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Poker Coach needs Help Getting Clients

by Daniel_James_Warburton
8 replies
Hello Warrior Forum, it has been a while!

I recently have started setting myself up as a Mental Game Coach in the Poker Industry with a niche of specializing in the Micro Stakes (up to 25c/50c blinds or 50NL).

However, I have no ideas on how to efficiently get clients. I've spent several weeks creating a website and gaining a little bit of a reputation but I need to start developing and setting systems that will get me paid clients in the most efficient and effective way possible.

I do not fancy wasting my time with ineffective methods or barely effective methods thus I have turned to the professionals... YOU GUYS!

My Coaching Business is done via Skype and is for people who play Poker at the Micro Stake level. My target then is English Speaking Micro Stake Poker players from around the world. I would like to focus on internet marketing strategies to do 2 things:

1.) Brand Recognition & a Strong Reputation
2.) Trapping Leads in a Sales funnel converting to Paid Clients.

My current sales funnel is as follows:

1.) Free 10 minute talk is done as an icebreaker
2.) Initial 1 hour session is done which aims to Recognize any potential Mental Game flaws. This aims to help the potential client determine what issues they have. It is the "problem" for which my coaching is the "solution".

The coaching itself focuses on the Psychological side of the game correcting problems such as fear, confidence, motivations, decision making ability, focus, inspirations, expectations...etc.

I've said a lot, now it is your turn...

Prove how much of an amazing marketer you really are!
Show me what you are made of!

(this is a really bad "call to action"; You get my point though)

I would really appreciate any ideas regarding systems to get clients from the professionals we have on the forums (ie.. you).

All ideas are a great start as this is a brainstorming session... type away....
#clients #coach #poker
  • Profile picture of the author writeaway
    1) Study what other poker coaches are doing to get clients

    2) Copy each technique one by one

    3) Figure out which technique yields the best ROI and improve on that. Ditch the rest.
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel_James_Warburton
    That seems simple on paper.

    I'm just doing a search now to see if any information exists on what other coaches are doing to get clients.

    So far, it seems they use parasite marketing paying for contextual advertisements on the authority websites (such as twoplustwo.com). This seems too risky due to a large cost involved ($150 per month or payment from 5 coaching sessions). Id rather use this as a tertiary strategy to increase the clientele AFTER a cheaper approach has been taken.

    Any more suggestions?

    EDIT+++++++++++++++++

    One idea I have just had is to create a web series on youtube using my specific knowledge, then aim to get a deal on a coaching website where they post my videos up! I will get brand awareness and recognition from this! Still not sure on how to convert this to paying clients though!

    Ive had a look around online using a surface search, no obvious information exists on how other coaches promote themselves.

    Any ideas on how to do a deeper search?
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    • Profile picture of the author edlewis
      I'd say YouTube might be your friend.

      However, you may also want to leverage your knowledge by turning it into a product.

      Put together a course and sell it, then have the coaching as the upsell. The product establishes you as the expert, and the value of the coaching comes from the 1-on-1 experience with that expert.

      The other thing this does is set you up with a way to let affiliates promote your product for you. You can give away 75% to 100% commissions to affiliates knowing that your real profit lies in the coaching back-end...and the list of paying customers you build.

      Publishing on Kindle is also an option.

      You can put together an ebook talking about the best micro-limit strategies and use that as lead gen into your funnel.

      The $2.99 Kindle ebook -----> $27-$47 video training -----> coaching

      I would just make sure your goal after the first step is to get an email address or some way to contact that person.

      This is easy...offer free access to a community, free newsletter where you give away daily/weekly content, or even the first module or two of the video course...as a sample.

      Or maybe access to a private Skype group...so anyone who buys your ebook on Kindle gets access to this private Skype group...and you upsell the coaching from there.

      Another way to go is to just start publishing alot of content. Start a blog and publish quality content a couple times a week - these can be articles, short videos, even info graphics, etc.

      Build up an audience and then sell them stuff. You may even find that your "herd" doesn't want coaching...but something else.

      Oh...and while you are at it PRAY every night that the US market comes back into play in the online poker niche! I used to be in this niche...ahhh....the good ol' days.
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  • Profile picture of the author fasteasysuccess
    There's tons of profitable options for you and so many smart ways to go. But if you want just one and did this exact same thing for a past client a year or so ago and he cleaned up...

    Buy a targeted list of poker players (easy to find)-direct mail with killer direct response copy and hit them either with your offer or really to be effective-hit them with value and tease to get them to your opt in page online and then you offer. This way you capture and bring into your funnel.

    That's the most profitable way to go and then obviously continue to market online and offline targeting your market with offers to grab info and bring into your funnel. And follow up with them and your targeted list offline.
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  • Profile picture of the author Coby
    I would copy what Jason Somerville is currently doing with his "Run It Up" series that promotes UltimatePoker.com

    As a semi-pro poker player myself - I think the best place to really get yourself out there is going to be social media.

    The micro-stakes is such a good niche and is really untapped as many membership sites focus on high stakes or MTT's only.

    I would set up social media accounts that all linked to a squeeze page. Make daily content videos for YouTube that lead to your squeeze page. After you build a list - post the videos on a blog and send them to the new videos. You can then have a link to your coaching or related products below each video. And of course ask them to like, tweet and +1 your blog posts/videos.

