$9M Closed. Another $7M in her Pipeline. All from niching down on Instagram

18 months ago, C&C Member Marianne Mehrer decided to do something different to generate leads on social media.

Since then, her Instagram content has generated $9M in closed sales—plus another $7M in the pipeline—by connecting with moms across Baltimore County.

Today, Marianne Mehrer breaks down the power of choosing a niche, her best-converting lead magnets, and her advice for other agents who want to make Instagram a top lead source.

Enjoy our conversation with Baltimore real estate agent Marianne Mehrer.
(@home_sweet_baltimore)

Quotes have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

You made a shift in your Instagram content about 18 months ago, and your account has taken off. Tell us about that change.

This is my fourth year posting. The first two years were VERY much trial and error. I started out just posting real estate informational videos and would get decent traction. It wasn’t until I niched down and started using C&C that it exploded. Once I made those shifts, I got my first lead pretty quickly.

My target audience is moms in Baltimore County, particularly families buying in the $600k–$1M range. Niching down has allowed me to speak directly to that audience. I don’t have to guess what to say, because I know what their interests are, what they’re shopping for, types of places they might like to eat, what activities their kids do, etc.

Once you figure out who that audience is for you, figure out their lifestyle. Then, showcase things that would be interesting to them - from local recommendations to listings.

https://www.instagram.com/home_sweet_baltimore/

Tell us about the types of content you post and the results that come from your content mix

My typical mix is: a listing spotlight once a week, an authority builder every other week, and the rest are neighborhood spotlights, local “hidden gems”, local guides, and an occasional relocation post.

Posts about local hidden gems typically get me the highest reach and engagement. Listing features get me a ton of engagement, but it’s often lookie-loos. Local guides have high reach and follower growth. Showcasing neighborhoods and promoting my neighborhood guide lead magnet get me the serious buyers.

https://www.instagram.com/home_sweet_baltimore/

Once someone arrives on your profile or engages with your posts, how are you converting them into clients?

If people comment on my posts that specifically promote my neighborhood or relocation guide, I follow them. People aren’t asking for those things if they’re not serious about making a move. I also save them to a Saved Collection in Instagram with the type of lead magnet that brought them to my page so I can remember to go back and engage with them.

Beyond that, I share stories, stories, stories!! My stories are not curated or perfect; it’s very much just me in real life. The things I encounter, places I go, books I read, local things I hear, random stuff my kids do. By the time someone reaches out, they usually feel like they already know me. That makes the first conversation much easier.

I also engage with other people's posts and stories - it makes them more likely to engage back, and it keeps your content visible in their feed.

And last, I post, tag, and engage heavily with local places where my ideal client would spend time. Local boutique fitness studios, local coffee shops, high-end restaurants, etc. An extra perk about sharing local content is that usually those local businesses will reshare your posts, getting your content in front of more eyes. Oftentimes the DMs that start from my stories naturally flow to conversations about real estate.

https://www.instagram.com/home_sweet_baltimore/

You’ve had a big impact on many businesses in your community. Tell us more about that...

I love small businesses, always have, and think they’re the backbone of an area feeling like a community.

There were a few instances that really stuck with me and made me realize how much impact I could have. Once, when I had well under 10k followers, I posted about a sweatshirt I’d bought from a local mom and nurse who makes them as a side hustle. She sold out that night. She was beside herself, saying that she’d never had that happen so fast.

It made me realize that social media can be more impactful than I thought, and while obviously I could use it as a major lead generator, I could also use it to support local businesses that I love and want to succeed, or who may need a little boost.

A Maryland congressman once gave you a shout-out for your impact on local businesses. Tell us more about this experience!

Yes!! It was word of mouth. He had a staffer who was tasked with finding local “influencers” who highlighted local businesses, and my name came up. It was such an honor, and I hope that other local realtors or influencers realize the impact that they can have in their community.

We're nosy - tell us about your business results from social media.

About half of my business comes from Instagram. In the last 18 months, I’ve closed $9M from Instagram. With about $7M in my active pipeline.

I started out just posting real estate informational videos (mostly talking-head style) and would get decent traction. It wasn’t until I niched down and then started using C&C that it exploded. Once I made those shifts, I got my first lead pretty quickly.

https://www.instagram.com/home_sweet_baltimore/

You’re a busy real estate agent - what’s helping you save time in your content creation?

I try to film whenever I'm out at local businesses and restaurants. This ensures I always have local videos on hand, which saves me time creating content. I’ll film anything that looks pretty, is seasonal, or that screams "you're in Baltimore County" that could be used as b-roll in my reels.

What’s your best piece of advice for an agent looking to generate business through social?

Just do it. People get way too in their heads about it. The life of a reel is maybe a few days. So if it flops, just do another one. Consistency is the key to everything- post daily for 60 or 90 days. It will change everything. And remember it’s SOCIAL media; go be social. Agents that post and then don't engage with other people miss the point. Think of it like networking - you want to be a resource and be seen as the go-to in your area, and you can’t be that if no one knows who you are.

Marianne shared that Coffee & Contracts changed the game for her content strategy. If you want to see what she means, try a free week on us.

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Thank you, Marianne!

Marianne Mehrer is a Baltimore, Maryland-based real estate agent and a member of Coffee & Contracts. Coffee & Contracts is a marketing platform that helps real estate agents make social media their top lead source.