Most basketball trainers skip the sales call entirely.
Someone fills out a form, picks a time slot, shows up to a free session, and maybe signs up. By the time they walk in the door, they haven’t been sold on anything. They’re just testing.
A good basketball trainer sales process doesn’t work that way. Marko Zelic, founder of Zero Dot Basketball in Aurora, Colorado, built one that does. Before any family comes in for a free session, they go through a mandatory Zoom call. After that call, 98% of them sign up.
Here’s the full system.
Who is Marko Zelic?
Marko grew up in Serbia playing professional youth basketball. At 15, he was getting paid by his club before most American kids have made a varsity roster. He was briefly teammates with a then-unknown Nikola Jokic, until Jokic took his spot by dropping 30 points, 20 rebounds, and 11 assists in his first game.
He came to the U.S. on a college basketball scholarship, played D2 in Oklahoma, and eventually settled in Aurora, Colorado, where he started training kids out of a rec center. At his lowest, he had 30 athletes in a gym paying $12 an hour.
Today he runs Zero Dot Basketball with 60 to 80 athletes on six and ten-month commitments. His website opens with a single question: “Is your athlete struggling to score and play with confidence?” If a parent reads that and thinks “that’s my kid,” they’re already halfway sold.
Why most basketball trainers lose clients before they sign
The standard model works against you.
A parent finds your page, books a free session, tries it out, goes home, and thinks about it. A week passes. Their kid’s season starts. Something comes up. They never come back.
Even if they loved the session, the momentum is gone.
Marko identified the real problem: he was asking parents to make a financial decision without enough information, then giving them a week of dead space to talk themselves out of it.
> “If somebody says no to a Zoom call, okay, let me still try to say, hey, let’s go on a Zoom call because you’ll have a better feel. When you see it and hear it, it’s different.”
The Zoom call solves this. By the time a family walks in for their free session, they’ve already talked to Marko for 30 to 40 minutes. They know the program. They know the price. They know who he is. The free session isn’t where they decide. It’s where they confirm.
How the Zoom call works
The intake process starts with an application: 10 to 12 questions that filter out families who aren’t a fit. Marko and his wife review every application before sending a Zoom link.
On the call, Marko walks the family through the full program: what the athlete gets (in-person sessions, weekly film breakdowns, mindset lessons, skill homework), what the commitment looks like (six or ten months minimum), and why the structure exists.
The call runs 30 to 40 minutes. Sometimes it runs an hour and a half.
> “They can really need me and be like, okay, this guy is worth it. And by the time they come for a free session, they already know: this guy’s legit.”
At the end of every call, he introduces the next-day discount.
How does the next-day discount work without being pushy?
Before the call ends, Marko tells the family directly:
> “If you guys know it’s a good fit, why not use that discount? If it’s not, no pressure. I’m fine.”
A hundred-dollar discount on the six-month program, $200 off the twelve-month. Expires the next day at midnight.
This isn’t a pressure tactic. It’s a timing tool. If a family is going to sign up, the discount gives them a concrete reason to decide now instead of in three weeks when the season has started and the urgency is gone.
Families who want to pay in installments can use Klarna or Affirm at checkout. Marko collects the full amount upfront; the financing is the family’s arrangement with the lender. He gets paid either way.
The result: 98% of families who complete the Zoom call and free session sign up.
What happens between sessions
Marko runs a hybrid model. In-person sessions happen at a rented middle school gym. Everything else runs through a platform called School: weekly film breakdowns, mindset lessons, and skill homework assignments.
Every Sunday, he runs a live session with his athletes to break down film.
> “I stop the film — what is he about to do right now? Why did he cut here? Parents see that and they’re like, okay, this guy, there’s something that’s happening when my kid is not with him.”
That “something is happening when my kid is not with him” is what parents are actually paying for. The development doesn’t stop when the session ends. That’s the pitch, and it’s the truth.
For coaches who want to deliver the same in-person-plus-digital experience, CoachIQ’s athlete management tools and virtual coaching features are built for exactly this kind of hybrid model.
How to build your own basketball trainer sales process
You don’t need 60 athletes to implement this. You need a process.
Start with the application. Don’t let anyone book a free session directly. Ask 5 to 10 questions first. You’ll learn more about the athlete, filter out families who aren’t a fit, and create perceived scarcity before they’ve ever talked to you.
Next, run the call. Walk them through the program. Show them the price. Explain the commitment. Be specific. The families who ask the most questions on the call are usually the ones who sign.
Use a next-day incentive: a discount, a free assessment, or an extra session. Something that rewards the families who decide quickly and creates a natural deadline.
After the free session, follow up the same day. The window where their interest is highest is the 24 hours after their kid walked off the court excited. Don’t waste it.
If you’re collecting payments manually or chasing invoices after sessions, CoachIQ’s automated payment tools handle the transaction so the post-session conversation stays about the athlete.
