Why This Simple Sales Move Outperforms Social Media Marketing

Nobody's going to expect you to make a call today... so delight them!

Congratulations on being in sales!

Not only can a sales career take you anywhere, but it can save you from the most dangerous advice ever given to small businesses and entrepreneurs:

That you have to ‘post content’ every day online to succeed.

In fact, the exact opposite is true.

Successful salespeople today don’t worry about ‘what to post today.’ They know that 90% of sales success involves your sphere of influence. And all of your sphere of influence will gladly pick up a call from you.

Can you hear me now? © 2019 Matthew Ferrara

No need to fight the algorithm or bust the marketing budget, when three conversations with your greatest source of new, repeat, and referral business can be done in an hour, using the same device in your hand that’s begging you to “make content.”

Do the math: 3 conversations a day; 15 a week; 60 a month; 720 a year.
You’ll never lack for business with that kind of outreach.

And you’ll never have to wrack your brains, generate AI-slop, or twerk your way into algorithmic-fame ever (again?).

Because: You’re a salesperson. Not a content creator.

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We’ve All Been Duped

Here’s the TL;DR for the next few paragraphs: Even if I wrote the best article in the world today, less than half of my direct email newsletter readers will read it. And if I posted it on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, less than 1% will ever see it.

In other words: content isn’t king. It never has been; and it never will be. Because social media isn’t what was promised to you. (You can skip down to “Meanwhile…” if you like.)

Here’s the long version: Social media content is cheap currency, increasingly not worth the trading cost. The only people getting rich on content are people with enough money to promote it already (paying thousands to make marginally more thousands, at scale). Plus a few “internet influencers” promising how to do this very thing, and social media platforms themselves.

The rest of us are getting something else: Burned out.

I’ll offer the first mea culpa.

Twenty years ago, when social media was new, I fell for the trick and even recommended it to clients. “Put your people into the system, and it will help you reach them every day!” It seemed like a great idea at the time: easier than “mail merge” to make labels and less expensive than costly email platforms. Add in the slot-machine feedback loop of likes and comments, and we all got hooked.

All we had to do was make content.

Then came the enshittification of social media platforms (read the book or watch the video below). Algorithms, advertisers, and now AI have ruined the promise of having “social influence.” Your content is now buried - deeply - under a deluge of ads, AI-slop, and paid promotions.

Whether it’s a promoted celebrity or AI-generated cat videos,
you don’t stand a chance.

Just Make More Content!

The internet content-hucksters know the end is near.

To continue their grift, the secret-elixir-folks recommend you make more content, every day, all day, endlessly, to fix the problem.

Except for two things:

AI can make more content every nanosecond. And making content all day means you won’t be selling.

Besides, what do you believe you can do to be found amongst

• X (Twitter): 6.5 billion posts published daily

• Instagram: 100 million photos and videos uploaded daily

• TikTok: Over 34 million videos uploaded daily

• Facebook: Over 300 million photos daily and 510,000 comments every minute.

Recent data reveals the truth:

In 2026 so far, approximately 4% of active content creators earned more than $100,000 annually. This small segment represents the "professional" class of the creator economy, while the vast majority (roughly 96%) earn less than this threshold, with many making under $1,000 per year. (Gemini)

Now, you might say, as a real estate salesperson, you’re not making money on social media because housing sales happen offline.

Maybe. But every business activity has a cost. And I don’t mean just money.

How burned out have you become trying to make content every day?

Meanwhile, back at the sales office

If you’re making content, you’re not selling. It’s a hard truth.

Call it advertising, marketing, promoting, farming, branding, whatever.
But it’s not selling.

Selling requires a dialogue between a salesperson and a prospect. All you need is a simple, sustainable plan to call one prospect, one colleague, and one past client every day.

When 90% of your business comes from your sphere of influence, who barely sees your content online, the smart move is to place a call they would gladly answer, anyway!

Internet Content Tricksters Hate This One Stat

NAR Annual Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 2025

Don’t take my word for it. The National Association of REALTORS® most recent survey asked 173,250 buyers a simple question: Was social media the main method used to find your real estate agent?

1% said yes.

But 37% were referred by a friend, neighbor, or relative; and another 29% used the same agent they worked with the last time. And all of that business needs nothing more than a phone call to maintain; maybe an occasional holiday card in the mail, and a text to vary it up.

But making content all day?

I’d say more, but I have another call to make.

— M