One of my private clients recently shared something I want every business owner posting on Instagram to hear. She paid to boost a video and it received over 9,000 views but generated zero sales. Then another video where she implemented the strategy I taught her got only 250 views but generated hundreds of dollars.
Today we are talking about how to connect your organic content to leads and sales so you can look beyond “did this go viral?” and start understanding how your marketing is turning people into paying customers.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
03:25 Step 1: Create content that helps someone feel confident buying from you and the specific beliefs people need to hold before they hand over their credit card
08:01 How to use reels, carousels, and stories strategically to address buyer hesitation before someone ever reaches out
10:28 Step 2: Make the next step clear and easy and why a complicated path from Instagram to your offer is costing you sales every single week
14:00 How DM automation turns every piece of content into a lead-tracking system that works while you sleep
18:37 The DMs to Dollars course and the POD100 exclusive listener discount
19:34 Step 3: Keep the conversation going because customers come from conversations
22:43 Why being redundant about your offer is a sales strategy, not a turn-off
A Truth You Need to Hear:
“Customers come from conversations. The more you can get into conversations in the DMs, in your email, in person, wherever you are, the more money you are going to make.” — Elizabeth Marberry
LINKS MENTIONED
Free DM Automation Guide + 1 Month of ManyChat Free DM me the word LEADS on Instagram @elizabethmarberry
Hot Reels My 12-month Instagram content lab
Part 2 Ep141: What to Post on Instagram to Grow: Reels, Carousels, and Stories
Watch my episode on Social Media Examiner: Making Instagram Reels Easier, Faster & Scalable
S3 Ep142 Transcript - How to Turn Instagram Content Into Leads and Sales (Part 3)
00:00
One of my private clients recently shared something I want every business owner who's posting on Instagram to hear. She had paid to boost a video and it received over 9,000 views, but it generated zero sales. Then another video where she implemented the strategy I taught her only got 250 views, but generated hundreds of dollars. Can we please let that sink in?
00:29
If she had just judged those videos by their views, she would have completely missed what was working for her business. Today, we're talking about how to connect your organic content to leads and sales so you can look beyond, did this video pop off or go viral and get tons of views? And start understanding how your marketing is helping your people become paying customers.
00:56
I'm so passionate about this topic and I'm so happy you're here. Let's do it.
01:03
Welcome to Strut It, a podcast about creating bold visibility on social media with zero apologies. I'm Elizabeth Marberry, your host and Instagram marketing coach. I help small business owners get seen on Instagram and monetize their offers so they can make more money doing their sole lead work. If you're tired of spinning your wheels on Instagram and you're seeking simple, proven Instagram marketing strategies that actually work, you're in the right place.
01:32
Let's dive in.
01:43
Welcome back to the show. We've made it to part three in our mini series on growing your small business on Instagram. In part one, we covered the foundations and I taught you five Instagram growth hacks I wish I had known when I first got started on Instagram. If you don't know, I have two companies, both a dance studio, brick and mortar business in Denver, as well as my online business, my coaching, speaking, podcasting business.
02:11
two separate business models, but I have grown a combined audience of over 160,000 followers, had massive jumps in revenue in the last few years since we implemented our social media marketing strategies. And I'm so passionate about connecting the dots of Instagram growth to leads and sales for small business owners.
02:32
So in part one, I really went into those five things that I wish I had known when I first got started posting on Instagram for my business. So definitely go check that out if you missed it. Last week in part two, we talked about reels, carousels, and Instagram stories, the different jobs of those formats and when to use what format, depending on what your goal is for your business. So you can get seen and paid on Instagram.
02:59
Today we're connecting those pieces to your customer journey. And I'm gonna keep this really simple. We're gonna talk about three things. Helping people feel confident buying from you, giving them a clear next step and following up. Let's get straight into it. Number one, I want you to create content that helps someone feel confident buying from you.
03:25
As I mentioned in part one of the series, I have a private client who owns an online crystal and gem shop, and she primarily sells through TikTok Lives, and we are actively building out her shop and her website funnel so she can diversify her revenue streams. Because of course you don't want to put all your revenue eggs in one basket, right? And so when we first started working together, much of her content, she posts on TikTok and on Instagram.
