Sell By Chat is Killing Your Soul (And Your Business)
The Dirty Secret Behind Those "DM Me" Posts
TLDR: Sell by chat isn't having a sales conversation in chat. It's manipulation, plain and simple. And it's killing your authenticity.
Look, we need to talk about this "sell by chat" BS infiltrating every corner of social media.
You know what I mean: "Want my SECRET SAUCE for 10x-ing your business? DM 'GIMME' to unlock! 🔥"
GIMMIE a break...
Real Chat Sales vs. Sell By Chat
Real chat sales? Someone slides into your DMs because they trust you. They've been watching. Learning. They're ready to talk business.
It's natural. It’s organic. It’s their choice.
Sell by chat? You're the digital equivalent of that mall kiosk worker chasing people down with perfume samples.
We’ve all been duped by a bullshit sales scheme before. Here’s a recent time I got caught slippin’:
Landing in Puerto Vallarta, I got offered a "free" breakfast and Uber ride. Sounds sweet, right?
Plot twist: I ended up trapped in a 90-minute timeshare pitch in some remote hotel. No escape. No warning. Just straight manipulation.
That's sell by chat in the real world.
Why It's Toxic
Sell by chat:
Turns every interaction into a transaction
Kills trust before it can grow
Makes you that person everyone avoids at parties
Think about it: If you're always selling, when are you actually helping?
What’s worse, it’ll feel like it’s working initially, but everyone wises up to it eventually. You will burn through your audience trust over time.
The Right Way to Build Your Sales Pipeline
Let people learn from you for free. No strings attached. No DM walls. Give them your content for free.
Why? Because trust is your real currency.
Here's how I structure it:
Create value consistently. Every. Single. Day.
Share your wins and losses
Share your “secrets”. (they aren’t)
Share your lessons
Share everything.
Let time do its thing. The right prospects will reach out when they're ready. Not when your funnel says they should be.
Run focused "collection" campaigns quarterly. This is where you can actually sell - but do it with intention:
"March Madness: 50% off for new clients who start this month"
"Summer Sprint: Lock in annual rates before our September increase"
"End of Year Special: Start 2026 strong with our December enrollment bonus"
See the difference? You're not manipulating attention. You're creating genuine opportunities.
I learned this running my gym. The members who came in through hard-sell tactics rarely stayed. But the ones who watched us for months, learned from our content, then made the choice to join organically? They became our biggest advocates.
Your audience isn't stupid. They know when they're being played. Give them the respect of choosing their own timing.
Trust me - your conversion rates (and your conscience) will thank you.
Want more unfiltered thoughts on building real value? Follow along. No DM required. 😉