Everyone's chasing likes.
Going viral. Building massive followings.
Meanwhile, I’ve built a $2.5M agency in the last 3 years while collecting another $10M for our clients.
No ads. No massive followings. No AI spam campaigns.
Just real conversations that turned into real money.
And today I'm going to show you the exact system - including 3 actual DM conversations that led to millions in cash collected.
But first...
The 3-Second Credibility Test
Before you send a single DM, your profile needs to pass this test:
I get 50+ outbound DMs every day trying to sell me something. I ignore 99.9% of them.
The 0.1% I respond to? They pass these checks instantly:
→ Bio: Clear value prop (who you are, what you do, why follow)
→ Header: Supports your positioning
→ Profile pic: Professional or candid authority shot
→ Pin tweet: Results and social proof front and center
→ Mutual followers: Instant credibility in your industry
→ Highlights: Bank of case studies and testimonials
If your profile doesn't scream credibility in 3 seconds, your DMs go straight to spam. Period.
The DMs That Actually Work
I'm going to break down 3 real conversations from my inbox that led to sales:
Conversation 1: Inbound Lead
They tweeted at my CTA. I reply:
"Hey man, lemme know a bit about your situation and we can take it from there."
Simple. Human. Not asking permission.
When they responded, I said: "I have a few ideas. Let's hop on a call this week."
Notice what I didn't do? I didn't ask "Can you hop on a call?"
Inbound leads already want what you have. Maintain frame. They DMed YOU first.
Conversation 2: Warm Outbound (This is gold)
"Yo just saw one of your giveaways. I think we could scale your brand like crazy on here. We've been looking for a guy in your industry. For context, I'm the brain behind [CLIENT 1], [CLIENT 2], [CLIENT 3]. If you're interested, I'd love to see if there's a fit."
Why this works:
Timely (just saw your post = not automation)
"WE" creates authority
Social proof from similar clients = instant credibility
Not pushy, just seeing if there's a fit
Conversation 3: Stone Cold (When you have ZERO social proof)
This is from 4 years ago when I was nobody:
"Hey man, I love the data you're breaking down with [COMPANY]. You're really closing the gap for the little guy. I'm reaching out because I wanted to see if you'd be interested in me getting you 10,000 followers in 10 weeks or I'll keep writing for you for free until you get there."
He objected on price. I wrote him example tweets on the spot.
You have to be scrappy to close your first client. But once you do, that becomes your case study for the next one.
The Volume Game
Here's what nobody wants to hear:
I used to send 100 DMs per day.
( I literally had a giant notion table tracking every single one with follow up reminders it was nuckin futs )
Goal: 10% reply rate = 10 conversations From 10 conversations, book 1 call Close 20% of calls = 1 new client per week
It's not always that clean, but those are your benchmark KPIs.
The variables that make it easier? The 3-second credibility test and having social proof to include in your DMs.
What NOT to Do
Let me show you the garbage I receive daily:
"Hey NAME, I made this free YouTube script for you" (literally says "NAME" - didn't even change the automation)
"Hey Marco" (My name is Marcos)
"Not going to waste your time" (then proceeds with massive paragraph, zero punctuation)
Don't sound like a bot. Don't regurgitate what they said. Add value or ask genuine questions.
I respond to funny jokes, good questions, and actual value. AI slop gets blocked.
The Psychology Behind Each Opener
For cold DMs:
Lead with compliment (shows you researched)
Straight to the offer (rich people hate time-wasters)
Include guarantee (removes risk)
"If not, no need to respond" (removes pressure)
For warm outbound:
Reference recent activity (proves it's not automated)
Tag your biggest client wins (social proof)
Make them feel special ("we've been looking for someone like you")
For inbound:
Maintain authority (they want what you have)
Move fast to call (strike while interest is high)
Don't ask permission (assume the close)
The Real Secret
At the highest level, all of this works together:
Dozens of inbound DMs from your content + outbound campaigns + social proof + the 3-second credibility test.
It's a system.
You don't need a massive following to make money on X.
You need credibility and conversations.
Hope this helps.
Cheers.
Marcos
P.S. As always, I did a full video explanation to go along with this video. If you want more context and nuance or just like my face —> Search “Marcos Ruiz DMs”
