BY JOSH RIES
Published in Inman News September 02, 2025
If your real estate business feels stuck, you do not need a new platform or a bigger ad budget. You need a simple habit that earns attention and starts honest conversations. The 5×3×90 program did exactly that for us when our pipeline stalled, and it can do the same for you.
The idea is straightforward. Each week for 90 days, record five short videos, post them on your social accounts, and send each video directly to three people in your sphere or database using a direct link.
Beginning in week two, call the 15 people who received last week’s links to confirm they got the video and to answer any questions. That rhythm of sending this week and following up next week is the engine of the program. No ad spend. No tech-heavy lift. Just consistent value and consistent contact.
Why this works when other plans stall
Most agents struggle with two things at once. They need more conversations, and those conversations need to feel natural instead of salesy. The 5×3×90 program fixes both by leading with value. When you send someone a helpful video that addresses their neighborhood, situation or question, your follow-up call is not a cold call. You already gave them something useful, which earns you the right to ask, “Did you have any questions about the video I sent?”
There is a second benefit that compounds over time. Direct messages cut through crowded feeds. Once someone opens your link, the social media platforms start to notice the connection, which means they begin to see more of your content organically. You stay top of mind without paying for placement.
The third benefit is personal. Five short videos a week build a creative rhythm. You become faster on camera, clearer with your message, and more confident in your local expertise. By week four, you know what to say, and that feedback loop makes the next 20 videos easier to produce.
The fourth benefit is reach. Because you are posting these videos on your social channels and site, each clip continues to work after you hit send. People discover you through shares, search and recommendations. Over 90 days, the library you build becomes a compounding asset you can link to in future texts, emails and follow-ups.
What to film without overthinking it
Do not aim for studio quality. Aim for clear audio, steady framing and a useful message in one to two minutes. Think in terms of problems your clients are facing. Open your CRM notes and tags, review the questions you hear the most, and choose one pain point to address.
A practical example. Record a two-minute explainer on seller rate buydowns. Show how a seller credit can lower the buyer’s interest rate and reduce the monthly payment in the current market. Keep the math simple. Compare a price cut to a buydown with easy round numbers, then explain when a buydown creates more monthly savings than a reduction in price. Remind viewers that exact numbers vary by lender and program, and encourage them to check with a lender for a personalized quote.
Post that clip to a social media channel so you have a shareable link. Then send it directly to first-time buyers in your database who have struggled to compete over the past few years.
How to send and why it earns the follow-up
Keep it short and personal. You are not pitching. You are curating something useful for them. When you send a video that solves a real problem or answers a question they care about, you create permission to follow up. The value comes first, which earns you the right to call and continue the discussion.
Your note can be simple. “I thought of you while I was filming this.” Or, “I made this after our conversation and figured it might help.”
About a week later, call the people you messaged. You are not chasing. You are checking in on something you already gave them:
“I sent you a quick video last week. Did you get a chance to watch it? Anything I can clarify right now?”
If they say yes, offer one next step that fits their situation. If they have not watched it, offer to resend the link and ask what topic would be more useful next time.
The week-by-week rhythm
The engine of 5×3×90 is a simple loop. In the current week, create five videos, and send each to three people. In the following week, call the 15 people who received last week’s messages. Send value this week. Follow up next week. Repeat for 13 weeks. Batch where you can, so the structure is easy to maintain.
What changes by Day 90
Expect a warmer database that answers your calls, more real conversations that lead to appointments, and a growing library of short videos you can reuse in emails and texts. Most of all, expect momentum. The habit is small enough to keep and strong enough to make a difference.
I will not promise outcomes. I will share our experience. When we stayed true to five videos a week, three direct sends per video, and a 90-day window, the business shifted. Replies increased, meetings followed, contracts closed. The system costs nothing and produces something every agent wants, which is trust earned through consistent value.
If your pipeline is quiet, put 5×3×90 on your calendar and start today. Five videos. Three direct sends per video. Ninety days. Simple to execute. Built to compound. Designed to get your business moving again.
Josh Ries is a real estate broker and a lead generation consultant. You can connect with him on TikTok and Instagram.
