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How would you sell chess lessons online??

by ChessTrainer
13 replies
Hi I everyone, I was hoping to find some marketing gurus that might find this question easy to answer.

I am a titled chess player, college student that is looking to teach at least part-time basis (10-20 hrs a week).

part of the process would involve establishing a website: Chess Training School

I was curious to hear out some of the talented marketers/entrepreneurs on here to see what suggestions were open.

Thanks
#chess #lessons #online #sell
  • Profile picture of the author Fazal Mayar
    that is a good question, ive no idea but your best bet would be classified ads sites and forums
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    • Profile picture of the author Jeff Hampton
      Here are the steps I would suggest:

      1) Develop a chess product that will appeal to your potential customers. A small report about some specific strategy.

      2) Set up an autoresponder and squeeze page (might need to Google those) and give the report to those who join your list.

      3) Figure out how to market your giveaway. Look into forum marketing.

      4) Set up a membership site using Wordpress and a membership plugin that can dripfeed content.

      5) Sell membership to this site to the people on your list.

      6) Sell other stuff developed by you or other people (as an affiliate) to your list.

      That's it. Well, there's really quite a bit more to it. But that's the general idea.
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      • Profile picture of the author ChessTrainer
        Originally Posted by Jeff Hampton View Post

        Here are the steps I would suggest:

        1) Develop a chess product that will appeal to your potential customers. A small report about some specific strategy.

        2) Set up an autoresponder and squeeze page (might need to Google those) and give the report to those who join your list.

        3) Figure out how to market your giveaway. Look into forum marketing.

        4) Set up a membership site using Wordpress and a membership plugin that can dripfeed content.

        5) Sell membership to this site to the people on your list.

        6) Sell other stuff developed by you or other people (as an affiliate) to your list.

        That's it. Well, there's really quite a bit more to it. But that's the general idea.
        i like your suggestions, thank you i will pick up on them. i really like the continuity idea and this just leads right to it
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  • Profile picture of the author webapex
    Consider a membership site, a common marketing strategy is to offer a low first month price that rolls over to automatic monthly credit card charges (Continuity)

    You could have weekly online webinars (pros use gotowebinar for up to 1000? viewers) there are OK free webinar services for smaller groups.

    There could be a discussion forum as well as some remote one on one coaching time, perhaps an hour a month, if a big success you may need to outsource coaching to players with a rating suitably high for the student.

    I would think some play-chat interface that stores game states would be essential for remote coaching.

    Sample online 2 player engines
    embedable game with chat
    http://www.chesshotel.com/play-chess.php

    I see there was a complete chess membership site sold a while ago...

    This would not be the simplest thing to do, but you could outsource some of the setup process, if you have seed money.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      You need to target the right people, obviously.

      I think it would help you to get your website in front of as many members of the International Email Chess Club as possible.

      You can't advertise there, but can play as many games as possible with a link to it in your email sig-file - and word will soon get round. (You need to play in events open to all ranks, so that you don't come up against players rated 2200 - 2400, of course, as they're clearly not your potential clients). Getting to know some committee members may not hurt, too. And there must be other clubs/institutes like them, also (you'll know who they are)?

      A possible concern is that your prices may be a little on the high side for that market - but that's only a guess.

      Have you done any keyword research for such search-terms as "online chess tuition"? (That would be my starting-point - I have no idea how competitive it might be).

      If I can offer one minor observation about your existing site: I think it wouldn't hurt to have perhaps a little bit less about your own playing skills and record, and a little bit more about your own teaching skills and record. Just my perspective ...
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      • Profile picture of the author ChessTrainer
        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

        You need to target the right people, obviously.

        I think it would help you to get your website in front of as many members of the International Email Chess Club as possible.

        You can't advertise there, but can play as many games as possible with a link to it in your email sig-file - and word will soon get round. (You need to play in events open to all ranks, so that you don't come up against players rated 2200 - 2400, of course, as they're clearly not your potential clients). Getting to know some committee members may not hurt, too. And there must be other clubs/institutes like them, also (you'll know who they are)?

        A possible concern is that your prices may be a little on the high side for that market - but that's only a guess.

        Have you done any keyword research for such search-terms as "online chess tuition"? (That would be my starting-point - I have no idea how competitive it might be).

        If I can offer one minor observation about your existing site: I think it wouldn't hurt to have perhaps a little bit less about your own playing skills and record, and a little bit more about your own teaching skills and record. Just my perspective ...

        Thank you for observations. I would agree, the site was set up not too long ago and the prices are high. but coaching is a challenging deal, or maybe i am not willing to take the initial sacrifice or run. either or, i would agree about the prices, ideally i was thinking a good pricing structure would be 35-45 for 1 hr with 4 hr scheduling's or registrations. at 35 it seems to be a bargain. for the most part, private tutoring and instruction is not rare to be seen at 75 an hr.

        i have done some keyword research, but i might not have employed the information properly

        the international email club, is a great idea and one i have not taken into account i like the concept thanks.
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        • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
          Banned
          Originally Posted by ChessTrainer View Post

          i would agree about the prices, ideally i was thinking a good pricing structure would be 35-45 for 1 hr with 4 hr scheduling's or registrations. at 35 it seems to be a bargain.
          Yes; I think so, too.

          Also, if you join clubs like IECC, make sure to use your domain-name in the email address with which you register, which will be seen by other members there when you list yourself as available for club games. That might attract some interest. No point in using @gmail.com when you can use @chesstrainingschool.com or whatever ... just a thought: even if it's not a "clickable link", it's good to show their members that your domain exists.
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  • Profile picture of the author ChessTrainer
    the continuity is a great idea, I would have to think how to create sufficient content for it to be compelling enough.

    ive considered webinars and have it stalled for another chess related project but i would agree that this would be the best way to also create that content i am in need of to get started.

    thanks, i am open to more ideas.
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  • Profile picture of the author Marvin Johnston
    Normally, you are looking to develop a sales funnel. And the higher up the funnel, the more access they have to you ... and the more they pay.

