How to Find the Decision Maker at a Small Business on Instagram

Messaging a brand account is not always messaging a person who can say yes. A few minutes of research before you DM can double the value of every message. It is a key step in Instagram prospecting.

Where to look

• The bio: owners often tag their personal account ("Founder: @name").

• Tagged photos and Reels: the owner usually appears in behind-the-scenes content.

• Highlights titled "About", "Team" or "Our story".

• The website linked in the bio: About or Contact pages.

• LinkedIn or Google Business Profile for the business name.

Brand account or personal account?

For very small businesses, the brand account is usually run by the owner, so messaging it is fine. For larger teams, message the founder or marketing lead directly and mention the brand.

Signs you have found the right person

• They post about running the business, hiring or launches.

• They are tagged as founder, owner or director.

• They respond to comments on the brand's posts.

Then personalise

Use what you found: their launch, their team, their city. A message to the right person with a relevant detail is the highest-converting cold DM you can send. See our Instagram outreach guide for the next steps.

ColdNerd helps you filter prospects and personalise each message from their profile, so your DMs reach the people who decide. See ColdNerd plans.