Can anyone recommend a good coach to help me with my marketing?

Thanks

Oh yeah! One of the best in the business (IMO) is John Cooper. Visit his website at http://www.coachingforentertainers.com

There are quite a few great 'caching' programs for performers... currently, I am full-up and not accepting new one-on-one coaching relationships, but Eric Paul has a sweet deal going on right now that you will want to check-out for yourself and see if it’s a good fit, but Eric (as does John, who is a really smart guy!) REALLY knows his stuff and is still out there in the trenches “Walking His Talk”, fresh from the fight, and NOT some guy just sitting on his behind trying to sell you on some program and yet not doing it for himself!

Hi aussiemagic,

What type of shows do you want to pursue?

And what do you mean by "help me with my marketing"?

That might help us to send you in the right direction.

- Donald

P.S. John and Eric are great choices, but it also depends on what help you are looking for.

Oops... Donald is RIGHT! Sorry for not asking the right questions first before just spewing out answers to question I don’t have a complete grip on.

Thanks Donald!
Deano
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Thank you.

Yes, I have actually worked with John Cooper before. He was very good and I was very happy with the results I achieved while with John.

I believe that working with a coach is one of the best ways to move to the next level. That is why I want to do it again.

I am aware of Eric Paul and that is something I am considering.

Are there any others?

I would even consider working with a business coach who doesn't have a magic background, but most that I have looked into are out of my budget.

Thanks
Simon

For business advice, my recommendation would be to check out the resources on the Small Business Administration site:

http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/index.html

If you're in the U.S., see if you have a local SBA 'SCORE' office. These are staffed with people that will council you on various business topics. This is a free service which is very much worth checking in to.

Oh boy... a quick Google for business coaches would reveal a TON of choices, many I'm sure would be within your consideration range! - - I DO highly recommend BOTH... I always have a mentor inside and outside of "the arts" as well as have lots of mentees inside and outside of business and the arts as well!

Too, you can be 'coached' though not as personally through all manor of systems out there. Certainly Nightingale Conanat is a great resource as are most bookstores and libraries.

CONGRATULATIONS for being one of the few who truly understand the value and take action on their own, proven success! I applaud you!

I am at your service and In HIS Service,
Deano (always learning from others) in Reno
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Simon

Thanks for your PM

Sorry I can't help you at the moment, I'm having a frantic year
and unable to help one on one at this point.
(I did check your sites though, what a great niche you are in!)

Excuse the "public response" but thought one idea you might try is this..

Two general marketing/business coaching books I strongly recommend are

Info Guru Marketing by Robert Middleton http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=666290

and
Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port. (search amazon )

Both are excellent and complement each other nicely.
Importantly both have structured exercises / workbooks that help you define
what you are on about and help make your message clear.

Both have been discussed here before as a search will reveal.
(Ports "velvet rope policy" is so applicable to what we do.)

My suggestion is that perhaps you can find someone to buddy up with
and do the exercises step by step.Make yourself accountable to the other person.
One of the great features of having a coach is that they do this for you
but a small group of people can run a self supporting network.
Email and skype has made this easy.

(I have a long term brains trust I meet with for a full day 4 times a year,
and this is one of the things we do.)

timothy

Timothy and others,

Thanks for the posts and the book recommendations. I will definitely look into those.

Simon

Simon,
I'd recommend Michael Port if he has any openings. Are you still in Japan? Drop me a PM (johnvcooper@mindspring.com) as I'd love to catch up. If you can't get on with Michael get his book. Also Timothy Hyde gave you great advice in getting Robert Middleton's InfoGuru Manual. Let me know privately where you're looking to expand and I'll be glad to offer further coaching recommendations.

All The Best,
John Cooper

PS Thanks for the kind words Skip, Dean, Donald and Simon.

Running an entertainment business or any business is much more than marketing only.

How good are your selling skills?
A book I'd recommend is "The Sales Bible" by Jeffery Gitomer.

How good are your networking skills?
A good "basic" start is Paul & Sarah Edwards "Getting Business To Come To You"
Tip: Buy it used and devour it!

Are you a good self manager?
Start with David Allen "Getting Things Done!"

"Get Clients Now!" by C J Hayden
"Work Less, Make More!" by Jennifer White

Notice: No Magic Books! No Magical Marketing Courses! All VERY solid information for the REAL world.

Hope this helps.... It's just the tip of the iceburg.
All The Best!
John Cooper

Thanks for the book tips, John.

- Donald

Hi John,

Great to hear from you. Will be in touch.

Simon

John Cooper and I have the same bookshelf

A couple of extra thoughts on his list above.

CJ Hayden , I like this one too, interesting structured approach based on a menu metaphor. However she seems to assume you know "who you are" and "what you're selling", something that most people don't.

Getting things Done . Do use this John? I think its a great concept
but waaaay to complex. It was a huge bestseller. A lot of GTD people suggest
reading his second book Ready for Anything first, as it introduces the principles in easy to manage chunks.

OK, here's my big tip for the morning - buy Zen to Done by Leo Babauta
its an ebook, $9.50 all about productivity.

http://zenhabits.net/

This is the link to the blog, which is a great read, but there is a link to the ebook there as well.

Timothy

Timothy,
Sorry to have missed you at NSA in Orlando. Yes, I'll agree with Ready For Anything being the book to start with David Allen. The CD's from Nightingale-Conant are great! I also like Brian Tracy's books and a new fun read called "Juggling Elephants" Also enjoy Larry Winget's "Shut Up, Stop Whining And Get A Life!" and Joe Calloway's "A Category Of One!"

This along with the earlier mentions should start some hamster wheels turning....

All The Best!
John Cooper

Simon,
Magically, I always recommend Jim Snack's course as well as CJ Johnson's More Shows More Money http://www.moreshowsmoremoney.com/ There are others I recommend but it depends on where your career is and where it's headed.

As a coach and longtime performer several of my clients send me stuff they've bought. So called "Experts" offer very "basic" advice. Some of it is laughable. An example: There is a four theme show system for a market. The only words that changed in the four shows were the buzzwords! Very, very weak in the subject matter they covered. A weak show will not get you invited back and it will taint the market.

Personally I sell no "system". Look for a coach who works from their clients perspective helping them achieve more. Look for a coach that will tell you the honest truth. It will truly help you grow. Remember the biggest part of a magic business is the business & self management skills it takes to achieve long term success. You must stay on task.

As Denzel Washington said on Oprah the other day, "Do what you have to do, to do what you want to do!" No truer words were ever spoken.

All The Best!
John