How to Use Two WhatsApp in One Phone

I run a few businesses which require me to carry out regular promotions and so, I include my WhatsApp number in my adverts and publicity posts. However, I had to switch WhatsApp numbers a few months back and knowing this could affect my business, decided to do a broadcast informing clients on my contact list about this change. I also did a search of the adverts already posted online and effected this change there.

However, a week ago, a long time client who I hadn't heard from in a while reached out to me to informed me he'd referred my business to a friend, but said friend came back to say I was unresponsive of his enquiries. It was there it dawned on me that my old WhatsApp number was still very much in use and my decision to stop using it was costing me a few businesses.

I decided on the logical thing; which is to also get that line back on WhatsApp and since I didn't want two separate phones for this, I searched out a way to have two numbers on one WhatsApp and found it.

Using two numbers on one WhatsApp is quite easy and you can have yours set up in no time. Here's how to go about it:

1. Go to Google Play Store and search for this app Google Business. Please, take note that it has to be this exact app; there are similar ones that promise the same result, however, most have a myriad of negative reviews and should be avoided.

2. Download the Google Business app unto your phone and install.

3. Open the app and follow the prompt to set it up.

It will ask for your preferred name and this is where you can choose to either stick with your name or use your business name.

I have had this app on my phone for three weeks and during this time, I have noticed a few advantages it has over the regular WhatsApp:

1. Google business app can be configured to work on automation. As a business owner, this will come in handy when a prospective client reaches out to you.

You can set a custom message that gets delivered to this person based on certain keywords. For instance, if they reached out with a simple 'hello', then they get a message responding in kind and also intimating them about what your business is about. You could also set your working hours and a number they can reach you on, if that line happens to be whatsapp-only.

2. You can also organize your contact into labels or groups, that way you know who exactly is a client and who is family or friend. This makes it easier and faster for you to send messages to your clients.

You can also customize these labours by colour.

3. There are business tools available for use. Here, you can choose to have a custom Welcome Message, an Away Message, and you can create a catalogue of your products to be sent to your clients.

4. Since the WhatsApp Business is a different app, it will work that way. That is, it will appear as a different app from the regular WhatsApp and every message you send or receive will be done by logging directly into it.

5. Notifications on the whastapp business app come with a small "B" logo added to it, that way you don't mix your messages up.

6. You also have the option of creating and setting up Quick Replies that get delivered to prospective or already existing clients. What a lot of people do you is write out quick replies to their FAQs, that way customers are responded to, especially when it is needed the most.

7. You get a message stat, that way you are able to see which of your messages got delivered and which didn't.

The WhatsApp Business has some similarities that you would find in the regular WhatsApp, like

- Being able to reach out to people on your contact list with the app installed on their phone.

- Being able to send and receive media files.

- Being able to change your profile picture.

- Being able to create groups and send broadcast messages to.

- Being able to change your status updates.

- Status updates displaying for 24 hours before is appearing.

- You will receive notifications of messages the same way you would with the regular WhatsApp.

Since installing the WhatsApp Business app, I have reestablished contact with one or two more old clients and am looking forward to doing business again with these guys.

I have also gotten some business benefits I previously didn't know existed nor set out to get and these will be of major help to my business growth.