Not one but two reels in the past week, getting over a million views with an Instagram following of less than 2000 followers. How did she do it? I can't wait to share it with you. Let's get real..
Hey there everybody. Welcome back to another episode of brick and mortar visibility. I am your host, Melissa Rose, and as always so good to be here, especially today. This is our hundredth episode. You guys, 100 episodes. I have been coming in every week for 100 weeks to share with you tips, tools, and strategies that I've learned in my brick and mortar business to help you in yours. Today, we have a treat I'm just super psyched, but before we launch into that, I just want to share with you my next webinar, the last one of the year, the last one of 2021. Imagine where you will be a year from now. What is going to be different. How are you going to feel a year from now? I want you to create your epic life for 2022. This webinar I do every year, because it helps goal set in all the areas of your life, because let's be real. We're not just business owners. Many of us are moms we're partners we're friends were community members and of course, business owners and there's so many variables in our life. And I want us to wake up every morning and just love our day and look forward to our day with excitement. In this webinar, we're going to break down each area of our life. Talk about what we want out of it and set ourselves up for success for 2022. So do yourself a favor, sign up for the webinar. It will be recorded, but let's be real when you show up, you're going to get more out of it and take this time for you. It's just an hour and take this time to just really evaluate where you are and set yourself up for success. Go to Msmelissarose.com/epiclife to grab your free spot. All right, we are going to talk about Instagram reels. Now. I don't usually dive into social media. Too deep because it's not my favorite thing to talk about. I like to talk email. I like to talk collaboration. I like to talk, networking. However, social media is a big part of our business. If you choose to go that route. And today we have a very special guest. She has been on the podcast before she is my business bestie friend, Sarah Capecchi We have known each other, I think six years now, over six years now. And we are neighbors. We happen to run businesses and we walk a lot together. We talk a lot together and we share all the things. And this past week, my business bestie has blown up. She has arrived. She has hit another level and I have gotten a front row seat to it. What I am talking about is that Sarah a week ago had 1400 followers on Instagram and she started her 12 days of Christmas. And her goal for the 12 days of Christmas was to grow her Instagram following. And of course, treat her community to some fun gifts. When she started that 12 days of Christmas giveaway, she had 1400 followers, not many but enough, you know, enough to be, look this past week, she blew up because some of her reels have hit over 1 million views. You guys, that is crazy. Most people who have over a million views in a real. Are people with followings of over hundreds of thousands of followers. Sarah had 1400 followers at a week ago. She's going to talk about her growth. She's going to talk about what she did. She's going to talk about the journey and how she got to where she is. I am so excited for you guys to hear from my business bestie, Sarah Capecchi.
Melissa: SarahCapecchi you're here. I'm so excited that you're here. Thank you for coming over.
Sarah: Oh my goodness. Thank you for having me.
Melissa: Okay. You guys, we are in for a treat so fun. So fun. All right. You've been on the podcast before, so she's my bestie business bestie and she's a realtor . And how long have you been in business Sarah?
Sarah: So just a little bit over five years.
Melissa: All right. So we're going to talk about \something that's happened this week.
Sarah: This week, so insane.
Melissa: So freaking insane.
Sarah: Can't even believe it. It's mind blowing
Melissa: in all the ways y'all okay. So let's go back a little bit. Yeah. A week ago today, right? We had a revelation. Yeah. But you a little bit before that you wanted to do 12 days of Christmas, that was a goal to get more brand awareness. Absolutely. Give back to your community. Absolutely. So that was the goal. So, purely to give back to your community, right. How many Instagram followers did you have at the start
of that?
Sarah: Okay. So at the start of the 12 day giveaway that we started, we had 1400 followers on Instagram. Exactly.
Melissa: So you've been in business five years and you had 1400 followers and these are all organic? Yep. All organic. Never paid for any. Okay. So you've been in business five years. Let's go back to five years. You knew that you wanted to go into Instagram as far as your social right?
Sarah: I liked Instagram. Instagram felt the most comfortable for me because it felt like a smaller, following than Facebook. Which is laughable today. But it felt a little bit more comfortable. I could really put myself out there and I didn't feel as uncomfortable as like Facebook. I don't know why, but Instagram really felt safe to me.
Melissa: Okay. And we've known each other longer than a long time, which is crazy. Yeah. All right. So you decided that Instagram would be your social platform. Then you started posting and I remember going for a walk and it was cold. It was winter. And talking about video, possibly doing video. Talk to us about that.
Sarah: Yeah. So definitely you wanted me to do video. You suggested I do video. I had other people tell me I should do video. And I said, , fat chance. That's not happening. I don't feel comfortable. Like most people, I don't know how to get started. I don't have the equipment. I'm not doing it. That doesn't feel very comfortable to me. With a little encouragement from other people. I decided to start recording a couple of, local businesses. And so I posted those and then I was like, oh, well that wasn't so bad. And then from there, I, Connected with a producer who is like, Hey, I've got this idea for the Hudson show. So I was like, well, that sounds fun. So we started doing that and that was a lot of fun. And then COVID hit. So we stopped doing that. So every once in a while, I'd post a video, what I'm doing on stories, I'd post, you know, day to day activities and things like that. But I just didn't really know what to post. And I think that's a lot of people's issues. They don't know what to post.
