A message from your friend, one from your family, another from your favorite eCommerce store - WhatsApp has become one of the most preferred communication channels for everyone. Thanks to its instantaneous nature. Besides, it doesn’t cost a penny!Speaking of eCommerce stores using WhatsApp, there are 5 million!Wow!But…...few are able to use this channel effectively. Most brands use it for one-time promotions only, completely ignoring the many ways in which you can use WhatsApp marketing to boost your Shopify store sales.So let’s explore how you can use WhatsApp in a more effective manner.
How to use Shopify WhatsApp marketing to boost sales?
There are a number of ways to use WhatsApp marketing to promote your Shopify store products, deals and discounts proactively by reaching out to customers where they are the most active.
Send broadcast or promotional messages
Once you’ve built your WhatsApp list, it’s time to send broadcast or promotional messages. WhatsApp broadcast is when you send one common message to your entire list or a segment of your list.You could send messages such as an announcement for an upcoming sale, a special discount, a new collection launch, or other promotional updates.Sending these promotional messages through WhatsApp is a for sure way to get your messages read by your subscribers. After all, it has an open rate of 99%.Here are two templates for promotional messages that you could easily copy, paste, edit and send.
Template 1
Hey (First name)! We’re here to pep up your mid-week blues with a limited-time flash sale on (store link)! ⚡Grab all you want at a 10% discount from NOW to midnight on Sunday. Head over to 👉 (store name) and get shopping NOW! 🛍️
Template 2
3000 and counting! Hey (First name)! The newest addition to our store - (product name) - has become one of our all-time best-sellers and is selling out super fast.⚡Customers are loving the style, the fit, and the price $ and guess what, we’ve made it better with a 5% off.To buy one, simply apply the code (inset promotional code) at checkout. The excitement doesn’t end there. Add it to your cart 🛒 now, we’ll hold it for you. You can buy it anytime within this month.It doesn’t get better than this. 😍 Head to (store link) today!
Recover abandoned carts via WhatsApp messages
The average cart abandonment rate across industries is almost 70%. Now, there could be many reasons why shoppers abandon products in their carts.But you can recover these abandoned cart sales with the help of WhatsApp marketing for your Shopify store.Being a platform that allows instant chats and having a high open rate, there’s no reason why you should not reach out to shoppers on WhatsApp.Here are the different templates you could use:
A reminder message - a few minutes after cart abandonment
A few minutes after the shopper abandons the cart, send them a reminder message to bring them back to the cart. Send a message like the below template:Hi (First name), you left some items in your cart. You can finish your purchase here: (insert link).
Urge shoppers to come back if they don’t take any action
If shoppers don’t respond to your first reminder, it’s probably time to motivate them to do so in a different way. Tell them why they should buy the particular item. The idea is to motivate them to make a purchase and so, depending on the item.
- Share the benefits and advantages
- Tell the shopper how it will make their life better
- Share reviews to tell them what other customers think
- Share more details about the product
Here’s a template to give you inspiration:Hey (First name), the (product name) is still in your cart. We’d like to tell you a little bit more about this product and how you can use it. (Share a link or points or take them to the customer review page)Complete your purchase here: (link)
Cart recovery attempt through FOMO
So, the shopper still hasn’t taken action? Well, looks like you will have to make them really want the product. A tried and tested marketing technique to do so is to create FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).Here are some templates you could use:Template 1Hey (First name)! The (product name) you left in your cart is still available. BUT… it’s selling like hot cakes. Just 3 pieces left.Buy it now, before it’s gone forever. We will not be restocking this product. Hurry! Rush to 👉 (site link) Template 2Hey (First name), your cart is missing you. You left the (product name) and guess what… it’s now available at a 10% discount.Offer ONLY TODAY! Buy it here: (cart link)
Cart abandoner nurture message
Alas! The shopper still didn’t convert. That’s okay. Just because they didn’t buy one product doesn’t mean you’ve lost the customer forever. You can use WhatsApp to nurture these cart abandoners for future sales.Use this template to do so:Hey, we’ve missed you.Since the last time you visited, we’ve updated our site with new collections and products.Why don’t you hop over to our site and check out what’s new. Trust us, you’ll love it.Here you go 👉 (site link)
Transactional messages through the customer journey
Most online stores prefer sending SMSes for transactional updates. For example, for purchase confirmation, shipping updates, delivery confirmation, etc.But think about it - SMS has character limitations, it isn’t free like WhatsApp, and there are higher chances of SMSes getting missed.Instead, there’s so much you can do if you send eCommerce transactional marketing messages through WhatsApp -- multimedia messages, lengthy messages with comprehensive details, visually appealing messages with emoji, links and buttons!And that’s why you should send transactional messages on WhatsApp. Here are templates you could use.
