From DMs to Dollars: How Jess Used ManyChat to Grow Her Small Business

Jess Martin had always dreamed of owning her own boutique. She imagined a cozy online shop filled with handmade jewelry and vintage-inspired clothing, a place where people could find something unique and personal. After years of working in retail and saving every penny she could, she finally took the leap and launched her own business, which she called Sunbeam Studio.

In the beginning, things went better than she expected. Her friends and family supported her, sharing her posts and making purchases. Local influencers discovered her shop and helped spread the word, and a few of her pieces gained traction on Instagram. Orders started coming in steadily, and her following grew day by day.

But as her popularity increased, so did the amount of time she spent managing direct messages. Every day, her inbox filled with dozens of questions—some from curious new customers, others from returning fans asking about restocks, sizing, or shipping. Jess appreciated the interest, but she quickly found herself overwhelmed. Instead of spending her days designing new pieces or photographing her products, she was stuck answering the same questions over and over again.

She started to feel the burnout creeping in and wondered how other small business owners handled this kind of growth. One night, while scrolling through a Facebook group for handmade product sellers, she came across a post from someone who said they had used a tool called ManyChat to automate their customer support and marketing and that it had changed everything for them.

Jess was curious but skeptical. She had heard of chatbots before and pictured cold, robotic messages that would push customers away rather than build trust. But as she dug deeper into ManyChat’s features, she began to understand that it wasn’t just a chatbot, it was a complete conversational marketing platform that could actually sound human, handle frequently asked questions, and even help increase sales by reaching out to people who were already interested in her products.

Deciding to give it a try, Jess connected her Instagram account to ManyChat and began exploring what she could do. The first thing she focused on was automating the most common questions she received. Using ManyChat’s visual builder, she created a friendly flow that welcomed people when they messaged her and offered help with things like product availability, sizing information, shipping policies, and more.

She wrote the messages in her own voice, making sure they sounded warm and helpful rather than stiff. She even added playful touches, like casual greetings and little jokes, to match her brand’s personality. Once it was live, she noticed a difference almost immediately. Her inbox became much more manageable, and she could finally breathe without worrying about missing an important message.

Encouraged by the early results, Jess decided to explore more of what ManyChat could do. She learned that she could create keyword triggers, which meant that if someone typed a certain word into her DMs like "SALE" or "GIFT" they would automatically receive a personalized message or offer. She tried this by posting a story that said anyone who sent the word "SPRING" would get early access to her new collection and a small discount. Within a day, hundreds of people messaged her, and ManyChat guided them through the new arrivals while tracking who clicked, who bought, and who wanted reminders later.

That experience showed her the power of automated marketing. She wasn’t just answering questions anymore, she was building relationships and driving sales in a way that felt natural and personal. Over time, she started using ManyChat to announce product launches, send gentle reminders to people who had looked at an item but didn’t check out, and even offer loyalty rewards to her returning customers.

What surprised her most, though, was how easy it was to use. Jess had never considered herself tech-savvy, but the platform was intuitive and didn’t require any coding knowledge. With a few clicks, she could drag and drop new messages into her flows, edit replies, and even connect it to her online store to provide real-time updates on inventory and shipping status.

Months passed, and Jess found herself with more time to focus on the creative parts of her business, the parts that had inspired her to start Sunbeam Studio in the first place. She spent her mornings designing new collections, her afternoons packing orders, and her evenings interacting with customers in a more intentional way. Instead of being stuck in her DMs, she was sending out interactive quizzes, personalized messages, and warm greetings that made her customers feel like they were part of a community.

By the end of the year, her sales had doubled, her following had grown significantly, and her customers often commented on how smooth and enjoyable the shopping experience was. Many of them had no idea they were chatting with an automated system, because it felt so much like talking to Jess herself.

Looking back, she realized that adding ManyChat to her business wasn’t just a technical upgrade, it was a turning point. It allowed her to scale her brand without losing the personal touch that made Sunbeam Studio special. It helped her stay connected without being overwhelmed, and it turned what used to be a daily frustration into a smart and engaging part of her marketing strategy.

Today, Jess often shares her journey with other small business owners who are struggling with growth. She tells them that automation doesn’t have to mean losing authenticity. In fact, when done right, tools like ManyChat can help you show up more consistently, with thoughtful messages and timely offers that your customers actually appreciate.

Her advice is simple: if you're feeling buried under DMs, losing sales because you can't respond fast enough, or just looking for a better way to connect with your audience, give ManyChat a try. It might just change the way you run your business and give you the freedom to focus on what you love most.