#009 Alex Beadon On Winning With Video And Instagram Stories

Hey, we're giving this another try. Technical difficulties, that's how it works. Welcome to Personal Brand Breakthrough. My name is Sheryl Plouffe. I am a video marketing strategist, although maybe today you might not know it. But you know what, part of video and the strategy behind video is knowing how to kind of roll with the punches and know that, you know what, everything's not always going to run smoothly, and it's how you cope with it and try to find solutions. So I hope I found the solution.

We're going to find out in just a couple couple of minutes.

So today we're really talking about Instagram specifically and also about just, you know, entrepreneurship in general as it relates to video with a very special guest. We have Alex Beaton with us today who is an Instagram Stories queen, and she's going to not only talk about Instagram Stories but video in particular and how it's made a huge difference in her business and to what degree. And I think You'll be surprised by some of the things that she talks about today in the interview. So let's get the party started, shall we?

Today we have a very special guest, Alex Beaton, who is, in my opinion, one of the smartest marketers out there. She does an amazing job on every platform that I've seen her on, but more recently on Instagram Stories. Alex, welcome, and I'm just so excited to talk to you today about video.

Thank you so much for having me. I'm so happy to be here. You know what?

And it's true, Alex, you know, I watched, you know, what you do online and it's truly, it's remarkable because you are so natural. And I think a lot of people would watch you and say, gosh, you know, wish I could be like her. So I really wanted to sort of dig into video specifically and how it has helped you to build the business, a very successful business that you run and build your brand. Can you just speak to that a little bit in terms of the power of video and what it's done for you specifically?

Yeah. So fun fact, I've always, ever since I started my business back in 2009, I've always been creating content online. Right. So that has always been something I've been doing. Back then it was more about blogging. So I was writing blog posts almost every day, but it wasn't until I started creating video that my brand and my business really exploded. And I think it was around 2011, I started making YouTube videos and that was really what got people's attention and really got people addicted to my content. I think video is so powerful. I think they have a statistic that says it's like 7 times more memorable than the written word or something like that. So I always kind of had that in the back of my mind. And the way that I got started with video is I really just committed once a week, I'm going to create a video where I give some kind of valuable piece of content. Um, at first I think I was like answering people's questions that they sent in. Um, but it has just been, so, so fundamental to my success as a business owner. I think when people see you, they can really feel your energy and really get a taste of who you are, which builds that know, like, and trust factor. And it really can't compare to the written word. I mean, it can compare to maybe audio, like audio is still better than the written word, but still nothing beats the video and audio. So yeah, I would say it's, it's still definitely been fundamental. Did that answer your question?

Absolutely.

And I think it just gives us all some, you know, reinforces, I think, for all of us, the power of video. So many people, I think, Alex, are just like, they know it, like they know they should be doing video, but yet there's always something in the way. There's procrastination because there's fear and there's anxiety around video, and they're afraid of what they say and if people are gonna care or how they look. How did you ever have any of those issues in the early stages of you using video? Did you ever have those apprehensions or have you always been kind of a natural at it?

No. So when I first got started, I actually did not want to do video. I resisted doing video for a very long time and it wasn't until my sister sat me down and she was like, Alex, if you want to be competitive in this market, you need to be making videos. I was like, okay. And even in my very first video, you know, I'm just super shy. I'm like, "Hi, my name is Alex." I always refer to it because it's hilarious to look at now, because now I'm like this big burst of energy, whereas back then I was the complete opposite. So I think it's just one of those things you need to kind of accept and also expect that you're going to feel quite uncomfortable at first with like the sound of your voice. Like for me, I remember that was really cringeworthy. It was like, ah, do I really sound like that? And even like just watching the way your face moves and looking at your mannerisms, like I don't think we're really used to seeing ourselves speak to people, you know, because we're never really looking at ourselves. And even when we look at ourselves in the mirror, we're not really talking to ourselves. So it's a whole different experience. Once I got over that and once I started getting used to it, then you can start being creative with it and really just like letting go of what people think or what people are saying. Because really it's irrelevant. People are going to be talking about you no matter what. So might as well give them something to talk about.

Well, you know, it's so interesting because I call that the breakthrough. And I, just like you, when I first started off in broadcasting, I really did not like looking at myself on the monitors, and I did not like the sound of my own voice. But it is a function of being a broadcaster. You're going to see it, and you sort of in time get used to it. But what you just described, that period of where you're uncomfortable, and then you get to a point where you're like, "Okay, now I can relax," and I call that the breakthrough. And the faster you can get to the breakthrough, the better off you are. Now, you just talked too about energy. Are you the same off camera as you are on camera?

Everyone always asks me this question. I think I am, and I am not. So like, like anyone else, I'm a dynamic human being. So, you know, I have times where I'm exhausted, and I have times where I'm full of energy. But I do think that I turn it up when I know that I'm on camera. So, like, you know, if I'm about to film myself, I will, like, amp myself up to really make sure that the energy is there, because I want people to feel the power of what I'm saying, and I know it's gonna have more of an impact if I'm really showing up energetically, whereas, like, if I'm just going to lunch with you, my delivery might be completely different, but I'm still the same person. It's just different deliveries, I think. I'm just— I think when I'm on camera, I just want to also have, like, that entertainment factor and like be fun to watch.

