SUMMARY

Tom Hyder outlines an Instagram profile funnel system that nurtures leads for info products and agencies, enabling clients to scale to $50k–$100k monthly through optimized profiles, targeted ads, and appointment setting.

STATEMENTS

• The Instagram profile visit funnel drives clients past $50k–$100k monthly revenue by nurturing warm leads via low-friction ads that encourage follows, not direct calls.
• Traditional funnels like VSLs and DMs face high costs and low trust, as prospects recognize sales tactics, leading to cold leads and no-shows.
• Optimizing the Instagram profile as the "destination" is crucial; poor profiles waste ad spend by failing to attract and retain the ideal customer profile (ICP).
• Profile elements like a clear face photo, ICP-specific bio with CTA and YouTube link, highlight reels of results, a "start here" story page, and pinned posts build multiple trust touchpoints.
• Appointment setters engage new followers, likes, and story views through conversations uncovering pain points and goals, positioning the offer as the solution.
• Story sequences with hard CTAs (e.g., limited spots) and soft CTAs (e.g., free training) prompt DMs, which setters convert into booked calls using pre-handling workflows.
• Between booking and the sales call, automated sequences like emails and YouTube videos nurture leads by addressing objections and FAQs.
• Ads are set up as manual traffic campaigns targeting Instagram placements, with broad interests like entrepreneurship, a $20–$30 daily budget, and testing every 5–7 days for qualified follows.
• Closing requires trained closers or the founder to achieve 30–50% rates, supported by strong follow-up systems.
• The funnel's success hinges on the optimized profile, proactive appointment setting, and robust closing, more than ads alone.

IDEAS

• Low-friction "follow" ads outperform high-commitment CTAs by building gradual trust, extending the sales cycle but yielding warmer, ready-to-buy prospects.
• Redirecting from Instagram bio to a YouTube VSL mimics in-person exposure, as Google's study shows seven hours of content consumption is needed for purchase decisions.
• Appointment setters act as conversational nurturers, sifting through engagement signals like follows and story views to personalize outreach and pre-qualify leads.
• Hard CTAs in stories create urgency with scarcity (e.g., "three spots left"), while soft CTAs distribute free value to cast a wider net for less qualified but numerous responses.
• The "start here" story highlight functions as a visual VSL, condensing personal backstory, testimonials, and transformations to accelerate trust-building.
• Pinned posts balance authority (system overviews), specificity (YouTube redirects), and authenticity (personal results) to humanize the seller beyond mere outcomes.
• Pre-handling workflows in DMs proactively send objection-handling content, turning potential hurdles into seamless progression toward booking.
• Automated "hammer them" email sequences between booking and call time reinforce value by tackling common FAQs, reducing drop-offs.
• Manual ad targeting with broad interests like "entrepreneurship" and age-specific demographics ensures reach without over-narrowing, while Instagram-only placements maximize platform relevance.
• Testing ad creatives every $200 spent prevents sunk costs, allowing quick pivots to attract truly qualified followers aligned with the ICP.

INSIGHTS

• Trust in digital sales erodes with overt tactics, so embedding nurturing into passive profile interactions fosters organic buy-in, transforming followers into self-selecting buyers over time.
• The profile's role as a multi-touchpoint ecosystem reveals how fragmented content consumption—reels, stories, bios—compounds to replicate deep relational bonds, essential for high-ticket conversions.
• Appointment setting reimagines outreach as empathetic dialogue, not pushy sales, by mirroring human connection to uncover latent motivations and align solutions precisely.
• Scarcity-driven CTAs exploit psychological urgency, but pairing them with value-first soft approaches balances conversion volume with lead quality, optimizing funnel efficiency.
• Inter-call nurturing underscores that sales friction peaks in the waiting period; automated, objection-preempting content acts as a silent closer, bridging intent to action.
• Ad simplicity—manual controls over AI—empowers creators to refine ICP targeting iteratively, highlighting how platform-specific focus (Instagram over Facebook) amplifies relevance in a crowded digital space.

QUOTES

• "The issue with VSSL and most funnels is people know already, right? A lot of prospects don't have too much trust. So, they know you're trying to book them in for a sales call."
• "Google said that typically takes around seven hours of consuming content or being with someone... to get someone to buy your thing."
• "Results are good, but if they don't buy into you as a person, then it's cooked."
• "You've got to get as many bits of content and as much nurturing in between that time."
• "The most important thing, yes the ads are important, but it's the optimized profile, the appointment setting and the closing system."

HABITS

• Regularly review and update Instagram profile elements like bio, highlights, and pinned posts to ensure alignment with ICP and ongoing trust-building.
• Train appointment setters by having them consume your YouTube videos to internalize offer language and conversational style before outreach.
• Post two story sequences weekly—one hard CTA for urgency, one soft for value—to consistently drive DM engagement without overwhelming followers.
• Test ad campaigns every 5–7 days, analyzing follower quality after $200 spend to iterate creatives and targeting promptly.
• Implement daily monitoring of new follows, likes, and story views to initiate personalized conversations, positioning the offer early in interactions.

