How do you shift your business from good to great?

The answer is through a compounding effect of actions known as the flywheel. The flywheel itself is a sequence that ignites and accelerates momentum in your business.

For Instagram, which plays a pivotal role in a realtor’s social media strategy, the flywheel is broken down into five separate pieces, each filled with its own components.

So, what are the 5-pieces, and how is each one broken up?

When building your flywheel, the idea is that each piece makes the next piece happen on its own, thus keeping the wheel turning.

New leads

The top of any funnel is where you generate leads. Without a consistent influx of potential customers, you won’t have anyone to convert into paying clients.

Lead generation is the lifeblood of the sales process.

When it comes to new leads on Instagram, they can take different forms. Understanding these variations is crucial because it affects how you attract them.

Examples of the forms they come in:

• Inbound direct messages asking to speak with you based on content you have shared
• Active prospecting (outbound)
• Referrals: messages from someone saying, “X person referred me to you.”

Understanding the different types of leads allows you to create a game plan and be proactive about getting them.

Here is an example: To get more inbound direct messages asking to speak with you, you may need to get on more podcasts, host more local events, or collaborate with more businesses to be more visible in your local area.

For active prospecting (outbound), knowing who to target in your messages on Instagram is key. Where the right people for you “hang out” in real life can help create a game plan for where you focus your efforts.

Create Credibility

The second part of the Instagram flywheel is creating credibility.

To increase credibility, there are two parts. First, create content more consistently, but not just ANY content.

Your content is not for you. It is for your ideal client. So, think about creating opportunities for them to see themselves working with you because you have the solution to the roadblock they have in front of them.

The second part of creating credibility is to increase the number of conversations you have in your DM’s daily. More conversations will create more opportunities for those individuals to see your content consistently. Content + conversations = credibility.

Client/Raving Fan

Creating a raving fan and potentially a client is the third part of your flywheel. The focus here is we need to build credibility with people based on the combined efforts of the content they see AND our conversations with them.

Then….we have to go for the ask! 🙌🏻

Nobody enjoys being bombarded with sales pitches, especially on a social platform where it feels like that is all you see. That’s why it’s more effective to prioritize building a genuine connection through meaningful conversations first and then making your ask when the time is right.

This approach significantly increases the likelihood of receiving a positive response.

Picture this segment of the flywheel as the base of your funnel. The more interactions you engage in within your “new lead” section, the more chances you’ll get to establish trust with these individuals. Consequently, this will expand the pool of those who you can confidently invite to a meeting.

VIP System

The VIP System of your flywheel is where you create a place for past, existing, and soon-to-be clients.

This can come in a couple of forms. First, a “favorites” list on IG can hold 50 people. Are there 50 people who are currently in the process of working with you or people you WANT to be working with who are not quite ready yet? They should go on this list. The algorithm will prioritize their content to you, enabling you to maintain consistent engagement with them as you work their timeline, ultimately paving the way for them to become clients.

The second is a Facebook group. Having a Facebook group allows you to have a place where you can share information for ONLY those who are actively working with you in some capacity. This can include your warm leads. Sharing things like meet-up opportunities, an upcoming wreath event, a toy drive, or an upcoming giveaway allows you to stay in front of these individuals face-to-face.

Hosting well-executed events can set you apart from competitors, giving you a chance for quality client engagement.

This stage of your flywheel generates the momentum required to propel you into the final phase, which is all about referrals.

Referral

Having a strong relationship with your clients can create better referral partners and lead to you getting more new leads.

When customers become advocates and refer your business to others, they not only help you acquire new leads but also complete the flywheel by contributing to the attract stage (New leads!). This referral momentum is a direct result of the VIP system part. It continues to attract more potential customers, restarting the flywheel.

Above is a blank sample of a flywheel. To fill it in, you will fill in a sentence for each segment that starts with the word provided and then break down each sentence into HOW you will accomplish them. That is the key. If you want to “provide framework for standing out from the white noise content and engagement on the platform,” you must identify HOW you will do that.

When you are executing the details within each, remember your goal: to generate energy that is transferred to the next stage, creating a continuous cycle of growth. Each stage will feed into the next.

Here is a sample of the “provide” segment: “Provide framework to help my client’s home stand out against others who are listing in the same area.”

Then….you have to answer the HOW!

But why is all this important as part of your Instagram strategy?

In essence, the flywheel represents a strategic shift from short-term, transactional thinking to a more customer-focused, sustainable, and self-perpetuating growth model. It places emphasis on delivering value, staying top of mind with your ideal clients, and capitalizing on the momentum generated by both your passive and active prospecting efforts, ultimately contributing to the long-term successes of your Instagram.