Lesson 14 of 16 · Level 4: Expert
How to Sell by Text and WhatsApp: Respond, Close and Follow Up in Chat
- ⏱ 14 min read
- ❓ 4 review questions
- ✍️ Exercise with solution
In this lesson
- Set up business texting and WhatsApp Business to sell: profile, catalog, quick replies and labels.
- Handle a chat inquiry from start to finish: reply fast, qualify, recommend and close.
- Follow the TCPA basics for texts: consent, opt-outs and sending hours.
- Follow up without being annoying and use broadcasts only with permission.
- Measure conversion per conversation and answer chat objections.
More and more customers would rather text than call. Miller Hardware & Supply in Columbus gets about 300 new chat conversations a month between its business texting number and WhatsApp, which many of its customers prefer: prices, stock checks, "Do you deliver?", photos of a part someone needs. Many go nowhere, not because the customer didn't want to buy but because the reply came late, it was a price with no context or nobody followed up. Selling by chat has its own rules, and in this lesson you'll apply the course's method to it.
- Set up the channel
- Reply fast
- Sell step by step
- Follow up
- Measure and scale
Set up your chat channel to sell
Business texting platforms and the free WhatsApp Business app (separate from personal WhatsApp) include tools few businesses configure well:
A business number
Text from a business line or texting platform, never a rep's personal cell. Platforms handle U.S. carrier registration for business texting (known as 10DLC).
Profile and catalog
Address, hours, website and description, plus a WhatsApp catalog with photos and prices customers can browse in the chat.
Greeting and away messages
An automatic reply to the first message with what customers need to know, and a note on when you'll reply after hours.
Quick replies
Shortcuts (for example, /delivery) for the answers you type 20 times a day.
Labels
Sort chats by stage: new customer, quoted, awaiting payment, paid, delivered.
Click-to-chat links
A "Text us" button on your website and Google Business Profile, a wa.me/1… link and a QR code at the counter.
Labels are your chat CRM (lesson 11): at the end of the day, filter "Quoted" and you'll know exactly whom to follow up with.
- Replying to a customer who texted you about their own question is a normal service conversation.
- Marketing texts (promotions, offers) sent through a texting platform generally require the person's prior express written consent, such as a clear opt-in that says they'll receive marketing texts. Having their number isn't permission.
- Opt-outs: since April 2025, FCC rules let people revoke consent by any reasonable means; words like STOP, quit, cancel, unsubscribe and end must be honored, within 10 business days at most. You may send one confirmation text within 5 minutes, with no promotional content.
- Hours: federal rules limit telemarketing to 8 a.m.–9 p.m. in the recipient's time zone; some states are stricter (Maryland limits sales calls and texts to 8 a.m.–8 p.m. and three per 24 hours on the same subject).
TCPA violations carry statutory damages of $500 per message, up to $1,500 if willful. Keep consent records and check with counsel before any texting campaign.
Speed sells
People who text a business are usually comparing options: they probably texted your competitor too. Replying in minutes, not hours, is the single biggest improvement you can make. If you can't cover the channel all day, set up shifts, use the greeting message to give useful information from the first second and answer chats with buying intent first.
1. What are chat labels for in a sales process?
Labels turn your chat list into a sales pipeline: you know what stage each customer is in and whom to message today.
A chat sale, step by step
The course's consultative process works the same way in chat, with short messages:
Customer: Hi, how much is your white paint?
❌ Typical reply: "$45" (and the customer disappears)
✅ Consultative reply:
Seller: Hi! This is Dana at Miller Hardware 👋 Happy to help.
Is it for inside or outside, and roughly how many square
feet of wall are you painting?
Customer: Inside, a living room and two bedrooms. About 800 sq ft.
Seller: Perfect. This paint covers about 400 sq ft per gallon per
coat, so two coats is about 4 gallons. I'd go with our
washable interior latex ($45 a gallon): it wipes clean,
great if you have kids. Want a roller kit ($18) and
painter's tape ($7) too? The full kit is $205, and we can
deliver today.
Customer: OK, how do I pay?
Seller: I'll text you a secure payment link, or you can pay at
pickup. What's the delivery address?Notice the steps: introduce yourself, ask before giving the price (discovery, lesson 5), recommend with a benefit, add complementary items with a reason and close with an alternative-choice question (lesson 8) instead of "Are you interested?"
- Short messages in chunks; no long paragraphs.
- Real photos and videos of the product beat any description.
- Voice notes only if the customer uses them first, and keep them short.
- Never ask for card numbers by text: use secure payment links.
Confirm the order before you charge
Most chat complaints come from a misunderstood order. Before you send the payment link, send a summary and ask for an explicit yes:
"Here's your order, Carlos:
• 4 gallons of washable interior latex, white: $180
• 1 roller kit and 1 roll of painter's tape: $25
• Delivery to 1450 Oak St., today between 3 and 5 p.m.
