This post is Part 1 of “The ManyChat Series for Coaches: More Clients, Less Tech Stress.” 

A 5-part guide to using Instagram DMs for growth, connection + sales — without burnout or overthinking it. 

If you’ve ever found yourself saying…

“I’ve got a freebie but no one’s signing up.” 

“People message me but never follow through.” 

“I want to automate more but tech overwhelms me.”

You’re not alone — and you’re definitely not doing anything wrong.

The truth is, most coaches are missing out on a powerful funnel that’s already at their fingertips.

It’s inside your Instagram DMs. And with the help of ManyChat, it can handle everything from freebie delivery to client bookings automatically, simply, and in a way that still feels personal.

Let’s walk through the funnel you didn’t know you needed.

Your funnel starts with a reason for someone to enter and your freebie is perfect for this.

Inside ManyChat, you can set up a trigger that activates when someone:

- Comments a keyword on a post (e.g. “DM me CLARITY for the guide”)

- Sends you a DM with that word

- Taps a button on your Story or link in bio

Your flow then:

- Delivers the freebie immediately 

- Tags them for tracking or segmentation 

- Starts the nurture journey, all without you needing to do a thing

✨ Pro tip: Tie your freebie to your main offer (e.g. a mindset workbook before selling 1:1 coaching) to create a seamless journey.

Now that they have the freebie, you don’t want the trail to go cold.

Your ManyChat flow can include a short sequence that:

- Introduces who you are.

- Adds extra value or a quick tip. 

- Asks a question to keep the conversation going. 

- Offers a low-pressure invite to your community or email list.

All of this happens in the DMs and because it’s set up in advance, it’s happening without you needing to manually reply to everyone.

It builds trust, shows off your expertise, and keeps the momentum going.

This is where things get smart.

Ask a simple question like:

“What’s your biggest focus right now?” 

a) Finding clients 

b) Launching a new offer 

c) Getting organised behind the scenes

Based on their choice, your ManyChat flow can:

- Tag them.

- Send a tailored follow-up message.

- Add their answers to a Google Sheet.

- Trigger a new sequence or prompt a live reply from you.

This means you’re not just building a funnel, you’re building data. And that’s gold when it comes to nurturing and selling in a way that feels aligned.

Here’s where your DM funnel becomes client-generating.

After providing value and building connection, you can:

- Invite them to book a discovery or strategy call. 

- Qualify them with a few short questions. 

- Link to your calendar (whatever scheduling tool you use). 

- Set clear expectations for what the call includes.

No back-and-forth. No wasted time. Just the right people booking at the right time.

ManyChat’s Broadcast feature lets you send DM updates to people who’ve interacted with you, just like email marketing, but in the DMs.

You can use it to:

- Share a new freebie, blog post, or launch date. 

- Remind someone their call is coming up. 

- Offer a flash bonus during a promo.

- Reconnect with warm leads during a quiet season.

Because you’ve segmented your audience, your messages are relevant, welcomed, and highly likely to be seen.

Let’s face it, coaching is personal. And people want to feel seen and supported before they invest.

This funnel:

- Builds that trust.

- Helps you show up consistently (without being always-on). 

- Moves people from “just found you” to “ready to work with you”.

- Saves time and mental energy by automating what can be automated.

It’s simple, scalable, and smart and you don’t have to be techy to set it up.

You don’t need to start from scratch.

Inside ManyChat: Simplified, I’ll show you:

- Which flows to create (and what to say).

- How to connect with your systems (like Google Sheets, your scheduler + email tool). 

- How to keep your DMs personal, aligned, and high-converting

If you want to build a funnel that brings in leads, nurtures them, and gets you booked, without the tech headache...

Next up in this series: Part 2 — “5 Smart Ways to Use Instagram DM Automation in Your Coaching Business”