10 ways to get users into your WhatsApp marketing funnel
From adverts to invoices: How to turn every touchpoint into an entry point to your chat
The most important conversion in your marketing isn’t the purchase – it’s the moment when someone voluntarily messages you on WhatsApp. From that point onwards, you have a direct, personal and measurable connection, rather than just ‘traffic’ or ‘views’. In this article, I’ll show you 10 specific ways in which you can deliberately create precisely this moment – online, offline and via channels you probably aren’t even using yet.
This article is part of our comprehensive WhatsApp for Business guide – there you’ll find all the topics relating to WhatsApp for Business at a glance.
WhatsApp thrives on being actively engaged with. The easier it is to get started – and the clearer the benefits are for the user – the higher your conversion rate will be in the funnel. Let’s go through, step by step, which entry points you can set up.
1. Click-to-WhatsApp Ads: Your fast-track start
Meta (Facebook and Instagram) offers you the option to run adverts where a click takes the user straight to a WhatsApp chat – no forms, no landing pages, no detours. The user taps ‘Send message now’ and is taken straight into your funnel, which ideally starts automatically.
Instead of traditional ‘traffic ads’, you’re working with conversational ads here: the advert promises a specific benefit (‘Get your offer’, ‘Ask your question’, ‘Test your profile’) and the chat delivers that benefit straight away.
Particularly effective are:
- Lead quizzes (‘Find the right product for you in 3 questions’)
- Appointment funnels (“Book your consultation directly in the chat”)
- Offer funnels (“Get your discount code via WhatsApp”)
The big advantage is that you can measure what happens in the chat in great detail – from the first message right through to conversion. And rather than building up an anonymous tracking pixel, you’re building a genuine contact who can be reached again.
2. QR codes & short links: The classic approach, but done right
QR codes and short links are the simplest way to guide users through your funnel – and they work whenever you want users to respond quickly and conveniently. Many companies already use them, but often without a clear narrative or incentive.
Typical placements:
- On printed materials, leaflets, posters and exhibition stands
- On packaging, product labels and receipts
- In email signatures, social media bios or blog articles
The key is the combination of channel and promise:
- “Scan now and get 10% off – straight via WhatsApp”,
- “Questions about the product? Message us on WhatsApp”,
- “Exclusive tips straight to your mobile – no app, no login required”.
Instead of sending users to a generic landing page, you should direct them straight into a suitable automation flow: welcome message, selection menu, initial added value.
3. Organic growth: The ‘WhatsApp chain message’ 2.0
Recommendations work better on WhatsApp than on almost any other channel because users know their contacts personally – and recommendations rarely come across as spam when they’re done well. You can make strategic use of this by creating shareable messages with an incentive.
- Example:
“Forward this message to 5 friends and double your chances of winning the prize draw.” - Or: “Recommend our WhatsApp service to 3 contacts and get your free upgrade.”
These referral chains are ideal for:
- Prize draws and challenges
- Community formats (“Club”, “Lab”, “Insider Group”)
- Launches and limited drops
It’s important to ensure your technical setup is sound: every entry via a referral link or QR code is given its own identifier (tag, campaign ID), so that you can later see how many contacts came via referrals and which incentives work best.
4. Website widgets & pop-ups: Conversion rather than a ‘contact form gathering dust’
Many websites do have a contact form, but hardly anyone fills it in – it’s too slow, too anonymous, too fiddly. A WhatsApp widget or a smart pop-up replaces the form with a direct chat.
Possible triggers:
- Scroll depth: ‘Any questions? Message us on WhatsApp!”
- Exit intent: “Before you go: Do you need help or a quote?”
- Shopping basket abandonment: “We’ve noticed you were just about to place an order – do you have any questions?”
The advantage:
Users don’t have to fill in any fields, type in an email address or search for a confirmation email. They use the app that’s open all the time anyway – WhatsApp – and you can follow up, qualify leads and help them straight away via chat.
If you think of the widget not just as a ‘hotline’ but as the starting point of a structured funnel (e.g. product advice, quote generation, appointment booking), your website suddenly becomes an active entry point into messaging.
5. POS & Offline Activation: WhatsApp wherever people are physically present
Offline touchpoints are often underestimated in the digital funnel. Yet this is precisely where WhatsApp is extremely powerful, because the barrier to entry is so low: no app download, no registration, no passwords – a scan or a click is all it takes.
Examples:
- QR codes at the till (“Questions about the warranty? Message us on WhatsApp.”)
- On table displays in restaurants (“Order directly via WhatsApp”)
- In hotel rooms (“Concierge service via WhatsApp”)
- On event badges (“Get all the info and offers via the WhatsApp Assistant”)
People who are on the spot usually have a very specific need: a question, a request, feedback or an order. If you link this moment to a clear entry point into WhatsApp, you’ll not only build service contacts but also expand your marketing reach in the long term – provided you obtain proper opt-ins for newsletters and campaigns.
6. Invoices, delivery notes & dispatch: Your underrated premium spaces
Invoices, delivery notes and dispatch documents are your hidden treasure trove. They end up with people who have already made a purchase – in other words, highly qualified contacts with a clear context. This is precisely where entering your WhatsApp funnel makes perfect sense.
