If you’re not getting sales right now, it’s probably not because you need to post more. Most people don’t need more content… they need better stories. Stories that actually start conversations inside your DMs.

In this blog, I’m breaking down the exact way I’ve taken people from watching my stories to replying… to messaging… to becoming paying clients. No sales calls. No weird scripts. Just intentional stories that spark real connection and lead to real sales.

Quick intro (so you know who’s talking)

My name is Lisbeth Graham, and I’m a Messaging & Sales Strategist for Mission Led Women. Since 2023, I’ve helped over a dozen women confidently sell inside the DMs without feeling salesy or awkward.

And I’m not teaching this from theory.

I signed 12 clients in a year, and every single one came through DMs, no discovery calls required. The biggest reason that happened? My stories created leads, which created conversations, which created clients.

The season that forced me to simplify everything

Let me give you the real context, because this didn’t happen overnight.

In March 2024, my husband deployed for eight months. I was solo parenting, homeschooling three kids, and still working part-time. I didn’t have a “village.” I was the village… or I had to pay for one.

And I knew I couldn’t build a business that depended on sales calls. An hour-long call when kids are home all day? Not happening. Paying someone to keep my kids quiet for a possible call? Nope.

So I simplified my business down to one main skill:

Starting conversations.

That meant I had to get really good at:

• engaging with my audience daily
• learning what they were struggling with
• moving people from story views → story replies → DM conversations

And here’s the part that matters: I started this in March… but I didn’t sign my first client until August 2024. That’s five months.

Most people quit after two months because they’re not seeing results yet. But once my first client came, it turned into steady momentum: new clients month after month.

Burn the Script: why this works

We burn the script over here.

This isn’t about having the perfect “line” to say. It’s about sharing your intention, sharing your journey, and letting people see you, because no script can copy your energy, your story, or your heart for what you do.

Yes, you can have good questions (and I teach those too). But questions alone aren’t the magic.

Execution is the magic.
How you show up. How you listen. How you respond like a real person.

The Stories Playbook: 3 story types that take people from stories to clients

There are three types of stories you want to rotate through if you want stories that create conversations and sales:

1. Market Research Stories
2. Story Selling Sequences
3. Offer Stories

Let’s break each one down.

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1) Market Research Stories (one question a day)

Market research in stories should be simple. I recommend one question per day because I’m assuming you’re busy. Kids, work, life… you don’t need complicated.

Here’s the mindset shift:

Every reply and every engagement is a lead.
Not a “buyer.” Not someone you have to pitch. Just a lead, someone raising their hand to interact with you.

And remember: we do not cold pitch.
We use the DMs to get to know people and learn what they actually need.

Easy market research story ideas

Use any of these formats:

• Poll: “What’s the hardest part about getting clients right now?”
• Fill-in-the-blank: “The hardest part about ______ is ______.”
• A/B choice: “What do you want more help with—A or B?”
• Tap to vote: “Tap here if you’re struggling with ______.”
• Swipe bar: “How confident do you feel about your DMs right now?”

And one of my favorite “sneaky” ways?

If someone taps and says it was an accident, you can still turn it into a conversation.

You can say something like:
“LOL I do that too. Quick question though, when it comes to ______, what’s been hardest for you lately?”

The goal is simple: start conversations.

Why your first story should be engaging

I learned this from Shannon McKinstrie—and you can check her out here: https://www.instagram.com/shannonmckinstrie/

She teaches that your first story should be engaging, because most people only watch a few stories before clicking out. That hit me, because… same. If your first slide is interactive, people stick around longer.

And you can even ask your audience directly:

• “How many stories do you usually watch?”
  • 1–3
  • 5–10
  • all of them

That’s engagement and market research.

Important reminder: you are not for everybody

Not every person who taps or votes is meant to become a client. Some people are simply giving you data. That’s still valuable.

So when someone engages, follow up like a human and get curious:

• “What have you tried so far?”
• “If this was solved, what would change for you?”
• “What would the ‘win’ look like here?”

Those questions build connection and build your confidence in the DMs.

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2) Story Selling Sequences (3–5 slides max)

Next is your story selling sequence.

This is where you’re not just asking questions, you’re actually selling. And yes… you need to sell daily.

Not in a spammy way. Not in a “buy now or else” way. But in a consistent, normal way that reminds people you have an offer and you can help.

A selling sequence can be:

• a talking head (quick video of you explaining)
• a graphic with clear text
• B-roll (behind the scenes with text overlay)

Keep it tight. People’s attention spans are short, and we don’t want to over-explain.

The 5 things to include in a selling story

Here’s the exact framework:

• 1) The problem
  “If you’re struggling with ______, this is for you.”
• 2) The reframe
  “It’s not that you need more scripts… it’s that you need a better conversation flow.”
  (This is where my “Burn the Script” message fits.)
• 3) A micro tip
  Give a small “what” or “why.” They pay for the full “how.”
• 4) Proof
  A personal win, a client win, a result, a screenshot, a story.
• 5) A call to action
  “Reply here.” “Tap here.” “Click the link.” “DM me ‘DMs’.”

If you want more leads, this is how you do it. Stories are a fast way to build connection without needing people to book calls or sit through a long funnel.

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3) Offer Stories (ask for the sale clearly)

Finally: offer stories.

This is where you’re direct. You ask for the sale. You tell people what the offer is, who it’s for, and what it helps them do.

You can keep it super simple:

• “If you want help with ______, this is exactly what we do inside ______.”
• “Tap here to join.”
• “Reply ‘INFO’ and I’ll send details.”

And yes, your offer story can include multiple calls to action. A link, a reply, a tap… it’s okay.

Because this is a business. We’re not here to whisper about what we sell.

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Your homework (implementation week)

I want you to actually do this, not just save it and forget it.

Here’s your homework for the week:

• 1) Post one market research story
  Ask one simple question.
• 2) DM three people who engage
  Start small if you need to. Even “Thank you for engaging—seriously, it helps so much” is a perfect opener.
• 3) Copy and paste what they say
  Create a “copy mining blueprint” (aka a place where you keep their exact words). Those words become your hooks, your content, your messaging, and your offers.

Then come back and tell me: what did you learn about your audience?

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Next steps

🔥 Spark the Conversation Challenge (Free)

https://lisbethgraham.co/freechallenge

🧡 My Membership

https://lisbethgraham.co/thephoenixexperience