you're performing CPR on dead leads
(they flatlined six hours ago)
The paramedic slammed the gurney through the ER doors at 2:47 AM.
The patient, a 52-year-old man with crushing chest pain, had called 911 eighteen minutes earlier.
Those 18 minutes? They meant the difference between a stent placement and a triple bypass.
In cardiac medicine, there’s a phrase: “Time is muscle.”
Every minute the heart goes without blood flow, tissue dies. You don’t get that tissue back.
The window for intervention isn’t measured in days. It’s measured in minutes.
Your DM funnel operates on the same principle.
Someone comments on your post.
Someone DMs you directly.
Someone fills out your application after downloading a lead magnet.
All three are hot signals. All three start the same clock. And all three feed into the same conversation strategy.
The prospect who submits an application at 2:47 PM is telling you something: “I’m ready to talk.”
That signal is no different than the person who comments “I need this” on your Reel or slides into your DMs asking about your program.
Same urgency. Same half-life. Same conversation strategy once you respond.
You respond at 6 PM? The urgency died at 3:15.
You respond the next morning? They forgot why they reached out.
Time is conversion. And right now, you’re performing CPR on leads that flatlined six hours ago... whether they came through an app or a DM.
Today, I’m sharing the 3 strategic shifts that plug the leaks in your DM funnel... specifically the application-to-call gap that most coaches ignore while perfecting their content:
Why response time determines show rates more than message quality
The warming conversation that makes no-shows nearly impossible
How to respond in 5 minutes without living inside your inbox
Let’s stop the bleeding...
Sponsored by The Revenue Recovery People
You’ve had 200+ happy clients over the years.
How many of them have you talked to in the last 90 days?
If the answer is close to zero, you’re sitting on a goldmine of repeat revenue and letting it collect dust.
Calculate exactly how much you’re losing here → seemymissedrevenue.com
3 Strategic Shifts That Plug The Leaks In Your DM Funnel
Your DM strategy probably looks something like this:
Content brings them in.
Comments and DMs warm them up.
An application or booking link converts them.
A call closes them.
Most coaches obsess over the content. Some get good at the initial DM conversation.
Almost nobody thinks about what happens AFTER someone fills out an application or books a call. That’s where 50-70% of your qualified leads disappear.
The application isn’t the end of your DM conversation. It’s the middle.
And the conversation you have between “application submitted” and “call completed” determines whether they show up ready to buy... or don’t show up at all.
Here’s what changes when you treat every step of your DM funnel with the same intentionality:
1️⃣ From “Application Received” to “Conversation Continued”
You’ve done the hard work. Your content got their attention. Your DM conversation moved them forward.
They filled out your application, which means they trust you enough to share real information about their situation. And then... you treat that moment completely differently than you treated the DM conversation that got them there.
It’s 2:30 PM on a Tuesday. Your phone buzzes... new application. You’re on a client call.
You tell yourself you’ll respond when the call ends.
The call runs over. You grab coffee. You check Slack. At 5:47 PM, you finally open the application and type out a reply.
By then, your applicant has checked their phone 14 times wondering if you even got their submission. That emotional urgency they felt when they hit “submit”? Gone.
They’ve already told themselves maybe this isn’t the right time anyway.
❌ Before: “Hey! Saw your application come through. Let’s book a time to chat. Here’s my calendar: [link]”
✅ After (ACT Method):
A: “Just saw your application, loved what you said about hitting a plateau after losing the first 20 pounds.”
C: “That’s the exact wall most women hit around month 3. The tactics that got them started stop working, and nobody told them why.”
T: “Quick question, are you tracking macros right now, or more intuitive eating?”
Here’s how to implement this:
1️⃣ Push notifications, not email: Move application notifications from email to push. You actually see them. Set up Zapier or Make to send you a text or Slack ping the moment an application comes in. Treat it like a phone call... you wouldn’t let it ring for 6 hours.
2️⃣ Text replacement shortcuts: Build 5-7 keyboard shortcuts for common application types. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. Type “;app1” and it expands to your full Acknowledge message. You can respond in 30 seconds even from your phone.
3️⃣ Reference something specific: Your first mwssage mentions ONE specific thing from their application. Not “saw your app” but “saw what you said about [their exact words].” This proves you read it. It takes 10 extra seconds and doubles your reply rate.