If you want to see how this approach stacks up against a membership-based model, the unlimited membership model for basketball academies is another system worth studying.
The bottom line
Marko started with 30 kids at $12 an hour. He restructured his pricing, added a mandatory sales call, built a system around his athletes’ development outside the gym, and now runs a business that supports his family without working himself into the ground.
The basketball trainer sales process isn’t complicated. Most trainers just haven’t built it yet.
If you’re ready to build a system that turns free sessions into signed commitments, book a free CoachIQ demo and see how it works for your business.
Full transcript
Intro and the Nikola Jokic story
Brandon Evans (01:32.994)
We will start in three, two, one. Welcome back to the Coach IQ podcast. I am your host Brandon Evans, a fellow training business and facility owner. Today we have Marco Zelic here from Zero Dot Basketball out of Aurora, Colorado. Marco has a really unique story, so we’re really excited to talk to him about it. He’s originally from Serbia, played four years of college basketball here in the US and has now built a successful training business that’s now trusted by over 600 Colorado families.
Marco, welcome to the show.
Marko Zelic (02:04.392)
Thanks for having me, brother.
Brandon Evans (02:06.303)
Absolutely, absolutely. We’re excited to get into this. before we get into the business side of things, I want to know all about that. But I have to ask you, your bio says you were teammates with somebody that I think a lot of people might know, Nikola Jokic, back in Serbia. Tell me about that. Do you guys stay in touch still? What was that like?
Marko Zelic (02:21.512)
Yeah.
Teammates with Jokic at 15
Marko Zelic (02:29.236)
Yeah, so I actually when I first started playing basketball, I was nine years old and you know, in Serbia we take it seriously. Immediately there’s no, you can see that by the product of the players we have. But we, you know, from age nine to 13, we were actually opponents. I don’t remember that part well, cause he was still, you know, he was just a little chunky guy going around the court. man, he was…
I know he was a hooper. I looked at some old videos they posted on like they had like a TV show about him or something in Serbia and I was like man I remember now you know and he was always he was always this good which is crazy but then at age 15 he came to my club which was one of the best clubs in Serbia you know it was top five clubs at that time and I you know I was I was getting some playing time I was good I had I had a good you know
and then all of sudden this sixth-hand guy comes practice one time and nobody knows him like who is this guy he’s like I’m Nicola I said okay nice to meet you you know we’re like all saying hi to him and stuff like that we thought he cannot play because I forgot it was a two-year gap where I didn’t play against him and he grew a lot anyway he comes and he drops first time we
game, official game, because that’s it’s not the club is different Serbia than in the United States. You’re actually getting paid at age 15, you’re already getting paid by the club. Like you’re not paying the club yet. So if you have potential, they see something in you, you’re get compensated at young age. Nothing crazy, but you know you’re getting some and he actually took my spot, you know. I’m still getting some minutes.
Brandon Evans (03:54.603)
Really?
Marko Zelic (04:09.684)
But unfortunately I had to guard him in practice and it was traumatizing, know, he’s just too good. anyway, first game he drops 30-20 and 11. So they was like, okay, I’m find another club now. So, but he stayed for three months. I had a chance to talk to him in the beginning of the last year, last time we talked before the game for a few minutes. He’s so busy, man. It’s hard to keep up with NBA schedule, but anytime in the game and if I had a chance to say hi, I you know, we say hi.
Brandon Evans (04:38.552)
Yeah, that’s very cool. I had to ask about that just to see what that whole experience was like. it’s unfortunately for you that it’s, I took your spot.
Marko Zelic (04:48.116)
Dude, dude, don’t, yeah, I’m glad, you you usually get mad if somebody takes your spot on the team. You’re like, man, you know, that’s not fair. But if Jorky takes your spot, that’s great, he’s one of the best players ever.
Brandon Evans (05:01.61)
Yeah, you know, if anybody was going to take your spot, he’s a good one to do it.
Marko Zelic (05:06.132)
Yeah, so it was, you know, it was good. He’s a good guy. he, if he connect, if he had a chance to talk here, we always chat for a few minutes and then he’s like gone because they’re just, it’s just nonstop. So anyway, I’m glad that was, he was part of my, my basketball journey for sure.
Brandon Evans (05:15.638)
Yeah, I mean, it’s, I can’t even imagine.
Coming to the U.S. from Serbia
Brandon Evans (05:24.278)
Yeah, that’s really cool. mean, not a lot of people would say that, but I do want to eventually in this podcast get into some stuff you mentioned about how they might do it differently in Serbia. Cause I mean, that’s, it’s a trend, you know, in the, in the basketball development space, you know, America versus, some of the European development. So the first I want to talk about, so you came from the U S or you came to the U S sorry, from Serbia to pursue basketball, walk me through that journey. You know, what brought you here?
Marko Zelic (05:26.964)
No.
