46. The power of livestreaming

"Livestreaming is the real reality TV and people love it!" This comes straight from my guest John Kapos aka Chocolate Johnny, who built a global brand through livestreaming. In this episode Johnny shares his experiences and explains why anyone in business should hit that live button!

Find out more about John Kapos and his livestreaming courses CLICK HERE

Transcript

Sally: Do you go live online? Or does the thought of it make you feel sick? I love live streaming and today I'm chatting to the king of the live stream. Who's taken his business to the next level through the live stream lens. And wholeheartedly believes you can too.

I'm Sally Prosser. You're listening to That Voice Podcast, no matter who you are or what you do, your voice matters. So unless you've sworn a lifetime vow of silence, this is the podcast for you.

If you want to live stream with confidence and feel pumped hitting that record button, if you want to live stream with clarity and organize your thoughts, and if you want to live stream with charisma and watch those hearts roll in on the chat, then join My Six Week Voice Makeover. We currently have an amazing cohort underway, but head to www.sallyprosser.com.au to register your interest so you don't miss out on the next one.

Welcome to episode 46 of That Voice Podcast. If you're new to the podcast - welcome, fantastic to have you here today. I'm chatting to somebody you want to be friends with. He runs a chocolate company - seriously, Johnny Kapos, AKA Chocolate Johnny has used live streaming on social media to take his brand global from Periscope to Facebook Live Snapchat, and now TikTok live - doesn't matter the platform. If you can go live on it, you'll find Chocolate Johnny there showing you his delicious products and how they're made. John Kapos AKA Chocolate Johnny, could you do your job if you lost your voice?

John: Definitely not Sally.

Sally: So tell us a little bit about what you do?

John: I'll introduce myself like I do on live streaming. So G'day everyone, my name is Chocolate Johnny. Well actually, no, it's John Kapos AKA Chocolate Johnny. I'm a third generation chocolateir and the CEO of Perfection Chocolates - that's the 'chocolate eating officer' and we were established back in 1939 and through the power of live streaming social media, that little Perfection Chocolates has become a global brand.

Sally: Amazing. The amount of live streaming that you do is incredible. And I know for a lot of people, it's a real fear. It's a real fear to just make a video and post it, let alone go live. Can you take us through how often you go live and what platforms you use and then what it's meant for your business?

John: Okay. I started back in 2015, when the app called Periscope came out, it was bought by Twitter. And I did my first live stream in March of 26 2015, and then really took hold of it on April the first. And I just fell in love with it. I became the voice of Chocolate Johnny, and then I became the voice of Perfection Chocolates. And of course I love and I'm passionate about the business and I couldn't stop doing it. And all of a sudden I started building a relationship with all these people around the world and through that, they started trusting me because they saw me live. They could hear my voice, the relationship started, the trust started. And then they said, what are you selling? We're going to buy you because we just love you. And we love hearing you. I always say, speak with strength. And when people are listening to you, it doesn't matter if you're doing a two minute video or a podcast with Sally or with whoever, what you need to be sure of is that people will put their phone eventually in their pocket and they'll just keep listening to you. So the more you build that strength in your voice and that confidence and that ability to just say whatever is going to be so beneficial for your small business.

Sally: Absolutely. And why live? Why not prerecorded?

John: I do both. I do both, but I think now we're in a world that people really need to see your vulnerability. They need to say who you are, what you look like, where you are, your environment. We're all voyeurs Sally. And I always say live streaming on any platform. So Periscope, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, you name it. Any live streaming platform is the real reality TV and people love seeing it. So that's why I always tell my clients or people I'm working with or just any small business do the live. And it really is such a powerful platform for your business to grow. And it will grow. Video is just as important. But I think with live people love watching you. People love sitting back and you're their new TV show.

Sally: Yeah. And there's nowhere to hide. I've had a lot of people comment on some of my videos saying, why do you sound like that? Why do you put that voice on? But when they see me live and realize, that's just how I talk.

John: That's a great point because we're talking about more small business here because a lot of people who are afraid to do live once people see you actually see you, like you said, you know they'll see your videos. And I'm like, Oh, who is this guy? And all of a sudden, they'll come into your store or they'll use your service and they'll actually meet you. They'll give you a handshake. They'll give you a hug. They say, 'Oh my gosh, you actually sound and look exactly like you do live and I just love you even more.'

Sally: So how much do you think the live streaming has impacted your business?

John: Dramatically on Periscope, we started with zero followers and we reached up to 30,000, maybe 35,000 followers. I've had - through live streaming - I've had a hundred people from around the world. We're talking around the world, not just Australia, come to Sydney and visit Perfection Chocolates and meet Chocolate Johnny. That's been a major impact, a flow on effect with that is that people join my email list. People come on my Instagram, people go onto my TikTok there's momentum. It just keeps going and going. And so people just, they want to be part of the family. That's how I've made them feel. I've said to people, you are my mate. You're not just a follower. You are my mate.

Sally: So it's all about creating that connection. Isn't it?

John: A hundred percent.

Sally: What would you say to people out there? A lot of small business owners who are afraid to hit that 'go live' button and do it because they're afraid of how they'll sound.

