Automate WhatsApp Messages: Save Time and Effort

Are you tired of spending hours typing out the same WhatsApp messages? Are you feeling overwhelmed by the constant stream of notifications? What if I tell you that it is now possible for your WhatsApp messages to send themselves?

We’re talking about no more manual typing, no more missed appointments, and no more late-night replies!

In this guide, we will tell you all you need to know about and experience the freedom of automating your WhatsApp messages and the efficiency it brings! Plus, we might even throw in a bonus tip to automate WhatsApp messages using a handy app!

But before we dive into the hows, let’s first tackle the whats and whys!

What Does It Mean to Automate WhatsApp Messages?

When we mention automating WhatsApp messages, what we are really talking about is using a handy software to make our lives a little easier on the WhatsApp messaging platform.

This means you can set up rules and triggers to send messages, reply to questions, and manage your conversations all on their own, so you don’t have to worry about it manually. It’s a great way to stay connected without the extra hassle!

How Does WhatsApp Automation Work?

Here’s a breakdown of how exactly does WhatsApp automation work:

Kick-start Conversations With Potential Customers

WhatsApp automation makes it easy to connect with interested customers by sending personalized messages using ready-made templates or chat flows. These messages can introduce your product or service, ask simple questions, or share special offers. The system keeps track of who responds and filters out those who don’t so your team can focus on customers who are interested

Auto Responses

Instead of typing out the same responses over and over, you can automatically send replies whenever certain things happen, like new customer inquiries, order confirmations, or appointment reminders.

Scheduled Messages

You can easily schedule messages to be sent at just the right time, so you never have to worry about missing an important moment, even when you're busy with other things.  

Chatbots

And the best and most convenient part is that you can integrate chatbots to handle common questions and provide instant support, freeing up your time to focus on more complex issues.  

In short, WhatsApp automation makes communication a breeze! It helps streamline your messages, saving you both time and effort while boosting your overall efficiency.

Why Do You Need to Automate WhatsApp Messages?

There are several reasons why you need to automate WhatsApp messages:

To Increase Sales

Automating WhatsApp messages helps you reach more customers quickly. By sending timely offers, product updates, and follow-ups, you can keep customers engaged and encourage them to buy. It also ensures no leads are missed, giving you more chances to close sales and grow your business efficiently.

To Save Time

Automating those little tasks, like sending out welcome messages, order confirmations, or appointment reminders, can really lighten your load and free up valuable time and energy.

To Increase Efficiency

Automation helps make communication smoother and more efficient, so customers get quick and consistent responses, even when we're off the clock.

To Improve Customer Experience

Automated responses help provide quick answers and support, making it easier for customers to get the information they need. This boosts customer satisfaction and loyalty significantly.

For Cost-Effectiveness

Automating WhatsApp messages reduces the need for additional staff, making it a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes.

Round-the-Clock Availability

Automated responses ensure customers receive support around the clock, even when your team is unavailable.

To Scale Your Business

The best part about automated WhatsApp messages is that it enables you to easily handle a large volume of messages, making it ideal for businesses with a growing customer base.

To Reduce Errors

It minimizes the risk of human error, ensuring accurate and consistent communication.

For Data-Driven Insights

Automation tools can help keep tabs on customer interactions and analyze them, giving you useful insights to enhance your communication strategies.

How to Automate WhatsApp Messages?

If you want to streamline your conversations and connect with your customers in a more effective manner, you need to automate your WhatsApp messages. Now, this can be done in 2 ways: via the WhatsApp Business App or WhatsApp Business API.

In this section, we will discuss both ways!

Way 1: Automate WhatsApp Messages via WhatsApp Business App

If you have a WhatsApp business number, you have the option of setting a greeting message, an away message, and scheduling a custom message for when you are offline.

To set up WhatsApp automated messages on your business account, here’s what to do:

Step 1

Launch WhatsApp Business, click on the 3 dots at the top-right corner and select “Business Tools > > Greeting Message or Away Message.

