9 Effective Ways to Nurture Leads using WhatsApp in 2025

Today, lead nurturing is not just about scheduled email drips or monthly check-ins. It is about meeting your leads where they already are, on platforms they actually use every day. And when it comes to real-time communication, few platforms come close to WhatsApp.

With close to 3 billion active users each month and open rates that crush email (I’m talking up to 98%), WhatsApp has transformed from a casual messaging app into a high-converting communication channel for businesses of all shapes and sizes. It is personal, fast, and, when done right, deeply effective.

However, nurturing leads on WhatsApp is about more than just sending a few follow-ups. It’s about building trust, delivering value, and automating the right touchpoints based on where the lead is in their journey.

With that being said, in this post, I will break down nine powerful, actionable strategies you can use to nurture leads via WhatsApp and how you can use the right WhatsApp tools to seamlessly do that at scale.

9 best ways to nurture leads with WhatsApp

WhatsApp has become a platform that is utilized by billions of people globally. This means that there is a high chance your target audience is already present on this channel. So, using WhatsApp as a lead nurturing tool can be a great way to move prospects along the stages of the sales pipeline. Having said that, below are the ways to nurture leads via WhatsApp: 

Leverage a CRM solution

The days of “spray and pray” messaging are long gone. Personalization is no longer a bonus, it is the baseline. And your CRM holds the keys to making it happen.

With a robust CRM, you can segment your leads according to their behavior, demographics, funnel stage, industry, or even specific actions (like downloading a whitepaper or attending a webinar). This allows you to personalize your WhatsApp messages and can be tailored to an individual’s preference.

By using a WhatsApp CRM, you can keep track of every interaction your lead has with your business, enabling you to plan your future conversations to drive maximum engagement. For example, a modern marketing CRM like Zixflow comes with dynamic fields to record valuable information like names, company names, or previous messaging info.

Set up automated welcome flows for new signups

First impressions matter, particularly, in the world of lead nurturing. When a new user signs up to your platform, opts in for your newsletter, books an appointment, or downloads your lead magnet, they are showing intent. But if you wait too long to engage, they will move on.

This is where automated WhatsApp welcome messages come in. By setting up smart automation triggered by lead actions, you can send:

• Warm welcome messages
• A quick intro to your brand or product
• Resources that match their interest
• Even a CTA to start a conversation or book a demo

To create a workflow for sending these automated messages, you need WhatsApp automation tools that include automation functionality to set up flows. Zixflow, for instance, comes with an automated workflow builder to send lead-nurturing messages over WhatsApp.

Deliver educational content

Not every lead is ready to buy right away. This is an aspect you have to accept. In fact, most aren’t ready to make a purchasing decision after the initial content. That is why delivering value through education is one of the most powerful ways to stay relevant and helpful while guiding leads down the funnel.

WhatsApp is no longer a platform used for sending reminders or follow-ups. It has become a prime channel for delivering bite-sized content that actually gets consumed. Think of short explainer videos, mini-guides, blog snippets, or even 60-second use-case breakdowns that can be sent directly into your lead’s pocket.

Imagine this: someone joins your mailing list after checking out your “Guide to WhatsApp Sales Funnel.” 

Within minutes, they receive a WhatsApp message saying, “Hey! Thought you’d like this 2-minute breakdown on how brands automate follow-ups with Zixflow. Want it?” When they say yes, you send a concise, value-packed video or graphic. It’s immediate. It’s personal. And it positions your brand as an authority.

What makes this approach shine is how low-friction it feels. Leads don’t have to dig through their inbox or browse your site. They get content they actually want, right where they already spend their time without feeling like they’re being sold to.

Plus, every piece of content you send opens the door for deeper engagement. A blog post could lead to a conversation. A video could spark a question. A guide could lead to a demo request. This further blurs the line between nurturing and genuinely helping users. 

Promote live events or webinars

There’s something uniquely powerful about real-time interactions. Whether it’s a product demo, a live webinar, or even a Q&A session with your team, these moments give leads a direct window into your brand’s value. But here’s the catch, getting people to show up is half the battle.

Email invites often get buried or ignored. But a well-timed, conversational WhatsApp message? That gets opened and acted on. 

Sending a simple message containing basic text feels more like an invitation from a colleague than a company pitch. Here’s an example: 

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“Hey, we’re going live tomorrow with a 20-minute session on how B2B sales teams are using automation to double close rates. Want to secure your spot?” 

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And you don’t have to stop at just event promotion. You can send reminders, last-minute join links, or even follow-up materials afterward. This creates a seamless journey that keeps the lead engaged well beyond the event itself.

Using WhatsApp in this way helps you drive higher attendance, build stronger relationships, and create memorable moments of value that stick with your leads through the customer journey.

