Social-media manager partnership · for Luke & Chase
Unlisted · not indexed · do not share publicly
What this call IS
Discovery, not a deal-close. She won't quote today (she likes to learn the business first) — and you shouldn't push a structure.
Win = rapport · understand her process, capacity & pricing model · get her excited about the project · leave with a mutual “yes, there's something here, let's scope it.”
How to describe us (be crisp)
SiteSmith AI — our AI automation + web agency (Luke, Chase, Gabby).
Lantern Home Services — our client: Jay's brand-new DFW HVAC / plumbing / electrical company; we're helping Jay scale it. Zero social today — the perfect first project.
The paid side — Lantern's Meta ads (we run them), fed by the organic content's winners.
Vision in one line (assist, not replace): “You're the social/creative strategist — we help by taking the repetitive grind (editing, scheduling) off your plate so you focus on craft.”
Questions to ask her
Process & deliverables: walk me through your new-client process. What's delivered each month? How do you measure a 90-day win?
Capacity & pricing: how many clients do you run? How do you price, and what's included at each tier? (Let HER name the number.) Contract length?
Founder content: you do thought-leadership — how, at scale? (interview-to-clips? ghostwriting?) How much founder time per week?
AI openness: how do you feel about AI in your workflow — clip repurposing, scheduling? Using any already?
Ownership & exclusivity: who owns the content you produce? Do you require category exclusivity?
She's evaluating US too — don't skip
Ask: “What does your best client relationship look like — and what kills one for you?” and “What would make this project exciting for you?”
How we win her: be specific & prepared, respect her expertise, don't haggle on the call, show a real project + real budget, and listen more than you pitch. An experienced SMM smells “auditing a vendor” instantly — show up as a partner.
What to listen for
GREEN — lean in
Documented systems / SOPs
Measurable past results she can show
Open & curious about AI
Comfortable with founder content
Clear, capped deliverables
RED — slow down
Vague “I'll handle your socials”
No measurement / no proof
Wants broad exclusivity
Long lock-in + fuzzy scope
Defensive about AI; chases followers
Keep it honest (reality checks)
Organic isn't a lead machine. For the trades it's trust + recruiting + fuel for paid ads — real leads come from boosting organic winners into Lantern's paid (Meta ads). ~6–12 month ramp. Don't promise “leads from posting.”
Personal brand ~6-month ramp. Two tracks: Lantern (Jay + Daryl, owner + son, on camera) → Reels + Google Business (father-son owner-led local content — a real differentiator); your founder brands (Luke + Chase) → LinkedIn. Scalable model = interview-to-clips (film ~30 min/week raw → team makes 3–5 posts).
AI face-swap caveat: great for editing real footage; but fake “AI UGC testimonials” or avatars on founder content erode trust and carry real FTC + likeness legal risk (up to ~$51k/violation if it implies a real customer). Use AI to scale real content, not fabricate people.
Hold OFF this call: UGC/face-swap generation talk, and anything that sounds like “we'll automate/scale your whole workflow.” Safe AI line only = “we take the editing/scheduling grind off you.”
Close these BEFORE the call
Lantern has no footage yet (brand new, no completed jobs) — both engines start slow. Don't over-promise speed; someone has to capture raw job/tech footage as work begins.
Filming confirmed (big deal): Jay + Daryl (Lantern, father-son) and Luke + Chase (SiteSmith) are all willing on camera. Willing talent is usually the bottleneck — you've removed it.
Know your private monthly ceiling — even though you let her name the number first. (Total budget cageyness reads as a tire-kicker.)
If she asks “what are you thinking?”
Discovery first; structure later. If pressed: we'd explore a simple hybrid — modest retainer + capped scope, she keeps her IP. Decide after we both have the info.
Sanity-check her number (US ranges, directional): organic-only 1 brand ~$500–2k/mo · full incl. video/UGC ~$2–5k/mo + video priced separately. One low flat fee covering everything = scope-creep flag.
Your opening line
“We love your strategy-first approach. We've got a perfect first project — Lantern, building from zero — and founder brands we want to level up. We also build AI automation, so we can take some of the repetitive grind off your plate and let you focus on strategy and creative. We'd love to learn your process and see if there's a fit.”