Melissa: But you were also doing great videos .
Sarah: Yes. So listing videos, I was making funny listing videos, because again, I was trying to think of how to set myself apart, how to not be like everyone else and to make life fun, you know, because. That's
Melissa: Sarah's middle name is fun.
Sarah: So she likes purpose just to have fun,
Melissa: This is why I hang out with her. So she, created these fun videos to sell houses and it worked.
Sarah: It worked it was crazy,
Melissa: You can go look at her Instagram and check all these videos because they were creative. And I remember the very first one you sent. It'll be two years ago, this February, my gosh. And you asked me, Melissa, is this funny dying, laughing. And, but that's always as an actor, I remember in the theater, like if your cast members think it's funny, it's not funny because we all know each other really well, so that'swhere I was like . Shoot. I think it's really funny. But then you said your husband thought it was fun.
Sarah: Yeah. So my husband's an extreme introvert and I'm an extreme extrovert. And so every video I would make, I would send it to him and say, Is this okay to put out there. And if he gave me the approval, then I felt like, okay, we're good. There was only one video that he was like, man, I don't know if I want to be married a hundred percent. And I was like, really? I liked that one, but out of respect and because I truly value his opinion, I did change. Yep. I changed exactly. I still wanted to be married. I still wanted him to love me. I changed the few things he suggested, but yeah, the, the funny listing videos really took off. And they were so fun to make it didn't feel like work because it was who I was and not everybody is like that, but for me, it was funny to get dressed up in a dinosaur costume and run around the house, you know, showing off the kitchen and the living room and the dining room, because it was hilarious.
Melissa: And I want you guys to hear that. She was doing it because it was fun and it was easy to her. Okay. So when you are thinking about strategies for marketing and what to do lean into, what's easy, don't look at what other people are doing, or try to copy, make it your own, but make sure it's easy and fun because you have to be freaking consistent with it. She's been doing this for five years. Okay. You're in Instagram. You've now gone into video. Talk about how you eased into reels.
Sarah: Yeah. So you know, I was watching other realtors, so I try really hard not to watch, what local realtors are doing, because I don't want to copy what they're doing. So I'm a part of a program, that is nationwide realtors. So I'm looking at, realtors from Seattle and from down in Dallas, Texas, and to kind of see what they're doing and then duplicating what they're doing. And so I just started sharing about my day and I got a couple of followers and I shared about real estate process and I got a couple followers and I was like, oh, well, this isn't so bad. And I could be myself which I really liked. So I would take their ideas and put my own spin on it. It was fun. It was easy. And I kind of just document my day. So I started doing that and then I had this idea of like, I'm always thinking, how can I add value, and be myself. And make things fun, right? Those are my three things. How can I add value? Make things fun. And it be an enjoyable process for me. And so I thought, you know, Melissa and I were on a walk one day, we were talking and I was like, I think I should start a podcast and share funny real estate stories because I have so many. And she was like, well, I don't know if you have time for a podcast. I think what were your exact words to me like.
Melissa: Honestly, couldn't see you sitting behind the microphone by yourself in a room, true story. He was like, my home. Y'all like, I have a happy here. You would probably die.
Sarah: I would. So she was like, and because I value your opinion so much, I was like, okay, well, this probably isn't for me, but what platform could I do this in? I was meeting with some clients, some past clients. I was touring their house and we were talking about the story of when they bought their house. And, oh my gosh. Remember this happened? I said, this is a great Instagram story. I gotta put this together. Do you mind if I tell it? They said, no, not at all. And so I decided to make it into a real, because Melissa's telling me I gotta do reels. I have other people telling me I have to do reel. So I'm like, okay, I'm going to put a reel together. And I'm just going to talk because then I don't have to cut split, you know? I put it together. It's easy. Clearly you can tell. I like easy things. So I, I sat down, I literally took a ring, light , put my phone on, cleaned up my kitchen a little bit. Cause that was my backdrop shut my pantry doors. He didn't see my shit of a mess in there. And I sat and I recorded the video and it was, it was fun and I threw it out there and all of a sudden. Views views views. And they kept going up and up and I was like, okay.
Melissa: Okay. Did you do that on Instagram or did you do it on Tik Tok
Sarah: The first one I think I did do on Tik Toc. I think I started on Tik Tok, but then I always take it from Tic Tok. Right. I use a program called Tik, save, remove the watermark, and then I put it onto reels. So that's what I did for the first one. What I started doing then after that was I would record separately. One for tic-tac same story. One for tic-tac one for reels.
Melissa: That is not easy. Yeah.
Sarah: It's easier for me, honestly.
