Entrepreneurship Starter · free course

Free course · Lesson 5 of 5

Using WhatsApp Business, Google Workspace & Shopify

In this lesson you will

  • Set up WhatsApp Business
  • Choose tools by need

A small set of free or low-cost tools covers most of what a growing digital business needs — no expensive software required to start.

  • WhatsApp Business: Set up a catalog, automated greeting/away messages, and quick replies to run customer communication professionally.
  • Google Workspace: Gmail for professional email, Google Sheets for simple bookkeeping/tracking, Google Drive for storing business documents safely.
  • Shopify (or similar): For businesses ready to sell online at scale, a simple online store adds a payment-ready storefront beyond WhatsApp/social media.
  • Start with the free/simplest tool that meets your current need — upgrade to more advanced tools only once you've outgrown the simple ones.

Practical Skill: Set up a WhatsApp Business profile with a catalog of at least 3 products/services, and create a simple Google Sheet to track daily sales.

TemplateDigital Tools Setup Checklist
Worksheet
=== DIGITAL BUSINESS TOOLS SETUP === WhatsApp Business:[ ] Business profile with name, description, hours set up[ ] Catalog created with at least 3 products/services + prices[ ] Automated greeting message set up[ ] Quick replies created for common questions Google Workspace:[ ] Professional Gmail address created (not a personal nickname)[ ] Google Sheet created for daily sales tracking[ ] Important business documents saved in Google Drive Growth stage (once established):[ ] Consider Shopify or similar if ready to sell at scale online

Practice exercise

Plan a WhatsApp Business profile: description, hours, three catalogue items, two quick replies and three labels.

Key takeaways

  • Catalogues show products with prices
  • Quick replies save time
  • Add paid tools only when sales justify them
In the full program Module 5: Digital Business Tools See how this topic is taught in depth, with practical activities and an assessment.

Free self-study lesson — no certificate. For the full instructor-led program, see registration options.