Marko Zelic (05:42.526)
For sure.
Brandon Evans (05:53.462)
How did you end up in Colorado of all places running a training business?
Marko Zelic (05:58.642)
Yeah, so back when I was senior, had showcase where the one coaches came from United States to watch us play. And I was kind of playing the American style like I was running I was on six day I was nothing crazy, but I was basically like a four big.
Marko Zelic (06:20.564)
I played good. I had a good game. Basically I played two games and coaches just watched, they take notes, you know, and whatever. So I had a good game. I had a few D1 offers, but unfortunately I didn’t pass my English exam, because my English wasn’t great back then. I’m not saying it’s great now, but it’s way better than it was. So I didn’t pass the exam. couldn’t go. It was like a few D1 schools, not to mention the names now, but I ended up going…
had to go two seasons in Juco and then I D2 in Oklahoma.
Marko Zelic (06:58.068)
She was also a player there. She was hoop. She’s scary. Really nice girl, but chicken hoop for sure. so we, you know, you do it seriously, legit, legit. So we met there and then after the school was done, after we graduated, I was like, what?
Brandon Evans (07:05.742)
I saw you have on your website, she’s better than you.
Marko Zelic (07:19.412)
That was kind of back of my head, but then she said come to Colorado just kind of you know Come and visit and I just fell in love. It’s beautiful here. It’s definitely my style so I stayed here started working at I Was in sprouts farmers market. I don’t know if you guys have that but it was I was working at sprouts as a dairy clerk and then as a personal trainer and then big sporting goods
Brandon Evans (07:40.483)
I’ve heard of it.
Marko Zelic (07:48.432)
to start something on my own because I’m doing some basketball stuff as well but for the rec center so that was kind of the reason why I came to Colorado and at first place and now it’s and this is home.
Letting go of the pro basketball dream
Brandon Evans (08:01.088)
Yeah, what did… So when you decided to not play or not try to play pro, what did that feel like? Was it hard to let go of that dream of, I’m going to go play pro basketball?
Marko Zelic (08:14.852)
Yeah, I was still having it in my head like I still thought I came to her house I was thinking that you know, I was there with her parents. I was in the basement Dude basement basement sleeping is the best dark cold I was sleeping like a baby but one of the time one of the days her dad she came and she’s like Hey, my dad is asking when you’re gonna get a job and I said a job. I’m gonna get a job I come out late, you know, but I was back in my head. I didn’t tell her like hey, we’re gonna go play
Brandon Evans (08:27.488)
yeah.
Brandon Evans (08:35.47)
Ha
Marko Zelic (08:42.612)
She’s like, you gotta find a job. So that’s kinda like, that just kinda stuck me. I had to get a job. So that’s when I started the grocery stuff and basketball stuff and personal training stuff. And then kinda slowly developed because I had some kids at the rec center, but it was, man, I used to be actually have 30 kids in a gym. They were paying like 12 bucks an hour. And my friend is like, are you sure you want that for your life? I’m like, yeah, probably not, man.
doesn’t sound about right so that’s when I said goodbye to them and started my own thing
Training with Micah Lancaster in 2020
Brandon Evans (09:16.398)
Is that, so correct me if I’m wrong, but in 2020 you traveled to Michigan to train with Micah Lancaster?
Marko Zelic (09:24.242)
Yeah, spend a week with Micah, you know.
Brandon Evans (09:26.21)
that what’s is that like the at that moment where you’re like, Okay, I need to, you know, learn how to do this. Like, what made you do that? What did you learn? Because I know we have a handful of coaches on coach IQ that use our platform that have also done that as well. So yeah, what made you want to do that?
Marko Zelic (09:44.436)
Yeah, I was just, it was just the proof, man. He was the dude. Like you can see all the stuff he’s doing, you know, he’s good at that space. So I went there, spent a week with him. Usually there’s a bunch of trainers at the same time, but that week I was lucky because school books, I was booking a trip to Michigan in January. Like, you know, I know the number.
Brandon Evans (09:47.02)
Yeah.
Marko Zelic (10:02.736)
say geography and places like it was awful it was so snowy and stuff but I was the only one so I can get like one-on-one experience so it was great man it was great I started with Micah I stayed kind of with them
Brandon Evans (10:07.404)
Yeah.
Nice.
Marko Zelic (10:19.064)
and then I just learned enough that I didn’t have to be a part of the impossible anymore and with my European experience playing in college I said I had enough you know so it was great I do still use a lot of his stuff great great guy
Building Zero Dot Basketball: the holistic model
Brandon Evans (10:25.25)
Uh-huh.