Specific ideas:
- On the invoice: A QR code with “Questions about your invoice? Message us directly on WhatsApp – no queuing.”
- On the delivery note: “Track your parcel, make a complaint or reorder – directly via the WhatsApp service.”
- In the dispatch email: A clear CTA saying “Support & updates via WhatsApp” with a short link to the chat.
This allows you to link the service channel – which is necessary anyway – to your WhatsApp system. Anyone who is already in the chat for a service enquiry can later receive offers, tips and news there – via a transparent opt-in. In this way, every invoice becomes a ticket into your funnel.
7. Email newsletters & campaigns: From inbox to chat
If you already have an email mailing list, that’s probably where your greatest potential for WhatsApp opt-ins lies. Many people are fed up with being inundated with emails, but would like to receive quick, relevant messages on their mobile phones.
Typical campaign:
- Subject line: “Would you prefer to receive our updates directly via WhatsApp?”
- Content: Briefly explain why WhatsApp makes sense (faster, more personal, less spam, easier to manage).
- CTA: “Switch to WhatsApp” button → landing page with opt-in → welcome flow in the chat.
You can set this up as a one-off campaign or as a short series in which you actively migrate email subscribers to your “WhatsApp Club”. Important: You allay their fears about receiving too many messages by communicating the frequency and content transparently and giving them an easy way to unsubscribe via the chat at any time.
8. Social Media Content & Collaborations with Creators: Channelling attention rather than letting it fizzle out
Social media generates spikes in attention – Reels, posts, Stories, live streams. The question is: where do you direct this attention? In many cases, it fizzles out into views and likes. With a clear WhatsApp call-to-action, you can turn it into contacts you can reach out to again.
Possible approaches:
- In Reels/Stories: “Comment ‘WHATSAPP’ and we’ll send you the link in the chat” or include a short link or QR code directly in the graphic.
- In LinkedIn posts: “If you want the checklist or guide, message me ‘WHATSAPP’ in the comments – I’ll send you the direct chat link.”
- In creator collaborations: An exclusive WhatsApp group with early access, Q&A sessions, behind-the-scenes content or special promotions.
It’s important to keep the transition simple: one click, one message, and your automated funnel kicks off straight away. This transforms social media from a ‘push channel’ into a ‘funnel feeder’.
9. Events, Webinars & Live Sessions: Your WhatsApp Event Assistant
With events and webinars, you always have communication needs before, during and after the event. If you consistently manage these needs via WhatsApp, a strong funnel will develop almost of its own accord.
Before the event:
- Participants receive a link or QR code: “Get all the information and updates via the WhatsApp Event Assistant.”
- There, they’ll find the agenda, venue, reminders and, where applicable, materials.
During the event:
- Live questions are collected via WhatsApp.
- Polls, competitions or feedback are conducted via the chat.
After the event:
- Slides, offers and further content are sent exclusively via WhatsApp.
- Participants can express an interest in and sign up for further events or products straight away.
This is how you link event communication with sustainable lead generation. Every participant who lands in the Event Assistant can later be reached via your other funnels – with a proper opt-in, of course.
10. Service touchpoints & FAQs: Extend every contact into the funnel
The final – but extremely important – step: use every service contact as a starting point for a long-term relationship via chat. Many companies now offer a WhatsApp service, but view it merely as a ‘support hotline’.
Instead, you can:
- Once the enquiry has been resolved, ask the user transparently whether they’d like to receive helpful tips, updates or offers via WhatsApp in future.
- Design FAQ and self-service flows so that they transition seamlessly into consultation, quotation or newsletter funnels.
- Use satisfaction surveys to invite fans directly into a community or loyalty funnel.
The key is not to mix up service and marketing, but to link them skilfully: first, provide help; then – once trust has been established – offer the chance to deepen the relationship. This way, entering the funnel feels natural to the user, rather than like ‘sudden advertising’.
Conclusion: The entry point is the real conversion
All 10 of these methods have one thing in common: they make the entry point into your WhatsApp marketing funnel as simple and relevant as possible for the user. Whether via adverts, QR codes, invoices, events or service touchpoints – you’re using existing points of contact and transforming them into a direct, personal and measurable communication channel.
It’s important to ensure you operate with integrity. Anyone who transfers users to WhatsApp communication needs a clear opt-in, transparent communication and a GDPR-compliant technical implementation. Only then will a clever entry point become a sustainable channel that not only converts well but is also legally sound and trustworthy.
The technical foundation is equally crucial. It is only with the WhatsApp Business API, appropriate automations and proper tagging that a simple chat link becomes a genuine funnel: you can distinguish between traffic sources, segment users, automate follow-ups and accurately measure the performance of individual measures. This is precisely what transforms WhatsApp from a simple messaging channel into a scalable marketing and sales system.
If you don’t just want to get started with WhatsApp marketing ‘any old way’, but want to build it up strategically, technically sound and with high conversion rates right from the start, you’ll find the right support on our WhatsApp marketing page to get you off to a quick and hassle-free start.