03:53
Much of her content showcased her gorgeous crystals. The products are just absolutely stunning. But in working together in our 12 month private mentorship container, I've been really encouraging her to show more of herself, her personality, show her face, let people hear her voice, and really invite her audience to get to know the woman behind the business. know, she is...
04:19
such a big heart and a deep rooted mission behind her business and I wanted more people to know about it. So she recently tried two talking head videos or those yapping videos and shared that being more front facing was actually starting to show proof of creating not only connection with her audience, but actually generating purchases that she could track to these videos.
04:48
Now this story happened on TikTok, but the business lesson applies to Instagram too. People need different things before they feel ready to buy. Next week, I'm actually bringing on a guest expert. Her name is Brenna McGowan, and she's gonna talk about the buyer's beliefs and the different buyer beliefs that people need to have before they're.
05:12
ever gonna buy your product or service. So make sure you have subscribed or you're following the show so you don't miss when that interview drops because she is such an expert in this space and she brings so much gold into that buying journey. This week, I wanna really emphasize this piece around people need different things before they feel ready to buy from you. And they might need to understand the product or see how your service works. Like how does it work?
05:41
or feel connected to the person they're trusting with their money, right? So I want you to ask yourself, what is my ideal client or customer need to understand or believe before taking the next step in my business? Throughout this little mini-series, I've been using my dance studio, Wedding Dance Coach, as kind of a case study example.
06:05
So at Wedding Dance Coach, which by the way, if you want to stalk our Instagram, we're at Wedding Dance Coach, very easy to find. An engaged couple might love watching wedding dance videos, but still think like, hey, that couple looks really amazing. They're probably more talented or maybe they have a natural sense of rhythm or, oh, her partner can lead and my partner can't or, oh, know, whatever story they're telling themselves. They might say that couple looks amazing.
06:34
but we could never do that, right? That is a belief that they have. So we need content that helps them see themselves in the experience. So we could show the transformation of a video of a couple learning in our dance studio, you know, that behind the scenes content of here's how they were in the first lesson versus their wedding day, right? To really showcase that like, look, these people had the same hesitations as you.
07:03
they still felt awkward, they felt like they had two left feet or they had no rhythm or they didn't have couples dance experience and none of that mattered, we took them from here to here, right? And we can show that journey in an Instagram reel, for example. Or I could share the feedback that couples have given us in content, right? A screenshot of a testimonial or a carousel post telling a client story or breaking down what does actually happen during a lesson and why.
07:32
you know, there's a myth that has to be overly complicated to look good. You know, we're the opposite. We want simple yet impressive. And we have been doing this 16 years. We know exactly what moves we can teach you that you can learn really quickly, but also look really impressive to your guests, but they're also super fun for you to learn with your partner, right? We know our ideal clients like the back of our hand, and we know our services. We know our offers and our clients' points. And so,
08:01
I can speak into that belief that they have to have before they're going to invest in lessons. So as I mentioned, Instagram stories are where your warm to hot prospects hang out. So that's a great place to invite in conversations. You can also share those customer questions and answer it, show an example, explain how your product or service helps solve a specific pain point. You're giving someone the information they need to make a decision.
08:31
That's part of the work I do with private clients, Is really understanding what their specific people, ideal clients or customers need to hear and bringing that into their content through the, know, tweaking the messaging, meaning like the words on the screen, the hooks, your scripts, your captions, all of that really matters. And it has to be really specific so it stands out, right? So you don't sound like every other health coach, right? You wanna really weave in.
09:00
your unique stories and your unique perspective. But what's really cool is that there are certain buyer beliefs that people, like what does your person need to believe before they're going to invest, right? So for me, as an Instagram coach and business growth mentor, you need to believe that your people are on Instagram and you want to focus and use Instagram and use Reels and use carousels and use stories.
09:29
to grow your brand. And if you don't believe that's important for you, obviously you wouldn't invest in working with me, right? So that's kind of a simple way of explaining it. Like I said, next week, Brenna is gonna really go deeper into like buyer's beliefs and it's gonna be like a master class in that. So make sure you're following the show. But yeah, your content needs to really help someone feel confident in buying from you and that you see them and that you get them. And that's really the first step before you're gonna turn
09:58
your Instagram content into leads and sales. Number two, make the next step clear and easy. So when someone likes what they're seeing and they're interested, right? So you've created the content, I followed you, I liked it, maybe I'm binging your stuff, now what? You have to choose a next step that makes sense for the offer and where that person is in their decision. So if someone is ready to shop,
10:28
help them find the product and give them the direct link. Don't give them a link tree with like 10 different links and then I have to go sort through it to find the link to the product I want, right? Or if they need a consultation, explain how to book it, right? And if they're curious but need more information, maybe a useful resource or like a lead magnet, a freebie might be the right invitation for them.
