telegram-toolkit — Telegram SDR Best Practices & Templates

> Bot commands, inline keyboards, large file handling, and channel-specific sales strategies for Telegram-based B2B SDR.

Why Telegram for B2B Sales

Bot Commands

Register these commands with @BotFather using /setcommands:

start - Welcome message and product overview
catalog - Browse product catalog
quote - Request a quotation
status - Check order or quote status
contact - Speak with a human representative
language - Change conversation language

Command Behavior

/start

1. Detect language from Telegram user profile
2. Send welcome message with company intro (2-3 sentences max)
3. Create CRM record: source = telegram_organic, status = new
4. Offer product categories via inline keyboard
5. Begin BANT qualification naturally

/catalog

1. Check CRM for customer's product interest (if returning)
2. If known interest: Send relevant product section + full catalog link
3. If unknown: Send inline keyboard with product categories
4. Always include: specs, MOQ, typical lead time
5. File format: PDF preferred, under 20MB per file

/quote

1. Check if BANT data exists in memory
2. If incomplete: Trigger inline keyboard qualification flow
3. If complete: Generate quote draft → send to owner for approval
4. Confirm to customer: "I'm preparing your quotation, will have it ready shortly."

/status

1. Read CRM for customer's active records
2. Return: latest status, pending actions, next follow-up date
3. If quote_sent: "Your quote was sent on [date]. Would you like to discuss it?"
4. If no records: "I don't have an active order for you yet. Would you like to start one?"

Inline Keyboard Flows

Quick BANT Qualification

Step 1 — Need (Product):

{
  "text": "What products are you interested in?",
  "reply_markup": {
    "inline_keyboard": [
      [{"text": "{{product_1}}", "callback_data": "product_1"}],
      [{"text": "{{product_2}}", "callback_data": "product_2"}],
      [{"text": "{{product_3}}", "callback_data": "product_3"}],
      [{"text": "📋 Full catalog", "callback_data": "full_catalog"}]
    ]
  }
}

Step 2 — Budget (Volume):

{
  "text": "What's your estimated order quantity?",
  "reply_markup": {
    "inline_keyboard": [
      [{"text": "< 100 units", "callback_data": "qty_small"}],
      [{"text": "100-500", "callback_data": "qty_medium"}],
      [{"text": "500-1000", "callback_data": "qty_large"}],
      [{"text": "1000+", "callback_data": "qty_bulk"}]
    ]
  }
}

Step 3 — Timeline:

{
  "text": "When do you need delivery?",
  "reply_markup": {
    "inline_keyboard": [
      [{"text": "This month", "callback_data": "timeline_urgent"}],
      [{"text": "1-3 months", "callback_data": "timeline_soon"}],
      [{"text": "3-6 months", "callback_data": "timeline_planning"}],
      [{"text": "Just exploring", "callback_data": "timeline_exploring"}]
    ]
  }
}

Step 4 — Authority:

After 3 keyboard interactions, ask naturally in conversation:

"Are you the purchasing decision-maker, or should I prepare materials for your team?"

(Don't use a keyboard for this — it feels too transactional.)

Quick Actions Keyboard

Send after qualification is complete:

{
  "text": "How can I help you next?",
  "reply_markup": {
    "inline_keyboard": [
      [{"text": "📋 Get a quote", "callback_data": "action_quote"}],
      [{"text": "📦 Product specs", "callback_data": "action_specs"}],
      [{"text": "🏭 Factory info", "callback_data": "action_factory"}],
      [{"text": "👤 Talk to sales rep", "callback_data": "action_human"}]
    ]
  }
}

Large File Strategy

Telegram's 2GB limit makes it the best channel for heavy files:

Cross-channel file routing:

When customer is on WhatsApp and needs a large file:

> "The full catalog is 85MB — I'll send it to you on Telegram. What's your Telegram username?"

Telegram-First Markets

In these markets, treat Telegram as the primary channel:

Detection: Check CRM country field. If Russia/CIS/Iran/Eastern Europe, default to Telegram-first strategy.

Nurture via Telegram

Telegram has no messaging window — ideal for long-term nurture:

Nurture Cadence (Telegram)

Telegram Channel (One-to-Many)

For customers who follow your brand channel:

• Weekly: Industry news, market trends
• Bi-weekly: New product announcements
• Monthly: Case studies, customer success stories
• Never: Direct sales pitches (keep those in DM)

Security Notes

• Bot Token stored in secrets.sh, never in config.sh or workspace files
• dmPolicy: "pairing" requires pairing code — use for exclusive/VIP access
• dmPolicy: "open" (not available in all OpenClaw versions) — accepts all DMs
• Admin commands restricted to whitelist (same as WhatsApp)
• Rate limit: Same anti-abuse measures as WhatsApp (15 msg/5min, 50 msg/1hr)