Brandon Evans (10:36.79)
Right. So naturally that leads me into how you built Zero Dot basketball. So you’ve had a pretty comprehensive model going on. You got in-person training, online coaching, weekly homework, mindset lessons, film study. I want to kind of walk through how all that works because a lot of trainers just do their in-person sessions and you’ve got this whole system, which is something that we really believe in, in a core principle of Coach IQ, which is delivering a experience
a full fledged experience in and out of the gym. Just instead of just saying, you have to pay me 25 for four sessions or $25 a session. So how did you develop that? How do families respond to it? And what is the feedback you get?
Marko Zelic (11:22.516)
Yeah, so, you know, business was okay when I first started. It was just paper session. know how it is, like, paper session. You start in the park, like, hey, stop, you get 30 bucks. You’re like, man, I’m so rich right now. Like, I can do anything. And it was, I thought it was like, was top of the world. Like, I was starting to make some money on my own. When you make your own money, it’s different. Like, you did it, like, you did it. So, you know, I started doing that and it was okay. Nothing crazy. And then I…
Brandon Evans (11:33.378)
Yeah, the classic.
Marko Zelic (11:51.7)
was able to meet a mentor, business mentor.
You know, I was I’m still you know, I still He’s my literally my private mentor. We talk he’s my friend now and Really there to me and he was saying okay, man, like first thing we want to change is like commitment How long are they gonna commit for it? They said he said three months. I’m like dude. You’re crazy three months. Who’s gonna pay me for three months? Are you are you mine? And then he said no three months. Sorry, the lightning is changing. The Sun is coming out back
Brandon Evans (12:23.383)
You’re fine, you’re fine.
Marko Zelic (12:25.968)
said that you need to be committed so I started with three months I still I was offering monthly stuff then I to three months then I said okay man this is like if I’m build because I really love business like businesses I like business like I love basketball but I really like business yeah yeah it’s it’s fun man you know how it is you build something on your own you try to get into there’s so it’s so deep like psychology of the customer what are the pain points like how can I
Brandon Evans (12:40.463)
Yeah. Same.
It is.
Marko Zelic (12:54.74)
designed the landing page. I’m like a nerd, I’m going to super details, so I’m glad. I went through all of that as a dude, we gotta make this more valuable, it’s not just free per hour, what kind of transformation are the kids getting? And then I found that pain point, I think it works really well for me right now. I don’t see many trainers do that at this moment where it says, usually if I go to any trainer’s website, they’re number one training in the orange gownie. And then the other guy.
Brandon Evans (12:59.417)
Me too.
Brandon Evans (13:22.359)
Yeah, the classy.
Marko Zelic (13:23.634)
like also number one training in Orange County and my website my page starts is your athlete struggling to score and play with confidence it’s pretty specific and if I’m a parent I might do that’s my kids and so I’ve been getting a ton of leads lately and you know for cheap because I’m also big on Facebook ads so we can get into that but anyway I had to probably
Brandon Evans (13:37.049)
Yes, I, yeah.
Film study, mindset lessons, and the full training system
Marko Zelic (13:47.42)
So it’s really like a holistic approach. We watch film study on Sunday We’re literally like me and you right now. I break it down for them So there’s like I have 60 something kids in my program We hop on a call and I’m like, let’s break it down. So I ask them question Like why did he cut here? I stopped the film like what is he about to do right now? Of course watching film It’s really important. You have to watch some kind film and then mindset lesson every week. I provide my son lesson
Brandon Evans (14:09.635)
Yeah.
Marko Zelic (14:15.316)
know, kids have to practice daily for a few minutes and then we have a skill homework as well. it’s, parents see that, they’re like, okay, this guy, there’s something that’s happening when my kid is not with him. So we’re developing the good habits. So that, yeah, I’m sorry, I kind of went long there, but I can talk about it for three hours.
Moving to six and ten-month commitments
Brandon Evans (14:32.321)
No, no, no, it’s great, great information. mean, how do you, what does your membership structure look like? Is it the, said monthly, three months, what does it look like now? So you mentioned that when you first started, you did the three months and everything, is that what it looks like now?
Marko Zelic (14:50.056)
No, it’s different right now. Even if you’re like, if you go on the website, it’s going to say, you know, get applied to get your free session qualified now. Like it’s, I am.
Brandon Evans (14:56.014)
Yeah.
Marko Zelic (15:03.696)
have to go through a little bit of struggle to like actually book a call with me because if you know it’s easy man anybody can go on a website and like book a trial session come to come to my program you can buy a month with me but
Marko Zelic (15:19.396)
trainer. So they have to go to like 10 to 12 questions and then in the end I read it. My wife now is taking care of that currently at this moment. We’ll read over the answers and then we’ll send them a private zoom link call. If they’re good fit, if they’re not, hey can you want to be a part of our newsletter list? Something like that but so pretty specific and it’s either six or ten months right now so I don’t sell anything yeah anything less than six months.
The mandatory Zoom sales call
Brandon Evans (15:44.054)
Okay.