I think that's super important. And it's that energy that we bring to it. I'm the same, you know, I feel like when I am on camera, I just kind of, mm, it just goes up a little notch, but it's sometimes it's all that's required to kind of really be enthusiastic and come across on camera as opposed to being flat on camera.

So I think you do a great job. Let me just add one thing to that for everyone listening. I think a lot of people have the misconception that like, if you do that, you're fake, or there's something about you that's pretending. But actually, I would completely disagree with the people who say that. I think you're just like turning up the volume on your personality.

I totally agree. And so many people are, they're like, oh, but am I going to come across as being into myself or vain or something like that? But what the camera just translates that and kind of knocks you down a little bit. Bit in terms of energy. So you kind of end up landing in just the right place. Yeah, I think that that's a very good point and that we shouldn't hold back from that for fear that, you know, it's going to have that impression. You are Instagram Stories queen, Gram Slam amazing. Um, I want to talk a little bit about video specifically for Instagram Stories. And I don't know if you can speak to this, but from an algorithm standpoint. Where does it stand right now in terms of Instagram and, and video and how we utilize that in stories? Is there a huge advantage to us to be using more video on that platform?

So I'm actually not sure about the difference between video versus like a Boomerang or a picture. I've actually never thought of that before. That's something that I would have to look into, but I don't even think that Instagram has released any information on that. But what I will say is that if you look at how Facebook treats video, or if you look at how Instagram as the platform treats video, they prioritize video on the newsfeed. You know, like we know that, we know they prioritize Facebook Lives or Instagram Lives the most, and then videos. So I would say that for sure, if I had to make an educated guess, videos probably has the upper hand. But I would definitely say that the most important thing when you're making videos or posting photos or whatever you're posting to your story is really just adding value, making sure that people are watching it as much the way through it as possible. So I think the biggest thing when it comes to the algorithm is like the completion rate of your story. So are people watching 25% of your stories? Are they watching 90% of your stories? I think Instagram is most likely paying attention to that and taking that and being like, okay, people are watching her stories. We're going to bump her up in the algorithm.

I love that, and that's something that I'm learning from you with regard to Instagram Stories about the completion of a story and that, you know, again, has a beginning, a middle, and an end. It's exactly how I teach the video component, right? It has to have all 3 of those components, and so I think you do a great job of that. I wanted to give you the opportunity to tell our audience about Gram Slam. It's a great program if people are interested in learning more about Instagram Stories.

Thank you. So Gram Slam is an online course that I created really out of just pure demand. I had so many people messaging me saying, how do you do that on stories? How do you make such good stories? So I was like, okay, I'll put out this course. And what I thought would be like this little, you know, blip that I just put out there for people to enjoy kind of turned into this tidal wave of people just loving the content, which has made me super proud and really happy and excited, obviously. But yeah, so if you go to gram-slam.com, gramslam.com. I have a 4-part free video series that you can sign up for where I really just kind of like open the doors into storytelling, and I share lots of different apps that I use. I share like the things you should be thinking about when you're creating stories. And then once you go through the 4-part video series, then you can decide, okay, am I really committed to taking my storytelling to the next level? If so, then you can go ahead and buy Gram Slam and join the Gram Slam movement of really just taking your stories seriously because the truth is right now people are watching stories. As a marketer, I know that that's where people's attention is and so many people aren't using it efficiently as business owners. So it's just such a great place to stand out right now. So I'd say if you're going to jump on Instagram stories, now's the time to do it. Awesome.

Thank you so much, Alex. Now with regard to video, do you have any parting words, any advice for our audience who may be saying to themselves, okay, I want to do video, but I'm scared. What final word of advice do you have for them?

I would say commit, like make a commitment. Be like, I'm going to make 50 videos before I'm allowed to quit. Like really commit to it. Be like, I'm going to make videos for 6 months before I make my decision. Because the truth is like anything else, at first you're going to feel super uncomfortable, but once you actually get going, it's just going to become more and more fun. And you're going to start to see the way that your audience reacts to you differently and how they know, like, trust you so much more. It's going to help grow your personal brand. Like one of the best, best, best, best, best things I did was start making videos. The amount of people who, like every time I have clients, I ask them, why did you decide to buy from me? I would say 90% of them are because they've watched my videos. They feel like they know me. They feel like we're friends and that is irreplaceable. So it's worth it. Just commit.

I love it. Wise words, very wise words. Thank you so much, Alex.

I really appreciate you being here today.

Thank you for having me.

So there you have it.

Thank you so much, Alex, for taking the time to talk to me. And for those of you who have been thinking about Instagram, and maybe you're already using Instagram on your feed but you haven't been utilizing Instagram Stories, Alex is your girl. So make sure you check that out. I personally, uh, learned a lot from Alex. I, I think I gained about 250 followers in less than 2 weeks just by applying some of those strategies. So you definitely want to check it out. Please let me know in the comments if you have any questions about anything that you've heard today.

I'm going to go through, I read every single one of them.

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