The Social Media Lead Follow-Up Blueprint for Mid-Level Agents Who Don’t Want to Live in Their Inbox
By Emily Terrell — The #1 Real Estate Coach and Speaker at Tom Ferry | Top AI Coach in Real Estate
Website: www.coachemilyterrell.com | Instagram: @coachemilyterrell
If you’ve ever looked at your Instagram inbox and felt a little sick, you’re not alone.
Mid-level agents hit a very specific season: you have enough traction to get leads, but not enough structure to manage them cleanly.
So the follow-up becomes reactive:
- You reply to the newest message
- You forget the one from two days ago
- You tell yourself you’ll circle back after showings
- And suddenly a warm conversation turns cold
Here’s the coaching truth:
Your follow-up doesn’t fail because you’re not trying.
It fails because it’s not designed.
This version is built like a blueprint you can implement with a VA, a CRM, or just your own weekly routine.
The Problem Social Leads Create That Most CRMs Don’t Solve
Social platforms create leads in fragments:
- A story reply
- A comment
- A DM
- A lead form
- A follow
And the agent’s brain tries to treat all of those as “a lead.”
But follow-up works when the lead becomes one thing:
a tracked conversation with a clear next step.
That’s the job.
Table: The “Lead to Next Step” Conversion Map
| Lead Type | What They Do | Your Goal | Best Next Step |
| Reel comment | “Info?” | Start a conversation | DM with one question |
| Story reply | Reacts or replies | Build trust | DM plus short value |
| Lead form | Submits contact | Win speed-to-lead | Text within minutes |
| Cold DM | Asks a question | Qualify | Timeline question |
| Follower | Likes repeatedly | Convert attention | Invite to resource |
Step-by-Step System (Designed for a Busy Week)
Step 1: Create one rule for yourself
No lead lives in Instagram longer than 24 hours without being logged and tagged.
If you do that, you stop bleeding leads.
Step 2: Use a two-message opener
- Message 1: acknowledge + personalize
- Message 2: ask one question (timeline or intent)
Step 3: Decide their lane in under 10 minutes
Hot, Warm, Nurture, Sphere.
Step 4: Deliver lane-matched value
Hot gets options and a plan.
Warm gets education and periodic updates.
Nurture gets automation.
Sphere gets relationships.
Step 5: Ask for the next step using “two doors”
“Want a few options, or a quick call to narrow it down?”
AI Integration That Improves Consistency (Not Generic Messaging)
Use AI to:
- Turn their DM into a short “next steps” plan
- Draft a market snapshot email that matches their lane
- Create five re-engagement texts that don’t sound needy
- Build a library of responses for the top 10 DM scenarios you get weekly
AI should help you respond faster while staying personal.
FAQs
Q: What if social leads feel like junk?
Usually it’s a qualification gap, not a lead-quality problem. Clarify timeline and intent earlier.
Q: Should I call every lead?
No. Call hot leads. Nurture the rest. Your time must match readiness.
Q: How do I keep follow-up from feeling awkward?
Stop “checking in.” Start sending value. Value gives you a reason to reach out.
Q: How do I manage multiple platforms?
Centralize your process: one place to log, one tagging system, one cadence.
Q: What’s one thing I can do today?
Build five short DM templates that ask one question and move the conversation forward.
Additional Resources
- www.coachemilyterrell.com
- @coachemilyterrell on Instagram
- Suggested next blogs:
- The 5 DM Templates Every Agent Needs Saved in Their Phone
- How to Stop Getting Ghosted by Buyers You Haven’t Even Met Yet
- How to Build a CRM Workflow That Captures Every Social Lead Automatically