How to write a template and examples of approved WhatsApp templates

WARNING: WhatsApp template categories will be migrated to the new categories by WhatsApp before June 1st, 2023.

More info: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/updates-to-pricing/launch-timeline

If your goal is to grow your business through sales, speed up customer service, or even grow your brand image, the correct use of WhatsApp templates can help you achieve these goals.

Templates cannot be used for promotions or "cold call" sales, as the customer did not give you permission to contact them. The guidelines against this use serve to protect all of us WhatsApp users from this type of spam, and the rules are strictly enforced.

You can find more information about message template guidelines here: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/message-templates/guidelines

How should a template be written?

In this article we will focus on how to develop the text of the template, which is the first step to help you know how to write them. Keep in mind that this text can be accompanied by emojis, image, video, pdf and link.

These extra components help transform your template into a message with more character, more interactive, and an identifier of your brand.

The first thing to think about when writing a template is its purpose:

Notification of information:
The message should be simple and direct. Example:
"Thank you for your purchase. We received payment for your order, now be on the lookout for delivery update messages."

Additionally, you can include parameters to customize the message. Example:

"Hello {{1}}, your medical consultation is confirmed for {{2}} at {{3}}."

In this case, the parameters would be related to:

{{1}} Customer name

{{2}} The day of the appointment

{{3}} The time of the appointment

2. Continuation or initiation of conversation:
In this case, keep in mind that WhatsApp does not allow messages that look like "cold" contacts, and also that it is normal to wait for the client to answer, in order to open the session and allow you to write freely.

Based on these two premises, we suggest that you write your template with the following structure:

Start the text with a reference to the last request or conversation with the customer, you can add more information and end with a call to action for the customer to write to you. Examples.

"Hello {{1}}, thank you for registering on our website. Say "hello" so I can send you the quote you requested."

"Hi {{1}}, based on the conversation at our last meeting, you can finalize the quote. Tell me "yes" so I can send it to you."

What are the parameters in a template?

Templates may or may not have parameters. Parameters are variable fields that allow you to approve a generic template, to allow you to customize the message when you send it to the customer.

Templates can have up to 10 parameters and the parameters must be described between brackets, like this example {{1}}.

Parameter values can be fixed or variable.

Fixed value:
This is when you define a single value to fill the place of the parameter in the sentence. Fixed values are used when a message is to be sent to a specific client, instead of multiple clients, or when the information is the same for multiple clients.

Imagine you have a template like this:

"Hello {{1}}, we evaluated our project and it will cost {{2}}, including {{3}}, Reply to continue this conversation"

In this case, you could have the following text in the parameter fields:

When you send the template, the client will receive the text like this:

"Hi John, we evaluated our project and it will cost USD 500 including development, implementation, and training. Reply to continue this conversation"

Dynamic value:
You can complete the parameter fields with variables that will retrieve the information of the lead or contact that is registered in the CRM.
These are the possible variables, that you must write in the parameter field with the hashtag and in capital letters.

Parameter input to relate to a CRM field	CRM field details
#FULLNAME	Full name of potential customer or contact
#EMAIL	Full name of potential customer or contact
#CITY	City of shipment
#COUNTRY	Country of shipment
#STATE	Shipment status
#STREET	Shipping street
#ZIPCODE	Shipping zip code
#COMPANY	Company name

Imagine the same example as above, but now you are going to send a campaign to 20 people with this quote. In this case, the customer name cannot be fixed, as it is a value that will be different for each of the 20 customers. In this case, you will use dynamic value, including in the parameter 1 the command for Woztell to look up the information for each customer in the CRM field when sending the message, as shown in the example below:

"Hello {{1}}, we evaluated our project and it will cost {{2}}, including {{3}}, Reply to continue this conversation"

In this case, you could have the following text in the parameter fields:

When you send the template, the customer will receive the text like this:

"Hi Maria Sanchez, we evaluated our project and it will cost USD 500 including development, implementation, and training. Reply to continue this conversation"

Examples of templates that have already been approved by WhatsApp

The examples are divided by department, to make it easier for you to find what you need for your specific purpose.

