Social Media Prospecting and Appointment Setting

Using a structured approach for Prospecting and Appointment Setting on Instagram and Facebook helps publishers efficiently identify, connect with, and engage local businesses to schedule meetings and build relationships that support magazine growth.

Account Setup:

Before starting outreach, ensure that all account requirements are in place to maximize credibility and message delivery.

• Corporate support
  • Corporate office will contact you during virtual training to assist with IG & FB account setup.
  • Publishers use their personal Facebook page to access the Business Facebook page (This does NOT grant Corporate access to your personal page).
  • Corporate will link the business Instagram to the business facebook page.
• A business account ensures your messages appear in the main inbox of potential clients
  • Personal accounts may cause messages to land in spam or message requests.
• Add a profile picture and short bio introducing yourself and your role.
  • This adds a personal touch, builds credibility, and helps businesses feel confident responding

Prospecting on Instagram

• Consider all potential industries for outreach, such as plumbing, HVAC, interior design, yoga studios, and more.

  Hashtags to Search on Instagram

  • Combine your community name with the industry you want to target.

    Repeat hashtag searches for variations in industry terms

    • Example: #KCRealty, #KCHome, #KCRealestate

Adjust the below for your respective market!

• #kcsmallbusiness
• #kcsmallbiz
• #kcbusiness
• #kansascitybusiness
• #kclocal
• #localkc
• #kansascitylocal
• #kclocalbusiness
• #kclocaleats
• #kclocallove
• #shoplocalkc
• #eatlocalkc
• #shopsmallkc
• #kcentrepreneur
• #supportlocalkc
• Click on business accounts from the results
  • Follow the account and send a message using the Instagram scripts
  • Quickly move on to the next account, don't get stuck on the page
• Leverage Competitor Accounts
  • Identify competitors in your community
  • Review the accounts they follow.
  • Follow and message these businesses as they are already active in your target market, using your outreach scripts
• Use the Chamber of Commerce Account
  • Businesses following the Chamber are often actively involved in the community.
  • Find your local Chamber’s Instagram account
  • Review the list of businesses they follow and following the Chamber
  • Reach out using messaging that references their Chamber affiliation to create a warmer lead

Prospecting on Facebook

• Use the same search logic from IG to look up businesses
• Like the business pages and a handful of posts
• Do not linger on pages, this way you can get through move volume
• Posting to Facebook Groups
  • Use templates to engage with the local community and request recommendations for top businesses
• Appointment Setting Scripts for Facebook
  • Use personalized messaging to connect with business owners or marketing contacts and request meetings

Appointment Setting Scripts for Instagram

• Hello! I’m [Insert Name] and I’m expanding a hyper-local luxury magazine to [Insert Location] this (next season). My magazine is mailed directly to the most affluent and influential residents in town. I’d love to meet with you, learn more about your business, and see if we’d be a good fit. What do you have available this week?
• Hi there! My name is [Insert Name]. I’m expanding a hyper-local luxury magazine to [Insert Location] this next [Insert season]. My magazine is directly mailed to the most affluent and influential residents in the area. I’d love to meet with you, learn more about your business, and see if we’d be a good fit for one another. Do you have any availability next week?
• Hey, how’s it going? My name's [Insert Name] and I’m expanding a hyper-local luxury magazine in [Insert Location] this next [Insert season]. My magazine is mailed directly to the most affluent and influential residents in the area. I’d love to meet with you, learn more about your business, and see if we’d be a good fit for each other. What do you have available later this week?

Posts to Facebook Groups

• I am the owner of a luxury magazine expanding here in [Insert City] this [Insert Season]. I’m looking to partner with a(n) [Insert Industry] in the area to feature for our readers. My question is - Who is a top business in this area that you trust and would recommend, and why? 
• Who's the best local [Insert Industry] & [Insert Industry] in the area? I own a luxury magazine expanding in [Insert City] and would love to feature these local businesses! Local, experienced, and best-in-class, only, please! Tell me about your experience!

• Me again! I own a luxury magazine expanding into [Insert Industry] this [Insert Season]. I’m looking to feature some businesses in these industries…experienced, and best-in-class only!

  [Insert Industry]

  [Insert Industry]

  [Insert Industry] 

• You all have been so helpful with me finding a great [Insert Industry] to partner with, & I’m hoping you can give me your feedback on these, too!

