✅ Eating too much cheese
✅ Overdoing it on Black Friday
✅ Acknowledging and celebrating our clients

As the year comes to a close, it’s officially time to send gestures of appreciation to the people who make our worlds go 'round! Keep reading for our favorite holiday gifts to send to your real estate clients.

These postcards are a simple way to stay top of mind, wish your clients well and provide something of value: a well-loved brownie recipe with thousands of five-star reviews. ⭐️ 

The postcard includes a QR code to direct your recipients to follow you on social media, offer a free lead magnet, or to sign up for your email newsletter.

Send this simple postcard on its own or pair it with a gift from the list below.

These simple stickers are great to add to a box of local treats or homemade cookies. Print the stickers directly in Canva and adhere them to your box of treats. Drop the boxes off to clients as a gesture of appreciation. 

Who doesn't love a practical and beautiful gift? Linked below are a few of our favorite calendars:

 - is there a better way to tie in real estate than this calendar?!

 - This Etsy store is full of beautiful calendars, habit trackers, notebooks, fridge magnets and to-do lists.

 is one of the most innovate gift-giving platforms we've come across. Gift-givers can choose their per-person price tier ($25, $50, $75 or $100. $100+) and let the recipient choose their own gift. If the recipient doesn't need a gift, they have the option to donate the gifted money to a charity of their choice instead. How cool is that?

For your clients who are foodies, gift them something for their kitchen they'll love. Some of our favorites include 

Earlywood's handmade wooden flat saute set

We love any excuse to shop and support local businesses. Here is a quick list of local gifts and services that would be great for your real estate clients:

Gift card for a local service: Spa services, manicure, window washing, photographer for a family photoshoot or house-cleaning service

A donation to a local charity in your clients' name(s)

What gestures of appreciation are you sending to your clients this year?

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

Holiday Gifts for Real Estate Clients

Is it possible to generate leads on Instagram as a real estate agent? Well, meet Coffee & Contracts member and Virginia Real Estate Agent, 

, with an audience of under 10,000 followers!

Want the scoop on how she did it? We're about to show you the

 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 

. 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.

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.

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.

 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! 

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

Our team of active agents come together every month to brainstorm 

 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.

$8.4M in Sales from Instagram

$8.4 Million Closed Year to Date from Instagram

Instagram has become such a powerful tool for real estate agents to build their brand and generate leads. The platform makes it simple for potential clients to ask questions and reach out to you directly, starting conversations that can quickly lead to conversions.

We are seeing simple, authentic content perform very well for Realtors right now. In this article, we're breaking down 5 simple post types you can try this Fall to grow your following, generate leads, and build an authentic brand online.

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_GsmsASGac/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_GsmsASGac/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_GsmsASGac/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Coffee &amp; Contracts Real Estate Marketing (@coffeecontracts)</a></p></div></blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

Visually Appealing and Shareable: These quick, engaging videos spotlight specific properties, making them highly shareable.

Targeted Reach: They reach potential buyers looking in your city and generate leads.

Seller Confidence: Shows sellers how their home can go viral.

Local Following: Helps grow a following of people interested in your city’s listings.

Tips for Creating Effective Listing Feature Reels:

Showcase attractive, nicely staged properties.

Keep clips under 1 second, with the reel lasting less than 10 seconds.

Use simple text overlays and include the city name in captions and hashtags.

Integrate tools like ManyChat for comment automations.

The perfect [starter home] in [City Name] doesn’t exi...

Listing under $1 million in [Neighborhood].

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-54J8KPsz1/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-54J8KPsz1/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-54J8KPsz1/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Coffee &amp; Contracts Real Estate Marketing (@coffeecontracts)</a></p></div></blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

Emotional Appeal: Taps into emotions and romanticizes life in your city.

Relatable and Shareable: These reels are highly relatable and shareable.

Algorithm Boost: Shown to people interested in or living in your area, generating potential leads.

Short clips under 1 second, with the reel lasting less than 10 seconds.

Use simple text overlays and pair with trending audio.

Always include the city name in reels, captions, and hashtags.

This is your sign to move to [City Name].

The person who sent you this wants you to move to [City Name].

Community Connection: Builds trust by showing you know and love the community.

Shareable Content: These reels are very shareable and relevant.

Targeted Algorithm: Shown to people interested in or living in your area.

Engaging Hook: Helps your audience visualize themselves in a space or situation.

Fun and Informative: These reels are enjoyable and a great way to share information.

POV: We’re meeting for a buyer consultation.

POV: You live in [City Name] so your days look like this.

Authentic Touch: Adds a personal, authentic feel to your feed.

Higher Engagement: Encourages higher engagement, which the algorithm rewards.

Builds Trust: Helps your audience get to know you and build trust.

Add text to images using Canva or Instagram stories.

Walk your audience through a story, process, or tips.

Tweet-style posts are great for sharing stories or thoughts.

A day in the life of a [City Name] real estate agent.

