A conceptual illustration of WhatsApp transformed into a vibrant online marketplace.
Rosemary Karoki had no idea of selling the ice-cream that she made at home. For her, she was making lactose-free ice cream for her daughter but one WhatsApp status made her an entrepreneur.
“I had no idea of selling ice cream but one day I posted it on WhatsApp and then someone asked me if I was selling and that’s how I got the idea of selling it. That was in 2020 during the pandemic,” she recalls.
When someone asked her about it, she realized people were looking for lactose-free ice cream or in other words – there is a market for this type of ice cream.
Rosemary began selling her homemade ice cream to friends and with time, she built Watsy Lactose Free Ice Cream Company making a good income.
For the last couple of years WhatsApp has become a primary messaging App overtaking the SMS.
With the huge adoption of smartphones in Kenya, now standing at 58 per cent, WhatsApp status qualifies to be a testing ground for your products or services.
Many Kenyans report that they have contacts of people whom they don’t communicate with, yet they consistently view their status.
How to sell on WhatsApp
Like Rosemary, posting your products or services on status is likely to get you feedback from people who view them. This will act as a testing ground for your idea and consequently, you can ask those who responded to your status for more feedback about the product.
While your reach on status could be less than 500 viewers, it gives you a safe space to test your products and evaluate what the customers want. It is also free as you don’t pay money to advertisers to showcase your business.
However, you have to be keen on who responds to your offer. Friends and family members are likely to respond and shower you with praises about your products. This is likely to give you incorrect impression about your products or service.
The viewers who will place orders for your products are the best sources of feedback about your offer. Others would want to know more about your product or service and that is another opportunity to ask follow-up questions and understand the problems they have and how your offer can address them better.
Social media and digital marketing
Marketing has evolved drastically for the last few years as many people have turned to social media to look for products.
According to Statista, more than 33 per cent of buyers found new products on social media, with 60 per cent of them being Gen Zs.
In Kenya young people (especially Gen Zs) are the leading users of social media including WhatsApp. According to World Population Review, approximately 14 million Kenyans are using WhatsApp.
Statista also estimates that usage of WhatsApp will grow by 79.8 per cent between 2024 and 2028. With WhatsApp’s sister App WhatsApp Business growing in popularity, it’s clear that the Meta-owned platforms is becoming the new marketplace.
Entrepreneurs thus need to consider utilizing this platform to test products, market and even build brand.
