Welcome message for WhatsApp: 15 ready-made examples

A welcome message is your company's first impression on WhatsApp — and it arrives on a channel where practically everything is read: the opening rate exceeds 90%^[1]. Done well, it confirms that the customer has been noticed, sets expectations and begins to qualify. These 15 models cover the main types of business, with the structure behind each.

The anatomy of welcome that works

Every good welcome message has 4 elements, in this order:

1. Recognition — "I received your message" (kills vacuum anxiety).
2. Identification — who is speaking (company/person).
3. Expectation — when and how the customer will be served.
4. Next step — a question or menu that advances the conversation.

And why automate sending: leads responded in the first hour are 7 times more likely to qualify than those who wait longer^[2]. Automatic welcome guarantees that first touch in seconds, 24/7.

Universal models

1. "Hello! 👋 It's great to have you here. I'm from [company] and I'll be right with you. In the meantime, tell me: what are you looking for today?"
2. "Hi! We received your message and in a moment an attendant takes over. To speed things up: is it about 1️⃣ Budget, 2️⃣ Question or 3️⃣ Support?"
3. "Welcome to [company]! We are open from Mon to Fri, from 9am to 6pm. Your message is already in the queue — we will respond within [X] minutes."

Commerce and retail

4. "Hi! 🛍️ Welcome to [store]. Do you want to see the full catalog or do you already know what you're looking for? Let me know and I'll make it quick!"
5. "Hi! This is from [store]. We have new arrivals every week — want to get the latest deals first? In the meantime, how can I help?"

Services and scheduling

6. "Hello! Welcome to [clinic/salon]. To schedule your appointment, tell me: which service are you looking for and which period do you prefer (morning/afternoon)?"
7. "Hi! This is from [company]. Our available times update in real time — tell me what you need and I'll give you the options."

Freelance professionals and consultancy

8. "Hello! I'm [name], [profession]. Thank you for getting in touch. Tell me briefly about your case/need and I'll get back to you today with the next steps."
9. "Welcome! To guide you better, I need to understand your scenario. Can you answer: [key screening question]?"

Food and delivery

10. "Hi! 😋 Welcome to [restaurant]. Full menu here: [link]. You can send your order here and we'll confirm it right away!"
11. "Hi! Today we have [highlight of the day]. Do you want to see the menu or repeat your last order?"

Outside business hours

12. "Hello! Our team is open from Monday to Friday, from 9am to 6pm. Your message has already been registered and you will be the first service person tomorrow! 🌙"
13. "Hi! We're after hours, but I don't want to leave you without an answer: let me know what you need and I'll return early tomorrow morning with everything ready."

Returning customer (repeat)

14. "Hi, [name]! It's great to see you here again 😊 How can I help you today?"
15. "[Name]! Welcome back. Enjoy: we have a special condition for house clients — do you know what? But first, tell me what you need."

Errors that spoil the first impression

• Giant paragraph — welcome is opening the door, not a speech. 2-4 lines.
• Promising what you don't deliver — "we respond in 5 minutes" at 11pm on Saturday destroys credibility.
• Don't ask for anything — without a question or menu, the conversation dies waiting for the attendant.
• Send two automatics in a row — greeting + absence stacked together looks like spam from the company itself.

How to set it to send alone

In native WhatsApp Business: Settings → Business tools → Greeting message (1 unique template, triggered on first contact or after 14 days of silence). To go further — different models by time of day, menu with sorting that labels the lead and transfer to the right agent — the way is Zapext extension on WhatsApp Web: the rules are in the guide automatic message and full screening in the guide chatbot without programming.

Sources

1. [1] The Short Life of Online Sales Leads — Harvard Business Review (2011-03). accessed 2026-05-19.
2. [2] Email open rate vs messaging open rate benchmarks — Sinch (MessengerPeople) (2024). accessed 2026-05-19.