By incorporating these types of Instagram Reels into your social media strategy, you can effectively engage with your audience, showcase your expertise, and grow your real estate business. Happy posting!

What's Working on Instagram for Real Estate Lead Generation in Fall 2024

There’s a platform gaining major market share as the preferred local search engine among people aged 18-34…

It’s Instagram. (Google, we still love you!!)

Here’s why that’s good news: You can use Instagram to attract, build trust, and do business with your ideal client.

First, we’ll need to identify WHO you're trying to attract (your ideal client). Then, I really want you to go DEEP in understanding 

A Tampa resident, currently renting, 27-33 years old, saving for their first home, active and outdoorsy, dog owner.

Biking, fitness, music, casual & healthy restaurants and happy hours.

At dog parks, fitness studios, nature trails, casual eateries, and music venues.

Next, let's identify the content pillars (aka overarching themes) that your ideal client would find relevant. For this ideal client, I would use:

 - to attract your ideal client to your Instagram page

 - to establish yourself as knowledgable resource for your ideal client

 - to build trust and relatability with your ideal client

Now for the fun part, let's come up with topic ideas for each content pillar that *really* speak the language of your ideal client using keywords they might be searching on Instagram.  (P.S. this is where 

The best views for a summer sunset in Tampa

Summer bucket list: Rooftop happy hours in Tampa

Get lost with me on a Saturday afternoon in Tampa

On a free weekend, I’m biking these trails in Tampa

These Tampa establishments can’t wait to meet your dog

5-star staycation destinations under 1 hour from Tampa

Houses under [average list price] in Tampa

Tampa loan programs that made homeownership within reach for my clients

Calculate your magic number for buying a home

The playbook that saved my first-time buyers' sanity

My buyers earned money while saving for a home (the beauty of a high yield savings account)

Tampanians are flocking to these new construction communities 

[Month] roundup - Showcasing hobbies, projects, trainings, vacations, and casual behind the scenes photos from a recent month - 

Shows your more personal side, helps the viewer build trust with you

Helps ideal clients visualize themselves in the process

What I did before I got into real estate - 

Let's the viewer understand your back story and build trust with you

Shows the viewer your personal side and preferences

Shows the viewer that you're a relatable human

I won't go a week without this - Showcasing what you can't live without - 

Helps the viewer build trust, relatability and likeness towards you

Interested in topic ideas like these ones? Coffee & Contracts offers a suite of done-for-you Instagram templates ready for you to share with your ideal client - 

Attract Your Ideal Client on Instagram

Content to Attract Your Ideal Client on Instagram

Hands trembling, I start crafting the email to my client...

I’m popping the BIG question…Putting it all on the line…

You already know, positive reviews are our modern currency....our tokens of social proof... but 

making the ask is both an art and a science.

Today I’m rounding up a few agent-tested methods for securing client praise. ⬇️

Make the ask when times are good. We all know there is a wide array of emotions on the real estate journey. 🎢

Specifically, a week before closing, or in an email when scheduling the final walkthrough typically works well.

A common hurdle in getting a review is that 

Since Google is a search engine, help feed it the words you want to rank for. Provide examples and encourage your clients to include key terms that future prospective clients might be searching on Google, such as “relocating to [City Name]” or "best [City Name] Realtor"

(Insert info about final walkthrough, final closing items, when you'll see them next)

In the meantime, I want to sincerely thank you for trusting me as your Realtor throughout this process, it was a pleasure working with you and I appreciate your kindness and patience as we navigated this process together! 

Looking back, you first reached out to me on [date] and now here we are! I’m thrilled for your new beginning - ENJOY IT!

  If you need anything, please remember I'm just a call or text away.

It would mean the world to me if you could take a minute to leave me a review on Google (link page). This helps me stand out in a big sea of agents. Here is an example below:

“Haley Ingram was the best real estate agent for relocating to St. Pete! She helped us navigate buying a home in St. Petersburg with ease. She was on time, solution driven, and always working with our best interest in mind."

It's an art… It's a science… The magic of getting client reviews as a real estate agent.

designed to deliver real value with curated content (market updates, expert insights, and local news) while balancing graphics and text to avoid spam filters. 

Client Reviews as a Real Estate Agent

Getting Client Reviews as a Real Estate Agent

But change is normal. It gives us the opportunity to grow, evolve, and serve our clients the best we can. 

In light of the March 2024 NAR settlement, I’m sharing a few resources for agents to face these changes confidently.

1- Establish your personal brand & make Instagram work for you

My face and personality are apparent throughout the posts I share

I utilize consistent colors and fonts in my marketing

Most or all of my posts have visible titles, including reels

There’s an obvious way to contact me on my Instagram page

My name and the city where I serve are included in my @handle or display name

 to tune up your personal brand and Instagram profile.

2- Share content that speaks to your ideal client

Identify and speak directly to your ideal client in the content you share. Remember, if you’re speaking to everyone, you’re speaking to no one in particular. (Not sure who your ideal client is? Think about the clients you’ve most enjoyed working with in the past).

