Ep 81: I Thought Trial Reels Were Pointless... Until They Made Me Sales

Mar 23

I rolled my eyes when trial reels dropped. Instagram said they were for “testing content,” but as a business owner, I wasn’t trying to experiment—I already knew my messaging. The last thing I needed was another excuse to overthink my content.

But then I found out trial reels are shown only to non-followers—specifically people who already follow accounts like yours. That’s when it clicked: this wasn’t just a test feature. It was a built-in audience growth tool.

So I stopped treating trial reels like fluff and started using them to attract the right people—without dancing, pointing, or selling my soul to the algorithm gods.

Trial Reels Aren’t Just for Testing—They’re for Attracting

Instagram positioned trial reels as a way to test different messages or formats. But if you’re anything like me, you’re not in beginner mode. You’ve already got a clear message and a solid sense of what you’re here to do.

That’s why I stopped using trial reels to “test” and started using them to target. Since they’re only shown to people outside your current audience—but inside your niche—they’re basically a shortcut to warm leads. Not just random views, but people already engaging with content like yours.

Use Trial Reels to Spark Connection, Not Just Visibility

Once I understood how the feature worked, I stopped phoning it in. I stopped using trial reels like disposable content and started building them with intention—as part of Step 1 in my Five Steps to Sales strategy: growth.

Not just more followers. The right followers.

Because here’s the truth: If the right people aren’t in your audience, the rest of your strategy won’t land. They won’t engage. They won’t trust you. And they definitely won’t buy.

Trial reels became my way of reaching aligned people from the jump—with bold, clear, personality-driven content that told them exactly who I am and why they should care.

Know Your USP and Let It Lead

Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) isn’t some empty buzzword—it’s what makes someone scrolling pause and think, “This is for me.”

Your trial reels should lead with that: who you help, how you help them, and why your approach is different. Loud and clear.

And if that sounds easier said than done, I get it. That’s exactly why I made the Trial Reels Guide & Formulas. It’s got the prompts, templates, captions, and follow-up strategy to help you stop guessing and start growing—with reels that sound like you and work like strategy.

Real Results: Followers, Clients, and Zero Burnout

Here’s the part where I tell you I didn’t go viral. Because I didn’t.

I used one of my own trial reels strategies and got the kind of followers who actually converted. Real people, real clients, real sales—from one feature most people are still sleeping on.

One of my clients used the same strategy and gained 72 new aligned followers in a week. Not a fluke. Not luck. Just clear, intentional content that speaks directly to the people you're trying to reach.