What you need before day one.
Nothing exotic, but a few things genuinely have to exist before a journey can run. Here is the honest list, who is responsible for each, and roughly how long the whole thing takes.
What do I need to start using ConvoHut?
A Meta Business account, a phone number that is not on the WhatsApp Business app, business verification from Meta, one connected data source, a way for customers to opt in, and one person who owns the journeys. Setup support is included during early access.
Key takeaways
- Meta's business verification is the step most likely to add days.
- Without a consent mechanism, your contactable audience is near zero.
- One data source and one journey is enough for a real pilot.
- A named owner matters more than any technical prerequisite.
The checklist
| Requirement | What it means in practice | Whose job |
|---|---|---|
| A Meta Business account | In your business's name, not your agency's. If you run Meta ads you already have one. | You |
| A phone number for the Platform | Able to receive a verification code, and not currently registered to the WhatsApp Business app. | You |
| Business verification with Meta | Meta matches your business details against public records. Usually the longest step. | You, with our help |
| A connected data source | Shopify, a CSV or a webhook. One is enough to start. | You, with our help |
| A consent mechanism | Somewhere customers opt in to WhatsApp contact — checkout, account creation or a form. | You, with our help |
| A named owner | One person responsible for the journeys. Shared ownership is the most common reason a pilot stalls. | You |
| A success metric | One number, defined with its attribution window, agreed before anything goes live. | Agreed together |
Who does what
During early access this is genuinely hands-on. We are not handing you a knowledge base and wishing you luck.
| Task | ConvoHut | You |
|---|---|---|
| Connecting your store or CRM | We configure | You authorise |
| WhatsApp account and verification | We guide | You own the account |
| Journey design | We build the first one with you | You approve every message |
| Message copy | We draft a starting point | You make it sound like your brand |
| Template submission | We help you draft | Approved to your account by Meta |
| Going live | We run the pre-flight check | You decide when |
| Weekly review | We bring the analysis | You bring the business context |
Roughly how long it takes
Under 30 min
Connecting things
Store connection, WhatsApp link and the first playbook import, assuming verification is already done.
Hours to days
Meta verification
Entirely dependent on how easily Meta can verify your business. Start this first, not last.
Week one
First journey live
Realistic target for a limited-audience launch with the success metric already agreed.
Start the Meta verification before anything else. Every other step is measured in minutes and sits with us. That one is measured in days and sits with Meta.
Questions this raises
Can I try it without connecting my real store?
We can walk you through a demo workspace, but a pilot needs one real data source. Without real events there is nothing to learn and nothing to measure.
What if I do not have WhatsApp opt-in yet?
Then that is step one, and it is worth doing carefully. Adding a consent checkbox to your checkout or lead form is usually a short job with a large effect on how many people you can reach.
Do I need a developer?
Not for Shopify, WooCommerce (roadmap), CSV or Zapier. A custom webhook source is the only path that normally needs one.
How much of my team's time does this take?
One person, roughly half a day to get the first journey live, then a weekly thirty-minute review during the pilot.
What if my business is not verified with Meta?
You will need to complete verification before you can message at any meaningful volume. We help you prepare the submission, but the decision is Meta's.
Can an agency set this up for me?
Yes. Agencies run multi-client workspaces and can configure and manage journeys on your behalf, while the WhatsApp account and the data stay in your name.
The whole series
Five pages. Read them in order and you will know exactly what ConvoHut does, what it does not do, and what it will cost you.
Bring one store and one journey.
We handle the rest with you. Setup support is included for every early access participant.