10:53
So I'm gonna give you some examples. For Wedding Dance Coach, my dance studio, we have a free first dance checklist. It's a beautiful PDF. It looks kinda like a magazine. And it's really relevant to an engaged couple who's starting to think about their wedding dances. And they want help preparing for this unforgettable once in a lifetime moment. And so we have a lead magnet, which is a free first dance checklist. And when...
11:21
They comment checklist on our Instagram reel or in our Instagram stories if they do, I mean the word checklist. My robot assistant will send them the link to download this guide and in exchange for the guide, they give us their name and email. So it's a way for me to convert our hottest Instagram prospects onto our email list, which is an ecosystem that I own, right? I don't own Instagram, but I do own my email list.
11:48
always thinking about how can I move people into an ecosystem that I own. For my private mentorship, I have a 12 month private mentorship. The next step is an application, right? Because it's an investment to work with me as your private mentor for a year. And obviously before we do that, I want to meet you. I want to make sure that I am the right person to help you. And I also want to make sure that we have
12:13
good energetics and alignment because obviously if we're working together intimately for a year, I wanna make sure it's a good fit on both sides. And so I do a complimentary Instagram breakthrough session where we hop on Zoom. I learn about you, your business, your why behind your business. It's my favorite thing. I get to learn about like, what are the struggles and issues you're having right now when it comes to Instagram, social media marketing.
12:38
sales, all of that, and like, where do you want to go? Like, what's your desire? What's holding you back? And then if I'm the right person to support you, I may invite you into a private mentorship or group coaching, depending on kind of what I think that you need. But to get a free call with me, obviously, it's very valuable to get that you have to apply. Right. So if you're listening to this and you're like, Oh, my gosh, I'm curious about that.
13:04
you can go to elizabethmarbury.com slash application. That's Elizabeth Marbury, M-A-R-B-E-R-R-Y.com slash application to check it out. Once you fill that out, we'll send you over my calendar link. But just explaining that funnel essentially, or those next steps of working with me, that is a customer journey. It's a clear path, right? It's actually very simple. I create a piece of content that serves a need, addresses a pain point of my ideal client.
13:33
I offer a solution and then I tell them how I can work with them and what their next step is, right? Like that's a very simple funnel. That is your customer journey. So how does someone move from discovering your business on Instagram to getting the information and support they need to buy? Now you've heard me talk about this a lot on the show. I'm going to keep talking about it because there are a lot of business owners, small business owners and busy entrepreneurs who are not yet using this tool.
14:00
and I want you to use it, but also there's people who have signed up for this tool and are not using it, right? Like they bought it, but they forgot to use it. So I wanna bring this up again because this is the secret to driving leads and sales on Instagram without being on Instagram 24 seven, because let's be honest, I have two kids, two businesses. I'm like you, I don't have tons of extra time to babysit Instagram. I want to wake up on a Monday and see that
14:29
20 people joined my email list over the weekend and I didn't have to lift a finger. And that is literally what happens to me each and every week my email list grows on repeat. I have leads, I have sales, and it's all built because I use this one tool. And that is DM automation or direct message automation. Someone comments my magic keyword or they direct message me my magic keyword and my robot assistant will send
14:57
than the relevant link or resource. And that helps us to start a conversation. And it also gives me a way to see who expressed interest. So let's say you commented my keyword I have on Instagram right now, if I have a free Instagram visibility jumpstart kit. So if you comment on any of my posts right now, the word kit, I will DM you the link to grab this guide. Now let's say you did that, but then I wanted to follow up with you, right? So let's say,
15:25
I saw that you commented that and then I click over to your account and I see that you're a Pilates studio owner. I could pop into my DMs and now I know who showed interest, right? And I could send you a voice memo and be like, hey Michelle, I see that you own blank-de-blank Pilates. I might say something like personal about that after looking at their account. And then, you I could basically get into conversation with them and it's such a great way to be able to track.
