SonarImport your contacts
Bring your customer list in from a spreadsheet, keep your categories as tags, and turn them into segments you can message.
About 10 minutes for your first list.
Get your file ready
Save your spreadsheet as a CSV file (in Excel or Google Sheets: File → Save as / Download → CSV). Keep the header row, with one column for each of these:
| Column | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Name | The person’s name, as you’d greet them. |
| Phone or Mobile | Their WhatsApp number with the country code and no leading 0, for example 27821234567. Spaces, brackets and a + are fine. |
| Tags, Category or Segment | Optional. Groups like “Regulars” or “Lapsed”. Each value becomes a tag. Put several in one cell separated by a semicolon: VIP; Gold. |
| Your custom fields | Optional. Set up fields like City or Birthday under Contacts → Custom fields first, then name a column the same and it fills in. |
For example:
Name,Mobile,Segment Thandi,27821234567,Regulars Johan,27839876543,Lapsed Aisha,27845551234,"VIP; New customer"
Rows without a valid number are skipped and listed, so you can fix them. The same number twice is only added once.
Import it
- Go to Contacts and press Import.
- Choose your CSV under upload CSV / .txt, or paste the rows straight in.
- Press Import. Sonar shows how many were added, updated and tagged, and any rows it skipped.
Check a few contacts: open one and you’ll see its tags. Free trials can hold 50 contacts, so bring a full list in once you’re on a plan.
Turn tags into segments
A segment is a group you can send a broadcast to, and it keeps itself up to date. To make one from a tag:
- Go to Segments and give the segment a name, like “Lapsed customers”.
- Press + Add rule, choose Tag, then has tag, and type the tag exactly as it is in your file.
- Press Create segment.
Anyone given that tag later, by an import, a flow or a button they tap, joins the segment by themselves. Mix rules for tighter groups, like “has tag Lapsed” and “City is Johannesburg”.
Consent before you send
WhatsApp and South African law (POPIA) both expect people to have agreed to marketing from you. Imported contacts start as One message allowed: Sonar lets each of them get one message, which you should use to ask whether they’d like your offers on WhatsApp. Everyone who says yes can then get your campaigns.
If you already have their agreement, say from a sign-up form that mentioned WhatsApp, tick Everyone on this list agreed to get WhatsApp marketing from us when you import. For people already in Sonar, select them in Contacts and press Mark as opted in. Only do this when you really have it: Sonar keeps a record of when and how each person agreed. More in POPIA and WhatsApp marketing.
Updating your list later
Import the same file again whenever your list changes. New people are added. People already in Sonar get their name and custom fields updated, and any new tags added. Tags they already have stay, so nothing you’ve set up in Sonar is lost.
To take a tag off, select the contacts and press Remove tag.
More guides
- WhatsApp pricing in South Africa
- POPIA and WhatsApp marketing
- Event invites with one-tap RSVPs
- AI Agent and Copilot: a WhatsApp chatbot in your voice
- Use Sonar with the WhatsApp Business app
- Order and booking updates from your other systems
- Connect a client's WhatsApp number
- WhatsApp API providers in South Africa, compared
- Switching to Sonar
- WhatsApp RSVPs for events
- Competitions and prize draws
Need a hand?
Email support@whats-hub.co.za with your file and we’ll help you bring it in.