Threads is amazing for visibility, but I’m going to keep it 100 with you: visibility doesn’t pay the bills.

Visibility can make you feel like you’re “doing something,” because you’re getting replies, your posts are moving, and you’re meeting new people.

But if you don’t have a simple way to turn those replies into real DM conversations (and eventually sales), Threads can quickly become another place where you’re active… without being profitable.

This blog is for the mission-led service-based business owner who wants to use Threads the right way: start conversations there, move people into Instagram DMs for connection, nurture without scripts or sleaze, and close when the timing is actually right.

If we haven’t met yet, my name is Lisbeth Graham and I’m a messaging and sales strategist for mission-led service-based business owners. Since 2023, I’ve helped over a dozen women sell confidently inside of the DMs without scripts or awkward “salesy” tactics.

I’m not interested in turning you into a robot, giving you lines that don’t sound like you, or teaching you to spend all day on social media.

I’m here for friction-free, forward-moving methods that respect your time, your boundaries, and your real life.

Burn the script. Build the connection. Then sell like a normal human.

Why Threads works for visibility (but not always for conversions)

Threads is one of the easiest platforms right now to build visibility because it rewards conversation.

People reply, threads stack, and your words get in front of new eyeballs quickly, especially when your content is clear about what you do and who it’s for.

The platform makes it simple to start talking to your ideal client, and it also makes it easier to test your messaging in real time because the feedback loop is fast.

You’ll know quickly if your content is calling in the right people because the right people will respond with the right kinds of problems.

But here’s the part most people miss: visibility is only the first job. The second job is relationship.

And for most of us, relationship is built best in a space where people can actually see you, feel your vibe, and learn your values.

That’s why I treat Threads as the place where conversations begin, not the place where everything has to happen. Threads is where I start the conversation. Instagram is where I nurture, especially through Stories and DMs, because it allows more depth, more context, and more trust-building without forcing it.

The simple rhythm: Threads → Instagram → DMs → Close (when it’s time)

This is the rhythm I want you to remember: use Threads to find your people and start conversations, then move those people into Instagram where you can nurture them through Stories and DM connection.

When you understand your audience and you know what to listen for, you’ll also know when the timing is right to transition from “just chatting” into “here’s how I can help.”

That timing matters, dude. If you talk to someone once a month, there is no reason you should be trying to sell them by month two.

That’s not strategy, that’s pressure.

And I want you to hear me clearly: you do not need to be online all day to do this.

I have three homeschooled kids, a husband who works, a part-time job, and this business.

I’m not sitting on my phone for hours, but I am consistent.

The difference is I rely on a simple strategy and a rhythm for engagement instead of random posting and hoping.

When you have a rhythm, the whole thing becomes lighter. You stop performing, you stop panicking, and you start connecting.

Step 1: Use Threads intentionally to find your target audience

The first step is using Threads for what it’s best at: visibility and discovery.

Stay on the “For You” page and look for your people.

Engage with posts where your target audience is already talking about the exact problems you solve.

Reply to the people who are asking questions that your offer answers. Comment in a way that feels natural, helpful, and specific because specificity is what makes people curious about you.

You’re also looking for those people you’re not already connected with (the ones without the plus sign), because this is how you expand your reach without overcomplicating anything.

If you want to make this even easier, use keywords in the Threads search bar.

Type in the words related to what you do and what your people want, sales, DMs, leads, messaging, content, conversions, coaching, services, burnout, then read the posts and look for the people who are actively raising their hand.

Threads gives you a front-row seat into what people are struggling with right now.

The mistake is using Threads like a stage instead of a search tool. Use it like a search tool first.

Now, quick reality check: if you don’t know your target audience yet, you’re going to struggle here because you won’t know what to search for, what to respond to, or what to listen for.

That’s exactly why I created the Spark the Conversation Challenge.

It’s a five-day challenge hosted on Circle where you spend 20 minutes a day for five days getting clear on your audience through research, connection, and real questions.

