There's more to WhatsApp than simply sending messages, says b2b.store Head of Business Development Adam Turner
We’re all familiar with WhatsApp as a messaging service, but adapted in the correct way, it could become the focal point for a wholesaler’s customer-facing operations too.
One of the big benefits to introducing the more-advanced WhatsApp Business API into a B2B business is that the technology can be adapted to become a revenue driver in its own right – for wholesalers running the channel or suppliers supporting them.
1. Targeted WhatsApp promotions will drive more sales
WhatsApp’s popularity knows no bounds and it’s rare to find anybody who doesn’t use it nowadays. It makes for a highly engaged, active audience that a wholesaler can bring together quickly and easily by opening up a channel to customers, with segmentation possible to hone in on a specific part of the customer base.
Early adopters of the technology have found that customers receiving the promotions on WhatsApp spend 9% more than those via SMS, showing how simply having a channel and using it correctly can drive more sales through a business.
2. Direct links to eCommerce are a great acquisition tool
WhatsApp Business API technology can be integrated to any existing eCommerce platform, with the ability to share promotional messages that link directly to the point of purchase. This is a powerful function on its own, but when you consider that not all members of a WhatsApp channel will be signed up as an eCommerce user, encouraging people to click on links that then require them to register is a great way to convert them and generate more impulsive online sales.
3. Suppliers will see value in a highly engaged channel
Suppliers always want to promote their products, whether it’s a new launch or a seasonal range, so providing a new channel of customers that you can send marketing collateral to will resonate with them.
The beauty of WhatsApp Business API technology is that it can be adapted to offer an array of advertising options, whether that’s video, graphics, copy or a direct link to a supplier’s range on an eCommerce platform. Each offers high value, forming part of a rate card of options that can be sold to suppliers, opening up a new regular revenue stream that is part of a wider digital advertising strategy.
4. Promotions can include a one-tap ordering button
To further enhance promotions, b2b.store has adapted WhatsApp Business API to offer one-tap ordering from within a message – meaning an advert can run with an option beneath it that prompts customers to add the product to their basket there and then.
This level of personalisation is tailored specifically to B2B usage and is unique in that it provides customers with the chance to instantly act upon what they’ve viewed, something that no other mechanic offers outside of an eCommerce environment.
5. Digital adverts can be tracked and refined
Promotions on WhatsApp will immediately generate figures that show message performance, meaning success of a campaign or advert can be tracked. Using read receipts, early adopters to B2B WhatsApp could see that 29% of messages were viewed within five minutes of being sent, rising to 55% in the first hour. Links can also be traced to see how many messages are converted into clicks. By segmenting the audience, split tests can also be run to see which message had the most success, therefore providing an insight into how to improve engagement in the future.
To find out more about how WhatsApp Business API technology can be tailored to your business or sign up to b2b.store’s adaptation, B2B WhatsApp, get in touch with adam.turner@b2b.store
