In this lesson
A small, permission-based messaging campaign with a working opt-out process.
A message on someone's phone is more personal than a post in a feed. That can make it useful, but it also makes irrelevant promotions irritating. Start with what the person has asked for, not with the fact that you happen to have their number.
Separate service conversations from promotional campaigns. Sending a requested quotation or a necessary booking update is different from broadcasting new offers. Adding a promotion to a service message can change how the message is treated. WhatsApp and SMS (text messaging) can also involve provider charges, so non-paid distribution does not mean the channel is free to operate.
Before you start
Who this suits
Businesses whose customers actively choose messaging and where staff can handle replies promptly.
Have these ready
- An appropriate business messaging service
- Recorded channel-specific permission or another valid applicable basis
- A relevant mobile-friendly page
- A process for replies and opt-outs
Service message or promotion?
The purpose of the message determines the checks you need.
- 01Requested quoteRespond to the trip the person asked about
- 02Booking updateGive necessary information about that booking
- 03New holiday offerCheck marketing permissions and platform rules
- 04Mixed messageDo not assume a service label removes marketing obligations
What this looks like in practice
Read the example, then use the numbered notes to see why each part is there.
An optional WhatsApp preference
Illustrative preference-page copy. Any marketing selection starts unticked; this is not a live sign-up form.
Your contact choices
1Would you like cruise ideas on WhatsApp?
Choose whether you would like cruise planning tips and selected cruise offers from Example Travel. Your enquiry can continue whether or not you sign up.
Your request for cruise advice continues whether you choose updates or not.
Cruise planning tips and selected cruise offers from Example Travel, sent by WhatsApp.
Reply STOP to end promotional WhatsApp updates. Read how we use your details at example.com/privacy.
- 1Name the channel
The question specifies WhatsApp and the type of content, rather than using a vague updates label.
- 2A separate choice
The marketing option is optional and starts unticked. It identifies the sender and explains how to stop.
- 3Record the choice
The real form must save the person's actual selection and permission record; this mock-up does not collect anything.
Ship photograph in Brazil by Charles Assuncao / Unsplash. Photograph is illustrative, not a specific advertised trip.
Your step-by-step guide
Define the message’s job
Write down why the person should receive this message now. Is it the itinerary they requested, a service update, or a promotional message they have agreed to receive? Keep the purpose specific. Do not disguise a new holiday offer as an urgent booking notification. For promotional use, choose one useful theme such as an opted-in cruise update, rather than treating the contact list as a general sales broadcast.
Check permission for this channel
Email consent does not automatically cover SMS or WhatsApp. Record what the individual agreed to receive, from which business and through which channel. UK electronic marketing rules and the messaging provider's policies both matter. For WhatsApp, check the current Business Messaging Policy, including its opt-in requirements. If your records are unclear, do not send a promotional broadcast to find out who objects; improve your sign-up process for future contacts.
Choose the appropriate business setup
Use an official business product or an authorised provider suited to your volume and process. The WhatsApp Business app and Business Platform have different capabilities, charges and rules. On the Platform, templates and conversation rules can affect how business-initiated messages are sent; check them with your provider before launch. Do not use unofficial bulk-sending tools. Set a recognisable business identity, opening hours and a realistic response expectation.
Write a short message with one destination
Identify your business and explain the relevance in the opening line. Give enough information for the person to decide whether to click. Link directly to the promised guide or offer, using a recognisable domain and campaign tags. Keep important conditions visible when promoting an offer. Do not use alarming urgency or pretend a promotion is a personal booking problem. Include a simple way to stop promotional messages.
Test the recipient’s experience
Send a test through the same route customers will receive. Check the link, mobile page, enquiry form and reply handling. For SMS, check message length and how your provider charges longer messages. Test the opt-out mechanism and confirm it updates your records. Avoid group chats that expose customers' phone numbers to each other. Decide who will handle replies before sending, particularly if a campaign may generate detailed itinerary requests.
Keep the relationship proportionate
Send only when you have something relevant to say and respect the frequency you promised. A small, interested audience is more useful than a large group that blocks you. Review responses, opt-outs, website visits and suitable enquiries together. Stop the relevant marketing when someone opts out and keep a record to prevent accidental re-addition. Continue necessary service communications only where appropriate, without using them as a back door for promotion.
A clearly expected travel update
Illustrative message to customers who specifically opted in to the agency’s WhatsApp cruise planning updates.
The agency has published a guide about selecting a cabin and sends a short message to the relevant opted-in audience. It uses its own website address, includes an opt-out instruction and has an adviser ready for replies. The campaign is scheduled during the team's working day so a question about a sailing is not left unanswered while the traveller is interested.
The update an opted-in reader receives
Illustrative promotional WhatsApp message sent only after channel-specific permission and provider requirements have been checked.
Your cruise planning updates
1Choosing a cruise cabin? Start with how you travel.
Hello from Example Travel. As part of the cruise updates you asked for, here is our guide to comparing cabin locations and categories: example.com/cruise-cabin-guide
2Reply with your question and we can help you compare the options.
To stop promotional WhatsApp updates, reply STOP.
- 1Explain the relevance
The opening identifies the business and connects the message to updates the reader requested.
- 2Keep the relationship clear
The copy offers a useful reply route and an obvious opt-out, without pretending the promotion is a booking alert.
- 3One recognisable destination
The link names the promised guide. Its visual treatment is illustrative and does not assert a particular provider's button format.
Ship photograph in Brazil by Charles Assuncao / Unsplash. Photograph is illustrative, not a specific advertised trip.
Hello from [Agency]. As part of the cruise planning updates you asked for, we have put together a guide to comparing cabin locations and categories: [guide link]. If you are weighing up a particular sailing, reply and we can help. To stop these promotional WhatsApp updates, reply STOP.
I would like [Agency] to send me cruise planning tips and selected cruise offers by WhatsApp. I can opt out at any time.
Your action checklist
Ticked items are saved in this browser. Download your checklist to keep a separate copy.
Avoid these common mistakes
- Assuming a booking phone number permits offers: check the permission separately.
- Using a service update to hide a promotion: keep the purposes clear.
- Putting customers into an open group: protect their contact details.
- Sending at a scale the team cannot support: match volume to response capacity.
Measure what matters
Useful replies
Count questions and requests that the team can help with.
Website visits and enquiries
Track the campaign link and resulting enquiry actions.
Opt-outs and blocks
Investigate relevance or frequency problems promptly.
Cost per suitable enquiry
Include provider fees and staff handling time.
Sources and updates
Reviewed 20 October 2026. These official resources support the platform and policy guidance in this lesson. Worked examples illustrate the method; they are not promises of results.