Message a customer first

Most chats start when a customer writes to you. When you need to write first, for example to follow up a phone enquiry, start the conversation from the inbox.

WhatsApp only lets a business open a conversation with an approved template, so your first message will be a template. Once the customer replies, you can chat normally for 24 hours.

Start a chat with a saved contact

1. In the Inbox, click the pencil button next to the search box (New conversation).
2. Leave Existing contact chosen and search by name or number.
3. If you have more than one WhatsApp number, choose the one to write from under Send from.
4. Click the contact (Open).

The chat opens. If you have talked to this person before on that number, you land in the same chat, with everything that was said.

Start a chat with a new number

1. Click the pencil button, then New number.
2. Type the Phone number, with the country code, such as +91 98765 43210.
3. Add a Name (optional) so the chat is easy to find later.
4. Choose the number to write from under Send from, if you have more than one.
5. Click Open conversation.

The person is saved as a new contact.

Send the first message

The new chat says Start with a template at the top. Click Send template in the message box, pick a template, fill in its blanks and send it. See The 24-hour window and templates.

From the contacts list

On the Contacts page, open the menu at the end of a contact's row and choose Message. The chat with that contact opens in the inbox, or a new one starts if there is none yet.