FACTS

• Tom's clients have collectively amassed over $4 million in cash from high-ticket deals using this funnel.
• Cost per call in traditional funnels has skyrocketed due to prospect awareness of sales tactics, leading to frequent no-shows.
• Google's study indicates it takes about seven hours of content exposure or interaction for someone to commit to a purchase.
• Effective ad testing gauges success after 5–7 days or $200 spend, focusing on qualified follower acquisition.
• Closing rates above 30–50% are achievable with trained closers and robust follow-up in high-ticket info businesses.

REFERENCES

• Google study on content consumption time for purchases.
• Jeremy Haynes's "hammer them" email sequence for inter-call nurturing.
• YouTube as a platform for VSLs, testimonials, and authority-building content.
• Meta Ads Manager for setting up traffic campaigns.

HOW TO APPLY

• Optimize your Instagram profile by selecting a clear face photo, crafting a bio that specifies what you do, who you help, includes a CTA like "DM for info," and links to a YouTube VSL showcasing your system and testimonials.
• Create highlight reels and a "start here" story page featuring results, personal backstory, and transformations to provide multiple visual touchpoints for building trust.
• Pin three posts: one for authority on your system with YouTube redirect, one authentic overview of your journey and results, and one reinforcing personal connection to encourage buy-in.
• Hire and train appointment setters by having them watch your YouTube content, then instruct them to engage new followers via DMs, probing pain points and goals while positioning the call as the next logical step.
• Develop story sequences: post a hard CTA twice weekly (e.g., "DM 'SPOT' for last three mentorship openings") and a soft one (e.g., "Free training link—DM 'FREE'"), using responses to send pre-handling videos.
• Set up nurturing between booking and call by automating "hammer them" emails addressing FAQs and objections, supplemented by targeted YouTube sends.
• Launch ads in Meta Ads Manager as a manual traffic campaign to your Instagram page, budgeting $20–$30 daily, targeting broad interests like entrepreneurship for ages 21–35 in key locations like US/UK, and selecting only Instagram placements.

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Build trust through an optimized Instagram profile funnel to nurture warm leads for scalable $100k/month info businesses.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Prioritize profile optimization over ad spend, as a compelling destination converts traffic into engaged followers ready for deeper nurturing.
• Integrate YouTube redirects early to leverage long-form content for the seven-hour trust threshold, bypassing Instagram's short-form limitations.
• Use appointment setters for proactive, pain-focused DM outreach to warm cold signals like follows into qualified bookings efficiently.
• Balance hard and soft story CTAs to mix urgency with accessibility, maximizing DM volume while filtering for intent.
• Automate inter-call nurturing with objection-handling sequences to minimize drop-offs and boost closing rates to 30–50%.

MEMO

In the competitive arena of digital entrepreneurship, Tom Hyder has engineered a funnel that propels info-product creators and agency owners beyond the $100,000 monthly threshold. Drawing from his clients' collective $4 million in high-ticket revenue, Hyder demystifies the Instagram profile visit system—a low-friction alternative to overt sales tactics like video sales letters (VSLs) or direct DM pitches. Where traditional funnels falter amid rising costs and skeptical prospects, this approach extends the sales cycle deliberately, warming leads through passive engagement until they're primed to buy.

At its core lies the optimized Instagram profile, which Hyder deems the "destination" more vital than the ads funneling traffic there. A crisp headshot establishes authority, while the bio laser-focuses on the ideal customer profile (ICP)—say, overwhelmed moms seeking parenting wisdom—with a clear call-to-action and a subtle redirect to YouTube. This link leads to a video sales letter unpacking the offer, testimonials, and expertise, echoing Google's insight that seven hours of exposure builds purchase trust. Supplementary elements amplify touchpoints: highlight reels flaunt tangible results, a "start here" story narrates the creator's transformation, and pinned posts blend system breakdowns, authenticity, and YouTube nudges to humanize the seller.

Nurturing escalates via appointment setters who scour new follows, likes, and story views for conversational entry points. Trained on the creator's content, these intermediaries probe pains and aspirations, dispatching pre-handling videos to defuse objections in real time. Story sequences punctuate the feed—hard CTAs tout scarcity ("three spots left—DM now"), soft ones offer free value like trainings—to spark DMs. Between booking and the call, automated "hammer them" emails tackle FAQs, ensuring momentum. Hyder stresses closing prowess, advocating trained closers for 30–50% rates over founder-led efforts alone.

Ads, kept simple in Meta's manager, target Instagram feeds and stories with $20–$30 daily budgets, broad interests like entrepreneurship, and ICP demographics (e.g., 21–35 in the US/UK). Manual controls sidestep AI pitfalls, with tests every five to seven days weeding out underperformers. Ultimately, Hyder's blueprint underscores a truth: ads ignite the spark, but a fortified profile, vigilant engagement, and airtight closing fan it into scalable revenue—inviting creators to book consultations or follow for tailored implementation.