What have you tried so far? What hasn't worked for you? What's been the hardest part? Or what would you want instead of what you've got right now? Have you ever looked at your social media and thought, how are all these businesses posting constantly and somehow still turning it into clients? Or maybe you've wondered, am I supposed to be posting more? Or am I missing something bigger here? If you've ever felt that tension, you're not alone. Welcome to Social Media marketing for small businesses. I'm your host, Cheyenne Clayman, a social media strategist, conversation marketing expert, and co-founder of a human-first lead generation agency. And here's the truth most people will not tell you about social media growth. It's not about posting more. It's not about chasing trends. And it's definitely not about spending hours trying to beat the algorithm. The businesses that grow today are the ones that turn visibility into conversations and conversations into clients. And that's exactly what we're going talk about here. Each week, I'll show you very actionable steps of how to simplify your marketing, attract better clients, and build a conversation-based system that actually converts, all without burnout, without spammy tactics, and without feeling like you're constantly selling. So if you're ready to make social media feel lighter, smarter, and far more profitable, you're in the right place. Now, let's dive in together. Are you ready to get a bit uncomfortable? Let's talk about the moment that most people avoid. You know someone is interested in your offers, right? They've watched, they've engaged, they've replied on your social media like someone just did to mine. And now you're staring at your phone thinking, what do I even say? So you get stuck there and then you just don't say anything, right? Or you send something that feels a bit icky, a bit forced, right? Well, today, all of that stops. All of that is about to change because today on this podcast episode of social media marketing for small businesses, we are going to fix that. Let's get to it, boss. So let's get really real. Let's really paint the real picture here of the real problem, right? The issue isn't that you don't know what to say, right? It's not that it's, it's that you just, you think you need to say something maybe a bit impressive, right? And I promise you, you don't, you don't, you don't need to have this like perfectly beautiful marketed or AI version of yourself to move forward You need to just say something that real So first and foremost I want to remind you that it is about the conversation that converts So many people come to my podcast or hit my DMS even and they ask me the question of Cheyenne, how can I create content that converts? But the thing is that model is old school. That model in 2026 has expired. And there's a few reasons for that, right? Well, for one, ever since the pandemic, ever since COVID, right? So many businesses and so many people have taken their business online. So online is overly saturated with content and also with offers. So you no longer stand out just by having content. Now this isn't an anti-content charade, right? I do believe that you need to show up on social media, but it's beyond showing up, right? you want to look at your content as being a bit of like a lure, a bit of like the perfect bait on that lure on your fishing pole. But once you hook someone, what draws them in, what actually makes them a catch that you get to put in your bucket and take home as in making them a client is a conversation, especially with AI becoming more and more the norm. When you actually have a real authentic conversation with someone, that is what's going to stand out. Now that may make you, you know, get a little hot under the collar, right? Conversations often make people feel a little bit like public speaking makes people feel right. Makes them feel like they want to throw up or they get a little nervous. Well, I want to make this all super easy and very simple for you. Okay. So three conversation starters that I want you to write down. If you're a note taker, do it. If you're not a note taker, still do it anyways, because you're going to want to take notes on this. Okay. So three simple ways to just start a conversation and who are you going to start a conversation with? These are the people that are taking notice to your content, right? These are the people clicking on your content, giving you a thumbs up, giving you likes, responding to your stories. Those people are your warm leads, right? So those kinds of people, you can say something that starts with a bit of, this is your first bullet point, curiosity-based. You can say something, hey, what made you click on that? You're literally asking them a question and putting the ball in their court, right? You're showing interest. Number two, second bullet point would be context-based, right? Hey, I saw you were looking at this. What are you working on right now, right? No matter what industry you're in, you can start a conversation based on that. And it's not weird because they were looking at your content and you know because so many different social platforms give you analytics that tell you that Now the third one the third bullet point is reflection right So you can say something like that post seemed to resonate with you What part stood out most, right? So that's for someone who especially interacted a little more deeply. Maybe they wrote a comment under your post or responded to a story. That shows also that you care more than just about the number. And they're not just some random audience member. You see them as a person and you want to know more about them. Now, this all comes with no scripts, no pressure. Just basically, you got to look at them as little entry points, right? Now, one thing that people often tell me that they get a little scared to do is how to keep a conversation going, right? It's almost like with dating. Sometimes people do really great at starting conversations, but it's like, how do you keep it going? How do you keep the interest there? Well, remember, your job is not to sell immediately. If you enter a conversation that way, I guarantee you're either going to say the wrong thing or it's just going to fizzle out because you're either going to push the person away or you're just going to lose the actual meaning behind the conversation or what it is you're supposed to be doing. Your job when you start a conversation with someone on social media is to understand, listen, and guide. That's it. Understand, listen, and guide. Maybe it's time that you took your approach a little differently. Maybe you look at it more of not so much as how do I continue this conversation, but how can I ask better questions? You know who taught me this very well was my husband, Kim. He's been, he had his background, his career has been being a teacher to high school students. Now he doesn't do that anymore, but he would tell me that he rarely ever showed up with a lesson plan. And that made me want to throw up. I'm like, wait, what do you mean? You went into a room of teenagers without having anything planned? Like what about the curriculum? And he said that with anyone, but especially teenagers, it's not about having the perfect planner that say in this, for instance, the perfect conversation planned out. It's all about asking the right questions or asking better questions. So what about this? Another bullet points for you to write down. What have you tried so far? What hasn't worked for you? What's been the hardest part or what would you want instead of what you've got right now? All of these questions are pretty open-ended. They're not yes or no questions, right? They're conversation starters. And you just ask these questions and then sit back and watch your ideal clients bloom watch them listen for them allow them to speak That how trust builds Now how do you know right How do you know when to shift to your offer right You don want to force it Okay Something that's really key here is that you want to listen for certain clues, right? That's when you know when it's time to bring up what you do and what you're an expert in. You want to listen for things that show or exhibit frustration or desire or just a readiness to begin, right? When you get one of these flags, so to say, then you say, hey, do you want help with this? And remember, that's when you step back and you listen. Let your person respond. Now, all of this that I'm talking about, I keep in my head. I'm just getting more pumped up and excited and I want to give you so much more, but we would be on here for hours. And so what I did with all of this knowledge and trying to teach you about, you know, how do you start these conversations? How do you continue? How do you transition? How do you close? Well, I put that all inside my signature course called conversations that convert because exactly that's what it's about. It's not about content. It's about conversations. So you have an exact flow of how to do all of this and with who and when. So you're never guessing. So if you've been avoiding your DMs, this is where things change. This is where I want you to double down on the right things and start focusing on the right things to build your business and to move it forward. If you'd like more information about how you can apply this to your own business, go check out the link in my bio and get more information about conversations that convert. I just want to remind you that you are fully capable of doing this. God has equipped you with absolutely everything that you need to move your business forward. You do not need better scripts. Ultimately, you just need better conversations and to have better conversations, you just have to start. It's been such an honor being here with you on this episode of social media marketing for small businesses. If this episode blew your skirt up, as my dad says, or if it made you think a little bit deeper and gave you something to work on, please go ahead and tell me, head on over to Apple podcasts and leave me a quick review. I also love hearing from all of my listeners. So please go ahead and either tag me in a story or write in my DMS at the homeschooling mompreneur, and I will be sure to get back to you. Definitely tune in and lean into the upcoming episode that I've got for you. It's going to be all about the simple pathway that turns interest into sales. That's going to be on the next episode of social media marketing for small businesses. I look forward to seeing you there. Thank you.
