7 Top WhatsApp Marketing Strategy Examples

Table of Contents

• What is a WhatsApp Business Account?
• How to Build a WhatsApp Marketing Strategy?
• 7 Best WhatsApp Marketing Strategies With Examples

WhatsApp still reigns as the most popular mobile messaging app globally. With two billion monthly active users, brands and businesses are looking at this platform as an opportunity to maximize their visibility by implementing the best WhatsApp marketing strategies. 

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Initially, people used the platform to send, receive, and forward texts, videos, and images at no cost. Today, it has more potential to establish and grow your business using the best WhatsApp marketing strategies and capitalize on them.

With the unveiling of WhatsApp Business API, many companies globally are eager to use it. From building customer engagement to creating brand awareness and increasing sales, there are many reasons small and large businesses are leveraging the power of WhatsApp marketing. Here is everything you need to know about why WhatsApp’s marketing strategy is effective and how some brands got it right.

What is a WhatsApp Business Account?

Most social networks focus on personal connections and branding to connect with their customers. WhatsApp entered the race by introducing WhatsApp Business in 2018. It is a kind of messenger marketing wherein brands can promote their business and reach an enormous audience to build relationships with customers and increase sales. According to PYMNTS.com, over 5 million users registered for business accounts in just one year.

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In 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people using WhatsApp for business touched a milestone of 50 million monthly users globally. Small and medium-sized companies find it easy and convenient to establish their brand and sell their products and services on this platform. 

WhatsApp Business accounts get many features, including quick replies, catalogs and collections, labels, automatic greeting messages, chat filters, and more. It is also available for both Android and IOS devices. The features and accessibility of WhatsApp gave people the opportunity to build their own WhatsApp marketing strategy and make the most out of it.

How to Build a WhatsApp Marketing Strategy?

An ideal WhatsApp marketing strategy should be helpful, engaging, and relatable to your audience. It involves setting up a well-defined WhatsApp marketing strategy to overcome challenges and build long-term relationships with your customers. Here are some steps to build a WhatsApp business marketing strategy:

• Create your business account
• Add a profile photo and short description
• Add username for your account
• Create the right brand persona
• Define your goals and KPIs
• Create the list of the target audience
• Build your contact list
• Design your message and communication
• Learn ways to use WhatsApp for marketing
• Start promoting your business and keep at it
• Engage proactively with customers and potential customers
• Track leads and sales

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When you adopt the right WhatsApp marketing strategy, you have the best opportunity to widen your reach and build your band. However, at each step of your process, one thing that will matter the most is your content. 

Like all other social media and messaging platforms, you need creative content to keep your customer engaged. Here are 15 content ideas you can incorporate into your WhatsApp marketing strategy. Look at these 7 WhatsApp marketing examples where brands did it correctly.

7 Best WhatsApp Marketing Strategies With Examples

1. Netflix: Sending recommendations through notifications

Netflix, the video streaming platform, always looks to keep users engaged with their service. In 2017, Netflix launched a campaign to offer recommendations and reminders to its users using WhatsApp notifications. The campaign encouraged users to stay in touch with Netflix through WhatsApp messenger. It applied only to users who had Netflix and WhatsApp on their phones.

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The key was to keep users engaged by sending recommendations on what to watch and what is new on the platform. It marked the interaction alive even after the user canceled their Netflix subscription. The idea was to get users to resubscribe to the platform and retain existing users through this campaign.

2. Saffola: Distracting food cravings through a real-time chatbot

Saffola, in association with WATConsult, came up with an interesting WhatsApp marketing strategy – Beat the Crave. The intention was to help people trying to achieve fitness goals but craving unhealthy food. Users could message Saffola’s chatbot and distract themselves whenever unhealthy cravings strike, keeping the diet plan intact.

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Saffola’s chatbox tried to distract people with pre-recorded messages, puzzles, rap songs, funny sketches, expert advice, etc. when users tried to fight unhealthy food cravings. Later, Saffola also introduced and promoted Saffola’s new active slimming drink through the campaign.

