WhatsApp for Small Businesses and Local Businesses
WhatsApp for small businesses
WhatsApp is a social messaging service for mobile devices that allows you to send text messages, images, audio and video clips to communicate with those people who are in your phone’s contact list.
Marketing with WhatsApp can be an effective way to connect with your potential customers and promote your business. Local businesses can use WhatsApp as a communication tool to hook up users in real-time.
Facebook allows you to connect with your potential audience, and WhatsApp takes this connection to a next level. WhatsApp provides various features, which can be used effectively for promoting small businesses. These features are enlisted and explained briefly as follows:
Messaging:
WhatsApp is not limited to sending text messages for reaching your target audience; it can be used for promoting products and services through text, audio and video formats, so that you can transmit an appropriate idea about your products and service to prospective clients. You can also target your audience in masses by using the WhatsApp broadcasting feature.
Group Targeting:
WhatsApp enables marketers to do group targeting and also allows the creation of groups according to similar interests and start discussions with users of the group. This helps targeting clients with similar interests and demands. It also increases the chance of going viral thanks to the sharing of content by participants of the group amongst their contacts.
Campaigns:
WhatsApp enables marketers to run innovative campaigns. You can ask your recipients to share their images while using your products and services or posing in front of your billboard or store. In return you could offer them various coupons through WhatsApp. This allows you to grow your database through relevant contacts and increase your business reach.
WhatsApp for customer support:
Because of its wider reach, WhatsApp can also be a very helpful tool for customer support. Your customer may prefer contacting you over WhatsApp instead of calling your support numbers or writing emails. You can solve customer problems or provide product or service information and advice through this medium.
Since a large number of people use WhatsApp regularly, it is easier for marketers to approach their prospective clients. WhatsApp is becoming an affordable mass communication tool that can be used by small businesses creatively and innovatively.
The above features enable small marketers to promote their business with great ease though WhatsApp. These features are advanced marketing tools for promoting any business.
Local businesses and WhatsApp
A business or company that provides its services in a specific geographical area is called a Local business. The term Local business is also used to define a franchise in a particular region. If you are running your business in a local area, consider adding WhatsApp to your online marketing toolset to boost your campaign performance and profits.
WhatsApp is a great tool to send massive text messages, video and audio clips without any cost. And it works with every smartphone platform such android, iOS, Windows, Symbian, and BlackBerry etc.
Local businesses could advertise their WhatsApp number and tell their audience that they can purchase via WhatsApp. Share images of your products or services in a WhatsApp group of potential customers. Local marketers may also send their geographical location to their customers, so that customers can visit the store anytime.
Here are some reasons why you should include WhatsApp marketing in your advertising strategy –
Advertise your products:
WhatsApp is the new way to send SMS among your family and friends. But you may also use it as an advertising tool. You can promote your products to either a WhatsApp group or individual users. This marketing tool is the best way to establish one-to-one communication with your customers. There are less sending and receiving restrictions than with SMS and Emails.
But be aware, to not send messages to everybody and make sure you target those customers who are in your contact list, because people hate messages from unknown people/companies.
Low cost:
Local marketers and businesses can send text, images, audio and video messages free of cost. WhatsApp only consumes internet data to send messages. During the first year WhatsApp is completely free for all users, including businesses, but once the first year is over every user needs to pay a minimal annual subscription fee of $0.99 per year. So there are no hidden charges, and it is much less costly than other online advertising channels.
Distinctive communication:
Most users don’t like communicating trough groups, as they receive notifications each time group members send messages. But this does not mean that you can’t use WhatsApp for sending promotional messages, banners and videos to individual users. Personal messages will assist you in building a strong relationship with your customers.
Instant reply:
Local businesses and marketers can ask their customer to provide them feedback via the WhatsApp messaging feature. Request them to send their queries via WhatsApp, and reply to them as soon as possible. Resolving their issues regarding your product and services diligently and in a timely and personalized way will build up their trust.
Source by Andre Wolfgang Klein
