Article
Consent for WhatsApp Marketing: Recording Customer Permission in the CRM
Adding customer numbers to a broadcast list feels easy. Proving they agreed to receive those messages is far harder.
Why it matters
Promotional messages without permission damage your number's reputation, can lead to blocking by the platform, and add legal risk under personal data protection rules. We are not legal advisers, so check your company's specific obligations with a legal adviser.
What to record in the CRM
- That the customer gave permission and for what purpose.
- The date and source: form, point of sale, conversation, event.
- The approved channel: WhatsApp, email or both.
- Unsubscribe status and date.
Simple practices that work
- Add an unticked consent box to every form.
- Keep consent status and date fields on the contact record.
- Send campaigns only to contacts whose status is consented.
- Offer an easy way to stop, and process it quickly.
- Separate transactional service messages from promotional ones.
Bought lists and inherited lists
Numbers from a purchased list or taken from elsewhere do not carry consent. Do not put them in campaigns.
Automate it
A CRM rule can exclude contacts without consent from campaign segments automatically, reducing human error. See WhatsApp integration with Zoho CRM and the PDP law and your CRM.