3. Makro: Encouraging users to send Christmas gift wishes through messages

The holiday season is a peak time for all kinds of the retail industry. There is a massive sales opportunity for businesses, and the South African store Makro got creative during this time. 

The brand decided to launch a WhatsApp marketing campaign that encouraged users to send Christmas gift wishes using WhatsApp messages during Christmas.

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The campaign wanted users to send Santa (Makro) a message. Users would then receive a festive toy gift guide created by Makro to select their favorite toy. After selecting, users had to send another message to Makro of their gift choice. 

In return, the company raffled off valuable gifts and prices among all participants. One of the best WhatsApp marketing strategies helped the brand achieve many new customers and build contact lists.

4. Hellmann’s: Helping people cook through real-time chef conversations

Hellmann’s conversational campaign is one of the most popular WhatsApp business examples that encouraged Brazilians to cook. Through this campaign, people could sign up for Hellmann’s WhatsApp services on their website and receive a message from a human chef on WhatsApp. 

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The Chef asked users to send the image of ingredients they had handy, then offered advice on what to cook using those ingredients. This campaign engaged users for 65 minutes with the chef.

5. Absolut Vodka: Convincing Sven to give party access through messages

To promote the new launch of the Limited Edition Absolut Unique collection, the brand organized an exclusive “Absolut Unique Party.” However, only two tickets were open to the public. Users had to convince Sven, a fake doorman, through creative WhatsApp messages to win the ticket.

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The WhatsApp marketing strategy by Absolut Vodka was an instant hit. Six hundred users got in touch with Sven to convince him through unique images, audio messages, videos, and indecent proposals over three days of uninterrupted chat. 

The brand’s marketing efforts effectively engaged the community from Argentina and established strong product awareness.

6. Sunfeast Marie Light: Boosting biscuit sales through the selfie

ITC’s campaign was one of the most creative among the 7 WhatsApp marketing examples. To boost sales through WhatsApp marketing strategy, ITC ran a campaign that encouraged users to take a “Tea-time selfie” with the biscuit and share it on ITC’s WhatsApp number.

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The idea was to boost biscuit sales by offering a 40-inch LED TV to one lucky winner every day. The campaign ran for three months and brought great results to ITC’s Sunfeast Marie Light.

7. BookMyShow: Sharing M-Ticket through real-time notifications

Thousands of people book tickets for movies, plays, live shows, and more on BookMyShow every day. The platform initially sent emails and SMS notifications to customers regarding their purchases. However, it started sharing the M-Ticket over WhatsApp, containing a QR code that helps the audience enter the theater.

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This campaign was one of the best WhatsApp business examples, as BookMyShow collected data and started cross-selling by sending partner company’s discount coupons and other products and services.

Key Takeaways

• WhatsApp accounts for over 2 billion monthly active users and 50 million active users for WhatsApp business accounts. The potential for reaching audiences through WhatsApp marketing is exceptionally high.

• WhatsApp’s business marketing strategy is more about connecting to users personally and building long-term relationships than just selling products and services. Leads convert to long-term customers when there is an emotional connection with the brand.

• The first step to creating a WhatsApp marketing strategy is to set the right goals. These goals can be as simple as increasing 35% brand awareness or targeting 10% more sales in a month.

• Learning the basics before getting into WhatsApp marketing can help you sustain longer in the business.

• Brands like Netflix, Saffola, Makro, and others got the best WhatsApp marketing strategies not because they had the best product to sell but because they were creative in their approach.

• WhatsApp marketing can help you build a contact list, reach a wider audience, perform cross-selling, keep users engaged, and more.

• You may not achieve your targeted goals in your first attempt, but keeping at it will surely bring excellent results.

• Never let conversations and engagement take a back seat in your WhatsApp business marketing strategy. Engage and interact proactively with your audience to build a strong brand.

Conclusion

Today, building a good WhatsApp business marketing strategy is the most innovative way to boost sales. Getting creative and coming up with exciting marketing ideas can help you reach a wider audience. 

The best thing about WhatsApp marketing is that it is free, and there is nothing to lose. So, go ahead and create a WhatsApp marketing strategy for your business and enjoy great results.

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