Okay. And do you, I’m asking this because I just switched my gym to, I have, you know, three, six and 12 month commitments. I used to have families pay upfront for that, but I’m going to experiment this year and, you know, have them sign a contract and everything and then allow them to pay monthly. Just, I mean, you know, if it’s tough for a lot of people to just say, Hey, here’s two grand. so what is, do you have them pay monthly or is it upfront? How do you do that?
Marko Zelic (16:11.06)
100%.
So on the call, also whoever is watching this, my passion is also, that’s maybe something down the line, but I love consulting, I love talking to coaches and I won’t just FYI, because I’m not saying just like, huh, I actually have love for consulting part of the business, because I’ve learned so much from my mentor. But basically, I tell them,
I show them the price of the call at the end of the call. Really important thing is that everybody should have a sales call. That’s just my opinion. It takes longer. Like literally, I when I’m done, I’m having call with the parents. It’s gonna take 30 to 40 minutes. Like that’s 30, 40 minutes of my time. I have a wife, I have a baby, I have other things to do. But then they can really need me and be like, okay, this guy is worth it. And by the time they come for a free session, they already know like this guy’s legit, he’s not some scammer. So at the end I tell them, hey, six or 12 months.
The next-day discount and payment options
What I advise trainers to do is give parents something I call a next day discount. So on the call, like if you’re a parent right now, I’ll say, Brandon, know, I’m excited for you to bring your son, whatever Friday tomorrow. Remember next day, we have that next day discount where you can save a hundred dollars of six months and $200 of 12 months.
but that expires the next day at midnight. So if you guys know it’s a good fit, why not use that discount? And if it’s not, no pressure, like I’m fine. So they have that next day discount, we’re like, let’s save some money, this guy’s legit. And then when they pay, at the checkout, they have an option to use Clarna or a firm, which can break down the payments, the big chunk into payments. I still get paid upfront, and they can break down into payments. So I’m still, man, I…
Marko Zelic (18:01.68)
struggle with it too because I love people and it’s hard to like you know and some people have money that probably that we have the trainers like we think that people are like bro like people don’t have money but a of people
Mindset about pricing: most trainers assume wrong
Brandon Evans (18:11.865)
Yeah.
Marko Zelic (18:15.764)
a millionaire and I’m afraid to say like this is the price you know and he’s like dude like I can that’s nothing so you know we just I think we need to be a better job as the trainers to not to assume anything just like hey this is the price and they’re like dude whoa crazy thing they know this this is the wildest thing my program is definitely not cheap but I haven’t heard a single objection and I talked to a lot
Brandon Evans (18:19.887)
Mm-hmm.
Marko Zelic (18:41.598)
parents in the last I don’t know a year maybe one sorry there’s one lady that hung up I told her price she told me the price I’m like lady you gotta go on a zoom call so I can explain the program she’s like no just tell me the price I’m like okay it’s this much and she goes she’s a heck no and just hangs up on me I’m like whoa so but that’s why you gotta go to procedure
Brandon Evans (18:49.431)
You
Marko Zelic (19:06.228)
You have a sales call, you have a script, you go through the procedure. There’s a certain amount of detail you have to go through in order for, in the end, they’re probably like, dude, this is a great deal. All of this for that? So anyway, long answer, but hopefully helps out.
Brandon’s own trial process and the value of the Zoom call
Brandon Evans (19:23.213)
No, I think it’s really interesting and I wanted to ask you about that because I haven’t really seen that zoom call aspect being at in addition to that onboarding funnel, whatever you want to call it if you want to call it a funnel or however, but.
Marko Zelic (19:38.843)
Mm-hmm.
Brandon Evans (19:40.657)
like for my gym, they of course they have to come to a trial session and when they, you know, they click claim trial session, they’ll fill out a little survey and based on their answers, it will feed them into, know, the level they fit in, whether it’s our little kids or our middle schoolers or high schoolers, whatever the case is and their skill level. And then they booked their trial session right away. So I skipped that call, but that really interests me and
Do you happen to know off the top of your head? Do you have like a before and after of when you implemented that call, are people more willing to sign up? Do you get less kickback or like, how does that, what do you feel that call has affected that process? Because I know a lot of trainers, myself included, do not do that, you know, zoom call before they come in.
98% close rate after the Zoom call
Marko Zelic (20:31.988)
100 % man 100 % it’s non-negotiable right now You cannot book you cannot come to my program if you don’t talk It’s you just can’t it’s First of all, there’s a lot. I like you know, you can do this for a while like you can sense people Parents like you know, like kind of what they’re gonna say
Brandon Evans (20:40.676)
Yeah.
Brandon Evans (20:50.554)
course.
