88. Can You Quit Social Media & Still Get Clients?
- Brittany Miller
- Mar 4
- 11 min read
Updated: Aug 31
Have you ever found yourself caught in the exhausting cycle of posting, engaging, responding to DMs, and chasing the ever-changing social media algorithm? Maybe you’ve thought about quitting social media altogether. But then, a pressing question arises: Can you quit social media and still get clients?
The short answer is yes, but it requires intentional planning and a solid strategy. In this blog, I’m going to walk you through everything you need to know about quitting social media while still keeping your business thriving.
Drawing from my own experience and the insights I shared on my Go Get Great podcast, I’ll break down the role social media plays in your sales funnel, explore alternative lead generation strategies, and provide practical steps to ensure your business doesn’t suffer when you step away from the social media spotlight.
If we haven't met yet, I’m Brittany, an online marketing strategist for female entrepreneurs. I teach women how to make their entrepreneurial dreams a reality through smart, actionable marketing strategies that get them seen, loved, and paid. Whether you’re eager to DIY your way to success or hire professionals to help you along the way–my goal is to make sure you walk away with the clarity you need to see the results you desire and build a life you love.
Table of Contents
Is It Possible to Quit Social Media and Still Have a Successful Business?
Alternative Lead Generation Strategies to Replace Social Media
The Importance of Nurturing Your Audience Beyond Lead Generation
Why Slow Marketing Is Your Friend When Quitting Social Media
Final Thoughts: Quitting Social Media Is Possible, But It Takes Work
Understanding the Sales Funnel: More Than Just Social Media
Before we dive into quitting social media, it’s crucial to understand the bigger picture — the sales funnel. Many business owners don’t fully realize how the activities they do online and offline actually lead to sales. Social media is often seen as the main driver, but it’s really just one piece of the puzzle.
A typical sales funnel looks like this:
Someone sees your content on social media.
They follow you and engage with more content.
They may listen to a podcast, read a blog, or join your email list.
Eventually, they decide to buy from you.
This funnel can be short — just a few steps — or longer and more complex, depending on the type of product or service you offer, your audience, and even how long your business has been around.
What Determines the Length of Your Sales Funnel?
The biggest factor is usually the price point of your product or service. Let me explain:
Low-cost, consumable products: Items like toothpaste, makeup, or vitamins are things people use daily. Sales cycles are shorter because the purchase is a necessity or a habitual buy.
High-cost, service-based offers: For example, my services are a higher price point and often seen as a “want” rather than a “need.” Clients need to trust me deeply and understand the value before investing. This means the sales funnel is longer and requires more nurturing.
Even with consumable products, sales cycles have lengthened due to advertising fatigue. Consumers are overwhelmed with options and messages, leading to decision-making fatigue. So, whether you sell deodorant or coaching services, the sales funnel is rarely as simple as it used to be.
The Role of Social Media in Your Sales Funnel
Social media’s primary role in your sales funnel is at the top — lead generation. It’s how you connect with new people, introduce your brand, and start conversations that lead to sales. But here’s the reality: social media is not the only way to generate leads.
If you quit social media without a backup lead generation strategy, your funnel will dry up. New leads stop coming in, your existing leads either convert or drop off, and eventually, you have no one left to sell to. This is a common trap many business owners fall into, including myself in the past.
Let me share a scenario you might recognize:
You start by posting consistently on social media, engaging in stories, replying to DMs, and building relationships. You get an influx of new clients — exciting, right? Then, you get busy delivering your services and stop posting as much. Engagement drops. Eventually, you finish your client work and realize you have no new clients lined up. So, you go back to posting and engaging intensely again to refill your funnel. And the cycle repeats.
This cyclical pattern is exhausting and unsustainable. It’s why so many entrepreneurs wonder if quitting social media is possible — and if so, how.
Is It Possible to Quit Social Media and Still Have a Successful Business?
The honest answer is yes, you absolutely can quit social media and still sustain your business. But it requires you to replace social media’s role in your sales funnel with other lead generation tools.
Think of it this way: social media is just one tool in your marketing toolbox. If you put it down, you need to pick up another tool that will fill that gap.
Why Do Most People Start with Social Media?
Social media feels accessible and “free.” Many entrepreneurs are already using it personally, so it seems like a natural place to start business marketing. But while it might be free to post, it’s very time-consuming. And in such a crowded space, standing out requires consistent effort and strategy.
If you’re feeling burned out on social media, it might be because your strategy isn’t fully dialed in — or because the time investment is just too much. Either way, quitting social media without a plan can hurt your business.