OPERATIONS

You could be a doctor's office, a shipping company, or an organization that provides training; you will find that effective use of WhatsApp Message Templates is a great way to streamline operations. You can create an appointment or class reminders to increase attendance, or shipping updates to help your customer track their delivery, and so on.

Let´s look at some examples of Templates that have already been approved by WhatApp and are currently in use:

Message goal	CODE	Lang	CATEGORY	BODY
Quickly and efficiently ask the contact for the relevant information to open their account.	eng1	en	PERSONAL_FINANCE_UPDATE	Hi, I am Victor, from the WOZTELL pre-sale team. Could you please share your professional email to register it in my ZOHO CRM?
Send a reminder of an upcoming webinar and include the link to join, right from their WhatsApp!	webinarengconnect	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	Hello, the webinar to connect your WhatsApp and ZOHO is about to start. You can connect here: https://link.com/
Send an appointment reminder the day before.	reminder	en	APPOINTMENT_UPDATE	Dear {{1}}, we remind you that your appointment is the next day {{2}}
Confirm receipt of payment from a customer.	payment	en	PAYMENT_UPDATE	Dear {{1}}, we have received the payment associated with your invoice {{2}}
Keep them up to date on appointment status.	canceled	en	APPOINTMENT_UPDATE	Your appointment has been canceled. Please contact us to request a new appointment.
Remind them they can reach you on WhatsApp!	new	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	Welcome to Woztell! This is our phone number where you can receive your subscription alerts.
Automate payment reminders	bs_advance	en	APPOINTMENT_UPDATE	Hello, this is Mora, Your move job is scheduled with us. 50% payment is required up front to confirm the booking. We will be sharing the payment link with you shortly for it.
Follow up on outstanding payment balances	paymentreminder	en	PAYMENT_UPDATE	Thank you very much for availing (company name) services. This is a gentle reminder that you have an outstanding balance with us. We can send you a payment link to make the payment easily. We look forward your prompt response. Stay Safe!(company name)
Send booking confirmations straight to their phone	booking_confirm	en	RESERVATION_UPDATE	Hello {{1}}, Your Booking for {{2}} with {{3}} is now confirmed. Please {{4}}. The payment link for the booking is now available in your app - request you to complete the payment. (company name) ensures fully secure & refundable payments. Please let me know if you need any kind of assistance!
Follow up to ensure they are prepared for an upcoming event or job	jrpaint_24hr	en	APPOINTMENT_UPDATE	Hello, this is a gentle reminder that your paint job is scheduled with us for tomorrow. Please make sure that you have the necessary permission from the Building Service. Regards,(company name)

These are all text examples, that can be accompanied by emojis, or multimedia information like images, or videos.

Example:

For shipping notification, you could design an image that shows the step in the delivery process that the message is talking about. Your customer will visually know what the process looks like and where his delivery is now. You can build your reputation while keeping your customers happy through effective WhatsApp engagement.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Want to make it easier for your customer service representatives to reply to your customers in a quick and easy way? Message templates are the way to go!

With a set of templates, replying to a standard customer query with a standard greeting or questions is easy. Let's see some examples of Templates that have been approved by WhatsApp and are in use for this very purpose:

