How to Connect Your Custom GPTs to WhatsApp: A Step-by-Step Guide
Are you looking to connect your custom GPTs to WhatsApp? With over 2 billion monthly active users, WhatsApp is a great platform to tap into for automating key tasks within your business, such as customer support, lead generation, and appointment setting. However, connecting AI assistants to WhatsApp can be a painful process. In this article, we will walk you through the easiest method we have found to connect your GPTs to WhatsApp, so you can avoid the mistakes we made in our own experiences.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. What are we building?
3. Setting up the environment
4. Creating the assistant
5. Connecting to MiniChat
6. Testing the integration
7. Deploying to a production server
8. Conclusion
9. FAQs
Introduction
In this article, we will show you how to connect your custom GPTs to WhatsApp, step-by-step. We will be setting up a WhatsApp lead generation chatbot for an education business, from start to finish. We will be using the assistant API, writing it within Replit, and then connecting Replit to MiniChat. We will also be using AirTable to log leads. We will provide you with all the templates, code, and resources you need to build this chatbot for your own business or for your clients.
What are we building?
We are creating a lead generation chatbot for an education business, which allows people to ask questions via WhatsApp to an AI assistant. The AI assistant helps them learn more about the program and eventually captures their lead by grabbing their phone number and full name, which is then logged to a CRM using AirTable. The chatbot also has a knowledge base that allows people to learn more about the product before capturing their lead. We will be using the assistant API to create this chatbot, which will allow us to deploy it to different channels like WhatsApp, Instagram, and more.
Setting up the environment
To get started, you need to clone our Replit, which will be available in the first link in the description. Once you sign up, you can click on the Replit, which will be one of the links you should be greeted with. You will need to sign up for Replit and create an account. It is free. Then, you can click on the Fork button, which will clone or copy our entire code base so that you can use it yourself and make a couple of edits as needed.
Creating the assistant
The first step is to create your assistant within Replit. We have provided you with all the code you need to create your assistant, including the knowledge base, prompting, and tooling. You can modify these as needed. Once you have created your assistant, you can save it to a JSON file, which will allow you to load it later.
Connecting to MiniChat
The next step is to connect your assistant to MiniChat. MiniChat is a platform that allows you to connect your chatbot to WhatsApp. We have provided you with all the templates and resources you need to connect your assistant to MiniChat. Once you have connected your assistant to MiniChat, you can start testing your chatbot.
Testing the integration
To test your chatbot, you can send a message to your MiniChat number with the keyword you have set up. Your chatbot should respond with a message, and you can continue the conversation from there. Your chatbot should be able to capture leads and log them to AirTable.
Deploying to a production server
If you want to deploy your chatbot to a production server, you will need to follow a few additional steps. We have provided you with all the resources you need to deploy your chatbot to a production server, including a video tutorial.
Conclusion
Connecting your custom GPTs to WhatsApp can be a painful process, but with the right tools and resources, it can be done. We have provided you with all the templates, code, and resources you need to connect your GPTs to WhatsApp and automate key tasks within your business. We hope this article has been helpful to you.
FAQs
Q: What is MiniChat?
A: MiniChat is a platform that allows you to connect your chatbot to WhatsApp.
Q: What is AirTable?
A: AirTable is a cloud-based database that allows you to log leads and other data.
Q: What is the assistant API?
A: The assistant API is a tool that allows you to create and deploy AI assistants to different channels like WhatsApp and Instagram.
Q: Do I need to have coding experience to connect my GPTs to WhatsApp?
A: No, you do not need to have coding experience. We have provided you with all the templates, code, and resources you need to connect your GPTs to WhatsApp.
Q: Can I modify the chatbot to fit my business needs?
A: Yes, you can modify the chatbot to fit your business needs. We have provided you with all the code you need to create your own chatbot.