Alternative Lead Generation Strategies to Replace Social Media
So, what are your options if you want to quit social media? Below are several alternative lead generation methods that can help keep your sales funnel full.
Offline Lead Generation
Networking: Whether it’s attending industry events, joining local business groups, or simply having conversations in your community, networking is a powerful way to generate leads. Relationships built in person often lead to referrals and loyal clients.
Community Involvement: Being part of a sports team, a dance group, or any hobby-based community can organically grow your business. Sharing what you do while building genuine relationships often results in new clients.
Print Advertising: Flyers, business cards, ads on benches or buses, and billboards are traditional lead generation tools. While harder to track, they can still be effective when targeted well.
Mobile Advertising: For example, I get leads from my car because it’s wrapped with my business branding. Even everyday activities like driving around can be lead gen if your branding is visible.
Cold Calls and Cold Emails: Direct outreach isn’t always fun, but it’s still a valid lead generation tactic, especially for service-based businesses.
Word of Mouth and Referrals: Encourage happy clients to spread the word. Referral programs can incentivize this, but even organic referrals are valuable lead sources.
Online Lead Generation Without Social Media
SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Optimizing your website, blog, or podcast for search engines can attract organic traffic. People discover your business through Google or YouTube searches, which can be their first interaction with you.
Content Marketing: Podcasts, blogs, and YouTube videos provide long-form content that nurtures your audience and builds trust over time. These content types are often less time-sensitive than social media posts and can continue generating leads passively.
Pinterest: Although technically a social media platform, Pinterest functions more like a search engine and is less about social interaction. It’s an excellent passive lead generation tool that doesn’t require daily engagement or showing up on camera.
Paid Advertising: Running paid ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Google can drive targeted traffic to your offers. Paid ads require upfront investment and strategic planning but can be highly effective once optimized.
Paid Advertising: A Different Breed of Lead Generation
Paid ads are a popular option for businesses looking to scale quickly without spending all their time on organic social media. You create ad content, run campaigns for several weeks, analyze performance, and optimize for best results.
However, paid ads are not a magic potion. They require:
A solid foundation in your business, including a strong website and email marketing system.
A budget to support the ads (typically starting around $500/month if you're managing them yourself).
Strategic planning and ongoing management to ensure you get a good return on investment.
Paid ads can also serve as the top of your funnel, driving leads directly into your nurture sequence, such as an email list or webinar, where you build trust and eventually convert them into customers.
Learn more about paid ads from expert Carlene Kelsey on the Go Get Great podcast ↓
The Importance of Nurturing Your Audience Beyond Lead Generation
Lead generation is only half the battle. Once people enter your sales funnel, you need to nurture them consistently to build trust and guide them toward making a purchase.
Social media often plays a dual role: it’s both a lead generation and nurture tool. So, if you quit social media, you must replace the nurture function as well.
How to Nurture Your Audience Without Social Media
Email Marketing: This is the cornerstone of nurturing. Regular emails with helpful content, stories, and offers keep your audience engaged and moving through your funnel.
Long-Form Content: Podcasts, blogs, or videos provide in-depth value that builds authority and trust.
Less Frequent Social Media Posts: Even if you quit active social media engagement, maintaining a minimal presence by posting once a week or biweekly can help keep your profiles relevant for those who check you out.
For example, if you run paid ads, many people will still check your social media profiles to confirm your legitimacy. Having recent posts reassures them that you are an active and trustworthy business.
Planning Your Exit from Social Media: What You Need to Do
If you’re serious about quitting social media, here’s a checklist to prepare your business:
Choose your new lead generation methods: What tools will replace social media for you? Will you focus on SEO, paid ads, networking, or a mix?
Build or refine your nurture system: Ensure you have email marketing in place with regular content that adds value and moves leads toward buying.
Maintain minimal social media presence: Consider hiring a VA or a social media manager to post occasionally to keep your profiles active.
Audit your website and sales pages: Make sure your online presence is polished, and ready to convert.
Set realistic expectations: Quitting social media is a process. It won’t happen overnight, and you’ll need patience as your new strategies take root.
Why Slow Marketing Is Your Friend When Quitting Social Media
I often talk about the difference between fast marketing and slow marketing (I dedicated a whole episode of the Go Get Great podcast to it, check it out). Social media is usually fast marketing — quick bursts of activity that can bring immediate attention but often require constant hustle.
Slow marketing, on the other hand, is consistent, steady, and focused on building long-term relationships. Think of it like weight loss: you don’t eat a salad once and instantly lose 50 pounds. But if you consistently make healthy choices every day, over time, you’ll see lasting results.