    It might be interesting to start with critiquing games that members are playing on your site. And continue into more analysis, i.e. time, the higher they go in the membership levels.

    It is almost assumed that you should be developing a list, so what can you offer as an ethical bribe to get people to join your list? And of course, the upsell would be your membership site.

    Since it sounds like the people would be at least somewhere close to each other in ability, you could have competitions to rank people on your membership site. Maybe get some highly rated chess masters to guest post and/or analyze some of the games.

    Lots of ways to go on this ... good luck!

    Marvin
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  • Profile picture of the author Mike McAleer
    I would try to rank for those keywords or do some adwords and other types of paid traffic. Perhaps there are email lists that you can promote to as well
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  • Profile picture of the author drmani
    Originally Posted by ChessTrainer View Post

    I am a titled chess player, college student that is looking to teach at least part-time basis (10-20 hrs a week).

    I was curious to hear out some of the talented marketers/entrepreneurs on here to see what suggestions were open.
    I worked out a FULL strategy a few years back for my friend, who
    is a high level chess player (though amateur, he played at V.Anand's
    club, and used to BEAT him regularly when we were in high school!)

    He wanted to teach chess online, to kids of friends in the US, and
    I devised a complete marketing program for him - which he didn't
    implement at all :-(

    I don't have my notes handy, but the idea was to put up a set of
    problems to solve, kind of quizzes, each of varying levels of
    difficulty - and send an explanatory lesson teaching the strategy
    and tactics of each problem when someone solved it (or tried to)
    along with a pitch for more coaching on the same lines.

    Then, make it a modest monthly investment, go for continuity, and
    package lessons as you teach them to new students to bundle and
    offer as an ebook/tutorial (as an alternate product line).

    This can lead to webinars, remote personal coaching via Skype and
    video conferencing, specific championship level training, intense
    sessions about openings, mid-game, end-game and other elements
    etc.

    It's a fascinating market, very similar to MMO-IM in extent and
    scope.

    Then, I suggested getting celebrity endorsement for his program,
    which would have SKY-ROCKETED it to great levels... because my
    friend knows world-champion Vishy Anand very well! (In fact,
    this Tuesday, he took me along to visit Anand, and I spent an
    enjoyable hour chatting with the great man - who is truly a nice
    and humble gentleman despite his enormously significant achievements)

    Oh well, hope these ideas are of some help in marketing your chess
    coaching. If you'd like to brainstorm some ideas, let me know -
    but be prepared to implement the first few before getting further!

    All success
    Dr.Mani
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  • Profile picture of the author SiteSmarty
    I wouldn't sell on your site for a couple of years. I'd work on building a pro looking blog site, using Digital Access and aWeber right from the start. DAP automatically signs everyone up as an affiliate and you keep in contact with with members via aWeber.

    Set your permalinks up properly and blog like hell. Your best stuff for a year or two, until you run out of lessons. Give them away and build your membership.

    Then strike! In a year or two when your list is huge and it will be because you're giving away your best stuff protect all those posts after the more tag and sell access to them, only have your affiliates make a 100% on the sale of that access.

    Sell access to all your info for $47. Your affiliates keep the $47. This will bring you lots of fresh traffic. (Join the Warrior Forum, this process is laid out in there)

    Sell the backend. Your one on one coaching using vBulletin. DAP integrates with vBulletin so you can setup different price levels and access.

    See SEOBook.com. They use a forum for their one on one coaching. Trying to sell your chess buddies right off the bat will probably chase most of them away. Give them your best stuff and eventually you'll have them all in the palm of your hand, at your disposal.

    I've heard it takes about 7 emails to sell something to a subscriber on your list. You're trying to make the sale on first contact.
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  • Profile picture of the author KenThompson
    Dr Mani has some interesting marketing ideas. There was no mention of
    youtube, and I think you should at least take a look. Just type in 'chess'
    and a space, and you will see a list of search terms related to chess.

    I mention this for two reasons.

    1. If people can find 'decent' information for free at YT, then they will do
    that rather than pay. A counterpoint to this is I have no idea of the skill
    level of the people who post chess related videos of YT. So that could
    be a point to compensate in your favor, maybe.

    2. This is also related to Dr Mani's post. I think you will have the best results
    if you distinguish your self with your offer, or overall offers. If you should
    happen to overlap with free info easily found, such as at YT, then that will
    or most likely may not work in your favor.

    ****

    Make the focus on your site geared toward the benefits people will derive from
    using what ever you offer. It has to be about them. I bet you can create a long
    list of benefits for the many things you can offer. I recommend spending a lot
    of time extracting the benefits.

    Of course people will want to know who you are and why you are qualified, etc. So
    of course you need to tell them something. But I would minimize that on the home
    page 'but' absolutely make a separate page that reveals your history, credentials and
    experiences, etc. People will click on the link to read about you.

    Make your offer overwhelmingly unique, strong and 'wow' them with it. Make it
    something no one else does and irresistable in some way. You also need to brand
    your name a bit along with your offer so people will automatically think of one when
    they hear the other.

    Of possible consideration, give your 'offer' a name and maybe even call it a system. I
    am not talking about deception. People respond to names of systems and the use
    of that word, system, but obviously it really needs to be a system.

    Even if you ultimately offer a membership site, just as an example, then you can
    still brand it with a name and call it a system if it really is one.


    Ken
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