Is it possible to generate leads on Instagram as a real estate agent? Well, meet Coffee & Contracts member and Virginia Real Estate Agent, Elaina Atkinson. Elaina has racked up $8.4 million in sales so far this year—all through Instagram, with an audience of under 10,000 followers!

Want the scoop on how she did it? We're about to show you the exact posts and strategy she used to attract and close local buyers and sellers.

6 Key Elements of Elaina's Lead-Generating Instagram Strategy

1. She attracts people in her area with local reels

Elaina consistently posts local-focused reels. Not only do these reels help expand her reach by attracting viewers who are curious about the area, but they also position her as a trusted local expert. When people see her content, they recognize her as someone who truly knows and loves the city—making them more likely to follow, engage, and reach out when they need real estate help.

Local content is the only truly relevant information for most of your audience and potential clients. By posting about local spots, events, and insights, you’ll attract people in your area, provide value, and establish yourself as the trusted local expert.

Join Coffee & Contracts to access monthly local reel templates designed to reach potential clients in your area.

2. She generates leads with listing feature reels

She highlights new listings with playful, attention-grabbing reels that showcase each home’s unique features. These listing feature videos give potential buyers something tangible to reach out about, generating real leads. At the same time, they show sellers exactly how she would market their home, positioning her as an agent who knows how to make listings stand out and attract the right audience.

Listing feature reel templates are included in the Coffee & Contracts membership to help you save time and generate leads on IG.

3. She nurtures her audience with educational posts

Elaina relies on C&C's feed templates to create relevant, bookmark-worthy content that helps build trust, grow her following, and generate quality leads. These types of posts are great for nurturing your current audience and establishing yourself as a trusted expert.

Access hundreds of templates designed to provide value and nurture your ideal clients inside the C&C membership.

4. She shows up on stories daily

Elaina shows up in her stories every day, sharing a mix of real estate insights and behind-the-scenes glimpses of her life. This daily presence is where real conversations begin—whether she’s featuring a new listing, sharing tips, or just showing a slice of her day, stories create an easy way for followers to engage. It’s in these casual interactions that connections form, leading to real relationships and ultimately, conversions.

Hundreds of Instagram story templates and ideas are included in your C&C membership.

5. She stays consistent and patient

Possibly the most effective piece of her strategy? Consistency and patience. Elaina says, "Don't give up if you aren't seeing immediate results! It took about 6 months of consistency before I truly saw a steady stream of leads coming in and almost all of them would say "I've been following you for a while" when we met. People are watching! It just may take them a little bit before they are ready to reach out!"

6. She utilizes lead magnets to capture leads

Notice how every post Elaina shares includes a call to action (CTA), guiding her audience to download a lead magnet.

Without a lead magnet, these posts alone wouldn’t drive $8.4 million in sales. It’s about bringing it all together: consistency, content pillars, personalization—and a way for your audience to take action. That’s what seals the deal.

These CTAs tell followers exactly what to do next, turning browsers into buyers. Without a compelling CTA, Instagram posts become just vanity projects that don’t support the bottom line. The goal is to motivate readers to take that next step and engage.

Including a lead magnet is a way to collect information from potential clients. This might be a link to a free resource, guide, or exclusive content. A resource that encourages users to share their contact information in exchange for something valuable with the intent to eventually convert them into paying customers.

The Coffee & Contracts membership includes various lead magnet templates to convert followers into leads.

Congrats Elaina on all your hard work and success!

Want to close more deals from Instagram?

If you're looking to close more deals from Instagram like Elaina, take a look at what's inside the Coffee and Contracts Membership.

Our team of active agents come together every month to brainstorm what's working really well *right now* on social media to generate leads…then we create templates that are tailor-made for you. 

We're in the business of helping you save time, look great & generate leads.

Join Coffee & Contracts to access thousands of ready-to-customize templates: social media content, email templates, lead magnets, workbooks, and so much more.