Marko Zelic (20:54.388)
And if somebody says no to a Zoom call, like, okay, if you say no to a Zoom call, well, let’s, I still try to like say, hey, let’s go on a Zoom call because we, not because I want to see your face particularly. Of course, it’s nice to see each other. Like it’s great. If you didn’t have your camera on, it’ll feel weird. Like I just thought black screen, it would be nice. But you know, I, told them like, Hey, this is a necessary part because they have a better feel. When you see it, you hear it and you see it, it’s different. It’s way different. So I mean,
Brandon Evans (21:07.309)
Mm-hmm.
Right.
Marko Zelic (21:24.148)
close rate for the for the if somebody comes on a zoom call with me they come for the free session 98 % of time they’re signing so no I’m not saying this to go oh Marco you’re like some guru it’s just that I explain everything on the call they come they have the next day discount boom so it is really high close rate but I take my time and some calls have lasted an hour and a half and of course that parents gonna trust me
Brandon Evans (21:32.58)
Wow.
Brandon Evans (21:36.547)
yeah.
Brandon Evans (21:53.764)
Right. Yeah.
Marko Zelic (21:54.196)
lost that family now so yeah 100 % I will advise anybody but difference is because you have your own gym well you have your rent is higher you have you know yeah electricity bill I don’t have that I rent a middle school for good for decent amount of money and I don’t want to work with a lot of players like I just it’s elective so it’s not like oh come to me you know I’m the
Marko Zelic (22:24.337)
have like 60 to 80 players and now
and spend time with my family.
Urgency: why the next-day deadline works
Brandon Evans (22:31.63)
Yeah, really cool. that’s, and especially to that next day discount, if we’re talking, you know, business, one, if it’s a good fit for the family, like they, it’s a little favor to them. And two, it creates that urgency because I found at least like the families that have come in for my gym with my system, if they say, we came in for the trial session, we’re going to sign up in three weeks once so-and-so season’s over, they’re not coming back.
Marko Zelic (23:00.894)
Dude.
Brandon Evans (23:00.954)
There’s, that’s why I tell like, cause I have a, I’ll handle the lead process and I have a manager here who handles the lead process too. I’m like, the longer the time goes between when they sign in the form to get the trial session and then the closing process, the drop off rate is so much more significant. So like people can only book a trial session in my gym three days out from that date. Like, cause I would find that even if they paid the $10 or if it was free, if they booked three weeks in advance,
they’re going to reschedule like 100 % going to reschedule or just no show regardless of if they paid or not. So that same day discount provides that urgency to where they’re not gonna go home and of course we’re not talking about scamming people here like we’re doing a good thing for the kid we’re developing them we know our product is a good service so trying to do a favor and
get them to buy into your program and you know, have that urgency, don’t put it off to where they can go home and this comes up, that comes up. No, they make it work and they are happy that it happened. Right? So that’s a, that’s a little, I don’t know if you want to call it trick there, a tip that people can add to their onboarding process. It’s super effective. mean, even the zoom call, like you said, super effective. So that’s
Managing the program between sessions
is very cool. Another thing that’s very valuable that we haven’t been able to touch on a ton. How do you manage all of this? So you have your your homework, do you do you send out to an email list? Do you have like do you use CodeJQ’s online platform for that? What do you do to manage everything?
Marko Zelic (24:49.496)
coach IQ just half by half like honestly and I talked to Russell like a few years ago it was I use big website is just weeks super simple but you know
Spend a lot of, I like to invest in myself, so I continuously spend money to learn something new. So I, you know, I can design a website anywhere. It’s just like, there’s some principles that you have to follow and the website is good. Now for the homework stuff, I use school. So everything is in school. You know, I post their homework, where I interact with kids. Every school live, it’s where I do the film breakdowns. So everything that I do online, because my program is hybrid.
is through school.
CoachIQ acknowledgment and shared principles
Brandon Evans (25:34.863)
Yeah. Yeah. mean, even so you are, you may not use Coach IQ’s platform, but you do everything that we teach to trainers and how to transform their business. So there’s a lot that trainers can learn. Trainers or coaches, anybody that has their own program can learn from how you handle things. Like you’re, speaking the same language here. It’s like, as if we, as if we have worked together for years. Right? So it’s, these are very important principles, you know, Coach IQ, we have principles that
Marko Zelic (25:59.111)
I hope.
Brandon Evans (26:04.528)
not saying non-negotiable, but have led to consistent success over many, many different programs. So, like I said, even though you don’t use the platform, the principles are still the exact same as far as coaches improving their programs. We try to tailor it to trainers. You know, I’m not super familiar with school, but the principles are the same nonetheless. But one program on your site that caught my attention pivoting here,
Comeback Season Academy: training kids who got cut
Marko Zelic (26:28.52)
Yeah.
Brandon Evans (26:32.994)
The be my last question. You’re gonna get about five minutes here, but. OK, cool, so one program on my site or on your site that caught my attention, the comeback season Academy. So I have never seen and I’ve thought about this myself. That’s specifically for kids who didn’t make their team.
Marko Zelic (26:36.052)
Yeah, we can go all the way up to 140.