    PM me if you want to chat more.

    Cheers,
    Coby

    P.S. I'm going to Tunica this weekend.
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
    Originally Posted by Daniel_James_Warburton View Post

    My Coaching Business is done via Skype and is for people who play Poker at the Micro Stake level. My target then is English Speaking Micro Stake Poker players from around the world. I would like to focus on internet marketing strategies to do 2 things:

    1.) Brand Recognition & a Strong Reputation
    2.) Trapping Leads in a Sales funnel converting to Paid Clients.

    My current sales funnel is as follows:

    1.) Free 10 minute talk is done as an icebreaker
    2.) Initial 1 hour session is done which aims to Recognize any potential Mental Game flaws. This aims to help the potential client determine what issues they have. It is the "problem" for which my coaching is the "solution".
    For brand recognition and reputation building:

    > YouTube videos, a short series of them
    > A course published on a site like Udemy.com or Learning Annex
    > A book, both electronic version for the Kindle marketplace and print via CreateSpace.

    In all of these, offer the free 10-minute "consultation" on a space-available basis.

    While I've never done it as a webinar, either that or an old-school teleconference call can let you do demos of the consult/initial session for a large group.

    Getting people into the funnel:

    > Have people fill out a questionaire to "qualify" for the free consult. If they qualify, they'll be given details on how to set up the consult. If they don't, or space is unavailable, they'll get a freebie - maybe a shortened version of your course or a newsletter with tips, resources, etc.

    Of course, those who do qualify also get the newsletter.

    Just do things in steps.

    > Your promotion sells the opt-in
    > Your opt-in sells the freebie (the 10-minute talk)
    > Your freebie sells the paid consult (the initial one-hour session)
    > Your paid consult sells the ongoing coaching.

    The book(s) and course(s) have the added potential of being self-liquidating. In addition to getting people into your funnel, you may have them paying for the privilege. And that, as Martha Stewart likes to say, is a good thing...
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  • Profile picture of the author Marty S
    Originally Posted by Daniel_James_Warburton View Post

    Hello Warrior Forum, it has been a while!

    I recently have started setting myself up as a Mental Game Coach in the Poker Industry with a niche of specializing in the Micro Stakes (up to 25c/50c blinds or 50NL).
    Okay, 50NL is NOT micro stakes, so you would have to narrow/clarify your market to begin with.

    Originally Posted by Daniel_James_Warburton View Post

    However, I have no ideas on how to efficiently get clients. I've spent several weeks creating a website and gaining a little bit of a reputation but I need to start developing and setting systems that will get me paid clients in the most efficient and effective way possible.

    I do not fancy wasting my time with ineffective methods or barely effective methods thus I have turned to the professionals... YOU GUYS!

    My Coaching Business is done via Skype and is for people who play Poker at the Micro Stake level. My target then is English Speaking Micro Stake Poker players from around the world. I would like to focus on internet marketing strategies to do 2 things:

    1.) Brand Recognition & a Strong Reputation
    2.) Trapping Leads in a Sales funnel converting to Paid Clients.

    My current sales funnel is as follows:

    1.) Free 10 minute talk is done as an icebreaker
    2.) Initial 1 hour session is done which aims to Recognize any potential Mental Game flaws. This aims to help the potential client determine what issues they have. It is the "problem" for which my coaching is the "solution".

    The coaching itself focuses on the Psychological side of the game correcting problems such as fear, confidence, motivations, decision making ability, focus, inspirations, expectations...etc.

    I've said a lot, now it is your turn...

    Prove how much of an amazing marketer you really are!
    Show me what you are made of!

    (this is a really bad "call to action"; You get my point though)

    I would really appreciate any ideas regarding systems to get clients from the professionals we have on the forums (ie.. you).

    All ideas are a great start as this is a brainstorming session... type away....
    If you have no online presence or reputation among the poker world, I would not concentrate at all on getting coaching clients - YET. It's just a very difficult market right now, and for those who are already playing, there is a lot of training competition with full poker training programs and memberships out there where known pros provide boat-loads of videos for a small monthly fee. Can't even start to talk about all the great poker books out there as well that cover this same topic.

    Instead, you should consider creating a Facebook and Youtube following by just putting out free lessons on a consistent basis. Make the videos short and to the point. And reply to all of the comments in social media - keep the conversation going.

    You should also keep in mind that you will have to do something very unique to stand out in a crowded market, so I would get that thinking cap on. All you mentioned so far is "branding" and "trapping" customers, so not a good mindset to get something off the ground.

    My poker channel has about 4 million views and currently not doing much with it at all because US players got booted out of the market a couple years ago. Poof - there goes 75% of the market.

    If you do carry on, go to Youtube like I said, and GIVE, GIVE and GIVE more. Once you get subscribers and comments to every upload, you'll eventually get a magical question > "Do you do private coaching?". That is when you can revisit this business plan.
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    How to make offline videos for clients
    How to add a custom thumbnail image to your Youtube video
    How to CUT THE FAT in your YOUTUBE videos
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  • Profile picture of the author Loopholemarketers
    Yeah I would find common questions and answer them on youtube.

    When you can answer a question, people trust you.

    Then they'll be super warm to accept and promotions you offer.
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