John: I just tell people to do it. What's the worst that can happen. If you're listening to me right now, and you're afraid to push that, go live button. What is the worst thing that's going to happen? You know what? Someone's going to say something. 'Oh, you don't sound that good. Oh, you don't look that good.'.

Sally: What is the worst thing that's happened on one of your lives?

John: Oh my God. I had a troll. I have I'm famous for controlling the trolls. I've had some trolls who absolutely gave me a hard time. Look at you. You're old, man. You're bald. You're going gray. You can't speak you're overweight. I mean, they were just hammering me, Sally and I loved it. In the end he became one of my biggest fans because I I'm fortunate that I had chocolate.

So you can, if you're a small business out there, don't just, don't think you can't do it because, you know, I had a chocolate factory. There are so many businesses out there who can do live streaming and really benefit from it. And so this troll, I said to him, you know, it's such a pity because I was about to give away some chocolate and, and his comments totally stopped. And he wrote this massive comment. Oh, Chocolate Johnny. I am so sorry. I do apologize. But I said, that's okay. You're still going to miss out? Make sure you come back to my next live stream so you can maybe win. And ever since then, he just followed. So, you know, just, I have this saying, push the start broadcast button someone's going to watch you. Someone's going to listen. You may start with zero hearts, zero likes zero followers. But the most important thing that you have to realize that you have a story and everyone wants to hear it.

Sally: Absolutely. And there's something so special about tuning in live, especially on TikTok because there's no ability to save it. You know? So on TikTok if you don't go in at that moment, then you're never going to see what's happening behind that profile.

John: I saw your TikTok You were just crushing it. And I'm just like, my gosh, she can't save it. That's just, Oh, I love that you can't. And I actually dislike that you can't. So I'm a bit on the fence. So I did a Periscope and all I did was show how I made caramel the factory with everyone where you had 111,000 live viewers. And thank God I could save that. It's gone from the Periscope library because they eventually get rid of stuff after a while. But I got to keep that I screenshot it. I recorded some of it. So, you know, if you're a small business, like Sally said, you know, just do it, do it because you don't know what could happen. Could you imagine Sally doing one TikTok and then doing another one? And then the third one and a fourth one, and then fifth one she gives up, she's got over 200 and something thousand followers. She's helped thousands of people. So you just gotta keep pushing that button, keep doing it.

Sally: Thanks. Yes. I do put out a lot of content. One of the reasons that I like live streaming is it's a lot less time consuming. So if you want to make a video and you want to shoot it, and then you've got to edit it and then you've got to post it. That is a lot, takes a lot longer time than saying, Hey, let's go live. And often if you've only got 10, 15 minutes, I'll just go live on TikTok because it's a great use of that little window of time.

John: Like you said, you know, we've worked where you, I think you and I, and thousands of others who are listening, definitely, you know, sat there and did this beautiful video and edited the titles and the music and this and that. And you put it up and you get like 20 views and then you go live and you've got 150 people watching and they all want to know what you do and what can I buy off you?

Sally: And I would also take comfort from the fact that it doesn't have to be saved. So in My Six Week Voice Makeover, I go live twice a week. But then I close the page down a few weeks after the end of the course. And I have had people say to me, 'Oh, well, you know, that's not fair. We want access to it forever.' But one of the reasons that I feel like I'm more free and more giving is because I know it's not going to be there forever. You know? So in some ways just going for it and doing it and then knowing that it will disappear can be great for your confidence I think.

John: Yeah. And the other thing too is, especially you doing your course, that's six weeks course. The great thing about not having it up there all the time is also as a marketing ploy. We want to have people have that fear of missing out. It's like, 'Oh, hang on, I've missed it now, what am I going to do? I've got to see what else she's doing.' And, and we're all curious. And we're all, like I said, we're voyeurs and we all want to know. And you know, whether you're doing it, are you doing that on Facebook? Is that where you're doing it?

Sally: Yes that course is on Facebook?

John: Okay. Yeah. So, you know, 'where is she?' they're typing in your name. I can't say it. Why not? So

Sally: The other part of it is in livestreaming, you are talking to the people who were, who were there, you're saying their names, you're answering their questions. And so that's, again, another thing I don't know if you want that to be there forevermore.

John: I remember you doing that as well, but I love doing that. I love saying, Hey Sally. Hi, welcome. Hey Debbie, how are you? Hey Eva, g'day Spencer. How are you doing? And I think I spend time saying hello to everyone, but because I've done so many hundreds and thousands of livestreams, I've realized that that's the most important thing people want to be acknowledged. If you've got thousands of thousands of, of them, I mean, or when you did yours, you had, I think 20, 30,000 on there watching you, you can't talk to everyone. You can't remember everyone, but there's that certain amount of people you see them pop up, you know? Hi. Hi. Hi. And I think that I love that. I love that about live video. I love acknowledging that. I love showing behind the scenes. I love that I don't know that connection. And the great thing is when people finally get to meet you, like we were talking about before it was, Oh my God is, this is what you're like, give me a hug. Yeah.