Make use of the interactive features of WhatsApp

You cannot hope to make your customers take action by reading your WhatsApp message and going to your platform to learn more about the content. Plus, it is a common practice to reduce the friction between the steps users have to take to complete an action. 

Also, the more your leads engage with you, the more data you gather, the more relevant your responses become, and the closer you bring them to conversion. That’s why interactive elements inside WhatsApp have become essential tools for modern communication.

Instead of typing out a reply, a lead can simply tap a button that says “Book a demo.” This feels more like an app experience than a traditional chat, making it so effective.

You can also use WhatsApp carousels to display product features in a swipeable format. It’s a brilliant way to let leads explore your offering at their own pace, all within a single message thread. And when leads make a selection, whether it’s clicking a button or choosing an option from a quick reply, you immediately gain context. 

Carousel messages can be crafted with Zixflow’s WhatsApp Business messaging template builder. You can upload high-resolution images of your products and a custom CTA button to drive sales effortlessly.

Retarget with smart WhatsApp follow-up

Not every lead converts right away. Some drop off after a discovery call while others ghost after downloading your lead magnet. But just because they have gone cold doesn’t mean they are lost forever.

A well-timed, relevant WhatsApp message might be all it takes to bring them back. Reactivation works best when it doesn’t feel random. Maybe they viewed your pricing page but never booked a call. Or they engaged with a webinar and disappeared. By using automation and lead tracking, you can identify these moments and schedule WhatsApp messages to nudge them in the right direction. 

These kinds of touchpoints reopen conversations and build rapport. With WhatsApp’s high open and response rates, your messages are actually being interacted with rather than being ignored. 

Automation tools such as Zixflow lets you put in place automated workflows to reengage your cold leads and introduce them back into your sales pipeline. Check out this video to learn how to build one for your WhatsApp retargeting campaigns:

Offer exclusive deals to build urgency

Scarcity and exclusivity are powerful motivators. And if your inbox is flooded with generic sales messages, offering something just for them can cut through the noise instantly.

WhatsApp makes exclusivity feel even more personal. Let’s say you have got a new feature rolling out or you are offering a limited-time onboarding discount. Reaching out with a personalized WhatsApp message providing early access suddenly makes your lead feel like part of something special.

Even better, when you combine this with what you know from your CRM you can frame the offer in a way that aligns with their exact need. That personal touch turns a promo into a real opportunity.

Send relevant multimedia content

With the advancements made in the automation and AI industry, sometimes the best way to nurture a lead is to remind them there’s a real person behind the brand. And WhatsApp gives you the perfect opportunity to do just that.

Sending a short, personalized video can completely change the dynamic of a lead interaction. For instance, your sales rep can drop a message that says, “Hey Priya, I saw you were checking out our onboarding flow yesterday. Just wanted to say thanks, and I’d love to walk you through a setup that fits your current process.” It’s casual, real, and builds trust immediately.

The same goes for video. You don’t need high production. Just a clear message and a helpful tone. Leads are far more likely to engage when they feel like someone is speaking to them and not just trying to sell to them.

Track & optimize your WhatsApp lead nurturing campaigns

If you’re not tracking, you are relying on guesswork to make the most of your efforts. When every message, interaction, and micro-decision can influence a lead’s journey, guessing just is not good enough.

One of WhatsApp’s greatest strengths is its ability to deliver real-time engagement but that’s only valuable if you know what to do with the data. That’s where analytics comes in.

With Zixflow’s built-in insights, you can monitor exactly how your WhatsApp campaigns are performing. You’ll know how many messages were delivered, how many were read, which ones got replies, and where leads tend to drop off. 

This visibility helps you answer questions like:

• Are we sending too often? 
• Are we following up too late? 
• Which messages are moving leads closer to conversion?

It also lets you A/B test your messaging. A slight change in tone, timing, or content format can lead to significantly higher engagement.

Optimizing your WhatsApp lead nurturing campaigns allows you to maximize the ROI of your efforts and lets you evolve from simply using WhatsApp to actually mastering it as a high-converting lead nurturing channel.

Leverage WhatsApp lead nurturing initiatives to drive your bottom line

The way leads engage with businesses has changed over the years. People don’t want to be sold to. Instead, they want to be understood, helped, and guided. This is why, WhatsApp is giving forward-thinking brands a perfect channel to do exactly that.

From personalized greeting messages to retargeting messages, exclusive offers to real-time events, the strategies I have covered here aren’t just about keeping in touch. They’re about creating momentum to help them take one step closer to conversion.

And with tools like Zixflow, you don’t have to choose between personalization and automation. You get both working together behind the scenes to deliver experiences that feel tailored and totally frictionless.

If you’re serious about turning more leads into customers this year, now’s the time to embed WhatsApp lead nurturing initiatives into your overall sales strategy.

Start your WhatsApp-powered lead nurturing journey with Zixflow today by signing up for a 7-day free trial without providing any payment details.