On this page
Most small businesses post, wait and hope. A social selling routine flips that around: you go to where your buyers already are, join their conversations, and earn the right to start one of your own.
This one takes twenty minutes a day. It works on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and it costs nothing but attention.
Why twenty minutes a day beats a free afternoon
Relationships are built on frequency, not intensity. Twenty focused minutes every working day puts you in front of the same people several times a week, which is what makes your name familiar by the time they need what you sell. A three hour session once a fortnight does not.
The social selling routine, minute by minute
Do these in order. The first two warm people up; the last three turn that warmth into conversations.
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Check your watch list (5 minutes)
Keep a list of 20 to 50 people you would love to work with, plus the people they listen to. Open each profile you have not visited this week and see what they have posted.
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Comment with substance (5 minutes)
Leave three or four comments that add something: a question, a related experience, a useful number. "Great post!" does nothing for anyone. Two or three sentences is plenty.
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Start two conversations (5 minutes)
Send two direct messages to people who have engaged with you, or whose posts you have commented on before. Mention something specific. Do not pitch.
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Follow up (3 minutes)
Reply to everyone who answered yesterday. Conversations that turn into work usually take a few exchanges, and most people give up after one.
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Log it (2 minutes)
Write down how many comments you left, conversations you started and replies you got. You cannot improve what you do not count.
What to say in the first message
The first message has one job: to get a reply. Keep it short, make it about them, and end with a question that is easy to answer.
Hi Sarah, I saw your post about juggling school runs with client deadlines. The bit about batching admin on a Friday really stuck with me. Has that held up now term has started?Track it for four weeks
A simple table like this is all you need. After a month you will know which platform, and which kind of conversation, actually brings in enquiries. Before you start, make sure your profile is ready for the visits this sends your way: these Instagram bio fixes take ten minutes.
Week | Comments left | Conversations started | Replies | Enquiries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Week 1 | ||||
Week 2 | ||||
Week 3 | ||||
Week 4 |
Your daily checklist
Tick these off as you go. The ticks are saved in your browser, so you can come back to this page each morning.
Common questions
Which platform should I start with?
The one where your buyers already spend time, and where you are comfortable showing up every day. For business to business services that is usually LinkedIn. For local and consumer businesses it is usually Instagram or Facebook. Pick one for the first month.
What if nobody replies?
Replies are slow at first because people do not know you yet. Keep commenting on the same people for two or three weeks before you message them, and make your opening question easier to answer.
Is this the same as cold messaging?
No. Cold messaging is contacting strangers with an offer. Social selling warms the relationship first, through comments and genuine conversation, so that by the time you talk about work it feels like a natural next step.
How long before it brings in work?
It depends on your market and your offer. Judge the first month on conversations started, and the second on enquiries. The people who get results are the ones who keep doing it every working day.
Want help building your watch list?
Book a free review. We will look at your profile and your market with you, and you will leave with one clear next step.