Message goal	CODE	LANGUAGE	CATEGORY	BODY
Standardize customer greetings	WEL_EN	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	Welcome {{1}}. We look forward to serving you on WhatsApp.
Follow up on a missed inbound contact to ensure good customer service	not	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	I'm sorry that I wasn't able to respond to your concerns yesterday but I'm happy to assist you now. If you'd like to continue this discussion, please reply with 'yes'.
Continue on with an open ticket or query	myfirsttemplate	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	We are sorry for not being able to answer your questions yesterday; we can clarify them now. If you want to advance in this conversation, please answer 'yes'.
Contact a customer from whom you may have missed a call	missedcall	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	We were unable to answer your call at {{1}}. You can send us your request through this channel.
Include quick responses to empower the customer service representative to support the customer quickly and easily	confirm	en	PERSONAL_FINANCE_UPDATE	Great! Thank you so much for the details. Can you please confirm your name, phone number and email address?
Prompt a customer for a reply	noanswer	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	I have not received a response from your end for the past few minutes. I will be closing this chat session to assist other clients in the queue. Feel free to contact us again if you still need assistance. Thank you for contacting (company name). Have a great day ahead.
Quick-response greetings to streamline customer service	wc	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	Hello there! Thank you for contacting (company name). My name is Patrick, how can I help you today?
Follow up for necessary information	bs_survey	en	RESERVATION_UPDATE	Hello, this is Monique, Can you please send us the complete address so we can organize the survey for you.
Introduce your customers to a method by which to directly reach you	rm_intro	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	Hello {{1}}, I am {{2}} from (company name), your Relationship Manager for your Planning and Maternity journey. I will be facilitating your appointments, payments, digital record management & optional package selection. Don't hesitate to contact me at any time for any assistance. Thank you, have a nice day!
Standardise your customer service greetings	yas	en	ALERT_UPDATE	Hello there! Thank you for contacting (company name). My name is Monique, how can I help you today?
Confirm a booking	confirm_labtest	en	RESERVATION_UPDATE	Dear User, Thank you for booking your lab tests with (company name). We are working on getting a phlebotomist assigned and will send you the details shortly. Thank you.
Customer Satisfaction surveys made easy!	nps_a	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	Thank you very much for using (company name) services for {{1}}. We would like to take a moment of your time to rate your experience with us. Your feedback is important to us and will help us improve further. Please click on the following link for feedback: https://link.com./ Stay Safe!(company name)
Direct the customers to open a help desk ticket	support_form_en_2	en	ALERT_UPDATE	I'll direct you to a form to create a support ticket. Please include all details about the issue, with screenshots or recordings to help our team understand it.
Ask your Data Protection questions quickly and easily!	eng2	en	PERSONAL_FINANCE_UPDATE	I write you from our offices in Spain. Could you please confirm your name?

These are all text examples, that can be accompanied by emojis, or multimedia information like images, or videos.

Example:

For supporting new clients that might need to be onboarded, you can add images that show what they need to do next or links to training videos.

SALES

When you have an inbound sales inquiry, it's important to nurture the sales lead in order to close the sale. With WhatsApp templates, you can do just that. Imagine having the reach of WhatsApp at your fingertips to keep warm leads warm and convert more sales. From scheduling follow-up meetings to finalizing sales, here are some examples currently approved by WhatsApp and in use now:

Message goal	CODE	LANGUAGE	CATEGORY	BODY
Start a live chat with a warm sales lead	makecontact	en	ALERT_UPDATE	Dear {{1}}, after your inquiry on our website, I'd like to contact you to provide further information about our services.
Book a meeting with one of your sales specialists	asktime	en	ALERT_UPDATE	Dear {{1}}, thank you for your inquiry on our website. Please let me know when would be a suitable time to contact you.
Get the information you need to populate your Lead details	ask	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	It would be my pleasure to assist you. However, I would require some basic information from your end to help understand your business requirements better. Hope that's ok?
Set up a final meeting to close the sale	close	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	Thank you for your time. I'll make sure one of our Business Setup Advisors will contact you shortly to discuss the best solutions for your company setup.Let me know if you haven't received a call back within 4 business hours. Good luck setting up your business!
Get all the required information from a prospective client in one easy step!	details	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	Perfect! Can you please help me with the below details? Kindly share a short description of the business that you are looking to set up. How many shareholders will you have on the trade license?. What is the nationality of the shareholder. How many visas are required? Who are your target customers or where are you looking to do your business? Would you require an office space? When are you looking to set up the company?
Organize a callback with a potential customer	bs_contact	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	Hello, this is Mora, I wanted to follow up with you regarding the discussion for your Move. Please let me know when would be a good time to call you.
Follow up on sales enquiries	website_enquiry_give_quote	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	Greetings from (company name). Thank you for your query regarding Desktop PCs. If you'd like to continue the discussion over WhatsApp, please reply with 'yes'.
Organize virtual meetings!	confirm_consultation	en	APPOINTMENT_UPDATE	Dear User, Thank you for choosing (company name) to talk to a doctor online. All the details have been shared with the doctor, and they will join the chat shortly. Thank you.

