We have a love-hate relationship with Instagram, don’t we? One minute we love the ‘Gram because a post goes viral. The next minute we’ll hate it because we’ve put all this effort in planning out our posts for the week, with the perfect wedding photos and curated caption, only to get a handful of likes and comments from robots.

Instagram can feel like a never-ending hamster wheel. Maybe you’ve been posting consistently and struggling to see leads sliding into your DMs like most marketing gurus say they will. 

The truth is, if you’re only focusing on posting pictures with one-word captions like “Timeless”, it’s time to switch things up.

It doesn’t matter how great your content is if it isn’t generating sales. So instead of focusing on trying to beat the algorithm, here’s how to focus on closing more clients: 

Show Up!!  

You must be consistently posting to Instagram so people know what they can expect from you and when. But trust me when I say, you DON’T have to post seven days a week. In fact, Instagram doesn’t operate that way anymore because Instagram cares more about quality content than quantity.

You might be working so hard to make pretty posts that make your feed look cohesive but you’re not actually connecting with new couples to book your services.

Make a plan you can stick to and stick to it!!  My suggestion is to post at least 3x/week with at least one of those posts being reels. 

Reels are Instagram’s hottest new feature that gives anyone the power to go viral — aka grow your audience and find more couples eager to book! 

Be Social!!  

Don’t post and ghost! Aka when you make a post on Instagram and aren’t available for engaging with others afterward.

Instagram is now focused on cultivating community. You can have the greatest content in the world but if you aren’t interacting with other accounts, it’s as if you’re only having a one-way conversation with your audience.

Plus if you expect people to go out of their way to give love to and engage with your content, wouldn’t you want to return the favor?

Some ways to engage include responding to comments, DMs, commenting on other people’s posts, and responding to their stories.

Speaking of responding to stories, that leads me to my next point. 

Create Reasons to Start a DM with Someone  

The money is in the DMs friends. 90% of the time you will make the ultimate conversion in the DM.

Sure, they may have found your account through hashtags and liked a couple of your posts. But unless you can actually get into a conversation with your followers, they will never lead into a sale.

Don’t get me wrong, we want to stay authentic with our followers right? We don’t want to be pushy or in their faces about booking you for services. However, for couples that need your services, you want them to know how you can help!

Instagram stickers are the magical tool Instagram gives us to bridge the gap between the feed and the DMs.

Do a poll on your story, ask a question, create a THIS or THAT.  Anything that gets your followers to engage so you can respond and start a conversation!!

Have an FAQ Link Handy 

Alright, so you’re knee-deep in a conversation with a bride. She saw the Saturday morning set up at your most recent wedding with rose acrylic decor and she is blown away!

Conveniently enough, she’s getting married next year and is looking for a vendor like you. Perfect!!

To look professional, and save some time, have a link you can send your bride to answer all her burning questions. That way when you’re out and about, you can quickly respond to DMs on the go and give your bride the answers she needs!

For a quick glance at my FAQ link, click here.

Use an Online Scheduler

Alright, things are getting serious and there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.  You’re hitting a point in the conversation where she wants to chat more. Woohoo!!!

Let’s make the process super easy for her and make it simple to schedule a call with you.

Having a link like Acuity, Calendly, or the built-in one like in Honeybook, is crucial. That way, you can send a quick link for an engaged follower to set up a consultation with you without having to go through your full contact form.  

They schedule a call right away. You get a lead in the door. And you get to take the conversation from there!

Let’s Make Instagram Fun Again and Join the Book More Weddings Summit! 

The moment you care less about the perfect curated grid and more on connecting with actual humans across the screen, it becomes much easier to grow your Instagram and close more sales.

Which one of these tips will you start implementing in your Insta marketing game?

Also as a side note, I’m speaking on this exact same topic at the Book More Weddings Summit from May 17th-May 21. 
This totally free event features 25+ amazing speakers who are ready to teach you how to attract more of your ideal clients and book more weddings. Who doesn’t want that?

Make sure to grab your free ticket and I’ll see you there!