20 WhatsApp Greeting Message Templates for Business (Copy-Paste 2026)
Abhyank Srinet
A lead messages you on WhatsApp from your ad, your website, or a referral. In that same two-minute window, they've messaged two other businesses. The first to reply with something useful keeps the conversation. Everyone else gets a "seen" and silence.
The problem isn't slow replies — it's the wrong first message. Most businesses send the same whatsapp greeting message: "Hi, thanks for contacting us! How can I help you today?" This puts the entire burden of the next step on the lead. They have to re-explain their need, wait for you to process it, and hope you have something useful. Most don't bother.
Quick Answer
A strong WhatsApp greeting message for business confirms what the lead enquired about, delivers one specific value statement, and makes the next step obvious — all in under 3 sentences. Templates that reference the lead's product interest in the first line convert 40–60% better than generic openers. Copy-paste templates for 5 industries below.
What Makes a WhatsApp Greeting Message for Business Actually Work?
Three elements separate a greeting that starts a conversation from one that ends it:
Confirm their intent. Reference what they asked about. "Saw your enquiry about 2BHK flats in Bandra" tells the lead you read their message and you're relevant. "Hi, how can I help?" tells them nothing.
Deliver immediate value. A price range, a specific benefit, or one useful piece of information. Not "we offer the best services" — something they can actually use in the next 60 seconds.
Give a clear next step. "Reply YES to book a free site visit" or "Which area are you looking in?" A specific question is better than an open invitation to continue.
"Leads contacted within 5 minutes of their WhatsApp enquiry are 9× more likely to convert than those contacted after an hour — and the gap widens if the first message adds no value."
— Kraya AI, analysis of 600+ Indian businesses using WhatsApp for sales
20 WhatsApp Greeting Message Templates by Industry
Use these as starting points. Replace anything in [brackets] with your actual details. The message template that performs best is always the one closest to your customer's specific enquiry — generic versions of these will underperform.
Real Estate (4 Templates)
Template 1 — Inbound enquiry (ad or listing)
"Hi [Name]! Saw your enquiry about [property type] in [area]. We have [X] options between ₹[X–Y]. Which matters most — connectivity, schools, or budget? I'll shortlist the right ones."
Template 2 — Click-to-WhatsApp ad lead
"Hi [Name]! Thanks for enquiring about [project name]. Site visits are open [days]. Shall I book you a 30-min slot this week? Takes 2 minutes to confirm."
Template 3 — Referral lead
"Hi [Name]! [Referrer name] mentioned you're exploring homes in [area]. I help [X] families find homes there every month. Quick question — buying for self-use or investment?"
Template 4 — Re-enquiry after gap
"Hi [Name]! You'd enquired about [property] a while back. We have [new listings / price corrections / better rates] since then. Worth a quick 10-minute call to update you?"
Fitness & Gym (3 Templates)
Template 5 — Membership enquiry
"Hi [Name]! We have [batch timing] slots open for [month]. Monthly membership is ₹[X] — includes [key benefit]. Want me to hold a slot? We typically fill up in the first week."
Template 6 — Free trial offer
"Hi [Name]! Come in for a free session any [day this week] — no commitment. Bring just a water bottle. Shall I book you for [Day] at [Time]?"
Template 7 — Specific programme enquiry
"Hi [Name]! Our [programme name] batch starts [date] — [X] spots left. 12-week programme. Past participants averaged [result]. Reply YES to hold your spot."
Coaching & EdTech (3 Templates)
Template 8 — Course enquiry
"Hi [Name]! [Course name] — next batch starts [date], [X] seats remaining. Fee: ₹[X] with [EMI / placement / access period]. Want the detailed brochure or a quick 10-min call?"
Template 9 — Demo class request
"Hi [Name]! Free demo class is [Day] at [Time]. You'll cover [topic] — enough to judge if this is the right fit. Shall I add your name to the list?"
Template 10 — Subject / exam enquiry
"Hi [Name]! For [subject / exam], we run batches at [times]. Our students averaged [result] in [year]. Which batch timing works for you?"
Healthcare & Clinics (3 Templates)
Template 11 — Appointment request
"Hi [Name]! Dr [Name] has availability on [Day] at [Time]. The appointment is [X] minutes. Shall I confirm this slot? Please reply with your name for our records."
Template 12 — Treatment enquiry
"Hi [Name]! [Treatment] at our clinic is handled by [specialist]. Consultation is ₹[X] and includes [what's covered]. Next available slot is [date]. Shall I book it for you?"
