Most businesses get the WhatsApp API and immediately plan a big offer campaign. That is the wrong first step. The messages that pay for the plan in month one are the boring ones. Here are five, with wording you can copy.
1. Order or booking confirmation
"Hi {{1}}, we have received your order {{2}} for ₹{{3}}. We will pack it today and send you the tracking link. Reply here if anything is wrong. — [Shop name]"
This one message removes the "did my order go through?" call, and for cash on delivery it also lets the customer correct a wrong address before you ship.
2. Dispatch or ready-for-pickup
"Hi {{1}}, your order {{2}} is on the way. Track it here: [button]. Expected by {{3}}."
For a shop it becomes "your item is ready for pickup, amount payable ₹{{2}}". Either way, the customer stops chasing you.
3. Payment reminder
"Hi {{1}}, invoice {{2}} of ₹{{3}} is due on {{4}}. Pay here: [button], or reply if you need a few days."
Keep it polite. A reminder that offers a reply gets answered. A reminder that sounds like a threat gets rejected by Meta and blocked by the customer.
4. Appointment, delivery or service reminder
"Hi {{1}}, a reminder of your {{2}} on {{3}} at {{4}}. Reply 1 to confirm or 2 to change."
This is the highest-value template for clinics, salons, gyms, service centres and anybody who books time. Slots that would have gone empty get refilled a day early.
5. The win-back
"Hi {{1}}, it has been a while since your last order. Here is what is new this month: [photo]. Reply here and we will keep it aside. Reply STOP to stop these messages."
Send it to customers who have not bought in two or three months — not to everyone. This is a Marketing template, so it needs an opt-out line.
Rules that keep all five working
- Name your business at the end. People should know who is writing.
- Keep one message to one job.
- Use the right category — the first four are Utility, the last one is Marketing.
- Send only to customers who agreed to hear from you.
- Answer replies. A message people can reply to is worth far more than one they cannot.
Start with two, not five
Pick the order confirmation and the reminder. Run them for two weeks and count the calls you stopped getting. Then add the rest.
We set up and submit your first templates as part of going live. See plans and features or read how D2C brands use these messages.
FAQs
Which WhatsApp template should a shop set up first?
The order or booking confirmation, followed by a reminder template. Both are Utility messages, they are approved quickly, and they remove the most phone calls.
Do payment reminders get approved on WhatsApp?
Yes, if they are polite and factual. State the invoice, amount and due date and offer a reply option. Threatening wording is rejected.
Does a win-back message need an opt-out line?
Yes. It is a Marketing template, so include a line such as "Reply STOP to stop these messages" and send it only to customers who opted in.
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