Sending WhatsApp Messages
WhatsApp messaging is simple, secure, and reliable. To use WhatsApp messaging in Ignite Sales/GymSales, it must be enabled for your company by a GymSales admin. Please email [email protected] for more information. Please note that additional messaging fees apply.
Once WhatsApp messaging is enabled, you can send direct messages on the Client Profile, track the number of messages sent and received, and opt the individuals out of WhatsApp messaging in GymSales or via API. Authorized users can create WhatsApp Templates (similar to SMS message Templates) and Automated Items.
Each of these features is described in greater detail below.
- Enable WhatsApp Messaging
- Send and Receive WhatsApp messages on Client Profile
- Track WhatsApp Messages
- History Notes and Filter for WhatsApp Messages
- Opt-out of WhatsApp via a Person's Profile
- WhatsApp Templates
- WhatsApp Automated Items
Enable WhatsApp Messaging
WhatsApp messaging is disabled by default. To enable WhatsApp messaging for your company, please contact [email protected].
Once enabled, WhatsApp buttons, settings, and features will be visible and available for use.
Send and Receive WhatsApp Messages on the Client Profile
You can send direct WhatsApp messages to a person from their Client Profile page. Meta (the parent company of WhatsApp) has very specific rules around how businesses may message consumers. To help you remain compliant with these requirements, GymSales tracks conversation status and has built-in controls in place which determine the available options for your WhatsApp message content. These requirements center on the status of the person’s conversation with your business (active or inactive): if the conversation session is inactive, you must use a Meta-approved Template; if it is active, you may send a custom-typed message.
For more information about Meta’s rules for sending WhatsApp messages, please see our Help Article (Section “Explaining Active Conversations”): Using WhatsApp for GymSales
Use the following instructions to send a WhatsApp message from the person's profile.
To send a WhatsApp message from the Client Profile:
- Select the WhatsApp link next to the phone number.
- You may also click the Action menu in the top right and then click Send WhatsApp.
- In the New WhatsApp dialog box, select a Template and then click Send.
Track WhatsApp Messages
On the person's profile, you can track the number of WhatsApp messages sent to and received from that individual. Counts will be based on which Sale Type (Membership or Secondary Sales) the message was related to. The Activity Tracker on the Client Profile will still show a counter for WhatsApp even if the feature is disabled.
An example of the WhatsApp count for the Membership Sale Type is shown below.
History Notes and Filter for WhatsApp Messages
After a WhatsApp message is sent, the system will store and display the related activities in the person's History Notes. This History can be filtered to show WhatsApp messages Sent and Received.
The Show/Reply actions will be available on every message log regardless of the message session status (active or inactive)—the system will behave differently when clicked depending on that status.
The following is an example of the WhatsApp message log and its corresponding Show/Reply actions.
Opt-in/Opt-out of WhatsApp Messages
Your leads and members can opt in or out of WhatsApp at anytime through the use of keyword replies. STOP will opt the person out of WhatsApp messages, and START will opt them in.
You can opt the leads out of WhatsApp in GymSales either in the app itself, or via the GymSales API.
Opt-out of WhatsApp via a Person's Profile
On the person's profile, you can opt-out a person from WhatsApp, similar to opting a person out of SMS.
Caution: Once you opt-out a person from WhatsApp, you can only opt the person back in using the API.
Note: Opting a person out of WhatsApp does not opt them out of SMS, and opting a person out of SMS does not opt them out of WhatsApp.
To opt a person out of WhatsApp:
- Click the Opt-Out link next to WhatsApp.
- In the Confirm dialog box, click Ok.
- The Opt-Out background changes, and the option can no longer be selected.
Opt-in/Opt-out for WhatsApp via API
You can also use the GymSales API to opt your leads and members in or out of WhatsApp**. The peopleCreate and peopleUpdate endpoints allow you to capture and update a person's WhatsApp opt-in or opt-out status. The whatsapp_opted_out parameter accepts a Boolean value of true or false (true = opted out or false = opted in). In addition to the peopleCreate API, you can update people's WhatsApp opt-in status using a PUT request to the peopleUpdate API.
**Please note that when opting back in someone who is opted out, it is important to capture proof of consent that the person wishes to receive WhatsApp messages from your business. Meta may audit your WhatsApp Business Account if they receive complaints of unwanted messages, at which point this proof is important to provide.
The following is an example of the peopleCreate API.
- The
whatsapp_opted_out
parameter is the last one. - In the Code Sample section you can see an example.
WhatsApp Templates
For details about configuring WhatsApp Templates for your account please see our Help Center article (Section “Working With Templates”): Using WhatsApp for GymSales.
WhatsApp Automated Items
For details about configuring WhatsApp Automated Items for your account please see our Help Center article (Section “Setting Up Automated Items”): Using WhatsApp for GymSales.