Sally: It's amazing. So what other advice would you give apart from just hit record?

John: That's my first thing. That's the one just as the famous Nike says, just do it, please, please just do it and keep practicing. And you know, I'm here to help and I'm sure Sally's there to help you do it as well, but just do it practice. Don't sit there and look for the best camera and the best mic and the best this, and the best that you have it in your hand. It's the most powerful tool in the world right now. It can sway a vote and it can make you the next superstar. I'm serious. The phone in your hand by pushing that live button can make you the next superstar in your niche, in your platform, in your work, in your business. So that's two, and then the third is speak with strength. Just let go. Don't worry about anyone else. Just believe in yourself and that you can do it and you can make yourself take the piss out of yourself. Sorry, Sally, take the piss out of yourself. Honestly, when you make fun of yourself, I think that Sally does that. She's like, I don't care what they say. This is what I look like. This is what I'm going to do. I do the same, you know, what's so what? And people love that. So they're thetop three I can suggest off the top of my head. Yeah.

Sally: Yeah. I love it. I think I often go live and then say, Oh, I haven't got a glass of water. And so I'm walking through the house thinking, Oh my gosh, they can see my washing. I could see my bedroom. Well, what have I got in the background that could incriminate me, but you really got to let it go and know that people want to engage with you, for sure.

John: But don't they love that, Sally. You're sure you're going to get your trolls and stuff like that. But don't, they love that. Don't you love that when you're like, Oh my God. Look at that. Look at this, look at it. I can see that.

Sally: Yeah, absolutely. I love it. Love, love, love it. I should be doing more live streaming because I really enjoy it. And I feel like I'm getting so much better at it. I remember when I did my first Facebook live, I was, you know, getting ready like 10 minutes before and I kept like testing. And then I was texting some of my friends. Like, can you jump on to let me know that it's working? And it was this big panic.

John: So if no one gets on, what do you, what's your advice? Because we've all had that issue. I mean, I've had it, I've gone to on Facebook live, I've gone on Instagram live where I've had just one person on. So what is, what's your advice then about someone who does a live and goes, Oh no, one's watching,

Sally: You got to find your own style. I rate myself as an amateur comedian. So I often make a joke about things and I wasn't Instagram live the other day. And I was like, okay hello to nobody. This just reminds me of every zoom meeting or webinar that I've facilitated in the last few weeks where I feel like I'm talking to nobody.

John: I hope you saved that to IGTV that's. Cause I'm going to look for it.

Sally: No, well, no, I didn't. I actually stopped it and then deleted it, which is what you can always do as well.

John: Yeah. There's a whole series of YouTube, ‘Sally Prosser's Bloopers.'

Sally: And I know this is all about voice and I'm, you know, I'm a big advocate for getting out there using your voice, loving your voice, having a great relationship with it. Not overthinking. But one thing I do want to mention is if you are afraid to livestream a good start might be just showing your audience something you're doing rather than speaking. So Johnny, I know that you have it set up while you're making coffees or you're just taking people around the shop. So that could be a good way to start streaming.

John: So what I teach in my livestreaming for success. The thing that most people fear is actually what they look like, not what they sound like. So what I tell people exactly what you said, but turn the camera around. In other words, hit the button. So it, the camera's facing away from you use your voice and walk around the street and say, hi everyone. Here I am in Rose Bay. And this is the footpath that I walk home and that's it. And that's the best way to practice. And then there's the beach down there. You don't see your face, but people hear you. I was coaching a guy called Darren the Dog Walker. He's a great example, Darren the Dog Walker didn't believe in livestreaming. I coached him, mentored him for six months and he was a dog Walker and he came to Rose Bay and you know, we're lucky we lived close to the water and I said, look, let's do it this way. We'll go landscape. We'll put the headphones on. All you do is just turn it on and talk about where you are. Talk about the boat in the water etc. Anyway, he got used to it and he was known as Darrenthe Dog Walker. You couldn't see his face. He was averaging 20 to 30,000 views every Periscope. 20 to 30,000. I mean, it was mind blowing and he never once showed his face and he fell in love with it. His business took off even more and he doesn't Periscope or livestream anymore. Cause he does need to, he doesn't have time to do that. So there you go. There's an example.

Sally: Yeah. The power of the live stream. It's incredible. So how can people, who'd like to learn more about this get in touch with you?

John: I'm on Instagram @chocolatejohnny and also @perfectionchocolates. I'm on TikTok @ChocolateJohnny we're @perfectionchocs on TikTok. We're on Facebook, under the both names, Chocolate Johnny and Perfection Chocolates. And I'm on Twitter as well. And there's so many others, but I think Sally will put them on the show notes.

Sally: If you won't stalk Johnny for the live streaming tips, then definitely go there for the chocolate. I've experienced firsthand.

John: That's right. We did send you some chocolate. Didn't we? You got a TikTok care package.

Sally: Loved it, John Kapos. Thank you so much for joining That Voice Podcast.

John: Sally, take care.

Sally: Thanks for listening to That Voice Podcast for new episodes, straight to your inbox, drop your email at www.thatvoicepodcast.com.