5 Best WhatsApp Etiquette to Scale Your Business

Some WhatsApp Etiquette you need to know as an individual and as a business owner. I have had fights with friends and family on WhatsApp and I think these fights will not end till WhatsApp ceases to exist. To be honest and fair, some of these fights were due to my fault (ignorance) and some were not.

But if this would amaze you or everyone here, it has not always been like this from the onset. I guess it was as WhatsApp grew and more people were added to the platform many people felt there should be at least major etiquette – what I call WhatsApp Etiquette or do’s and don’ts guiding the popular chatting platform.

My most recent misunderstanding was with my choir director and this was basically on me not acknowledging a message dropped on the church choir group. He said I should have shown signs of acknowledgment by at least dropping a message but I did not. But truly, what really happened was – I read the messages when my internet was not on so I did not reply.

And I will say truly with the way WhatsApp is going, it is high time we create Whatsapp etiquette by which will guide us in using the platform. So yes, our wish for as finally come to pass.This article was born out of so many misunderstandings I have had with the fam and what I felt I did wrong so don’t feel this article speaks to you alone, it speaks to me. Moving on…

Best WhatsApp Etiquette for Business

Here are some WhatsApp etiquette for business.

1. Slow Reply to WhatsApp Chats

This is the number one don’ts for WhatsApp Etiquette. I used to have huge fights with my ex over this until I realized I too used to do this. In case you do not know, it is absolutely insulting to read a message a contact sends to you on WhatsApp and not reply (especially if this message demands a reply).

So I have learned to do this – not to read (open) chats if I am not ready to reply to them. I only read the chats when I am settled to reply. I do not know if you like this new tip but I am sure it will work for you if you decide to use it. This tip can also be applied to your WhatsApp group chats – only read (open) the chats when you are ready to respond to them.

This will let people know you’re active in the group (at least when you have the time). So this is my number 1 WhatsApp etiquette.

2. Sending Solicited WhatsApp Broadcast

If you are part of the people who do this as a hobby, you will need to stop before people start blocking you (that’s if they have not blocked you already). I have blocked some people on WhatsApp in the past because of this (sending me unsolicited messages).

I have a cousin who used to do this back then and I almost blocked him till I changed my mind to ignore him because he is family. I had the thought that – who knows I might have an urgent message to send to him in the future and WhatsApp, could only be the medium I could get to him.

So I ignored his messages (WhatsApp broadcast) for a long time until one day he called to tell me he dropped an urgent message on WhatsApp for some days and I had not replied to him. I was surprised I missed this but then again I was not surprised because he caused it. I replied to his message and I also explained why I might have not seen it.

He apologized and since then he stopped sending me unnecessary WhatsApp broadcasts. I did this because he was family. If he was a random person on WhatsApp, I could have blocked him. So I will strongly advise you to stop this if you are part. Sending contacts on WhatsApp unsolicited messages is bad WhatsApp etiquette.

3. Taking too long to Reply to Chats

I used to do this too so I will understand if your reason behind this is because you have been busy. Busy especially during working days when we might not have time to go through our chats. But there can still be a solution to this.

One of the solutions that I usually practice is to reply to my WhatsApp messages during breaks – my free time. Now, we all have breaks at work. I personally have a 30 – 45-minute break depending on my schedule for the day. So I replied to the WhatsApp chat during this time.

Number two solution is to take advantage of the Lagos traffic. I do not know where you’re reading this from. You might be reading from New York or even New Delhi in India. The rule has not changed. I personally live in Lagos, Nigeria, and experience traffic so I am using this as an example.

I use the traffic situation in my area to read online (blogs) and reply to chats. You can also do the same.

Number three solution is to reply before bedtime. Although my doctor said this is not good because of the light from my phone doesn’t put me in sleeping mode on time, I still do it. This works but I strongly advise you against it.

4. Spreading Fake News on WhatsApp

This is another bad WhatsApp Etiquette many folks do too much. If you have not been guilty about all I have mentioned so far, you are certainly guilty of this – I too until I woke and I hope you too will wake after reading what I am about to write on this. You see, it’s one thing to spread news on WhatsApp group or contacts, it is another thing to spread fake news. 

I hear by now you can even be arrested for spreading fake news on WhatsApp. Yes, this is possible if investigators are able to trace the person or group of people who originated the fake news. The latest person in serious trouble in Nigeria now (for spreading fake news) is the guy who said the 3^rd mainland bridge is about to collapse.

Authorities said he is going in for this because he caused serious panic for Lagosians that the news got to Aso Rock. After he spread the news on Facebook it began to get lots of likes and comments. The deceivers of this news went ahead to create WhatsApp broadcasts for the news to share on WhatsApp. The problem is not the fake news.

The problem is people who did not confirm whatever they have read before sharing and broadcasting with their friends. WhatsApp has also found a way of controlling this fake news to an extent by limiting the number of people you can share a broadcast with from 256 contacts to I think 20 people (contacts). This is to control the speed at which any news will spread

5. Not Blocking People

I’m not saying this to give a license to go on a blocking spree on WhatsApp. Neither am I saying you should start blocking people on WhatsApp any day you wake from the wrong side of the bed but you know when I say that some people deserve to be blocked they indeed need to be blocked because this is a sensitive issue, I am not going to give reasons as to why you should block people.

But I am saying if you need to block someone because your heart wants you to, you should. I have given the reason why I could block people on WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business but aside from that there are still other reasons unknown to me why I could block a person (contact).

Regrets for Not Blocking People on WhatsApp

Trust me, there can be big regrets on not blocking people aside from your blocking based on relationship issues. Sometimes, this could even pose a danger to your life in any form especially if you feel deep down in your spirit this is a stalker or is up to something that’s not good.

What is your thought on this article? What other things do you feel people are doing wrong on WhatsApp?

Conclusion

That is all in this article. As usual, let me know if I missed any part of this article. Also, let me know if there are topics you want me to write about on the blog or talk about on our YouTube Channel or maybe our podcast.

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