Focus your content on your unique personal stories and lessons learned instead of generic tips. Avoid sharing about topics that are easily found on Google.

Perform a quick audit: Doing a quick glance at your Instagram profile right now, is it obvious who you’re speaking to? 

 to create content that speaks to your ideal client. 

Reflect on your previous clients. Where did they come from? Can you focus your efforts in that area?

Consider praising those who have referred clients your way. 

 offers a gift catalog to share with folks who have recommended you.

Create a free resource that your ideal client would find valuable to build that know-like-trust factor. Swap or refresh this resource from time to time to stay fresh.

 to create a free lead magnet and landing page.

4- Nurture your current audience and client base

Engage meaningfully with your current audience and past clients on Instagram. Show your genuine interest and support of the things happening in their life!

Share your behind the scenes on Instagram stories (people LOVE seeing behind the curtain). 

: Use our daily strategy story prompts for ideas to get started.

Share a value-packed email newsletter. Share personal stories and be the local resource - include info about upcoming events, local market updates and new businesses opening in your city. 

 to create your own value-packed email newsletter. 

Outline key career milestones, your proven track record, numbers and data to support your expertise, your unique value proposition, testimonials, screenshots of client love, key negotiations and money saved for your buyers. Begin collecting social proof of your wins and the value you’re bringing to transactions. You can use this information to establish credibility on future consults or appointments.

Provide a tiered service offering sheet to review with buyers. Know your unique value proposition. Questions to consider: What unique services do I provide, what industry partners do I collaborate with? What are my areas of expertise? What praises have I received previously? 

Having this agreement in place will ultimately protect each party (and your valuable time!). Work with your brokerage on this. 

8- Check out NAR’s Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) accreditation course

NAR course is available for FREE through 2024

. It’s the first phase of receiving your ABR designation.

Per NAR, the focus of the course is learning how to create a buyer representation agreement, conducting a successful buyer consultation, and communicating your value to clients. The course also offers frameworks for effective buyer representation, buyer agency relationships, negotiation strategies, market analysis, financing options, contract forms, and ethical considerations. 

The curriculum provides practical insights and tools to help agents successfully navigate the home buying process on behalf of their clients.

Confidently Navigating the NAR Settlement as a Real Estate Agent

I don’t mean to freak you out but… people are silently watching you.  👀 

Think about someone you “know” on Instagram… 

that you don’t actually know in real life.

Chances are there are quite a few people who come to mind.

I always catch myself saying “I know this girl that does X, Y, Z” as if I’m referring to a longtime friend.

 I just follow that person on social media… we actually don’t know each other

 I’ve developed a level of trust with this person because I’ve been following them and they’ve candidly shared their life and business with me.

I see the new projects they’re working on, I see glimpses of their personal life, I see the behind the scenes, they get vulnerable.

 It’s important to consistently share yourself on Instagram. People are silently watching you and building trust with you…and when the time comes for them to make real estate moves, they will think of you. (And in the meantime, they could be referring friends your way).

So... how do we build trust on Instagram? Below I go over a few strategies we've been implementing recently. Take a few of these ideas with you to get started:

People really want to know there's a human in there. And frankly, we are all a little tired of the super polished and perfectly curated veneer that social media was previously famous for.

“The advice I didn’t take” - Share some advice you received and why you didn’t take it. What did you embrace instead?

“What it looks like to prepare [for an open house]” - Grab b-roll video clips of you setting up for an open house. Change this idea up for something you’re currently preparing for in your business

“What [City Name] means to me” - Grab b-roll video in a coffee shop or at a local destination. List off the things you love about your city - the camaraderie, the greek food scene, the friends you’ve made, the craft cocktail scene, the golfing, the waterfront living, etc.

2️⃣ Answer a question from your ideal client

On Instagram stories, share a screenshot of a question you received from a client (text message, DM, or comment). Record yourself addressing the question. Go a step further and say “I expand on this question in my complimentary [name of your free guide or resource]. Next, save the story to a highlight called “[Ideal client type] FAQs”. 

Tip: If you don’t have any questions to answer, send yourself a question and take a screenshot!

Screen record scrolling through a free lead magnet you offer. In the reels platform, add a voiceover or use the green screen feature to point out key sections in the guide. This will 

 help the viewer visualize exactly what value they're receiving. (

 Members: we’ve got many, many lead magnets to choose from). 

Think of your followers, particularly your past clients, like your friends. Engage with their stories and comment on their posts to show your interest and support. This will get them thinking of you AND it will help the algorithm put your content in front of their eyes and vice versa.

You know that text or email you recently received singing your praises? Grab a screenshot and share it to your stories or a reel. Then, make the post about the viewer - ask them how you can help make the same outcome possible or share a related resource you offer.

Those are a few examples for how we build trust on Instagram. And now I'm curious - what do you think? What have you seen builds trust in your real estate business? Share with us below!

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