Order confirmation
Hey (First name)! We’re thrilled to let you know that your order on (Site name) is confirmed! Order no. (insert number) is confirmed and we will send you more details shortly. Meanwhile, you can see your order here (Link to customer account page).
Order ready for dispatch
Customers are eager for updates. They want to know everything about their purchase - where it’s at, when it will reach them, how to track it, etc. That’s why it’s best to send them an order ready message on WhatsApp. If they want to cancel their order, they could still do so at this stage and you’d be saved from order return costs.Here’s a template:Hey (First name), good news! Your order no. (insert number) is ready to be dispatched. It will get dispatched shortly and reach you by (insert date).You can track your order click via this link: (add tracking link)
Order cancelled
At times, you have to cancel orders. There could be many reasons for this - payment didn’t go through, product is out of stock, or the customer cancelled. You must send the update to the customer immediately.Use this template:Hey (First name), your order no. (insert number) has been cancelled due to (add reason). But there’s good news! You can reorder it or we could give you store credits in return of your payment.
Order delivered
Hey (First name), we’re happy to share that your order no. (insert number) is delivered. We hope you enjoyed shopping on (site name). We’d really appreciate if you could take a minute to share your feedback here: (link to feedback question)We hope to see you back soon!
Upsell and cross-sell
You can do much more than send transactional updates on WhatsApp. You can actually sell more through WhatsApp marketing on your Shopify store. Yes, it’s possible! WhatsApp is a great platform to interact more with customers and motivate them to buy more items from your eCommerce store.
Send upsell messages
Say for example, a customer is browsing an electronic item on your site. You know what they’re interested in. So, how about you recommend a better product or a better version to them? That way you can increase your order value. At the same time, you can ensure your customer buys a better product.Here’s a template:Hey (First name)! Looking for (product name)? We have a few options that you might like. Besides, these have more advanced features. Do take a look at these links:(Link 1)(Link 2)(Link 3)There’s more for you -- you can avail a 10% off on these items with the code: GIVEME10Let us know if you’d like to know more about these items.
Send cross-sell messages
When customers buy certain items from you, you could recommend complementing products. For example, if a customer has bought a dinner set, offer them a cutlery set at a discount.Here’s a template:Hey (First name)!We see you just bought (product name). Many of our customers pair it with (cross-sell product name). Do check it out here: (insert link). And oh! We’re running a 15% discount on it. So add it to your cart 🛒 NOW!
Wrap-up: Get started with Shopify WhatsApp marketing!
More than 2 billion people use WhatsApp on an everyday basis. That’s where your customers spend a lot of their time. On average, a person spends between 30 minutes to an hour on WhatsApp everyday.It’s important to be where your customers are. Keep them engaged with timely and personalized messaging. And with so many advantages that this platform has to offer, it is the marketing channel to use.Moreover, it’s not just you, your customers, too, want to engage with your Shopify store on WhatsApp. See the below graph.And it just got easier for Shopify stores to run WhatsApp marketing campaigns with apps like QuickReply.ai. From the ability to send broadcast messages to cart recovery campaigns, re-engagement campaigns and more, the app equips you with the official WhatsApp Business API along with powerful automations and pre-trained chatbots.This is a guest post from QuickReply.ai, a Shopify app for eCommerce WhatsApp marketing that enables online stores to send WhatsApp broadcast messages, set up automated cart recovery campaigns, send order alerts and much more.