Step 2

Turn the toggle on for “Greeting/Away Messages.” You can either go with the default away message or customize it by tapping on the pencil icon.  

Step 3

Once you have set the message, you can choose whether you want to share it with:

● Everyone

● Everyone who messages you but is not in your contacts

● Everyone except a few select contacts

● Only selected customers

Step 4

Now comes the most important part: scheduling the away message. You can schedule the message to be sent:

● All the time

● During specific hours

● Outside business hours

Once you have set the greeting or away message and scheduled it, WhatsApp Business will automatically send it to the chosen recipients.

Limitations of Automated WhatsApp Messages on the Business App

While automated WhatsApp messages via WhatsApp Business helps business owners stay in touch with their customers, it has some limitations:

They Don’t Drive Sales

While automated WhatsApp messages help you stay connected with customers, they don’t actively drive sales on their own. These messages are great for sharing updates, sending reminders, or answering common questions, but they lack the personal touch and persuasion needed to close a deal.

Limited Automation Features

Automated WhatsApp messages on WhatsApp Business focus on the basics, like sending greeting messages and away messages. They do not offer advanced features such as complex workflows or chatbot integrations.

Requires Manual Effort

Even though the WhatsApp Business app lets you send automatic messages, it takes time and effort to set them up. You have to carefully decide when the messages should be sent, what they should say, and how they should respond to customers. This means that the messages might not always be sent at the right time or in the right way, which can slow down how smoothly you can communicate with your customers.

You Have to Write the Messages Manually

With the WhatsApp Business app, you have to create all the messages on your own. This includes writing the text, deciding the length, and making sure it sounds right. If the messages are too long, too short, or not clear, they may not catch the customer’s attention. This can make it harder to engage with customers and boost sales.

Lack of Analytics

It seems that WhatsApp Business doesn’t currently offer insights into how your messages are performing or the interactions with your customers. You have to do it all manually, which not only takes up time but can also result in incorrect numbers.

No Messages with Clickable Buttons

You cannot send automated messages with clickable buttons on WhatsApp Business, which may result in low customer responses.

So, what is the solution? Get a WhatsApp Business API using Pipelean!

Way 2: Automate WhatsApp Messages via WhatsApp Business API

If you want to take your WhatsApp messages automation beyond the basic away and greeting messages, we suggest going for WhatsApp Business API.

But how, you ask? Well, this is where Pipelean comes to the rescue!

Let us take you through the steps of setting up automated messages on WhatsApp Business API using Pipelean:

Step 1

Go to Pipelean and register for an account.

Step 2

Pipelean will send you a verification email with a link. By clicking on the link, you will be redirected to a form where you can add your details.

Step 3

The next step involves connecting your Facebook page with Pipelean.

Step 4

Once all the basic steps are complete, you can now log in to Pipelean using your account details.

Step 5

Now, when you create an ad on Facebook for your product or service, it will be directly connected to Pipelean. You can add some details about it so that Pipelean knows exactly what you are offering.

Step 6

Based on the information you have provided, Pipelean will generate an automated message for your potential customers. You can customize the message according to your liking.

Step 7

Now, whenever a lead clicks your offer on Facebook, they will be asked to enter their name, phone number, and email in a form.

This is where your automated message enters the picture! Pipelean will send the automated WhatsApp message that you set earlier to the clients, complete with clickable buttons to get their response.

For instance, here you can see that Pipelean sent a message to a potential lead, asking whether they want to book an appointment via chat or call.

The client decides to book an appointment via chat:

Step 8

Based on their responses, Pipelean will keep communicating with them and eventually schedule a meeting.

Continuing with the previous example, the client chose to book an appointment via chat; therefore, Pipelean sent an automated message asking them their preferred time for the appointment:

The client simply has to click on the preferred time. Here, they chose the morning slot:

Step 9

Pipelean will then proceed with the appointment booking by sending a Calendly link, from where the client can set the date and time for the meeting.

And that’s how you can automate WhatsApp messages on WhatsApp Business API with Pipelean.