How to Design High-Converting Lookbooks for Whatsapp Broadcast Campaigns

Learn how to design lookbooks to promote offers through WhatsApp broadcasts.   ‍

WhatsApp broadcasts are clearly the new way for businesses to promote their ongoing and upcoming deals, discounts, offers, product launches and more. With the high open rates and click through rates, it’s understandable why everyone wants to leverage this WhatsApp Business API capability. 

But when it comes to experimenting with WhatsApp broadcasts, most online businesses shy away from making the most of the other features that the messaging app enables - for example, the attachment you can send with WhatsApp broadcasts. 

We have been working with leading brands to explore innovative ways of promoting their products and collections. While WhatsApp catalogs is definitely one way to go about it, we think creating lookbooks and sending it as an attachment is an untapped opportunity. 

In this blog, we’re helping you understand what lookbooks are, how to design one that helps online shoppers visualize the value of the products and how you can attach them to your WhatsApp broadcasts for running promotions. We will also include a few examples from leading brands that are using this tactic for product launches and seasonal sales. 

How to use ecommerce lookbooks and WhatsApp broadcasts to boost sales? 

In the following section, we’re going to help you tie together and visualize how to use lookbooks and WhatsApp broadcasts together. 

What are lookbooks and why are they important? 

A lookbook is a collection of product pictures and descriptions, styled to show product-in-use. They’re a piece of content that is similar to a restaurant menu, but is more targeted at helping online shoppers visualize how a product may look and feel when purchased - think of it as an easy to scroll through content piece that creates a visual shopping journey for consumers. 

Here’s how having a lookbook helps you drive more conversions and sales on your online store: 

• Lookbooks help you tell a better story about your brand, product or collection launches 
• Lookbooks can help put your brand up, front and center in comparison to deals and discounts 
• Lookbooks can help create emotional connections with consumers through visual cues 
• Lookbooks make it easy to categorize products into collections or announce new collections 

How to create a lookbook for WhatsApp broadcasts? 

Now we know how with a WhatsApp broadcast, the messaging platform allows you to also send a media file. This can be a PDF, static image or even a short video - the good thing is that lookbooks can be created in each of these formats; all you need to do is strategically identify what helps you present your products in the best light possible. 

1. Take note of your WhatsApp broadcast goals and objectives 

Before you even begin, take note of what the goal from your WhatsApp broadcast campaign is. Are you trying to promote a new product, bring a cold-selling product into the limelight, launch a new collection, sell through a curated collection of products or similar. The idea is to know why you’re creating a lookbook and promoting it through WhatsApp broadcasts. 

2. Identify a lookbook format that suits your campaign the best 

The next is to identify a format that suits your lookbook and broadcast goal the best. It is important to note that you can only attach static images, GIFs/ short videos, videos or PDFs to your WhatsApp broadcasts. If you’re creating a curated collection to promote in a lookbook for a season or festival, we recommend opting for a PDF to make it easily scrollable. 

3. Analyze your best-performing products 

The next step is to identify which products you want to promote in the lookbook. We recommend taking a look into your best sellers or top-selling products across all collections; you can also take note of products that are seasonal hits amongst your audience segments. Additionally, identify the common parameters between each of the products to figure how you can put them all together and present them to customers on WhatsApp. 

4. Identify a collection or create/ curate a new one 

With the products identified, the next is to work towards creating your lookbook. Find an overarching theme for your lookbook - seasonal fits, Diwali gift ideas, holiday gifting ideas and so on. Create or curate a collection for the lookbook on the basis of what’s contextual to your buyers at that moment. 

5. Pull together your product pictures and descriptions 

With your overarching theme established, pull together the product pictures and descriptions for the lookbook. You may have to rework some of the products in-use pictures and the descriptions to make them more contextual to the season. For example, if you’re promoting a Diwali lookbook, you want to promote your lamp with a message more contextual to the festive season. 

6. Put it all together in the lookbook format chosen 

Once you have everything in place, put it all together in the format of the lookbook you have chosen. A few best practices to keep in mind while using a lookbook for WhatsApp broadcast promotions is as follows: 

• Your lookbook should be easily browsable on mobile devices 
• Maximum file size allowed for all media is 16 MB 
• Make sure your lookbook cover has a clear message of its contents 
• Choose lookbook colors, fonts that are readable on mobile devices 
• Landscape is better than portrait when designing lookbooks 

8. Update your WhatsApp catalog to display the same products 

If you’re running a very specific promotion, we also recommend that you update your WhatsApp catalog to reflect the products being promoted in the lookbook. This way, consumers can browse through the lookbook, head over to the catalog and add the items to purchase to the cart immediately. 

9. Promote your lookbook with a WhatsApp broadcast 

The next step now is to promote your lookbook using a WhatsApp broadcast message campaign. With a WhatsApp Business API solution provider like QuickReply.ai, you can leverage ready-to-use, customizable WhatsApp templates to get started faster. Simply add in your lookbook as the media file to be promoted, and we will take care of the rest. 

You can learn more about WhatsApp broadcasts here. 

10. Measure engagement and optimize for a visual shopping experience 

When the campaign is live and running, start measuring the performance of your WhatsApp broadcast message. This includes open rate, click through rate, engagement rate and the number of add to carts you get after the lookbook promotion, on your WhatsApp catalog. Additionally, take note of the impact this exercise has on your overall sales. 

Pro tip: Don’t forget to follow-up on your WhatsApp broadcast 

If you have sent out a lookbook in your WhatsApp broadcast, make sure you also send a follow-up campaign to ensure the recipients have seen it. This is because files like PDF and videos do take some time to download and there is a chance that the recipient may have opened the message, but not gone through the lookbook. 

You can set up a drip campaign by using WhatsApp automations with QuickReply.ai. This ensures that you follow up just in time to your message to get the lookbook seen, and at the same time also do not spam your customers with too high a frequency. 

Examples of lookbooks in WhatsApp broadcast campaigns 

While there are a number of brands catching on with the different features of WhatsApp Business API, there are some that have started exploring this creative combination already. Here’s taking a look at some of them: 

1. Chumbak 

A home decor and accessories brand, Chumbak is making the most out of the festive season of gifting by creating multiple lookbooks around gifting ideas for Diwali. They use WhatsApp broadcasts to send over these lookbooks to all their customers, to inspire more online shopping for the season. 

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Here’s what their lookbook looks like on opening:

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2. Nicobar 

Another lifestyle brand known for its exclusive collection of home decor, accessories and fashion and apparel, uses the power of lookbooks and WhatsApp broadcasts. They have curated their products into a festive outfit inspiration lookbook, with product photography that is exclusive to the festive season. 

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Here’s what their lookbook looks like on opening for the consumers: 

Pro tip: If you’re struggling to find the resources to create a lookbook for your WhatsApp broadcast campaign, you can also make use of apps and tools like Canva to design them. All you need to do is curate the best of product pictures that define your brand and are aligned with the theme of the campaign, and use the editable templates available on the tool. 

Ready to promote your lookbooks through WhatsApp broadcasts? 

We know designing lookbooks and then figuring out your WhatsApp broadcast strategy can be tough and sometimes, overwhelming - especially with the festive, BFCM and holiday season sale coming right up. 

That’s why we’re offering to work with brands across the globe to understand what WhatsApp broadcasts are, how they work and how to set them up. 

Reach out to us today for a demo of QuickReply.ai. 

But if your lookbook is ready, set up your first WhatsApp broadcast campaign today - install the app on your Shopify store.