a general customer journey is on whatsapp -
Without a landing page
This happens to me very often. I see something I like, then life gets in the way, and I am unable to find the post again.
With a landing page -
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As you can see, landing pages make it easier to retain a customer and/or ensure she returns to your product catalogue, thus increasing the chances of a sale/lead.
3) A consistent tone - When we think of branding, we think of huge budgets and fancy agencies. But a nano entrepreneur can also have a tone of voice and brand that is associated with their products. The key is to keep it all consistent. The tone of your message and the colours you use in your posts should all follow some pre-decided format. It does not have to be fancy, in fact, the simpler the better. But make sure it is constant and easily associated with your and your products.
4) Use Hashtags - Most WhatsApp groups have tens if not hundreds of people posting catalogues, products, forwards, updates etc. It is very easy for your post to be drowned out by the sheer volume of other information. One way to stand out is the use of hashtags.
What are hashtags?
These are basically denoted by # symbol and are used extensively on social media. Think of it as a digital filing system that allows you to label any content. Multiple hashtags can be used for a single piece of content. Some examples of hashtags are - #funfriday #nanoentreprenuer #leadgeneration
How would you use this in a WhatsApp group?
Let's imagine you sell leggings out of your home. You are a part of a group in your residential society that features nano and other small scale entrepreneurs. On any given day, there are hundreds of posts from all members showcasing their product? How can you stand out? More importantly, how can a prospective customer find your post through all the other information?
They do it by finding your hashtags
In your post creative, if you use hashtags such as #clothes #leggings #fridaydiscount, a buyer has only to search for hashtags that they know you use. Once they do so, all your posts will show up on WhatsApp within the group. It is absolutely imperative that you first curate a list of hashtags that are easily identified with your product and your brand.
Example - I am part of a group that has over 100 small-time sellers. Their products range from clothes to food, to pet toys to certain services like house cleaning etc. Now let's assume I want to buy clothes, and I decide I want to purchase from a group member, how would I find all those posts that were related to clothes. If I search for clothes in the group search, I find nothing -
However, if these hashtags #clothes #leggings #redleggings are added to the post, I am able to find them easily.
Common hashtags to use in groups to label content -
#clothes
#food
#service
#giftideas
#housecleaning
#educationalcourses
Group Admins can also use these pointers to further encourage their members to boost their member profiles and drive greater engagement across the board.
For any further queries, you can contact me by email - growthhackingforsmes@gmail.com
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