15:51
track leads on Instagram versus if you just have a link in bio, you have no way of tracking that. Like you have no way of knowing did someone go click your link and join your list or did they click your link and they're about to, but then they got distracted. So it's a really fantastic way to track leads and drive sales. My favorite DM automation tool is ManyChat, M-A-N-Y-C-H-A-T.
16:18
If you want my free one page guide explaining how I use DM automation, you can DM me the keyword leads, LEADS on Instagram right now. That also includes my link to try MiniChat totally for free. So definitely DM me the keyword leads on Instagram so you can grab that free guide. And if you're new to MiniChat or maybe you've already signed up for it, but you're just not using it because you've kind of told yourself the story that
16:46
Well, I don't really need it because I'm not getting into 10 of comments. There are so many different things that MiniChat can do for you and there's so many different ways that I use DM automation even off of Instagram. Like for example, right now here on this podcast, I'm not currently on Instagram. I'm at my microphone sitting at my desk recording a podcast for you. I'm using DM automation right now by telling you to go DM me this keyword.
17:10
when I'm out at a networking event and someone's like, oh my gosh, tell me about this thing and I have a guide or I have a resource, I can say to them, hey, let's connect on Instagram, DM me this keyword and I'll send you the link to my application, like fill that out, right? Like there's so many different ways you can use this. So whether you have an account or not and you're just getting started, but you know you want the strategy alongside the setup, like not just a tutorial on how to build it inside of the platform, which is by the way, very intuitive.
17:39
but you want my strategy of how I drive actual sales. I created a mini course called DMs to Dollars. And it's my on-demand course where you'll build your first DM automation in under 30 minutes and learn how I connect content to leads and sales in both my brands, including a module on how this looks in the wild on Instagram. share some content examples so you can understand how to better position your content so people will want to comment your.
18:09
keyword. I also have a bonus in there where I share an AI prompt that will help you to do all of this so much quicker because I'm all about saving you time and energy and helping you to make more money. So if you're curious about this course, I have a fun little gift for you. So you can direct message me money on Instagram, M-O-N-E-Y, for the link to the course, or you can visit elizabethmarberry.com slash money. That's Elizabeth Marberry, M-A-R.
18:37
and my gift to you is as a thank you for being a beloved podcast listener, you can use code pod100, that's capital P-O-D, 100 to save $100 off of this course. I know this course is gonna serve you and help you to start really making that money on Instagram. So whether you have DM automation set up or not, the biggest takeaway
19:07
from this part is that I really just want you to understand like what is the next step in your customer journey? Where do I go from Instagram to an ecosystem that you own? And you need to have a really clear map in place because if you don't know, I certainly don't know as the person who's following you or a potential new follower that discovers you on Instagram today. Number three is keep the conversation going.
19:34
I've kind of alluded to this already, but sending someone a link doesn't mean the relationship is finished, obviously. One of my coaches once said this to me, and it has really stuck with me, and that is that customers come from conversations. So the more you can get into conversations, in the direct messages, in your email, in person, wherever you're at, the more money you're gonna make, right?
19:58
Remember on Instagram, it is a platform of entertainment, right? Like people get distracted or maybe they'll find your stuff, but they'll have questions or they might need to understand the nuance of your offer or whether your product or service is really the right solution for their needs. And this is where thoughtful follow-up matters. I'm sure you've heard that quote, the fortune is in the follow-up. This is completely true.
20:24
You know, if you've been listening to the show, I love voice memos. If someone shows any interest in Hot Reels or private coaching or has questions for me, I love to respond with a voice memo. I think voice is a really cool way to kind of share energetics. Like there's a different kind of vibe in a voice memo. You certainly don't have to do voice memos, by the way. You can send followups just via text in the DMs. That's completely fine too.
20:51
I'm just saying I think there's a lot of power in a voice memo because most people won't do it. It's like kind of going above and beyond. But I will reach out and get into dialogue and really help them understand what their next step is or like kind of where, you know, what questions they have for me. So when you're using a DM automation or when someone is commenting on your stuff or replying to your Instagram stories, like getting into conversation is great. And not only do customers come from conversations,
21:20
but it will also drive up your engagement, right? Like if you're going back and forth with me in the DMs or we're going back and forth in my comments, now the next time I post a reel or a carousel, you're gonna see it because Instagram has noticed that you have been interacting with my content and it knows that, okay, this is relevant content to this person. I'm gonna show more of Elizabeth's content to her because she really likes it, right? That's how the algorithm works. So it's kind of a win-win for everybody when you're getting into conversation. Of course,
21:49
There's lots of places to get into conversation with your community. It's not just on Instagram. When I send out my emails every week, I'm always thinking about inviting my readers into conversations. I always wanted it to feel like I am here in dialogue with them. It's not me on a stage speaking down to them. It's like, we're at the same level. And maybe I'm just a few steps ahead of you in certain aspects of my business.