Template 13 — Unanswered re-enquiry
"Hi [Name]! Just checking if you still need an appointment for [condition / treatment]. We have a slot opening [day]. Reply STOP anytime if not needed."
D2C & Retail (4 Templates)
Template 14 — Product enquiry
"Hi [Name]! [Product] is available in [variants]. Price: ₹[X] with [delivery time] delivery. COD available. Want me to share the product link directly?"
Template 15 — Custom order
"Hi [Name]! For custom [product], we need [X days] from confirmation. Starts at ₹[X]. Can you share [required detail — size / colour / occasion]? I'll quote in 10 minutes."
Template 16 — Sale / offer enquiry
"Hi [Name]! The [sale name] offer runs till [date]. [Product] is ₹[X] (was ₹[Y]). Delivery in [X days]. Want me to place the order?"
Template 17 — Post-purchase check-in
"Hi [Name]! Your [product] should have arrived. Hope everything looks right — let me know if there's anything to fix. If you're happy, a quick review on [platform] really helps us."
B2B Services (3 Templates)
Template 18 — Service enquiry
"Hi [Name]! We work with [X] businesses in [industry] on [service]. Cost typically runs ₹[X–Y]/month depending on scope. Quick question — what's the main problem you're trying to solve?"
Template 19 — Demo request
"Hi [Name]! Happy to show you [product] live — 20-minute demo, no sales pressure. Next slots are [Day] at [Time] and [Day] at [Time]. Which works?"
Template 20 — Quote request
"Hi [Name]! To give you an accurate quote for [service], I need 3 things: [requirement 1], [requirement 2], [requirement 3]. Share those and I'll send a quote in 2 hours."
WhatsApp Greeting Message Formats: What Works Best?
| Format | Best For | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Intent confirmation + question | Inbound leads with clear intent | Shows you listened; question drives response |
| Slot / availability + confirmation ask | Appointment-based businesses | Creates urgency without pressure |
| Price range + next step | Price-sensitive categories (D2C, fitness) | Removes guessing; qualifies buyer fast |
| Social proof + question | Premium services, coaching | Builds trust before asking for commitment |
| "How can I help?" | — | Puts all work on the lead. Avoid. |
What Should You Avoid in a WhatsApp Greeting Message?
Three patterns that consistently reduce reply rates:
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Book a Free Call →Generic openers. "Hi, how can I help you?" puts all the work on the lead. They have to re-explain their need. Most won't.
Messages longer than 5 lines. Long whatsapp greeting messages get saved for later — and then forgotten. The greeting's job is to start a conversation, not deliver a full pitch.
No clear action. If your greeting message doesn't tell the lead what to do next — book a slot, reply with a preference, say YES — the conversation stalls. Leads wait for you to lead. If you don't, they move on.
"According to WhatsApp's official Business messaging guidelines, message templates that confirm user intent and include opt-in language consistently receive higher quality ratings — which directly affects sender reputation and message delivery rate across your contact list."
If you're automating your whatsapp greeting message via an unofficial tool, note that automation ban risk increases sharply with message volume. The only safe path is the official WhatsApp Business API — see our WhatsApp automation ban risk guide before choosing a tool.
How Do You Set Up an Automatic WhatsApp Greeting Message?
Two options depending on your volume:
WhatsApp Business app (free): Go to Settings → Business Tools → Greeting Message. Sends one static message template automatically when someone messages you for the first time, or after 14 days of inactivity. Limitation: one template for all leads, no personalisation, no segmentation by opt-in source.
WhatsApp Business API (paid): Personalise greeting messages using variables (name, product, location), trigger different message samples based on ad source or opt-in channel, and connect to your CRM. For businesses handling 20+ enquiries per day, the API is the only way to personalise at scale without risking your sender reputation through bulk manual replies.
When your greeting sparks a reply, you need a structured next step. Our WhatsApp follow-up message templates cover the full sequence from first reply to booked demo. If leads stop responding after your greeting, see why WhatsApp leads go cold for the diagnostic. For re-engaging a larger cold contact list at once, WhatsApp broadcast message templates work well as a reset.
"From our data on 600+ Indian businesses: leads who receive a structured greeting + 3-message follow-up sequence convert at 3.2× the rate of leads who only receive the initial whatsapp greeting message — regardless of industry or ticket size."
— Kraya AI platform data, 2025
If prospects go silent after you've sent a follow-up, read our guide on why prospects stop responding and what to do about it.
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