Selling on Instagram without running ads? It sounds like madness in a world where everything is pay-to-play. But somehow, I pulled it off. For over a year, I ran multiple Instagram pages, moved real products, and made consistent sales — all without touching a single ad button.
This isn’t some fairytale. I started from zero. No capital, no fancy gear, just a smartphone, internet connection, and hunger to make things happen. Here’s everything I learned from the trenches. The wins, the fails, and how you can start too.
How It All Started: Being Broke Was My Teacher
Honestly, I didn’t avoid ads because I was being strategic. I was broke.
I couldn’t afford Facebook’s N500/day budget or hire anyone. All I had was my phone and the drive to hustle. I had heard about dropshipping, affiliate marketing, and mini importation. But they all looked like things that needed money first.
Instagram was the only platform I knew that let you build for free — if you’re willing to show up every day and learn.
Curiosity Wins — Boring Products Don’t
Here’s something people don’t tell you. People don’t log into Instagram to shop. They come to scroll, laugh, gossip, and escape.
So to win, your product has to interrupt that scroll.
The stuff that worked for me were things that made people pause:
- Gadgets that looked strange but were useful
- Skincare or beauty stuff with shocking before-and-after effects
- Simple health or lifestyle tools that felt like a cheat code
I once sold this weird-looking facial steamer that looked like a baby robot. People kept asking, “What’s this?” That curiosity turned into clicks, DMs, and eventually orders.
Real Engagement Starts with Real Triggers
Instagram only pushes your post if people interact with it. And people only interact when they feel something — surprise, laughter, confusion, excitement.
I leaned into that:
- Wrote bold captions like “This thing is mad oo 😂”
- Posted short clips showing products in action
- Used carousels to show step-by-step or results
- Asked spicy questions like “Would you use this or just suffer?”
Every time I made people feel something, the post took off. Pretty pictures without energy? Dead on arrival.
Make Your Page Feel Human, Not Like Jumia
At first, my page looked like a boring online store. Just product pics with prices. Nobody cared.
So I switched up. I started talking like a person. Used Nigerian slang, shared jokes, added short stories. I even posted screenshots of funny DMs. People started responding.
That’s when I got it: people don’t buy from vendors. They buy from people.
So I gave my page a face, a voice, a vibe. The more real I was, the more they trusted me.
Your DMs Are Your Real Checkout Page
No website, no ads — the DM is where the magic happens.
But at first, I fumbled. People would ask “how much?” and vanish. Then I figured it out:
- Respond quickly. Nobody likes to wait.
- Match their energy. If they joke, joke back.
- Always give a clear next step. “It’s 15k, payment on delivery, shall I place your order?”
- Use light pressure: “Only 4 left oo.”
I even saved answers to common questions so I could reply fast. Speed = money in DMs.
Status Sells More Than Sweet Talk
Once I got my first few sales, I went heavy on showing proof:
- Posted happy customer chats
- Shared videos of packaging orders
- Showed dispatch riders picking up deliveries
- Blurred out payment receipts (for privacy)
People started thinking, “Wow, others are buying. Let me buy too.”
It’s wild, but sometimes people don’t even check the product. They just follow where the hype is.
Repeating Yourself Isn’t Lazy — It’s Smart
I thought I had to post fresh, genius ideas every day. But nah, what worked best was repeating the same product in different formats:
- Today: a meme
- Tomorrow: a demo video
- Weekend: a review screenshot
People don’t buy the first time. They need to see the product multiple times before it sticks. Repeating posts helped lock it in.
Likes are fine. But comments and shares? That’s your organic billboard.
To boost shares, I added captions like “Tag someone that needs this.”
To boost comments, I posted polls or controversial takes. One time I asked, “Ladies, 30 days waist trainer or gym?” Boom. Comment war.
That pushed my post onto Explore and into people’s feeds. More reach, more DMs, more sales.
Weekends Were My Goldmine
For me, weekends brought in the most sales.
People were home, chilling, scrolling longer, and more likely to impulse buy.
So I made sure my best content dropped Friday night or Saturday morning. Mondays were dry. Midweek was just okay. But weekends? Fire.
Delivery Can Make or Break You
Once people trust you enough to place an order, you can’t mess up delivery.
I always:
- Confirmed orders before dispatch
- Used riders I trusted
- Gave honest timelines
- Followed up after delivery
I even offered Pay on Delivery for some areas. Risky, yes. But once someone received their order safely, they either came back or referred friends.
Logos Don’t Sell — Content Does
I wasted too much time designing logos and choosing brand colors. But guess what? Nobody cared.
Some of my highest-selling pages had no logo. Just raw posts, real energy, and good products.
Focus on sales. You can beautify later.
What Sucked (Yes, It Wasn’t All Smooth)
This hustle isn’t easy. Here’s what I struggled with:
- Slow growth. No ads means slow reach.
- Posting consistently or being forgotten.
- No automation. Had to reply DMs myself.
- Some people still won’t trust you.
- Scaling is hard unless you build a team.
But even with all that, it was worth it. It taught me skills money can’t buy.
Final Gems: Start Small, But Start Smart
Instagram taught me to sell with vibes, grit, and strategy — not money.
If you’ve been waiting for capital or perfect branding, don’t. Start with what you have. Get one product that grabs attention. Start posting every day. Treat DMs like gold.
Once the sales start coming, then you can use ads to scale. But learn the game without them first. That’s what makes you truly dangerous.
This journey changed how I see business forever. If I could do it broke, so can you.