22:13
but I'm here to serve. One thing that really has stuck with me is like I approach sales of being of service. I think sometimes we can get a little weird about being explicit about how we can help people, especially on Instagram, right? Where you're just like, well, I don't know, or that's gonna be too salesy. What I want you to know is that your products or service offers a solution to your ideal person. It is a disservice to them if you're not sharing how you can help them, right? Like don't make them guess.
22:43
easy for them to work with you. And if you want more sales, you need to be much more intentional about how you're showing up. And you absolutely need to be inviting people into your offers every single week. Now, does that mean that you need to constantly be posting like salesy content? No, but it needs to be woven into your content strategies. So there's a rhythm to it because people need to see it and hear about it over and over and over again.
23:12
before they're gonna actually pull the trigger and give you their credit card, right? So don't be afraid of being redundant. Whenever I feel like I'm getting bored, especially if you're neurodiverse, sometimes it's hard to keep talking about the same thing again. We kinda get bored. We need that like dopamine hit. And so kind of part of my trick is like, I always figure out how to make it fun for me. Sales on Instagram doesn't have to look any one way, right? You can gamify it.
23:37
You can change it up, you can test it out. There's no right or wrong way, but I do want you to be really clear on what is that customer journey and how are you keeping that conversation going so that way you can follow up with people because the fortune is definitely in the follow up. I hope that you found this really, really helpful. And today I want you to choose one offer that you want to promote and walk through the experience of that offer as your customer.
24:06
You can absolutely use AI like chat jibbity or Claude to help you map out, you know, a simple Instagram sales funnel. But I want you to ask yourself, like, what would help your ideal client or customer feel confident buying from you? What do they need to believe before they will buy from you? And what is their next step from Instagram into an ecosystem that you own? And how will you keep that conversation going?
24:35
when maybe they don't take action right away. Of course, if you love personalized help, putting those pieces together, I live for the stuff. I love it. I love marketing. I love business. I love entrepreneurship. And I absolutely love short-cutting your learning curve so you can grow your revenue exponentially. While also just finding joy, ease, alignment. There's no one way to grow on Instagram. There's no one way to grow a business.
25:04
And as an entrepreneur of 16 years, I've seen it all, right? So I would love to absolutely support you as your mentor. And I'm really, really excited right now. I have two spots open in my 12 month private visibility and client attraction mentorship. We work on your content strategy, the business behind it, your offers, messaging, email marketing, website copy, customer journey, all of this stuff, getting you set up on DM automation and so much more.
25:34
So if you're curious about working together, your next steps are you can either DM me on Instagram, make sure you're following me over there if you haven't already. I'm at Elizabeth Marberry, M-A-R-B-E-R-R-Y. You can DM me the keyword apply, A-B-P-L-Y. And as I mentioned, my robot assistant will send you the application. Or of course you can hop on over to my website, ElizabethMarberry.com slash application. Of course we'll drop all the links in the show notes.
26:00
Once you've submitted your application, we'll connect for that complimentary Instagram breakthrough session together and explore your next right step. Thank you so much for spending this series with me. I hope you are leaving with more clarity and something that you're excited to put into action because remember, if you want new results, you have to take new actions.
26:26
today's episode served you or you love this series, make sure you do us a solid and share it with a business bestie or colleague who's also trying to understand the jungle that is social media. And I'm sending you so much love and support and I can't wait to strut it with you next week. Thank you for listening to Strut It. If you're ready to start leveraging Instagram to grow your business, then you're gonna wanna grab my free monetize your IG guides.
26:53
where you'll learn seven simple and proven ways to finally make money on Instagram. You can grab your guide at ElizabethMarberry.com slash freebies. That's ElizabethMarberry.com slash freebies to get my monetize your IG guide. If you got some incredible value from today's episode, be sure to leave a review and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform.
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and I cannot wait to start it with you again next week.
