More than a following

When Grace Folias listed a five-bedroom home on Long Island, NY, she didn’t plan a typical open house. Instead, she hosted an event that led to three more listings over the next three months—and $100,000 in additional commission. “I knew my target audience was young families with school-age kids because it was in an A-rated school district and down the block from a park,” says Folias, owner of the Modern Approach Team at The Real Brokerage. While she didn’t only target families, she offered activities that all potential buyers would like. “I did a mega open house with a bounce house outside and an ice cream truck. We really went all out.”

Grace Folias

Folias serves Palm Beach and Broward counties in Florida, as well as all five boroughs of New York City. No matter the market, she starts by identifying who she wants to reach and shapes her message around that audience, adhering to all applicable Fair Housing laws. “Before you hit post, ask yourself who this is speaking to, whether it solves a problem and whether it’s useful information,” she says. Buyers, sellers, first-time buyers and downsizers will likely need different information. “If I’m sending an email about interest rates, that’s for buyers,” she says. “It starts to get spammy when people receive emails that don’t match what they’re looking for.”

Instagram is the center of Folias’ marketing strategy, and her @grace.folias account has grown to over 44,000 followers. “The majority of my clients come from Instagram,” she says, adding that she relies on Reels, stories, carousel posts and authentic storytelling to stay visible long before people are ready to buy or sell. “Every time you hit post, that’s doing the follow-up for you. I never use paid ads on social media.”

Here are four ways Folias turns Instagram attention into real business:

1. Go  beyond basics.

“Doing creative, out-of-the-box listing videos helps my listings sell quicker and get as much exposure as possible,” Folias says. Stronger listing content does more than market one property. It also attracts future sellers who want an agent willing to do more than post a few photos and wait for buyers to show up.

2. Know your audience.

Folias says marketing starts to feel salesy when agents try to speak to everyone at once. She recommends getting clear on the people each piece of content is meant to reach. “When you try to talk to everyone, you’re talking to no one,” she says. That applies to social media posts, listing campaigns and email marketing. A first-time buyer likely needs basic guidance about the process, but a seller cares more about pricing, preparation and exposure. Someone who is downsizing will have different questions altogether. Folias segments her email list so people receive information that matches their real estate goals.

3. Build trust.

Authenticity isn’t just a buzzword for Folias—it’s part of the conversion process. She encourages agents to show up on Instagram stories, post videos of themselves speaking and talk candidly about the questions or issues clients are facing. “People on the other end will feel like they’re having a personal one-on-one [conversation] with you,” she says. That familiarity matters when someone eventually reaches out. Many prospects have watched her content long enough to already understand her personality and track record before the first conversation. “I try to [share] my personal life, my daughter and my dogs and everything going on day to day,” she says. “You never know who’s connecting.”

4. Capture and nurture.

Folias has found that lead magnets are one of her best low-cost tactics for moving Instagram followers into a follow-up system. “Posting Reels is the best way to go viral, get more outreach and gain followers,” she says. The real value, however, comes from taking people off the platform and capturing their contact information. For example, if she posts a Reel with first-time buyer tips, she asks viewers to comment “blueprint” to receive a free homebuyer guide. From there, Stan Store’s automated direct-message feature sends the guide, captures the recipient’s email address and moves the lead into her CRM system. Folias says the platform costs about $100 per month and is currently one of her only marketing expenses.

Once the lead is captured, Folias uses Flodesk for email follow-up. Someone who downloads a homebuyer guide might receive an introductory email, followed by messages about mortgage lenders, market updates, available listings and next steps. If the prospect is looking to buy within the next few months, Folias will move the conversation to a Zoom consultation. “You have to connect with every client seven to 12 times for them to actually convert or want to buy or sell with you,” she says.