What you'll get
- 10 copy-ready blocks
- 2 tables
- 9 min read
- Permission gate
- Script 1: after they replied by email
- Script 2: after a first call
- Script 3: when someone introduced you
- Script 4: to confirm a meeting
- Script 5: when you have been quiet for two weeks
- and 4 more
How to use it
- Step 1: Run every contact through the permission gate in Part 1 before you send anything.
- Step 2: Pick the message in Part 2 that matches how you got the number.
- Step 3: Use a voice note from Part 3 only where a short text would not do the job.
- Step 4: Keep the stop list in Part 4 where everyone who sends can see it.
- Step 5: Log every message against the account, so a colleague can see what was said.
In India and across the Gulf, many senior buyers run part of their working day on WhatsApp. That makes it useful for one narrow job: keeping a conversation moving once it has started. It is a poor way to start one. This kit gives you the scripts, and a gate so you only use them where they are welcome. It is not legal advice. Rules on messaging and consent differ by country and change, so check them where your buyer is.
Part 1: The permission gate
WhatsApp is a personal space. A message on it from a stranger feels different from the same message by email. Answer yes or no for each contact. One "no" means use another channel.
Permission gate
1. Did this person give us their number, or reply to us from it?
2. Has the person agreed, in writing, to talk on WhatsApp?
3. Is it a work number, or one they use for work?
4. Do we know why we are writing, and is it about their business?
5. Is it a working hour in their time zone, and not a holiday for them?
6. Have we already had a reply or a call on another channel?
7. Is the number absent from our stop list?Questions 1 and 2 matter most. A number found in a database is not an invitation. If you did not receive it from the person or from someone who introduced you, stay on email and LinkedIn.
Part 2: Five message scripts
Keep every message short enough to read without scrolling. One idea, one question, your name and company. No attachments in the first message.
Script 1: after they replied by email
Hello [First name], this is [Your name] from [Company]. Thank you for your reply on [day]. Would it be easier to settle a time for the call here? [Day] or [day], whichever suits you.Script 2: after a first call
Hello [First name], thank you for the time today. As promised, I will send [what you said you would] by [day]. If anyone else on your side should see it, tell me and I will add them.Script 3: when someone introduced you
Hello [First name], [Introducer] suggested I write. We spoke about [the topic, in one line] and [Introducer] thought it might matter to your team. May I send you a short note, or would a call suit you better?Script 4: to confirm a meeting
Hello [First name], a short confirmation for [day] at [time] [time zone]. We will cover [one line]. Please tell me if anyone else should be on the call, and if the time has changed on your side.Script 5: when you have been quiet for two weeks
Hello [First name], I have not wanted to crowd your inbox. One thing since we spoke: [one true update that matters to them, such as a new case, a changed date or an answer to their question]. If it is not the right time, a word is enough and I will leave it there.Do not use script 5 more than once. If you hear nothing, go back to the thread log and choose a different person in the account.
Part 3: Three voice notes
A voice note is for warmth and for explanation that is awkward in text. Keep it to 30 seconds, which is about 75 words at an ordinary pace. Read your script once aloud before you record it. Do not sound as if you are reading.
Voice note 1: a thank you after a call (about 25 seconds)
Hello [First name], it is [Your name] from [Company]. I just wanted to say thank you for the time today. What you said about [specific point] stayed with me. I will send the note we discussed by [day]. Speak soon.Voice note 2: explaining a point that is hard in text (about 30 seconds)
Hello [First name], [Your name] here. You asked how we would [what they asked]. The short version is this: [two sentences, no jargon]. I will put it in writing so you can pass it on. If it sounds off, tell me and I will explain it differently.Voice note 3: a gentle follow-up (about 20 seconds)
Hello [First name], [Your name] here. No rush at all. I wanted to ask whether [one specific thing] is still on your list this quarter. A yes or a no, either helps me. Thank you.Never send a voice note as a first contact. People who do not know you have no reason to listen, and some will find it intrusive.
Part 4: The stop list
Stop and check with someone senior before sending again if any of these happens.
Stop list
- The person asks you to stop, or does not reply to two messages in a row.
- You are about to message a number you got from a list and nobody gave you.
- You are about to send the same text to more than one person in a day.
- The contact is in a group chat with people you do not know.
- The message is about a price, a contract term or anything you would not put in an email.
- You are about to send outside their working day, on a public holiday or during a religious observance.
- You are about to send a voice note to someone you have not spoken to.A request to stop should be written in one place that everyone checks. If it lives in one person's phone, it will be missed.
A note on India and the Gulf
Habits differ by country and by person, so treat these as questions to ask, not rules to follow.
| Ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Which language and which greeting does this person use? | Mirror it. If they write in English, so do you |
| What is their working week? | It is not the same in every Gulf country or company. Check before you pick a day |
| Do they prefer calls to text? | Some senior buyers ring rather than type. Offer a call and let them choose |
| Who else sees this phone? | A personal assistant may read it first. Write so that it makes sense to them too |
Respect any request to move to email. It is not a rejection, only a preference about where the work gets done.
Worked example (illustrative, not a real company)
Quaywise sells warehouse software. Sam Carter has had one call with Dana Whitfield at Northfield Logistics, who then replied to an email from her mobile and added a line: "Message me on WhatsApp if that is easier." All names are invented.
| Step | What Sam did | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Gate | Question 1 yes (Dana wrote from the number), question 2 yes (she invited it) | Cleared |
| Message | Used script 2 after the call, naming the note he promised | Dana replied with a thumbs up and asked him to add Marcus Lee |
| Voice note | Used voice note 2 to explain the integration question she had raised | Dana said she would forward the written version to Marcus |
| Log | Wrote both messages and Dana's replies in the account's thread log | A colleague could pick up the account without asking Sam |
Sam did not use script 5 or message Marcus himself. Dana had offered the channel for her own conversation. When Marcus is ready, he will ask Dana to introduce him, and Sam will use script 3.
Five mistakes to avoid
- Starting on WhatsApp. It works best as the third or fourth contact, not the first. Open with email, LinkedIn or a call.
- Using a number nobody gave you. A number from a database is not consent. Stay on the channels where the person expects you.
- Sending the same text to many people. On a named account, every message is written for one person.
- Long messages and attachments. One idea, one question. Put the detail in an email.
- Treating a voice note as a script. If it sounds read, redo it. Thirty seconds should feel like a person talking.
Why this works on named accounts
Common questions
Is it acceptable to message a prospect on WhatsApp?
It depends on the country, the number and whether the person is expecting you. Where they gave you the number or invited you to use it, it is usually welcome. Where you found it yourself, stay on email and LinkedIn. Check the rules where your buyer is.
How long should a voice note be?
About 30 seconds, or 75 words. Longer than a minute and many people will not play it. If you need more, send a short written note and offer a call.
Can a team share one WhatsApp number?
It is better that each person uses their own, so the buyer knows who they are talking to. If a number is shared, the person who sends must say who they are in the first line, and every message must be logged against the account.
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