When you quit social media, slow marketing techniques like email marketing, blogging, podcasting, and SEO become your foundation. These activities take longer to show results but create a sustainable, scalable business without the burnout. With enough slow marketing content in place you'll have consistent leads coming in even if you take a break from creating more.
Is Quitting Social Media Right for You?
Before you make the leap, ask yourself:
Is it social media itself that you dislike, or just the time it consumes?
Do you want to quit social media forever, or just take a break?
Are you willing to invest time or money into alternative lead generation methods?
Do you have the patience for slow marketing to build your business over time?
Both options — staying active on social media or quitting it — are valid. The key is choosing the right path for your business and lifestyle.
Example Sales Funnels Without Social Media
To give you a clearer picture, here are some sales funnel examples that don’t rely on active social media posting:
Example 1: Pinterest + Long-Form Content + Email List
Potential client discovers your content on Pinterest (search-based discovery).
They click through to a blog post or podcast episode.
They join your email list to get more valuable content.
You nurture them through email marketing.
They purchase your product or service.
Example 2: Paid Ads + Landing Page + Email Nurture
Run paid ads directing people to a landing page with a freebie.
Visitors download the freebie and join your email list.
You send a sequence of emails related to the freebie and your paid offers.
Leads convert into paying clients.
Both of these funnels require deliberate lead generation and nurturing but can work beautifully without daily social media posting. They also both require planning and time to create, test and refine to maximize conversions. Social media can be time consuming but so can creating funnels that actually sell.
Final Thoughts: Quitting Social Media Is Possible, But It Takes Work
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or just plain tired of social media, I want you to know that quitting is an option — and your business can absolutely survive and thrive without it. But it does take intentionality, planning, and investment in alternative strategies.
Whether you want to quit social media forever or just want to take a step back, focus on building a strong sales funnel that doesn’t rely on constant posting and chasing the algorithm. Invest in slow marketing, nurture your audience, and diversify your lead generation tools.
If you want help auditing your business and creating a plan to quit social media without losing clients, I offer coaching sessions designed to help you build that foundation and audits (half or full VIP days) to review or build funnels to transition away from social media when you're ready.
Frequently Asked Questions About Quitting Social Media
Can I quit social media and still get new clients?
Yes! But you need to replace social media’s lead generation role with other strategies like networking, SEO, paid ads, or email marketing.
What happens if I quit social media without a backup plan?
Your sales funnel will dry up because you’re no longer bringing in new leads. Eventually, you’ll have no new clients and your business revenue will suffer if you don't put another lead generation plan in place.
Is Pinterest considered social media? Can I use it if I quit Instagram?
Technically, yes, Pinterest is a social media platform, but it functions more like a search engine. Many people find it easier to use as a passive lead generation tool without the pressure of constant engagement. You can use Pinterest even if you're marketing on social media but it's a great alternative if you want to quit social media as well. Learn how to get started with Pinterest in episode 55 of Go Get Great →
Do I need to keep posting on social media occasionally if I quit?
It’s a good idea to maintain a minimal presence — even posting once every week or two — to keep your profiles active and reassure potential clients that you’re a legitimate business.
How long does it take to see results from quitting social media and switching to slow marketing?
Slow marketing takes longer to show results compared to social media hustle. Think months, not overnight. But the results are more sustainable and less exhausting in the long run.
Can I run paid ads without being active on social media?
Yes, paid ads can be a standalone lead generation tool, but you need a solid foundation with good email marketing and a clear sales process to convert leads into clients.
What’s the biggest mistake people make when quitting social media?
Not having a backup lead generation plan or neglecting nurture strategies. You can’t just stop posting and expect clients to magically appear.
Takeaway
Quitting social media doesn’t mean quitting your business. It means choosing different tools and strategies that align with your energy, time, and goals. Whether that’s networking in person, running paid ads, or creating SEO-driven content, the key is to keep your sales funnel full and nurture your leads consistently.
Remember, success in business is a journey, not a sprint. Quitting social media might just be the step you need to create a more balanced, sustainable way to grow your business and enjoy your life.
Ready to explore quitting social media or want help building a new lead generation strategy? Feel free to reach out—I’m here to help you go get great.
Go Get Great episode 88 References
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00:00 Intro to quitting social media
2:00 What is a sales funnel
5:00 Role of social media in your sales funnel
7:45 Other lead gen options for a business without social media
16:45 Disadvantages of quitting social media
22:30 Small business sales funnel examples
26:00 Wrap up
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