How to Set Up WhatsApp Business for Your Nairobi Shop (And Actually Get Customers)

Most Kenyan small businesses are leaving money on the table with WhatsApp. You're using your personal WhatsApp number, manually replying to every message, and losing track of customer conversations. There's a better way.

Why WhatsApp Business Matters

In Kenya, WhatsApp is where business happens. Your customers trust it more than email, and they're already using it daily. But using regular WhatsApp for business is like running a shop without a cash register – it works, but you're making things harder than they need to be.

Step 1: Download WhatsApp Business (Not Regular WhatsApp)

First, understand the difference. WhatsApp Business is a separate app from Meta, built specifically for businesses. It's free and available on Google Play Store.

Here's what you get that regular WhatsApp doesn't have:

Business profile with address, description, and hours
Product catalog to showcase what you sell
Automated greeting and away messages
Quick replies for common questions
Labels to organize customers (New Customer, Paid, Pending, etc.)
Statistics on message delivery and reads

Important: You'll need a different phone number from your personal WhatsApp. Many business owners use a second line or get a cheap Safaricom line just for business.

Step 2: Set Up Your Business Profile Properly

Don't skip this. Your profile is often the first thing customers see.

Fill out everything:

Business name (what customers know you as)
Category (Restaurant, Clothing Store, etc.)
Description (what you sell and why they should buy from you)
Address (if you have a physical location)
Business hours (when you can respond)
Website (if you have one)
Email (professional contact)

Example of a good description: "We sell affordable ladies' fashion in Nairobi. Quality dresses, skirts, and tops from KES 800. Same-day delivery within Nairobi. M-Pesa accepted."

That tells customers what you sell, your price range, and how to buy. Clear and simple.

Step 3: Build Your Product Catalog

This is where most businesses fail. They either skip the catalog entirely or upload messy photos with no information.

Here's how to do it right:

1. Take clear photos of your products in good lighting 2. Upload each product with a name, price, and description 3. Use the description to highlight key details (size, color, material) 4. Organize products into categories (Dresses, Shoes, etc.)

Pro tip: Your catalog shows up when customers message you, making it easy for them to browse and buy without leaving WhatsApp.

Example product listing: - Name: "Floral Maxi Dress" - Price: KES 1,500 - Description: "Beautiful floral print maxi dress. Available in sizes S-XL. Perfect for casual outings and events. Free delivery within Nairobi CBD."

Step 4: Set Up Automated Messages

This is what separates smart businesses from everyone else. Even when you're busy or sleeping, your WhatsApp is working.

Greeting Message: Sent automatically when someone messages you for the first time in the last 14 days.

Example: "Hi! Thanks for contacting us. We sell quality ladies' fashion with same-day delivery in Nairobi. How can we help you today?"

Away Message: Sent when you're outside business hours.

Example: "Thanks for your message! We're currently closed but will respond first thing tomorrow morning. Our hours are Mon-Sat 9am-7pm."

These small touches make you look professional and keep customers engaged even when you can't reply immediately.

Step 5: Create Quick Replies for Common Questions

You probably answer the same questions 20 times a day: - "Do you deliver?" - "What's your location?" - "Do you accept M-Pesa?" - "What sizes do you have?"

Instead of typing these repeatedly, set up Quick Replies.

In WhatsApp Business, go to Business Tools > Quick Replies. Create shortcuts like:

/delivery → "Yes, we deliver within Nairobi. KES 200 for deliveries outside CBD. Free delivery for orders above KES 3,000."
/mpesa → "Yes, we accept M-Pesa. Paybill: [number]. Account: Your phone number."
/location → "We're located at [address]. Open Mon-Sat 9am-7pm."

Now when someone asks about delivery, you just type /delivery and the full message appears. Saves hours every week.

Step 6: Use Labels to Organize Customers

As your business grows, you'll have hundreds of chats. Labels help you stay organized.

Create labels like: - New Customer - Pending Payment - Paid - For Delivery - Completed

When someone messages about an order, tag them "Pending Payment." Once they pay, change to "Paid." This way you never lose track of who owes what.

Step 7: The Real Secret – Actually Respond Fast

All the setup in the world won't help if you reply 6 hours later. Speed matters more than you think.

Research shows that businesses who respond within 5 minutes are 100x more likely to close the sale than those who wait an hour.

Set expectations with your away message, but when you're available, be fast. Customers are comparing multiple sellers, and the first to respond often wins.

What's Next?

WhatsApp Business is powerful, but it's still manual. If you're getting 50+ messages a day, consider WhatsApp automation. That's where chatbots handle common questions, capture leads, and qualify customers automatically.

We help Kenyan businesses set up WhatsApp automation that works 24/7. If you're serious about scaling your WhatsApp sales, let's talk.

Quick Checklist

[ ] Download WhatsApp Business (separate from regular WhatsApp)
[ ] Complete your business profile with all details
[ ] Upload at least 10 products to your catalog
[ ] Set up greeting and away messages
[ ] Create 5-10 quick replies for common questions
[ ] Create labels for customer organization
[ ] Commit to responding within 15 minutes during business hours

Do these seven things, and you'll be ahead of 90% of Kenyan businesses on WhatsApp.