Response in <5 minutes = 80%+ reply rate.
Response in 6+ hours = 30% reply rate.
Same message. Same offer. Completely different outcome.
2️⃣ From “Book the Call” to “Warm Before the Call”
You get an application, you’re excited, you immediately send your calendar link.
They book for Thursday.
You show up Thursday ready to change their life.
They don’t show up at all.
You send a reschedule link. Crickets.
You follow up the next day. Nothing.
The person who seemed so eager 72 hours ago has completely vanished.
They booked when hot. The call happened when cold. You gave them 72 hours of dead air to talk themselves out of it.
❌ Before: 1-2 message DM conversation → Application → “Here’s my calendar” → Hope they show up
✅ After: 3-5 message DM conversation → Application or Calendar Link → Pre-call nurture sequence → They show up warmed and ready to buy
Here’s the pre-call nurture sequence:
1️⃣ Immediately after booking: “Perfect! Got you down for Thursday at 2. Quick question before then: What’s the #1 thing you want to walk away with from our call?”
2️⃣ 24 hours before: “Looking forward to tomorrow! I’ve been thinking about your situation with [specific challenge from application]. Question: What have you already tried that didn’t work? Want to have the right resource available when we talk.”
3️⃣ 2 hours before: “We’re on for 2 PM today. Here’s the link: [link]. I’ve got notes on your [challenge] ready. See you soon.”
Each message does three things:
-confirms the appointment
-references their specific situation
-gives them a reason to reply.
They’re not just on your calendar anymore... they’re in a conversation with you. That conversation creates commitment.
Coaches who add a pre-call nurture sequence report 50%+ drops in no-show rates. Same leads. Same calendar. Completely different results.
3️⃣ From “Response When Convenient” to “Response as Conversion Event”
It’s 11 PM. You’re finally done with client work. You open your inbox and see 3 applications from earlier today. You think: “I’ll respond first thing tomorrow. Fresh energy. Better responses.”
Those 3 applicants have each spent the last 6+ hours wondering if their application even went through.
The story they tell themselves in those hours of silence is almost never good for you.
❌ Before: Applications accumulate → Batch process when convenient → Respond 6-24 hours later
✅ After: Application = starting gun → Immediate acknowledgment → Full response within 5 minutes
Here’s how to make this possible:
1️⃣ The “I see you” instant: Even if you can’t have a full conversation right now, acknowledge immediately. “Just saw this, reading through now. More in a few minutes.” This takes 10 seconds and buys you 30 minutes of grace period.
2️⃣ Notification triage system: Set application notifications to bypass Do Not Disturb. On iPhone: Settings > Notifications > [your form app] > Time Sensitive. Your podcast notifications can wait. Application notifications are money walking in the door.
3️⃣ Template library with variables: Build templates with blanks you fill in. “Just saw your application, loved what you said about [BLANK]. That’s exactly what I help [BLANK] solve. Quick question: [BLANK]?” You’re not writing from scratch. You’re filling in three blanks. Takes 45 seconds.
Stop treating applications like emails. Start treating them like phone calls. You wouldn’t let a phone ring for 6 hours. Stop letting applications sit for 6 hours.
That’s it. Here’s what you learned today:
Move application notifications from email to push, so you actually see them and respond before the urgency dies
DM first, calendar link second... warm them before booking so they show up ready instead of cold
Pre-call nurture messages reduce no-shows by 50%+, and each touchpoint references their specific situation
Your DM strategy doesn’t end when they fill out an application pr book a call. These are additional conversation checkpoint. Treat it like one.
Check your last 10 applications.
How many did you DM within 5 minutes? That number predicts your show rate.
Ready to plug the leak in your DM funnel?
You’ve got the content working. You’ve got the initial DM conversation down.
The leak is in the middle... between “application submitted” and “call completed.”
Today’s paid member mega-prompt builds the missing section of your DM funnel, customized to your specific application, platform, and audience.
Paid members get:
Complete response template library using the ACT Method, personalized to your niche
Pre-call nurture sequence with message templates for every touchpoint
No-show recovery protocol to rescue calls that get missed
Push notification setup guide for your specific platform
