How to Transition From Small Talk to Sales Talk (with real examples)
Why Selling by Chat can change everything for you...
Here's the cold truth...
Most business owners are still:
Booking “discovery calls”
Running bloated funnels
Burning cash on ads
Wondering why leads ghost after “Sounds interesting!”
Meanwhile…
Smart founders (FlowMakers) are closing deals through simple conversations on social media.
No pressure.
No fake urgency.
No calendar ping-pong.
Just focused on using the Sell By Chat® methodology.
And once you learn how to move naturally from small talk to sales talk, you’ll never look at funnels the same way again.
Let’s break it down...
Why Small Talk Is Where Sales Are Won (or Lost)
Small talk isn’t fluff.
It’s the trust layer.
Rush past it, and you trigger defenses.
Stay stuck in it, and nothing converts.
The skill isn’t talking more.
It’s transitioning cleanly.
Think of it like gears...
Small talk = first gear
Sales talk = third gear
You don’t skip gears without grinding the engine.
Step 1:
Build Trust Before You Sell
This happens before the DM ever starts.
Most people try to sell immediately.
That’s the mistake.
Instead, your content should show:
Your process, not just results
Your personality, not just expertise
Your values, not just value props
The goal?
Break the invisible barrier between “online business account” and “real human.”
When trust is built publicly, sales happen privately.
Step 2:
Source Qualified Opportunities Daily
Waiting for inbound is slow.
Flow beats hope.
Every day, check:
New followers with business links in bio
Story views from accounts matching your ICP
Comments that show real engagement
Message requests hiding in your filtered folder
These aren’t cold leads.
They’re warm attention signals.
You’re not interrupting.
You’re continuing a conversation.
Step 3:
Open With Personalization (Not Templates)
Templates kill replies.
Context creates them.
❌ Bad opener:
“Hey! Love what you’re doing.”
✅ Better:
“Appreciate you checking out the CRM post, Sarah.
Noticed you run a local med spa.
Are you here for the content or actively trying to grow the business?”
Why this works:
Uses their name
References a real action
Shows you noticed
Ends with a binary question
Binary questions move conversations forward.
Always.
Doing this follows the 2nd rule (of 3) for DM Copywriting -
Rule #2: End EVERY DM with a question - preferably one that you (and your propsect) already know the answer to)
Step 4:
Use the A-B Method to Qualify (Without Pressure)
Now we shift gears... smoothly.
Ask three questions:
Point A - Where are things now?
“What’s the business currently doing monthly?”
Point B - Where do you want to be?
“Where do you want this to be in 12 months?”
The Gap - What’s in the way?
“What’s the biggest thing stopping that right now?”
What this does:
Creates contrast
Builds urgency naturally
Lets them articulate the problem
No pitching required yet.
They sell themselves first.
Step 5:
Make the Offer in Rapid Succession
Speed matters here.
Once qualified, don’t stall.
Send messages back-to-back:
“Alright, here’s what I’ve got—two options.”
“Either way, the goal is [specific outcome].”
“You’ll hit that within 90 days or your money back.”
“This is me teaching you the frameworks behind Selling By Chat.”
“Want me to send the full breakdown?”
Then immediately send the details.
Momentum is fragile.
Protect it.
Step 6:
Follow Up (Yes, Shamelessly)
Time kills deals.
Most sales happen within 24 hours of the conversation starting.
If they go quiet:
30 minutes → Like one of their messages
60 minutes → “Get my note?”
Next day → Send a GIF
Then follow up at:
24 hours
3 days
7 days
14 days
21 days
This isn’t spam.
This is professional persistence.
People are busy.
You’re allowed to remind them.
Why Selling By Chat Works
Traditional funnels:
Treat everyone the same
Require budget
Create pressure
Depend on calls
Chat-based selling:
Is personalized
Requires effort, not ads
Feels conversational
Scales with all CRM systems like GHL, Salesforce, Hubspot, Pipedrive, etc...
People don’t want to be sold.
They want to be understood.
Chat lets you do that...
...one message at a time.
Final Thought
The barrier to entry is low.
The skill ceiling is high.
That’s why most people won’t do this well.
But if you commit to:
Showing up consistently
Reading context
Respecting timing
Following up like a pro
You won’t need more leads.
You’ll need more time.
Happy Selling!
-sean 🔥🕺
P.S. Funnels optimize traffic. Conversations optimize trust.
If you can master both, but lead with chat, you win the long game.
If you'd like the full breakdown of the Sell by Chat® framework, or want to learn about DM Sales Systems, here's a couple great resources:
https://www.flowchat.com/sell-by-chat
https://www.flowchat.com/dm-sales-system
