How FMCG suppliers are influencing B2B customers using WhatsApp

The world’s most popular messaging tool is helping brands cut through the noise to speak directly to the business owners buying their stock

When it comes to shifting more stock in the wholesale channel, one of the key factors that has always hamstrung suppliers when trying to increase sales has been their ability to directly communicate with retailers and foodservice operators.

The usual point of contact has understandably been the wholesalers, as the middlemen consistently buying pallets of products as the primary route-to-market to reach independent businesses.

Yet when it comes to directly influencing retailers to carry a full core range, merchandise as per best practice or give NPD a whirl, it has always been tricky to find a cost-effective way to drive reliable results.

On-the-ground reps are productive but are costly resources that not every brand can afford, whereas customer microsites look good but are difficult to drive sustained traffic to, regardless of the quality of information on them.

That’s where WhatsApp comes in. It provides a way to directly message retailers and foodservice operators in a space that they’re already spending most of their time (38 million UK users, accounting for 76% of the nation’s adults says it all). The speed people read WhatsApp messages is unrivalled by other channels too, meaning it’s much easier to quickly influence buying behaviours and awareness.

The type of message suppliers send on WhatsApp makes results more likely as well. First of all, the enhanced messages available to send using a WhatsApp Business API service means tapping into stronger calls to action and an ability to send interactive communications that deliver clear ROI in the form of offer coupon redemptions, pre-orders, compliance checks or surveys.

Secondly, sending content that reaffirms key messaging and encourages retailers or foodservice operators to stock products and promote them in a way that your data suggests is best will yield more sales.

Among our supplier partners using our WhatsApp Business API platform, ProConnect, we have seen a positive shift between the behaviours of customers stocking a full range of products when receiving WhatsApp messages compared to those who don’t.

Ultimately, that is the money shot. With an audience of a few thousand customers, a strong content plan and clear calls to action, WhatsApp can drive more ROI and influence B2B customers. And while there is a cost incurred with using a WhatsApp Business API service provider and message costs from Meta, it’s a more cost-efficient way of getting those results.

If used correctly, WhatsApp Business API has got the potential to be the silver bullet suppliers have been looking to find for years – and it’s right there at the swipe of a thumb.

For more information on how suppliers can use WhatsApp Business API to influence B2B customers or on our ProConnect WhatsApp service, book a free demo by emailing hello@b2b.store