Why your highest-engagement content is secretly hurting your pipeline
You’re getting votes, likes, and replies… but your calendar’s still empty. Here’s why...
Alex stood in the restroom at Austin's Central Library, watching a perfectly choreographed dance of frustration unfold at the paper towel dispensers.
A woman waved frantically under the sensor, muttering, “come on, come on,” as water dripped from her hands.
Another woman stepped out of a stall and jumped in to help.
“Try waving slower,” she said. “These things only work if you move slow and steady.”
The first woman gave it a shot and bam… out came a towel.
“Oh my God, thank you! I was about to wipe my hands on my pants. How did you know that?”
“Trial and error,” the woman laughed. “I work in this building. The one by the door works best from the side. The middle one? Gotta go straight under.”
What started as a paper towel struggle turned into a 5-minute chat about downtown jobs, lunch spots, and how hard it is to keep it together when tech acts up.
Alex watched it happen again and again during her short visit. A teenage girl helped an older woman figure out the soap dispenser. Two men swapped tips about those faucets that cut off too fast.
Same pattern each time… someone shared a tip, others added their own, and people ended up connecting… just by solving small problems together.
On her way out, Alex checked her phone.
Her latest LinkedIn poll had 312 responses to: “What’s your biggest challenge with getting consistent clients?”
🔹 "Finding leads"
🔹 "Converting conversations"
🔹 "Pricing confidence"
But as she scrolled, her excitement dropped.
She had tons of votes… but zero new DM convos.
The Poll Response Graveyard
That night, Alex looked through her LinkedIn stats and had to face it… this had been going on for a while.
Her polls were getting responses. Lots of them.
But her DMs? Crickets.
She realized she’d been treating polls like just another engagement number. She’d post, feel good about the clicks, then move on.
No messages. No follow-ups. No sales calls.
The Poll-to-DM Discovery
So Alex tried something new.
Instead of getting excited about poll votes and letting them die, she picked one and messaged the person.
A follower named Marcie had voted “Converting conversations.”
🔹 Alex sent this:
“Hey Marcie! Saw you picked ‘converting conversations’ as your main client challenge right now. You’re not alone for sure! That was the second most popular answer. Wondering… what usually happens when you’re talking to someone who seems interested, but it doesn’t ever go anywhere?”
🔹 Two hours later, a reply from came back:
“OMG yes! People say ‘this sounds great,’ but then ghost me. I don’t get what I’m doing wrong.”
They chatted for 20 minutes.
Three days later, Marcie booked a call.
All from a poll vote.
The Poll Response Framework
That moment in the restroom led to my full system Alex now uses for poll replies:
1️⃣ Step 1: The Specific Acknowledgment
Call out exactly what they picked. Show them you noticed.
“Saw you voted ‘pricing confidence’ in the poll…”
2️⃣ Step 2: The Solidarity Statement
Let them know they’re not alone and /or relate in some other way.
“You’re definitely not the only one struggling with that… 50 other people picked that exact same response.”
3️⃣ Step 3: The Natural Question
Ask something based on what they picked…. a pain point that someone who picked it is likely to be having.
“What’s been the hardest part about figuring out your pricing?”
Your Poll-to-Conversation Implementation Guide
Here’s how to start turning poll votes into booked calls:
1️⃣ Step 1: Review Your Poll History
Find your last 5 polls. Look for people who picked serious pain points.
2️⃣ Step 2: Create Response Templates
Write 3–5 short messages for each poll option using real language your audience uses.
3️⃣ Step 3: Start Strategic Outreach
Message 5–10 people a day. Focus on the ones who seem like great fits.
4️⃣ Step 4: Track Response Patterns
See which poll options get the best replies.
5️⃣ Step 5: Build Natural Follow-Up Content
Start creating content, free assets and offers around those popular poll options.
6️⃣ Step 6: Test Different Timing
Try messaging right after someone votes, or wait a day. See what works better.
7️⃣ Step 7: Scale What Works
Focus on the polls and messages that lead to kept calls.
From Sensors to Sales
Two months in, Alex was seeing something new. Her polls weren’t just getting clicks… they were filling her DMs with qualified leads.
She stopped seeing poll results as just stats… and started seeing them as signals.
As a result… poll responses became one of Alex’ best lead sources.
When someone votes in your poll, they’re not just clicking a button.
They’re telling you what they need… when they need it.
The only question left is… are you gonna say something back?
Today’s Mega-Prompt: "Never Waste a Poll Again"
They voted. You got the engagement.
Now what?
Most coaches drop the ball right after the poll ends… leaving these warmed-up leads to cool off. This mega-prompt fixes that.
Paid members get:
✔ Two custom-built sentences for every poll response:
→ 1 short opener that feels personal, not automated
→ 1 follow-up question that gets them talking.
✔ Messages that feel like conversations, not campaigns
✔ DM language that fits your platform and voice