Close Friends was created for friends but has become a VIP list for sellers. Those on it see Stories others don’t, and respond much more in Direct.
In this article
Why it works
The person sees the green star and knows that Story is only for a select few. Exclusivity grabs attention.
Those who feel special respond, ask questions, and buy before others.
Who gets in
Customers, warm leads, and those who ask to join.
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How to invite
Ask them to send a word in Direct to join the list.
Exclusive content
Behind the scenes, tips, and news before anyone else.
Early offers
Launches and promotions open first to the list.
Direct replies
Each reply is a conversation. Have messages ready.
Frequency
A few times a week. Too much tires people out.
From Direct to WhatsApp
Take purchase conversations to WhatsApp.
Where to start
Invite your customers and most active followers and make your first exclusive Story this week.
Common mistakes
List too large, content same as feed, and not responding.
An example
A clothing store showed new pieces first in Close Friends, one day before the feed. List customers started responding asking for sizes, and much of the collection sold before posting to everyone.
Invitation message
"Hi, [name]! I’m opening a Close Friends list with news and offers before anyone else. Want to join? Just reply YES." Those who reply have already shown interest.
Frequently asked questions
How to choose who gets in Close Friends?
Customers, warm leads, and followers who interact frequently. Many brands let people ask to join, which shows interest.
The bottleneck is almost never the team. It’s the time until the first reply.
VeyloCRM replies to leads instantly in your own language, organizes each conversation in the CRM, and keeps messages ready for the team — on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger.