TL;DR

Posting a simple poll that asks your audience if they own an AirBnB or investment property is one of the fastest ways to identify serious buyers and hidden sellers in your existing database. The same question works on Instagram Stories, Facebook, and email. One agent ran this play and started 12 conversations in a week, resulting in two referrals and two listings from people already in his database. Here is exactly how to run it.

Why Your Database Is Full of Investors You Don't Know About

You've been building a database for years.

Past clients. Old leads. People who've been following you on Instagram, watching your Stories, and opening your emails without ever reaching out.

Somewhere in that list is a person who owns a rental property or an AirBnB. They're thinking about buying another one. And they haven't mentioned it to you because you haven't asked.

That's not their fault. It's just how it works.

People don't volunteer that kind of information unprompted. They're waiting for a reason to bring it up. A simple, casual question gives them that reason.

What Is the Investment Property Poll?

The Investment Property Poll is a one-question lead gen play designed to surface serious buyers and potential sellers from your existing audience.

You post a poll with four answer options:

• Yes, and I want another
• Yes, but one's enough
• No, but I want to
• No, not my thing

No pitch. No CTA. Just a question.

The people who tap "Yes, and I want another" or "No, but I want to" are warm leads. They just told you exactly where they stand.

How to Run the Investment Property Poll on Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories is where this play starts.

Post a photo of yourself and add the poll sticker. Keep the setup text short.

What to write above the poll:

Hey, quick question 🤙 Do you own an AirBnB or investment property?

Poll options:

Yes, and I want another Yes, but one's enough No, but I want to No, not my thing

When someone taps "Yes, and I want another" or "No, but I want to," reply immediately with something simple: "Oh interesting, what kind of property are you thinking about?"

That one reply starts the conversation. You're not pitching anything. You're just asking a natural follow-up question. Let them lead.

How to Run the Same Play on Facebook

The same question works on Facebook as a regular post. Different platform, same concept.

What to post:

Hey, quick question for my people...

Do you own an AirBnB or investment property?

Drop a reply below. Yes, no, or "I want to." Just curious what my circle is up to. 👇

No hard sell. No link to a listing. Just a question that opens a door.

The people in your Facebook network who aren't on Instagram will see this version. You're not creating more work. You're just meeting people on the platform they actually use.

How to Run It as an Email to Your Database

Some people in your database don't scroll social media. They open emails.

Send a short, personal email this week.

Subject line:

quick question for you

Email body:

Hey [First Name],

Quick question.

Do you own an AirBnB or investment property?

Just reply and let me know. Yes, no, or "I want to." I ask because I've been working with a few people in this space lately and I'm curious how many folks in my circle are doing this.

What's your situation?

[Your name]

Short. Personal. One job: get a reply.

When someone replies, you've already started the conversation on their terms, in their preferred medium.

Why This Works: The Real Reason Investors Are Your Best Leads

People who already own an investment property are the most serious buyers in your database.

They've been through the process. They know what an inspection looks like, what closing costs feel like, and what it takes to qualify. They're not intimidated by the process the way a first-time buyer might be.

When someone tells you they want another property, they're not a cold lead. They're a warm one who was waiting for a reason to raise their hand.

And the people who say "No, but I want to" are even more interesting. These are buyers you didn't know you had. They've thought about investing before. They just needed someone to ask.

What Happened When I Ran This Play

I ran this same question a couple of years ago across Stories, Facebook, and email.

It started 12 conversations in one week.

One was a past client. She was thinking about buying a property on the coast of South Carolina. I had no idea she owned anything. She wasn't working with another agent. She just hadn't thought to bring it up.

I referred her to an agent in that market. A few months later, she listed her own house with me.

Two transactions from one poll tap.

A second conversation that week turned into a referral in a completely different market. Someone in my network raised their hand, I connected them with the right agent, and it turned into a referral check.

Two referrals. Two listings. One question. None of it required cold calling, running ads, or going viral.

Why Running It on Three Platforms Is the System

Posting the poll on one platform is a tactic.

Posting it on all three is a system.

Some people check their DMs every day and never open email. Some people scroll Facebook and haven't touched Instagram in months. Some only pay attention when something lands in their inbox.

The question is identical across all three. The medium changes. You're giving people the chance to respond in whatever way feels natural to them.

That's the difference between a one-off post and a real lead generation system.

When to Run This Play

Run it now.

Late spring through summer is peak season for investment property interest. People are traveling, seeing short-term rentals, thinking about beach properties and second homes.

The question is timely, natural, and non-salesy right now. Your database is thinking about this. You just need to ask.

FAQ

What do I say when someone replies to the poll?

Keep it simple. Ask one natural follow-up question: "Oh interesting, what kind of property are you thinking about?" or "Nice, are you actively looking?" You're not pitching. You're having a conversation. Let them tell you where they are.

Does this work if I have a small audience?

Yes. This play works on your existing database, not on strangers. You're not trying to reach new people. You're surfacing serious buyers and sellers who already know you. Audience size doesn't matter as much as the quality of the relationships already in your list.

Can I run this play on a listing photo instead of a personal photo?

You can, but a photo of you will get more responses. People respond to people. The more personal the Story feels, the more likely someone is to tap the poll.

How often should I run this type of poll?

Once per quarter is a reasonable cadence. Run it across all three platforms each time. The people in your database change. New people join. Old leads move further along in their thinking. A question like this is worth revisiting.

What if nobody responds?

If your Stories aren't getting responses, the problem usually isn't the question. It's that your audience isn't trained to engage yet. Stories engagement is a habit that gets built over time. Keep showing up consistently and the responses will come.

Want More Plays Like This?

The Social Media Leads Playbook Starter Kit walks you through exactly how to turn your Stories into actual clients, including one of the plays I've used myself to generate leads without cold calling, running ads, or going viral.

It's free and everything is on demand at itswilldraper.com

Comment STARTER KIT on any of my Instagram posts and I'll send you the link directly.