Before you start
This guide assumes you have a product or service to sell and a smartphone. That is genuinely all you need. By the end of the week, you will have a fully automated WhatsApp storefront accepting orders and payments.
Day 1 — Set up WhatsApp Business
If you are using personal WhatsApp for business, switch to WhatsApp Business today. It is free. The key differences: a business profile with your address and hours, quick replies, and away messages. Download it from the Play Store or App Store and transfer your existing number.
Fill in every field on your business profile — profile photo, description, category, website (even if it is just your Instagram). A complete profile builds trust before a customer reads your first message.
Day 2 — Build your catalogue
WhatsApp Business has a built-in catalogue feature. Add every product or service you sell, with clear photos, prices, and short descriptions. This becomes Relay's source of truth when it responds to customer enquiries.
Tip: photograph products on a plain white or coloured background. Bright, clear images convert better than dark, blurry ones. You do not need a professional camera — a window with natural light works perfectly.
Day 3 — Connect Relay
Sign up at relay-rust.vercel.app and connect your WhatsApp Business account. The setup wizard walks you through it — it typically takes under 20 minutes. Once connected, Relay syncs your catalogue automatically.
Set your business hours, your greeting message, and your payment method (we will cover Paystack setup in the next step). Everything else can be fine-tuned later.
Day 4 — Connect Paystack
If you are in Ghana or Nigeria, connect your Paystack account in the Relay settings. This enables Relay to send payment links directly in the WhatsApp conversation — customers pay by card or mobile money without leaving the chat.
No Paystack account? You can create one in about 10 minutes at paystack.com. It is free to sign up; they take a small percentage only when you make a sale.
Day 5 — Test everything
Ask a friend or family member to message your business number as if they were a customer. Watch what Relay sends back. Check that the catalogue loads correctly, the payment link works, and the order confirmation looks right.
This test run almost always surfaces a small thing to fix — a product description that is confusing, a price that has not been updated, a payment link that goes to the wrong account. Better to find it with a friend than a real customer.
Day 6 & 7 — Tell your customers
Post your WhatsApp business number on every channel you have — Instagram, Facebook, your physical signage, your business card. Tell existing customers they can now "order direct on WhatsApp." The first orders typically arrive within 48 hours of telling people it is possible.
You are now a 24/7 business. Well done.