Marko Zelic (26:54.098)
Yeah, this is interesting question because, this is the, I like this because there are some, lot of times we, we as people, especially if you’re in business, you get hard on yourself. Like everything is in your hands. Of course, when you have employees, like if you have someone helping you, that’s great. I’m by myself, you know, and I got used to that, that I like being by myself, but I have some, I have few assistant coaches that come and help.
For for Comeback Season Academy, I thought it’s a great idea. It really is a great idea. Like kids that didn’t make it, they can come and train for a year and get better. The issue I ran into was, well, I started promoting it. I really started promoting it and I was like, man, you know what? I already have, because most of my high schoolers make their teams and it’s a great thing. It’s a great thing. But there’s a that don’t. I already had a group that didn’t make.
there’s like two or three of them that I think. And I was like, okay.
I’m gonna show them I’m gonna put them in that group and kind of like found them there so I didn’t I didn’t end up like running that big time I’m always thinking of different ideas like what can I do what can I do like I think this story of topic but I’m just gonna have if I don’t have insurance gonna watch this but I think one of the best things you can do if you’re trying I’m literally there’s a spring break is coming
The free clinic funnel
I’m gonna run a free camp. Free camp. It’s free camp and I’m not, again, people can look at it. We only have five star reviews. I have testimonials. mean, there’s one thing, like we’re legit. Zero Dog is legit. A lot of times when people see free, they’re like, my goodness, who is this like some random high schooler who wants to be a trainer, right? I think that free clinic could be the best funnel on the earth.
Brandon Evans (28:40.56)
Yeah.
Brandon Evans (28:48.965)
We say the same thing.
Marko Zelic (28:49.14)
Like, if you know how to do it, yeah. If you know how to do it, how to set it up after, and literally, just, yesterday, I was here the same, I go to this library in the study room, I was writing things like what I have to do on Monday, then I’m gonna start planning that, like, dude, there’s like a big list. So it’s not just like run a free clinic and like, have a good day, Mrs. Jones. I know you’re gonna be getting emails from me before the clinic. After the clinic, you’re gonna get a special promo.
And literally with that clinic I can be at a full capacity. I’m trying to speak like as it already happened. Who knows what’s gonna happen. Maybe the weather is bad. But as of now, I think if I do a good job and people really like it, I’m gonna be at a full capacity. Because there’s, think, if I reached 84 players, that will be my income.
Marko Zelic (29:41.786)
six so i’m like 20 18 or 20 players away and that can just and that’s it so like anyway sorry i went out of the
Brandon Evans (29:51.034)
No, that’s a great point. mean, like I said, we push free camps, or free or super cheap camps often because it’s a easy way to get people in your system. And if you have those systems set up before, get your emails in, because their interest is now peaked, right? So if a customer’s interest is peaked, you want to take advantage of that. You don’t want to just say, hey, come to the camp. cool, they had a good time. They go home. And then, all right.
maybe one will show up because they really liked it. You want to be able to set up. I I will auto, I would automate it, but you don’t even have to automate it. You can make a list for yourself. So send them an email on this, this, this, and this. You said the promo, like you said, and just take advantage of a parent having their kid come back home. I absolutely love that. Where the parents stayed and watched, had a great time. And then boom, they get hit with an email. by the way, here’s a promo for you. We do this, this and this.
they just had an awesome experience and then they like, yeah, absolutely, I would love to versus two weeks going by and they get just like a random newsletter email from you, which I newsletters are fine and great, but it was like, that was two weeks ago. that initial talking psychological a lot here, but that initial feeling like that initial like dopamine of seeing their kids super happy and enjoying it or them loving that is gone.
So what are the chances of them wanting to get back in? I mean, they probably still would maybe, but who knows?
Best year of his career: training on a knee scooter
Marko Zelic (31:23.156)
It could. You know what my mentor taught me? was this last year. didn’t run. I broke my…
in September, which is crazy. was on a scooter holding sessions on a scooter, like a knee scooter. And I still had the best year of my life. that’s December was the best month ever. But what he do, it was, yeah, it’s crazy, man. I feel like one of the best things that trainers can do is learn really like psychology and buying and customers and marketing.
Brandon Evans (31:42.479)
Yeah.
December.
Brandon Evans (31:49.733)
Really?