Total: $205 plus sales tax. Is everything correct? Reply YES and
I'll send the payment link."Objections in chat
In chat, objections are shorter and the customer can vanish at any moment. Answer briefly, with a question and, if you can, proof (a photo, a video, a customer review):
| The customer writes | Reply to adapt |
|---|---|
| "It's cheaper somewhere else." | "Thanks for telling me. Is it the same brand and size? If so, here's what's included with ours: same-day delivery and help if something goes wrong. If you'd rather have a budget option, here's another one 👇" |
| "I'll think about it." | "Of course! Is anything making you hesitate: the color, the amount or the price? I can help you decide." |
| "Can you give me a discount?" | "The price per gallon is set, but if you get the full kit, delivery is free. Would that help?" |
| "How do I know you're legit?" | "Totally fair. We've had our store in Columbus for 15 years; here's our address and our Google reviews. And you can pay when you pick up." |
Follow up without being annoying
Most chat sales are lost for lack of a second message. A reasonable rhythm for a quote the customer asked for:
- Day 0Send the quoteLabel the chat "Quoted."
- Day 1First follow-up, short and useful"Hi Carlos, did you get a chance to look at the quote? The washable latex is still in stock for same-day delivery."
- Day 4 or 5Second try, with something newA photo of a finished job or a question about their project.
- After thatLet it restLabel it for a future check-in. Messaging every day destroys the relationship.
Broadcasts, only with permission
WhatsApp broadcast lists send one message to many contacts as if it were individual, but only people who saved your number receive it. Texting platforms let you message a subscriber list, which must be built with documented consent. Use them for offers, news or reminders a few times a month, with relevant content. Ask first ("Want me to text you when paint goes on sale?"), and honor every opt-out: besides being the law for marketing texts, blocks and spam reports can get your number restricted.
2. A customer asks only for the price of a product. Which reply is most likely to turn into a sale?
A bare price invites price shopping. A question opens a conversation where you can add value and offer the complete solution.
Measure conversion per conversation
New conversations per month: 300
Sales closed through chat: 54 → 18% conversion
Average ticket: $90
Channel revenue: 54 × $90 = $4,860
If faster replies and the consultative method lift conversion to 25%:
75 sales × $90 = $6,750 a month, from the same inquiries.Every month, record how many conversations came in (count them by label), how many bought and your average first-response time. Those three numbers tell you whether your chat channel is improving.
Practice case: the store that answered too late
Over three months they made three changes: shifts so someone was always answering, consultative replies (a question before the price) and a daily label-based follow-up on every "Quoted" chat.
From 54 to 75 sales a month at the same $90 ticket: from $4,860 to $6,750, or $1,890 more a month with no extra ad spend.
When to move to a shared inbox or the WhatsApp API
A single phone works for a small business with one or two salespeople. When several people need to answer the same number, you want to connect chats to your CRM or online store, or you want an assistant to automate answers, move to a shared texting platform or the WhatsApp Business Platform (the API), through Meta or an authorized provider. Some message types carry fees and setup takes work, but you can scale without losing control.
3. A customer hasn't replied to the quote they asked for. What's the most appropriate follow-up?
Many sales are won on the second or third touch, but daily messages damage the relationship and can get you blocked or reported.
4. You get 300 conversations a month, your average ticket is $90 and conversion rises from 18% to 22%. How much more do you sell per month?
300 × 18% = 54 sales and 300 × 22% = 66 sales: 12 more sales × $90 = $1,080 a month ($12,960 a year) from the same inquiries. $5,940 is total revenue at 22%, not the increase.
Practice exercise: your chat sales channel
- Write your greeting and away messages.
- Create 5 quick replies for your most frequent questions.
- Define your labels (one per stage) and your follow-up rhythm.
- Rewrite this exchange to make it consultative: customer: "Do you have drills?"; seller: "Yes."
See solution
Greeting: "Hi! Thanks for reaching Miller Hardware 🔧 We're open Monday to
Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tell us what you need and we'll help you pick
the right thing. Reply STOP anytime to stop messages."
Away: "Hi! We're closed right now. We'll reply tomorrow from 7 a.m. If
it's urgent, leave your order and we'll have it ready."
Quick replies: /delivery (areas, cost and times) · /payment (payment
options) · /location (address and map) · /returns · /proaccount
Labels: New · Quoted · Awaiting payment · Paid · Delivered · Future follow-up
Consultative reply:
"Yes, we have several! To recommend the right one: is it for occasional
projects at home or daily use on a jobsite? Do you need to drill into
concrete? I'll send you the 2 best options with photos and prices 👍"Summary
- Set up a business number or WhatsApp Business with a profile, catalog, greeting, away message, quick replies, labels and click-to-chat links.
- Reply in minutes: speed is the single biggest improvement.
- Ask before giving the price, recommend with benefits, add complementary items and close with an alternative-choice question.
- Confirm every order in writing before charging, and answer objections briefly with proof.
- Follow the TCPA: written consent for marketing texts, honor opt-outs and respect sending hours.
- Track conversations, conversion and response time; move to a shared inbox or the API to scale.
Next lesson: Complex B2B Sales and Key Accounts: Buying Committees, MEDDIC and Account Plans. You'll level up to selling to large companies, with buying committees, long cycles and key account management.
Create your account in 30 seconds, mark your lessons and download your certificate at the end.