What’s App! what strikes your mind when you heard about this word. Yes Got it right. An instant and popular messaging app without any texting fees. It was founded by young entrepreneurs in 2009 and later in 2014 Facebook acquired it. There are 1.5 billion monthly active users globally. Through this app they 60 million messaging transactions taken each day. Hence, to be on par with your competitors it is a great messaging platform that supports all mobiles.
In January 2018, WhatsApp has created a revolution and introduced a business-focused app. It is currently accessible only on Android though in few countries like Brazil, Indonesia, Germany, India, the US, Mexico, and the UK. Soon it will sail across different features.
Every SMBs (Small and medium businesses) use this feature to lure the audience. Open a WhatsApp account and the changes it brings to you. Now the biggest challenge in front of you is how to create and set up WhatsApp business account

Creating a WhatsApp business account

Every small and medium business have been cashing upon this feature and creating their business profile that offers much credibility to your company.
To get started, just download a business app from Google play store
Signup by providing a business contact number. Ideally, this is better as it makes easier at the time of verification
Create your business profile by entering all your business details under Settings>>>Business>>>Profile. Ensure that you enter all the details like address, business name, other details accurately
Accept all the terms and conditions and complete your creating process

Setting up WhatsApp business profile

Did you finish creating the WhatsApp for businesses? Yes, now take the next step of setting up. WhatsApp business comes with a pack of messaging tool that helps in saving time and to makes things easier. Your customers get away messages, automated greetings and quick responses from you.
To set up these useful messaging tools,
Go to settings>>>business settings>>> and check all the messaging options available there.
There are three options available: greetings, quick replies and away messages. Choose and set these options depending on your specifications.
These are accessible handily whenever you are conversing frequently with your customers and exchange pleasantries.

Features of WhatsApp business

By using WhatsApp messaging service, SMBs can easily and efficiently connect with their users. A business using WhatsApp will be listed under business accounts so that the audience know with whom they are conversing in a more professional way. A closed pilot program is accessible for verifying your business accounts with a green checkmark by distinguishing them from fake accounts from all the personal accounts.

Some of the features offered by WhatsApp business are

• Organize chats and contacts with labels to refer again easily
• Access to essential metrics such as to see how many messages were delivered successfully and who watched and read your messages.
• You can set automated away responses, whenever it is not possible to answer to let your customers know when to expect a reply
• Invite the customers by setting a customized and automated greeting message
• Use desktop WhatsApp to manage all the customer conversations. Same like your personal laptop or desktop you can use it even for a business account

Using WhatsApp for business accounts

Now that you have completed the process of setting up, it’s high time to effectively use it. There are numerous ways of using WhatsApp for your businesses or send timely updates. In fact, there are endless possibilities
Let’s look at an in-depth view of these uses

Introduce and increase your brand image

Are you thinking WhatsApp is only for sending text messages? Then, you are still lying in that ignorance area. This is the quickest way to introduce offers, promotions and new products that are relevant to users. Want to run video, Mp3 and send voice notes,  or promotional activities? Then use WhatsApp business account. Target all the relevant audience through this broadcast feature.

Using for customer support

As you know WhatsApp has a wider reach, It is the greatest tool for customer support. If your customer has any queries, they can send a message instead of calling the helpdesk and raising a ticket. Some of the companies are started implementing these strategies and even offering consultations through this giant platform.  However, offering customer support for all the issues is not a good option and may not be practical. Hence, select this media only when there are few customer requests.

Labels

One of the primary things to consider while maintaining a business account is to keep track of your customers. Though you need to manually feed the contacts, assign the labels to your conversations. These are useful especially with huge user groups. Setup labels and have a chat using these.
Take for instance, when labelling a conversation as a new customer, you can even recognize them when they reply back after a while.
Even you can add a new label by
Tapping on the menu button
Select chat conversation
Tap New label.
Enter the text and save
Add label to the chats
Through the menu button
Choose a chat conversation
Pick a label
Tap Save

Creative usage

People have expanded their businesses and built new avenues using WhatsApp though a cost-effective approach. Let’s look at some the creative uses for your next project

• Through WhatsApp, you can offer courier service, book a cake, or deliver bouquets or flowers
• Many restaurants and small outlets are offering their customers the privilege of ordering food. Consumers can communicate and place their favourites instantly
• Medical stores are receiving prescriptions on WhatsApp and offering medical queries.
• Are you in the governmental sector? Then receive complaints and suggestions through this platform.

Marketing and promotion

A popular celebrity once said WhatsApp is the new way of SMS. In fact, this is a very strong tool to promote your product. Have one-on-one direct communication with all your listeners. Use WhatsApp to receive and send

• Images
• Audio files
• Short Video Clips about your brand products
• share text message globally

No need to worry about the format as you do in normal SMSes, or Email. There is always a high delivery chance. Maintain professionalism and never spam your users with WhatsApp messages. Connect and build loyalty with existing users. As newbies hate messages coming from strange numbers.
If you are really striving to earn profits and expand your venues, come with a much more creative way and boost your businesses using this platform.
For instance, the international brand Colgate encouraged customers to send selfies to a number displayed on the pack.

Conclusion

Many businesses are profiting from WhatsApp. For instance, a vegetable vendor who used to receive phone calls is now on WhatsApp. This person takes a snap of the vegetables of what he has and text that to the group of customers on WhatsApp. Customers then place an order through this platform. This is, in fact, a massive behavioural change in buyers. As more people are hooked on to their mobiles, this has come in a very fast. Apart from communication platform, WhatsApp is turning out to be enhancing your avenues.