Many small businesses in the United States now use WhatsApp Business to connect with their target audience and sell their products and services to them. WhatsApp has become a low-cost marketing channel, but using it to build customer loyalty is something small businesses struggle with. 

You’ll be leaving money on the table if you don’t have a strategy to turn your WhatsApp buyers into loyal repeat customers who also help spread the word about your products and services. 

If you are a business that is already selling on WhatsApp, this guide will help you build customer loyalty.

1. Share Behind-the-Scenes Content and Stories

Sharing behind-the-scenes stories of how your products and services are made builds trust, which encourages customers to continue buying from your business.  

Doing this on WhatsApp is simple. Post photos, short videos, and text updates on your WhatsApp Business status. Although it disappears after 24 hours, this is enough time for your audience to see what happens behind the scenes. 

You also can share content about your daily operations like packing customer orders and prepping for sales.

Or, you could post about your production process. For a bakery, you could share short videos of how you bake wedding cakes for your customers.

2. Create Exclusive WhatsApp Groups

If you have high-ticket customers, it’s time to create an exclusive WhatsApp group where you give them special attention. These customers are the backbone of your business. 

Give them priority customer support, offer them discounts, and occasionally DM them to find out how your products and services are helping them. This type of attention makes them feel special and encourages them to keep the high-ticket orders coming. 

3. Offer Personalized Customer Support with WhatsApp API and Chatbots

There is nothing like offering customer support based on a customer’s preferences and purchase history and personalized customer support works like a charm on WhatsApp.  

It’s even faster and more seamless with chatbot platforms like Manychat that support the WhatsApp API. Customers get quick responses even outside business hours, and conversations feel personal since chatbots make use of customer data like purchase preferences and order history when responding to questions. 

4. Collect and Act on Customer Feedback

It’s easy to ask customers to give feedback on your products and services on WhatsApp. With features like polls, you can collect data on how your customers feel about what they have bought.  

I also have seen ecommerce brands on WhatsApp send a follow-up message 48 hours after a customer has made a purchase. I have received messages like:

“Hi Chuks, hope you are enjoying the new product you bought from us.  Could you rate your experience with us from 1 to 10?” 

Analyze the data you receive and act on it to improve customer experience. 

5. Reward Loyal Customers With Surprises

Rewarding your loyal customers with surprises is an effective way to keep them coming back. Doing it on WhatsApp makes it feel direct and personal, like a surprise message from a friend, rather than a message from a business. 

You can send personalized discount codes to your loyal customers on WhatsApp during holidays like Christmas, Cyber Monday, Easter, and Halloween. You also can do it on special days like birthdays or anniversaries. 

These surprises make your customers feel appreciated. They encourage customers to buy more products and services from you – and even refer their friends on WhatsApp to you.

In summary, having loyal customers on WhatsApp is a plus for any business. They help to grow your sales, spread the good news about your products and services, and refer new customers to you.

Now, it’s up to you to start implementing some of these strategies to build a customer base on WhatsApp that loves your business.

Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash