From footy tips to the MC mic: how Bevan Jones built the Bevo name

Bevan Jones had been emailing event agencies around the country for weeks: spring racing, the Grand Prix, Gather Round. Most never replied.

"You don't get heaps of people reaching out back to you or replying" when starting out he told me.

Then the other night he emailed an events company. The next morning the reply came back: "I'll pass on your details to the team. I've got a couple of spare seats on Friday night for the Adelaide Crows best and fairest if you want to come and join me on my table."

"It does pay off to reach out to people" and you can get extra opportunities you had never even asked for. You just have to keep asking.

Tip 1: Be persistent. Most people won't reply to your emails. Keep reaching out. All it takes is one yes.

Who is Bevan Jones?

In April 2018, Bevan had just finished his dream radio job as a breakfast announcer in the Riverlands. Figuring out what to do next, his mentor had an idea.

"Why don't you just start something to do with footy tipping where you get different guests on every week?" And so, Legends with Bevo was born.

Tip 2: Act on good advice: A mentor's suggestion became nearly nine years of interviews.

Over 250 interviews and nearly nine years later, it had been nominated for community TV awards nationally. "I must be doing something right there," he said.

How did Bevan Jones go from podcast to MC?

After nearly nine years of the podcast, the passion had faded. "I was just getting a bit over it," he said. Friends encouraged him to try MC-ing and he could see it had "more legs."

Legends with Bevo is taking a break for now, but Bevan says he might still bring it back.

The interview skills carried straight over. At a Port Adelaide event he interviewed players in front of a live audience. "There's no way I would have been able to do that without having those skills I learned from Legends with Bevo."

Tip 3: Your skills are transferable: take them into the next thing you do

What has the Bevo brand done for Bevan Jones?

People started finding him. "Getting a few people now that just are starting to reach out that I never contacted them or anything," he said.

A friend helped with SEO and the results showed. "If you Google MC for hire now, I come up pretty high in the Google listings," he said. The two brands fed each other: Legends with Bevo gave him credibility and the MC work gave him reach.

Need an MC? Bevan takes gigs anywhere around the country: bevomc.com.au

Where does Bevan Jones show up for his personal brand?

Emails came first, sent straight to event companies. Then he posted everywhere: Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram reels, his website and a couple of show reel videos on TikTok. Some friends gave him grief for posting so often.

"That's a good thing, isn't it?" he said. "That means it's getting it out there."

Tip 4: Post often, even if your mates tease you. Visibility is the point.

His friends film some of his gigs and cut it into a show reel he can send to potential clients. He often leaves his business cards after events. "You never know who's going to reach out."

Tip 5: Use real footage from gigs

How does Bevan Jones use AI for his personal brand?

Bevan uses ChatGPT to help draft emails and posts for social media, but he always rewrites them to his voice before posting. "Definitely don't use chat word for word because quite often it can be wrong."

Tip 6: Never use AI word for word. Proofread, tweak and make it sound like you.

What is Bevan Jones's #1 piece of advice for building a personal brand?

"The biggest thing is reputation because you can very quickly ruin your reputation by doing something silly."

Further tips from Bevan Jones

• Don't vent online when you lose a gig. "All it needs [is] one person to see it and then from an event company or whatever and your brand is tarnished."
• Always carry business cards. "You never know who's going to reach out."