I like it better. Yeah,
Melissa: So then a week ago today, it was December 12th. Yeah. You text me from your, her date with her husband. She texts me and you give me a screenshot, of your tik toc views . And she's all giddy excited because one of her videos has I think 3000. Yeah, exactly. Like 3000 views. Well, I didn't know what was your Tok Tok grid. So I go to your Instagram grid. And the first thing I see is that video has 35,000 views. And I'm like, what the hell. Is Instagram not giving us all the same information, The alogorythm is messing with everybody. So I was like, what the hell? And then I shared it with you and then you. What do you mean? What? And then you realize that it was Instagram, or I told you it was Instagram. So Sarah hadn't even looked at her numbers on Instagram. So this same video that was only 3000 views on Tik TOK was 35,000 on Instagram. And that was just last Sunday. So since last Sunday, dear friend, yes. You have had two videos hit what marks.
Sarah: So I can't even it's, this is insanity, so one of my videos on Instagram hit 1.1 million and the other one's at 1.2. And the other videos are either hundreds of thousands or tens of thousands. Absolutely unreal.
Melissa: And now you have how many followers as of today.
Sarah: So when I started, it was, it was 1400 and hundred you guys. Oh my God. And in less than a week, I'm almost at 5,000 followers.
Melissa: Okay. Now my brother, I just talked to him yesterday. I was sharing your amazing success and he's like, oh, what does that mean? Was no big deal. It wasn't a big deal. What's really cool. As, as a marketer, this is huge because Sarah doesn't have hundreds of thousands of followers. Usually people who are getting these huge views have hundreds of thousands of followers. She had 1400 to start with. But what's really cool. I think is the simplicity of what she's doing. She's telling us stories and we all know stories sell, and you're able to Bring it down to a minute. And if it's not a minute, you do the part two, part three.
Sarah: Which was a learning curve because on the first video I made for reels , I thought I was done. That was the end of the story. I was like, good, good job. And then people are like, where's the part 2? There is no part 2 what was in the room. And I was like, oh, well I knew this story, but they didn't know the background of it. So then I had a quick create a part two for it, and it was learning how to then add the link for the part two. And I'm like, Now this just got complicated This isnt fun anymore. I'm just kidding.
Melissa: So tell us some of the things that have happened just this past week. Like crazy things, people reaching out.
Sarah: Yeah. So I had one person reach out from Kentucky. My house isn't selling. I do not like my realtor. I'm looking for help. Anything you can do. What? So reached out to her right away. You know, we chatted for a little bit. I said, you know, I don't know the area well, I don't know the comps in that area, but what I can tell you is the pictures are not highlighting the features in your home properly. And I gave her a few suggestions. And then I said, if you're interested in a different realtor recommendation, I can happily provide one for you. I'm very well connected, you know, nationwide. Cause I'm a part of this group. the second one I got was a lady from Arizona thinking about moving back to the Midwest, just asking about the process and other one said, I want to follow you because I just want to learn a little bit more about what's happening in the real estate market. I had somebody else reach out to me, and ask for a referral in their area. I talked about Zillow properties. Somebody reached out and said, are there any Zillow properties in my state? Like I just became the expert of 50 states, which is so fun because honestly, I live for this. This fills my soul. And when I got those messages, it was like gold to me. That was the biggest payday. I don't really care about theviews.. I mean, it's fun, you know, it was exciting to watch. And not to say I don't care about it, but it's more what's happening because of it. That piece has just been so fun.
Melissa: Absolutely. Absolutely. I'm just sitting on the sidelines going, wow, I didn't see the numbers this morning and checking it out. So what I want you guys to take away from this episode is not only is my best use, super fun and hysterical and makes me laugh.
Sarah: And she has the most obnoxious laugh. Sorry about that.
Melissa: But she, she was super consistent. Sarah has been super consistent with her social media on one platform. She also dove into video and then dove even deeper into video by going into reels and then found a way to have fun, keep it true to herself, keep it simple, all the things that were required for her to do it successfully consistently. And then it happened. Now it doesn't always happen to a million views or whatever, but at some point there is the growth. There is the blowup and, I'm just so proud of you. I'm so freaking excited and it's just fun to watch the behind the scenes and hear about it. So well done. And I'm so excited you 2022 is just going to be another level. .
Sarah: No, it's going to be awesome. I can't wait.
Melissa: So Sarah, where can people find you to watch all these amazing reels?
Sarah: Well, obviously on Instagram, you can find me at Sarah Capecchi. Now I realize Capecchi is the best, worst, last name ever. but I say it's the worst, cause no one can spell it. So, you can find me on Instagram. You can find me on Facebook. We've got a really great website. So I am located in Hudson, Wisconsin, and we worked the twin cities market as well.
Melissa: We'll have her Instagram linked up maybe to the best reel should we I'll pick. I'll figure it out. I'll be the boss of that. Awesome. Thank you so much for spending your afternoon with me and sharing this epic week has been crazy.
Sarah: Thank you for having me.
Melissa: Awesome. Congrats. Thank you.
All right, everybody have a great week. We'll see you here same time, same place next week. Peace by by.