Good Content with Shannon McKinstrie

Episode: Start Selling on Social Media without Feeling Salesy
Host: Shannon McKinstrie
Date: January 27, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Shannon McKinstrie tackles a major barrier many entrepreneurs face: selling on social media without feeling sleazy or overly “salesy.” Drawing from her own journey as a self-titled “terrible salesperson,” Shannon shares actionable methods to genuinely, confidently, and effectively sell through platforms, focusing especially on Instagram. The show is conversational, honest, and peppered with Shannon’s humorous, relatable storytelling—making sales strategies sound easy and authentic.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Shannon’s Relatable Sales Struggles

• Self-admitted “bad salesperson”: Shannon opens by revealing her aversion to selling, describing herself as sweaty, clammy, and awkward whenever she tries to pitch her services.
  • “I am the worst salesman of all time. I do not like selling. In fact, I hate it.” (03:30)
• She prefers buying over selling, even at full price, and credits her people-pleasing tendencies.

2. Accidentally Discovering Authentic Selling

• Early in her business, Shannon greatly underpriced herself due to low sales confidence.
• The real breakthrough came with Snapchat and, later, Instagram Stories, where she documented her day-to-day activities.
  • Simply sharing her excitement, wins, and processes led to DMs from people wanting to buy her services—without any formal selling.
  • “I found that just simply sharing what I’m passionate about was leading to sales.” (11:57)
• Letting people see her authentic work and energy was naturally magnetic.

3. The Three-Story “Sandwich Method” for Instagram

• Shannon’s go-to approach: a daily, low-pressure routine that builds relationships and gently introduces sales.
  • 1. Greet & Connect: Start by sharing what she’s up to today; light and personal.
  • 2. Conversion Moment: Subtly introduce something to check out—could be a product, her email list, podcast, etc.
  • 3. Carry On: Conclude by taking viewers along with the rest of her day, keeping things casual and real.
• This method is “viral” for her, highly shareable, and feels doable for her audience.
  • “Pinned to the top is a post that says the first three Instagram stories to share every day… people love it, right?” (17:32)
• She rarely “sells” in her posts, preferring stories and email for most promotions.

4. Scaling Up: The “Big Mac” Method for Higher Ticket Offers

• For more expensive or commitment-heavy offers (ex: memberships, high-ticket services), the three stories become a “Big Mac”: add more “meaty” sales stories between the “buns.”
  • Layered Approach:
    1. Intro & Product/Offer Reveal
    2. Testimonials & Proof
    3. Share the “Why” (heart and story behind the offer)
  • “I start with going, here’s the thing. Hi, guys. Here’s the reels lab. Here’s what it’s all about… Next story, testimonials... Third, bring it on home with the come to Jesus moment where you go, I’m gonna level with you. You need this, right?” (26:01)
• Mirrors long-form sales pages or email sequences, but in Instagram Stories.

5. Show Your Passion—That’s What Sells

• Sincerity and genuine excitement matter more than pushy tactics.
  • “What I do do, do, do... is tell y’all how much I freaking love what I’ve created... and guess what happens? That gets sales.” (31:10)
• Sharing the “heart” behind what you do—why you created it, how it’s impacted others—is often more effective than a slick funnel.

6. Platform-Specific Selling Tips

• Instagram is Shannon’s main selling platform, but the story-based, heartfelt method works on TikTok, LinkedIn, etc.
  • Use other platforms primarily to funnel people to where you sell best.
    • “Wherever you make the most money... use Instagram, Pinterest, whatever, to drive people to that money making platform.” (38:42)
• She offers that even on other platforms, you can share quick, in-the-moment stories and wins to spark interest.

7. Real Audience Success

• Shannon shares that a client sold nearly $3,000 worth of a $37 product—just by applying this informal “story-sell” approach.
  • “I have a client who just made almost $3,000 on a $37 product from her Instagram stories the other day, all because she did this.” (34:41)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• The Power of Documentation:
  “That’s how you sell. You just document what you’re doing. You let people into your store. You let them in.” (10:52)

• On Not “Hard Selling”:
  “I would never hard sell like this email is doing. So I’m like, my people will know this is not me. Like, it’s so gross and sleazy.” (15:45)

• On Consumer Differences:
  “Remember, we’re all different types of consumers. Some of us need weeks to decide. We need major sales. We have 1 million questions... I’m not one of those people. But we always have to prepare for those people.” (21:34)

• Empowerment for Listeners:
  “Just know that if you just talk about why you love what you do and what you sell... the heart behind what you do is what’s going to sell, in my opinion, even more than a funnel ever could.” (46:42)

Key Timestamps

• 00:00 – 04:00: Lighthearted intro & Shannon’s sales anxiety confessions
• 04:40 – 13:00: Origin story—Instagram Stories & natural selling journey
• 17:20 – 21:00: The three-story “sandwich method” breakdown
• 23:50 – 29:00: Scaling sales stories for bigger offers (“Big Mac” method)
• 31:00 – 36:00: Authentic excitement, testimonials, and the “heart behind the sale”
• 38:20 – 41:15: Cross-platform selling advice; driving traffic to your “money” platform
• 44:20 – End: Empowering story about a client’s success and Shannon’s closing encouragement

Tone & Takeaway

Shannon is warm, approachable, occasionally self-deprecating, and always conversational—making this episode feel like advice from a trusted friend over wine or coffee. Her methods cut the overwhelm and awkwardness of social selling, focusing instead on organic enthusiasm and transparent communication. For anyone wanting to “sell without being salesy,” Shannon offers not just tactics, but permission to be yourself and to let your passion do the heavy lifting.

Practical Challenge for Listeners

• Try Shannon’s “Instagram Big Mac Challenge”:
  Start your day with three Instagram Stories—connect, convert, carry on—and layer in more “meaty” content as you share testimonials and your genuine “why.”
• Focus on documenting and sharing, not pushing.
• Funnel your audience to the platforms where you’re best at selling.

For fellow “bad salespeople,” Shannon proves you don’t need to be a smooth talker to make real money on social media. You just need good content—and a little heart.