Marko Zelic (32:03.071)
and of course there’s a copywriting at home. There’s so much detail there, but what my mentor told me, because I had a free clinic last March, I hold a free clinic and it was free, man. It was free, two hours free. Like a great clinic, kids were like hyped. And it was a good clinic, it was. And even if nobody signed up, so what? Had a good clinic, kids had a great experience. They’ll remember me, for sure. So, you know, my mentor told me, like, dude, this one I you to do, he’s like,
The free clinic that made $5,000
Cause after the free clinic, before the clinic, you’re text every parent, you’re gonna tell them, hey guys, I have a special announcement and he had the clinic, please make sure you stay and come 10 minutes and be on the clinic. So literally, I went, dude, there’s like 40, 30 parents. I’m like, hey guys, thank you so much for bringing your kid. It was great. I hope they had a great experience. Just FYI, tomorrow I’m sending the email.
with a discount code. So I’m telling them like this, like face to face, I’m speaking in front of everybody. I’m sending an email tomorrow. I know you guys already got a text, but I want to remind you. I’m sending an email tomorrow and then parents literally you can see kids going, hey mom, like make sure you check that email, you know, and stuff like that. You mean you tell them, but you’re not afraid to speak to them all. They’re like, okay, we’re gonna check. So their claim was free. I ended up making 5k from people that signed up. So.
Brandon Evans (33:25.008)
Huge.
Marko Zelic (33:28.382)
That’s, you know, anyway, not going too much of detail, but I’m also really passionate about business side. So I’m not, again, like too high, but you know, that’s just sharing what I learned and what works for me. definitely not, we’re literally speaking the same thing. I mean, we can probably sit down and talk for like six hours and then feel like it’s an hour.
Brandon Evans (33:30.853)
Yeah.
Brandon Evans (33:35.312)
Yeah.
Brandon Evans (33:50.309)
Yeah, if you didn’t have a call, this would go much longer. Maybe we’ll have to get back on another time.
Marko Zelic (33:54.848)
I wish we could like pause, I wish we could pause and come back to it. I don’t know, we’re gonna get, yeah, I’m close to the call. I don’t know if you have to like, know, say whatever you say in the end, but yeah, I wish we could talk longer for sure.
Brandon Evans (33:58.898)
We can just get another episode in.
Closing out and where to find Marko
Brandon Evans (34:07.877)
Yep. I know, right? Well, yeah, we’ll cut this part out too. But I’ll, I’ll close this out here so you can get on your call. But yeah, this is good. So, all right, Marco, thank you for coming on, you know, your journey from Serbia to Colorado. You’ve built your comprehensive training system, you’re working with those kids who got cut. We preach a lot of the same things, you know, there’s a lot here for trainers at any stage. And there’s a lot
We talked about a lot of, you know, the psychological aspects of marketing aspects, which is one of the most important things. And I feel an area where a lot of trainers, you know, they, they don’t focus on because they they’re like, my product is going to bring people in, which to an extent, yes, but that stuff is so important to run a sustainable business, to be able to do this at full time, whether you, you know, you rent out gyms or you have a facility like me, understanding human psychology is
one of the biggest tips for business, life, anything. So I think this was one of, this is an awesome episode that people really need to try to absorb and listen. Cause that changed my business personally. And of course it sounds like it changed yours as well. So Marco, tell people where they can find you.
Final advice: change your mindset about money
Marko Zelic (35:29.256)
the well, zero.basketball and Instagram, zero.basketball.com online. I’ll say one last thing for the trainers that are listening is the biggest thing you guys can change for yourself and before anything else, before you change your memberships, the way you run your business is the mindset about money. Mindset about money. Like how you perceive money. Is it something that’s…
Like even because in the beginning I was like, it’s not man. I just made more money than somebody made in a year in a month. I was like, how is that fair? How is it? How is that fair to that person? You know, and then I heard, I think it was Tony Robbins on the school of hard knocks when he said, we’re not equal as souls, but we’re not equal. We’re not all equal to the market. So like the more value you bring, the more you invest in yourself and the more the bigger product you become in your business becomes more like, again, like a transformational.
Marko Zelic (36:29.588)
First of all, we put a lot of hours and efforts into building businesses, our own businesses. I’ll say number one thing, anybody can take from this cold, this changing beliefs, like, yeah, man, I deserve to make this money. Not because like you’re anything. I try to stay humble, but I also try to keep myself like, cause I’ll have, I’ll be hard on myself a lot of times. Like dude, it’s not fair, man. Like it’s not fair that you’re doing this and somebody’s not. But then like.
In the end it is. Like I did spend a lot of time investing in all these things, hustling and all these things. So trainers, you got to change the mindset about money. See like 100k a year, it’s not anything. 200, 300, you can get to that point. It’s just developing yourself into a better person, better human and just better like a business owner. So anyway, sorry, longer here. I think that’s the biggest step.
Brandon Evans (37:18.736)
No, don’t say sorry. You dropped a ton of gems. I’m going to steal some stuff from you personally. Hope you don’t mind. everybody go follow Marco. We’ll put all of his contacts and links in the description. If you’re in the Colorado area, try to check out Marco if you can, if you live close. Thanks for listening. Marco really appreciate you being on. All right now, have a good rest of your day. Bye.
Marko Zelic (37:26.28)
Have
Marko Zelic (37:38.654)
Thank you so much, man. You take care. Okay, see ya. Bye.
