WhatsApp Marketing for Indian Businesses: A Practical Guide

Business App or Business Platform?

The free WhatsApp Business app suits small teams handling conversations by hand on a limited number of devices. The WhatsApp Business Platform, accessed through the API and usually a solution provider, suits automation, larger volumes and connections to your CRM. Most businesses should start simply and move up when manual replies become a bottleneck.

Get permission first

WhatsApp’s policies require opt-in before you message people, and sending to bought lists is a quick way to get reported or restricted. Collect consent clearly on forms, at checkout or in-store, and say what people will receive. Make opting out easy, and honour it immediately.

Messages that work

Useful messages get replies, while repetitive promotions get blocked. Good uses include:

• Order, booking and delivery updates.
• Appointment reminders, with an easy way to reschedule.
• Personal follow-ups on enquiries.
• Occasional offers, segmented by what customers have actually bought.
• Reorder reminders for products that run out.

Understand templates and pricing

On the Business Platform, messages you start generally need pre-approved templates, and different categories of message can be charged differently. Pricing and rules change from time to time, so check Meta’s current rate card and your provider’s fees before planning a campaign.

What to automate, and what not to

Automate confirmations, reminders, common questions and lead routing. Keep complaints and high-value sales conversations with people, and make sure a customer can always reach someone. A fast automated first reply followed by a real person often works better than either alone.

Measure what matters

Look beyond delivery and read rates. Track replies, conversions and revenue from each campaign, along with blocks and opt-outs. If blocks rise, you are sending too often or to the wrong people, and it is time to slow down.