Happy Friday! Quick question: When's the last time you actually enjoyed a real estate agent's Instagram?

If you're drawing a blank, you're not alone. Between the "Just Listed" posts and market update graphics, most agents' social media is about as exciting as watching beige paint dry.

But what if I told you there's an agent who:

Today, I'm breaking down how Brandon Blankenship cracked the code on local social media. And the craziest part? He only posts about real estate 20-25% of the time

In this newsletter:

Enjoy!

— Andrew

Remember when real estate agents just posted listings and "Just Sold!" graphics on Instagram?

That was Brandon Blankenship in early 2023, sitting at 7,000 followers. Today, he's at 67,000 followers and will close $25 million in transactions this year - with a good portion coming directly from Instagram.

Here's the crazy part: He rarely posts about real estate.

It started with a gap in the market. While scrolling through Instagram in late 2022, Brandon noticed something: Chicago had dozens of popular accounts – Best Date Nights in Chicago, Chicago Bucket List, endless food pages. But the suburbs? Ghost town.

"I saw a huge disconnect," Brandon recalls. "Everyone was highlighting Chicago, but nobody was talking about the suburbs."

Most agents would see this as irrelevant. Brandon saw an opportunity.

His thought process was simple: "Worst case scenario, I learn more about where I live and get some free meals. Best case scenario, it helps my business tremendously."

He wasn't trying to be a real estate influencer. He was trying to be the digital mayor.

For months, Brandon posted basic food content. Growth was slow but steady. Then came October 14, 2023 – the day everything changed.

A friend challenged him: "Go 60 days straight with Reels. Post every single day, no matter the quality."

Brandon took the challenge. But instead of just food content, he started creating area guides: "Best Restaurants in Naperville," "Top Things to Do in St. Charles," comprehensive neighborhood tours.

The results? His content went viral. Not just "local viral" – we're talking 4 million views per month, 14 million in 90 days.

Why? Because he cracked the suburban content code:

Here's where Brandon's playbook differs from every other agent on Instagram:

Most agents: "Just Listed! 4 beds, 3 baths..."

Brandon: "Best pumpkin patches in the Chicago suburbs"

Most agents: "Market update! Inventory is..."

Brandon: "What's coming to Naperville this November?"

Most agents: "Interest rates are..."

Brandon: "10 hidden gem restaurants in the Western suburbs"

"Realtors are notorious for just posting about buying or selling real estate," Brandon explains. "But the reality is, the average person only transacts once every 8-13 years. Why would they follow an account that only talks about real estate?"

Instead, he follows the Ryan Serhant principle: "People hate being sold, but they love buying from friends."

Here's where Brandon's strategy gets interesting. While most agents are sliding into DMs with "Looking to buy or sell?", he's built an automated lead generation system that converts attention into appointments.

Brandon uses Many Chat to automate Instagram conversations. But there's an art to it:

"It's all about depositing value before making a withdrawal," Brandon explains. "I might send 5-6 value messages before anything about real estate."

Brandon's story polls are genius in their simplicity:

The key? Low pressure. "People are shy about DMing," Brandon says, "but they'll click a poll option. They don't expect I'll message them – but I do."

While most agents ignore email, Brandon's building a local empire:

"High-quality newsletters that are short and sweet, with high volume – that's the secret sauce," Brandon reveals.

Remember Gary Vee's "jab, jab, jab, right hook"? Brandon's version is "deposit, deposit, deposit, withdraw."

When a post goes viral, he:

"The post might get 1,000 comments," Brandon says, "but people always check the pinned comment. That's where the magic happens."

Think Brandon's cranking out all this content himself? Think again.

He's built a content machine:

For example, that pumpkin patch post that went viral? His VA:

All Brandon did was shoot a quick video and hit publish.

The results speak for themselves:

But here's the kicker: Brandon says he's just getting started.

The genius of Brandon's strategy isn't just in what he posts – it's in what he understands about attention.

"At the end of the day, we're in the profession of marketing ourselves 24/7," he explains. "Most agents see 50/50 engagement and think 'don't risk my neck.' I see 50/50 and think 'I can tilt those odds single-handedly.'"

He's not trying to convert everyone who sees his content. His math is simpler:

Brandon's not satisfied with dominating Instagram. He's expanding to:

"I'm trying to build a media company that happens to sell real estate," he says.

The biggest lesson from Brandon's playbook isn't about Instagram tactics or content strategies. It's about patience and playing the long game.

"You're definitely overestimating what you can do this first year," he reflects, "but you're underestimating what you can do in five years."

His first year back in Illinois? Just 3 deals in 6 months. He almost quit.

Next 6 months? 18 deals. This year? 50+ deals.

Why? Because he understood the fundamental truth about content marketing in real estate: Everything you do now pays off 3-6 months down the road.

Plant enough seeds, and eventually, you get to harvest.

Or as Brandon puts it: "If you build it the right way, they'll come."

Watch the full conversation to dive deeper into Brandon’s story & playbooks.

In partnership with Chris Smith & ella:

Our 2-hour advanced email workshop replay is live, but only for 48 hours…

"Email marketing is dead."

That's what they keep saying every year...

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Why? Because while everyone else is obsessing over social media algorithms, the smartest marketers discovered something hidden in plain sight:

Your email list is the only thing you actually own.

In this advanced 2-hour email workshop, we reveal:

But my favorite part?

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This isn't theory - these are real results from real campaigns.

Want to see the full breakdown including the 9 email templates you can swipe and deploy today? Watch the full workshop now or save for later (it will disappear in 48 hours).

P.S. The replay will only be live for 48-hours after that it will be gone.

I hope these help inspire your next video!

That's it for today!

Curious to hear your results after you implement 1 of these into your business!

Time to build for 2025!

Andrew Bayon

P.S. Watch the 2-hour ADVANCED EMAIL webinar before it disappears in 48 hours.

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