By the end, you’ll have your own copy-mining blueprint, your audience’s exact words, their pain points, what they’ve tried, what they want, and how to turn that into messaging that actually lands.

Step 2: Bridge the connection over to Instagram without being weird

Once you find someone on Threads you know you can help, the next step is simple: engage with them on Threads, then follow them on Instagram if they’re active there.

And when you get there, do not go in for the pitch. I’m not going in for the kill, bruh.

I’m going in for conversation.

People can feel when you’re only there to extract a sale, and in 2026 trust is low and alertness is high.

That means your job is to be real, be normal, and build trust like you actually care.

Here’s a framework that makes this feel easy: every connection becomes one of three things

– a connector, a client, or a conversation (research).

When you hold that mindset, you stop trying to force every interaction into a sale. You can just show up, learn, and connect.

If they have Stories, respond to a Story. If they don’t have Stories, check for posts. If they’re not active on Instagram at all (no Stories, no posts, nothing in 30+ days), don’t waste your energy trying to nurture someone where they don’t even show up.

Stick to Threads, because that’s where they’re active.

Step 3: Start DM conversations that feel natural, not scripted

When you start DM conversations, keep it simple. The best openers are not the stiff ones like, “How long have you been in business?” (Please don’t do that.)

The best openers are about something real you noticed. Kids, food, something in the background, a tiny detail that proves you’re paying attention.

If you see something relatable, like a Christmas tree still up in February, message them and laugh about it.

If you notice something interesting like cycle tracking on a calendar, ask a question and share your own experience. That’s connection. That’s human.

That’s trust-building without trying too hard.

And if you’re an introvert, this matters even more. Be authentic. Be honest. Don’t be surface. Nobody wants surface.

Whether you’re introverted or extroverted, people want to feel like you actually meant the message you sent, not like you copied and pasted it from some script.

Burn the script. Keep it real.

Step 4: Nurture consistently, track your leads, and close when the timing is right

Selling in the DMs isn’t about pressure. It’s about consistency and timing.

You have to nurture, and you have to follow up, because people rarely buy the first time they see you.

It can take dozens of touch points before someone is ready especially right now when people are cautious and budgets are tight.

That doesn’t mean you beg. It means you show effort. It means you track your conversations.

Create an outreach tracker in Notion, ClickUp, or even a basic spreadsheet so you remember who you talked to, what you talked about, and when you last checked in.

And while you’re nurturing, don’t hide what you sell.

One of the biggest reasons people don’t buy is because they literally don’t know what you offer.

This is why I’m big on Stories and the “first three Stories” rhythm: ask a marketing question (engagement), share a testimonial (proof), and include a call to action (clarity).

If I don’t know what you sell, I can’t buy it. If you never talk about it, I’m never going to know.

Why I recommend Instagram DMs over Threads DMs

Threads DMs are still new, and most people who’ve been on Threads for a while don’t check them.

I don’t check mine. I personally don’t want Threads to become another Instagram where people are getting cold-pitched nonstop.

A lot of users are on Threads to connect, not to be sold to in their inbox.

So my recommendation is simple: use Threads to start conversations and build visibility, then move people to Instagram where the DM culture is established, Stories exist, and nurturing feels more natural.

Your homework for the week (implementation > information)

This week, I want you to find three people on Threads who match your audience and connect with them.

Start the conversation on Threads, then bring them into Instagram DMs and begin nurturing in a way that feels normal and easy.

If you don’t know your audience, take the Spark the Conversation Challenge first so you’re not guessing who to reach out to or what to say. Then create a simple outreach tracker so you can stay consistent.

Once you do it, I want you to comment and tell me: how did it feel to reach out to three aligned people without freezing up or overthinking?

That’s how you turn visibility into sales without being online all day by using a rhythm, honoring the relationship, and showing up like a real person who actually cares.

Ready to take massive action? Join The Phoenix Experience Membership before the price goes up March 1st, 2026 from $47/mos to $97/mos