  [Insert Industry]

  [Insert Industry] 

Appointment Setting Scripts for Facebook

• I came across your page today & you [Insert compliments: do beautiful work, seem like you're targeting high-end customers, are a highly recommended business in our town, etc.] I think we're people who should get to know each other! I'm [Insert Name], the owner of [Insert City] Lifestyle, a luxury community magazine that's expanding into the community and is direct-mailed to affluent homes in [Insert City]. I would love to meet with you and properly introduce myself! Is there a good time on Wednesday or Thursday for you? If it's easier, my availability can be viewed here. [Insert Link to Calendar]
• I’ve been following your business for some time now. [Insert personal context: My kids love your food, My mom gets her hair done here, My neighbor had their kitchen remodeled by you, I drove by your truck yesterday, etc.] I'm [Insert Name], the owner of  [Insert City] Lifestyle, & I’m hoping you can help me out. I’m looking to connect with the person who handles marketing for the company. We have some opportunities that you may be a good fit for - published articles as well as advertising partnerships & digital promotions on our website and social media platforms. Who would be the best person for me to contact? Thanks so much for your help!
• I was looking for a great [Insert Industry] and [Insert Name] recommended you on a Facebook group I am a part of. I'm [Insert Name], the owner of  [Insert City] Lifestyle, & I partner with only the best-in-class businesses in our town. It seems you’re on that list, so I want to connect with you this week to get to know a bit more about what makes you folks special. Would you be available to sit down on Thursday or Friday this week?

Best Practices

• Keep messages professional and friendly.
• Track outreach for follow-ups
• Prospecting is a numbers game
  • Higher volume leads to more meetings
  • Send approximately 150 messages to schedule 8 meetings.
• Be creative with hashtags and industries to expand your reach.

How to Avoid Being Flagged as Spam

Social media platforms are designed to protect users from high-volume, repetitive, and unsolicited messages. Your goal is to behave like a real, engaged community member, not a bot. Violating these rules can get your messages hidden or your account temporarily (or permanently) blocked.

• Personalize Every Single Message This is the most important rule. Spam filters are triggered by identical, copy-pasted text.
  • DON'T: Copy-paste the same script 50 times.
  • DO: Use the script as a template, but manually add a unique, specific detail for each business. This proves you are a human who has actually looked at their page.

Bad Example (Generic): "I came across your page today & you do beautiful work."

Good Example (Personalized): "I came across your page today & that kitchen remodel you posted on Tuesday was stunning—I loved the blue-gray island!"

• Warm Up Your Account (Especially New Accounts) A brand new account that immediately sends 100 DMs is a massive red flag. You must build a "trust score" with the platform.
  • First 1-2 Weeks: Focus on organic activity. Follow local accounts, like posts, and leave a few genuine comments.
  • Limit Initial DMs: Send no more than 15-20 DMs per day for the first two weeks.
  • Gradual Increase: Slowly increase your volume week by week (e.g., 20/day, then 30/day, then 40/day) as long as you are getting positive responses.
• Pace Your Outreach (Volume and Speed) "Prospecting is a numbers game," but you cannot play the whole game in one hour.
  • Spread Messages Out: Do not send all your messages in one rapid-fire session. It's safer to send 10 messages every hour than 50 messages in 10 minutes.
  • Heed Daily Limits: While platforms don't publish exact numbers, a safe starting range for an established account is 50-75 DMs per day.
  • A-Warning-on-the-150-Message-Benchmark: The goal of "150 messages to schedule 8 meetings" is a long-term ratio, not a daily target. Hitting 150 DMs in one day is highly likely to get your account flagged. It is much safer to send 50 messages a day for three days.
• Engage First, Message Second Warm up the lead before you send the DM. This signals to the algorithm that a connection is being made before the message is sent.
  • Your New Workflow:

1. Go to the business's profile.
2. Like 3-5 of their recent posts.
3. Leave one genuine, non-spammy comment (e.g., "This is beautiful work!").
4. Then, send your personalized DM.

• Vary Your Script Templates You are already provided with multiple scripts. Use them. Do not use the same exact one every time. Rotate between them and, as mentioned in rule #1, personalize them every time.
• Hold the Link (At First) Links in an initial "cold" message can be a trigger for spam filters.
  • Consider this: Your first message's only goal is to get a positive reply (e.g., "I'm interested," "Tell me more," "What time?").
  • Once they reply, you are in a "conversation," and sending your calendar link is much safer.
  • Try This: Remove "[Insert Link to Calendar]" from your initial Facebook script. When they reply with interest, say: "Great! You can grab a time that works best for you here: [Insert Link]."
• Respect Facebook Group Rules
  • Check the Rules: Many groups ban self-promotion. Your scripts are cleverly worded as "seeking recommendations," which is smart, but you should still check the group's rules.
  • Don't Spam Groups: Do not post the same message in 10 different groups at the same time. Space out your posts and re-word them slightly for each group.