Remember when social media was just “top of funnel awareness”? Post content → Hope people see you → Maybe they’ll find your website → Eventually buy something
Those days are over.
My actual Instagram sales process:
Create engaging content
They engage and follow my call to action
Call to action leads them to more of me
They either book a sales call or DM me → I close
Real estate example:
Post a property or engagment content
Client engages
Ends up on email list
Still comes back to DMs to discuss logistics
RE has a longer close cycle but this process keeps you on their short list.
See below for explainer on shortlist importance.
Why do they always end up in DMs? They want to build a relationship with who they are buying from.
Even with email lists, funnels, and fancy automation, they come back to Instagram DMs because that’s where the real conversations happen.
Instagram isn’t just awareness. It’s discovery, nurturing, AND closing.
Stop thinking 2018. Start selling 2026.
Let me tell you about the deal you lost three months ago.
You know, the one you don’t even know about yet.
The prospect who’s currently building a mental shortlist of vendors they’ll consider when they’re ready to buy. The one who’s scrolling LinkedIn, asking peers for recommendations, and quietly evaluating who they trust.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: by the time they reach out to you, the decision is basically already made.
The Research That Changes Everything
A study from Bain and Google (published in Harvard Business Review) found something that should make every business owner pay attention:
📊 80-90% of B2B buyers already have a shortlist of three vendors before they even begin formal research
📊 90% of purchases are ultimately made from that original “day one” list
Even more striking? Research from Wynter and Omniscient tracking 100 real B2B buying decisions shows:
📊 92% of buyers remain entirely within their initial shortlist
📊 61% of buyers already have a single preferred vendor selected before any formal evaluation begins
Translation: If you’re not on their radar early, you’re not in the running.
So How Do You Get On The Shortlist?
The research identified three key factors that put vendors on the “day one” list:
1. Previous Positive Experience They’ve worked with you, seen your work, or followed your content over time.
2. Peer Recommendations Someone they trust has mentioned you. Word-of-mouth still reigns supreme (58% of buyers say peer recommendations matter most).
3. Strong Digital Presence Your website, your content, your visibility—all of it contributes to whether you make the cut.
But here’s what the research doesn’t explicitly say (but I will):
The real differentiator is personality + a distinct point of view.
That’s what separates you from every other expert saying the same things. It’s what makes you memorable in a sea of sameness. It’s why someone remembers YOUR name when they finally decide they’re ready to buy.
What This Means For Your Business
Stop thinking about “generating leads” and start thinking about “building awareness.”
Stop optimizing for the moment someone fills out a contact form and start showing up consistently long before they know they need you.
Stop being another voice in the crowd and start having a distinct POV that people remember.
Because 97% of buyers will check out your website during their research. 78% will shortlist only 3 vendors. And if you’re not already in their awareness, you won’t make the cut.
The game isn’t won when they reach out. It’s won in the months before, when they’re quietly building their list.
The state of the world and your impact
t is safe to say the world feels heavy right now.
Most of us are carrying more than we let on.
I won’t pretend global or national events don’t affect me, they do. But I’m also aware that not every hardship lands on me in the same way it lands on others.
Over the years, I’ve learned that I don’t always need a microphone or a megaphone to live my values.
Sometimes, the most meaningful form of resistance is staying whole.
Refusing to become fragmented, hardened, or consumed by polarization.
I know this: I am no good to anyone if I allow fear, anger, or constant crisis to take me offline emotionally.
What I can do is remain available. Grounded. Compassionate. Clear.
When I’m needed, truly needed, I show up.
And when I’m not, I keep living in a way that reflects what I believe.
That’s how I protect my energy.
That’s how I stay useful.
That’s how I ensure I can make an impact when it is most needed.
I know sometimes it feels weird to keep promoting your business when some things in the world weigh us down. In truth you are supporting in the ways you can until called in another way.
So this is my encouragement that your resistance may not feel like enough but it is resistance none the less.
I’m currently offering a FREE Strategy Session. BOOK HERE!
Next newsletter, we are doing a deep dive into:
Instagram Trial Reels Resource Library
Top 4 Types of Reels for Instagram
Why everyone complicates viral content
Every thought is creating your reality, make sure you love what you are creating.
Leslie Lyon
p.s. If you enjoyed this, let me know.
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