These are all text examples, that can be accompanied by emojis, or multimedia information like images, files, or videos.

Example:

When selling products where it makes sense to have image support, you can add an image with details of the product along with a proposal for a meeting to discuss requirements. Another option is having a video of a salesperson explaining a product to give a personal touch to the message.

Keep in mind that templates cannot be over "salesy" or promotional, as it goes against WhatsApp policy, however, you can always provide information and value in a sales conversation to move the deal to closing.

MARKETING

Want to grow your brand image and generate buzz about your company? You can set up campaigns through Zoho CRM with WhatsApp to automatically contact customers in certain situations.

Furthermore, you can include media - a photo, such as a logo or branding, or a multimedia file like a video, or even to send a PDF.

Want to remind customers of an upcoming event they signed up for? Send them a video teaser with a reminder of the event. Want to follow up after a conference? Have your attendees sign-up to receive the presentation or a leaflet by PDF after the event. Keep your customers engaged with Woztell and WhatsApp.

Keep in mind that templates can not be over "salesy" or promotional, because it goes against WhatsApp policy, however, you can design campaigns with valuable information for engagement and branding, to nurture your leads and customers.

It is completely forbidden by WhatsApp policy to send cold contact messages. You always need to ensure that anyone you are sending messages to has previously opted-in to receive them, either by approving or because they started a conversation with you via WhatsApp.

Message goal	CODE	LANGUAGE	CATEGORY	BODY
Thank you for your inquiry and request for contact hours	asktime	en	ALERT_UPDATE	Dear {{1}}, thank you for your inquiry on our website. Please let me know when would be a suitable time to contact you.
Obtain necessary information from a potential client	bs_automatedquestionmove	en	RESERVATION_UPDATE	Thank you very much for reaching out to us.Please let us know the following in order to assist you better: 1: Your Apartment. Villa Size (Number of Bedrooms) 2. Your location 3. Estimated job date
Welcome message	welcome	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	Welcome {{1}}. We look forward to serving you on WhatsApp.
Send a discount	dis_15	en	PAYMENT_UPDATE	Thank you very much for your interest in (Company name). We would like to offer you a flat 15% discount on the price quoted to you earlier for your paint Request. Please drop us a line if you would like to book.
Request experience feedback	nps_a	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	Thank you very much for using (Company name) for {{1}}. We would like to take a moment of your time to rate your experience with us. Your feedback is important to us and will help us improve further. Please click on the following link for feedback: https:link.comfrom Stay Safe! (Company name)
Send webinar reminder	webinarengconnect	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	Hello, the webinar to connect your WhatsApp and ZOHO is about to start. You can connect here: https:link.com
Send quick message to transfer to sales	marketplace1en	en	ACCOUNT_UPDATE	Hello, you have installed WOZTELL, WhatsApp for the ZOHO suite. Need help?You can use this ChatBot to be transferred to an agent

FAQs

If a customer writes to me and I respond with a template, does it cost anything?

If the 24h window is open and you send a template there is no charge. The template is charged when the 24h session is closed.

In this case, the template can be used as a predefined quick response to streamline your team's day-to-day work.

How can I validate the templates with WhatsApp?

Read this article to learn how to request template validation with WhatsaApp.

How can I send templates to my customers?

Read this article to learn how to send templates.