Instagram DM Strategy: One Degree Away From Anyone On The Planet

Instagram is more than just a platform for sharing photos — it’s a powerful tool for networking, building credibility, and growing a business.

Avi Patel, founder of Nitrility, has mastered the art of leveraging Instagram to build a network of 34,000 artists and scale his business.

Why Mutual Connections Matter

Building a strong network increases credibility and opens doors to new opportunities. Mutual connections act as instant validators, making it easier to establish trust and engage with others.

For example, Avi Patel used mutual connections to grow Nitrility, a platform for buying and selling music intellectual property (IP) licenses. By connecting with influential artists and industry leaders, he built trust and credibility, which helped him secure contracts and grow his business.

Nitrility simplifies music licensing for content creators, streamers, and companies like Netflix and Hulu. Traditional licensing can be complicated, with multiple approvals and potential copyright issues. Even when a license is obtained, platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok may still flag content. Nitrility ensures licensed content is recognized across platforms, preventing copyright claims. For instance, even if a content creator legally licenses a song, YouTube’s automated systems might still flag it. Nitrility solves this by directly communicating license ownership to platforms, ensuring compliance.

However, marketplaces like Nitrility face a chicken-and-egg problem. In the music industry, securing contracts depends on trust, and trust isn’t easy to build when you’re just starting out at 18. When artists see shared connections, they are more likely to engage. Avi used mutual connections to build trust and credibility, which played a key role in Nitrility’s success.

The Power of Personal Branding

A strong personal brand is essential for business growth. Social proof—like mutual connections and consistent online activity—signals credibility and attracts opportunities.

Avi emphasizes that building an audience isn’t about style; it’s about making meaningful connections. For instance, his connection with Alan Gann, a prominent figure in the MMA industry, opened doors to other high-profile individuals.

Avi posts daily Instagram stories (not posts) to maintain visibility and reinforce his credibility. Over time, this consistent presence helps build trust and familiarity with his audience.

He does posts only yearly. Look at his stories in different cities.

The Role of Buying Fake Followers

Buying fake followers can provide an initial boost in credibility, but it’s a short-term strategy. Avi purchased 5,000 fake followers early in his career to appear more established. Over time, he replaced these with real, engaged followers through consistent networking and content sharing.

He advises buying fake followers only for personal accounts, not business accounts. The goal is to use this strategy temporarily while focusing on building genuine engagement.

Mastering the Online Social Game

Social proof is a key factor in digital networking. Avi’s strategy for building high-value connections involves several steps:

1. Start by getting influential followers. Avi’s first high-status follower was Alan Gann, who introduced him to other influential figures in the MMA industry.

2. Maintain an organized list of contacts. Avi uses an Excel sheet to track mutual connections, making it easy to follow up and expand the network.

3. Follow people connected to key contacts. If a recognized industry figure follows someone, their followers are likely to engage as well. For example, Avi followed 50 people from Alan Gann’s list, and many followed back because they saw the mutual connection.

4. Over time, even those not personally known will follow back, strengthening credibility. Avi now has 10,000 high-quality followers, many of whom he’s never met but who provide valuable connections.

This method allows for quick access to meetings and opportunities. While visiting San Francisco, Avi arranged over 60 meetings in a single day by leveraging mutual connections. Artists and executives often initiate contact first, further strengthening the network. For instance, at a Trap Nation event in Amsterdam, 7 artists approached Avi because they recognized him from mutual connections.

Instagram vs. LinkedIn for Networking

Instagram outperforms LinkedIn for business networking. LinkedIn connections often feel impersonal.

Instagram mutuals appear prominently on profiles, increasing follow-back rates. Many members of Meta’s product team follow Avi.

Avi notes that Instagram is the first platform people check for mutual connections, making it more effective for building relationships. For example, Avi’s Instagram mutuals with Meta’s product team allow him to reach out directly, bypassing traditional barriers.

Avi noticed that when he had mutuals with the people he was contacting, they were much more likely to convert into clients or collaborators. For example, he mentions that a person with whom he had no mutuals might take 4 weeks to sign a contract, whereas someone with 50 mutuals might sign within 2 hours.

In his experience, having 4 mutual connections on Instagram results in a 60% conversion rate and if the number is fewer than 4 mutuals, then the conversion rate is 20% or less.

Turning Cold Connections into Warm Ones

Networking involves both warm and cold connections:

• Warm Connections: These are relationships with pre-existing familiarity or mutual connections. They’re easier to convert into deals because of the established trust.

• Cold Connections: These are relationships with no prior familiarity. Cold outreach is harder but can be scaled effectively.

Avi’s system for turning cold connections into warm ones includes:

1. Mutual Connections: Having mutual followers on Instagram serves as an instant validator, increasing credibility.

2. Consistent Content: Regularly posting stories and updates builds familiarity and trust over time.

3. Scaling Cold Outreach: By leveraging mutual connections, Avi can make 100 new connections daily, turning cold outreach into warm relationships.

Today, when Avi follows 100 people from his personal Instagram account, around 80 follow him back. In contrast, when he follows 100 people from his business account, only about 10 follow back.

This stark difference highlights the power of personal connections over impersonal business outreach.

Avi's approach to connections allows him to be "one degree away from anyone on the planet."

This approach has helped him connect with the who's who of the music industry and scale a thriving business.

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