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THE INDEPENDENT WRESTLER FIELD GUIDE NOTES FOR FUTURE BOOK

Hey guys! Bob here. Thanks for checking out the field notes and conclusions I've compiled after traveling to nearly 40 states and done 200 seminars! I hope you enjoy it! Book comes out soon! (ish)

BASIC WRESTLING EXPENSE SHEET - 3 SHOW LOOP EXAMPLE

 

You must put your numbers down on paper to FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU ARE!

 

REVENUE                                        

Money IN/+/ADD                                  

 

Show 1 (Friday) $50

Show 2 (Saturday) $25

Show 3 (Sunday) $0

Merchandise (all shows) $75 (one shirt, 11 pics)

 

TOTAL REVENUE IN - $150

 

 

EXPENSES                                      

Money OUT/-/SUBTRACT   

 

Rental Car - $75

Gas - $75

Tolls - $45

Cheap Hotel - $40 a night x 2 = $80

Merch Cost - (Shirt $6, 11 pics @54 cents apiece = $6) $12

Food cost (brought food from home) = $25

Incidentals = Forgot underwear, socks, and toothpaste) = $28

 

TOTAL EXPENSES OUT - $340

 

Net Revenue = -$190

 

 

 

 

Bringing an additional person

Rental Car - $75/2 = $37.50

Gas - $75/2  = $37.50

Tolls - $45/2  = $22.50

Cheap Hotel - $40 a night x 2 = $80/2 = $40

Merch Cost - (Shirt $6, 11 pics @54 cents apiece = $6) $12

Food cost (brought food from home) = $25

Incidentals = Forgot underwear, socks, and toothpaste) = $28

 

Total expenses each with 2 in the car = $202.50

 

Net Revenue = -$55.50

 

Bringing TWO additional people

Rental Car - $75/3 = $25

Gas - $75/3 = $25

Tolls - $45/3 = $15

Cheap Hotel - $40 a night x 2 = $80/3 = $27

Merch Cost - (Shirt $6, 11 pics @54 cents apiece = $6) $12

Food cost (brought food from home) = $25

Incidentals = Forgot underwear, socks, and toothpaste) = $28

 

Total expenses with 2 in the car = $157

 

Net Revenue = -$7.50

 

Bringing THREE additional people

Rental Car - $75/4 = $19

Gas - $75/4 = $19

Tolls - $45/4 = $12

Cheap Hotel - $40 a night x 2 = $80/4 = $20

Merch Cost - (Shirt $6, 11 pics @54 cents apiece = $6) $12

Food cost (brought food from home) = $25

Incidentals = Forgot underwear, socks, and toothpaste) = $28

 

Net Revenue = + $15.00

 

 

With you NOT DOING WELL AT ALL, driving by yourself, and paying all expenses, it will cost you around $200.  A lot of money, but not A MILLION BUCKS.

 

You can drastically reduce costs, even make a tiny profit, but bringing others on board with you. Bringing just ONE person reduces your costs by more than half.

 

This is you right now making very little money on the road.  With the other lessons we teach you, you will increase your income very rapidly.

 

New things are scary. Breaking down the costs is the biggest thing to making it real and not as scary.

 

Look at all of these trips as opportunities to make mistakes and learn from them.  They are experiments that get you closer to success.

 

Have fun! See some sights.  Live in the moment. Enjoy the journey. Successful wrestlers TRAVEL AND SEE THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD.  You can do this in a very real way.

 

No Wrestler should be without this stuff!!

 

  • Knowledge of our country and map.
  • List of promotions or calendar of dates. (Philip Stamper)
  • Side hustles if possible (Roadie, Uber, Lyft, Uber Eats, Ebay, Amazon, Thrift Stores, Flea Markets, Yard Sales)
  • The ability to work for little or no money now to see a bright future.
  • The ability to book a loop for yourself (at least 3 shows on a weekend)
  • Great attitude. Be a good brother/sister. Good riding partner. Pairing up is vital to your success.
  • Credit Card - ONE to build up points, miles, or both. Expenses only. Not for fun and nonsense.
  • Membership to ALL car rental agencies and hotels, etc.
  • The ability to establish relationships with people. Couch-surfing is a big cost-cutter.  Make yourself into someone they want to have in their home.
  • Driver’s license and passport. Driving your share is expected and needed. Also, the international market is huge right now. Take advantage.
  • Knowledge of flight info and how much flights cost.
  • Know how to work with anyone and get a match out of them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WRESTLING WORKSHEET - TIPS TO DOUBLE YOUR INCOME IN 90 DAYS

 

  • Message promoters. MINIMUM 10 a day. Personal messages using SPECIFIC names and promotions are MUCH more effective than blind videos and resumes. Here, money is not an option because you have ZERO leverage, so don’t overly concern yourself with money. EXPECT to make ZERO money on your first shot into any promotion you contact right now.
  • Book a loop, even if you’re not booked. Use “The 3 Lies” - Vacation, Work, or Family.
  • You must execute this loop, even if you’re not booked. Super important to start making and cultivating relationships.  THIS IS AN IMMUTABLE LAW: You can’t stay home and expect to succeed in wrestling.
  • Start figuring out all of your expenses. See worksheet. (Travel - car, plane, bus, train), gas & tolls, food, and other. Revenue is easy because right now there isn’t any, but you should still have the column for the future!  Figure out next profit or loss.
  • Save all receipts or take pics with your phone and capture them on a receipt app program. I recommend both. If it’s your car, write down mileage.
  • Find ways to make money on the road. Roadie, Uber Eats, Uber or Lyft (may have regulations against working out of state, maybe not), Instacart, shop thrift stores or Walmart/Target clearance aisles for stuff to sell on Ebay/Amazon.
  • If you are called on to wrestle, have a great match that doesn’t interfere with the rest of the show. If you didn’t wrestle, help out ANY WAY you can WITHOUT expectation. Then THANK the promoter for the opportunity and follow up with him/her about future events.
  • Planet Fitness, Anytime Fitness, and others offer 24-hour gym services. Cheapest way to work out and grab a shower on the road.  With a black card, you can bring a guest. 
  • Bring and sell merchandise. Even if it’s not yours.  Get some generic (Wrestling) shirts printed and get some of your pics done. If you see someone who’s really popular on the show, offer to cover the cost of their photos and go 50/50 with them.  Some guys/girls don’t realize how much money they’re leaving on the table. Don’t you do it too.
  • Share and re-tweet and publicize every event you are on and every event you’re not on. PROMOTERS NOTICE THIS STUFF.
  • Everything you do in wrestling should be in the spirit of service to others: your match, your merch, your fans, your promoter, your social media.
  • THE EASIEST & FASTEST WAY TO DOUBLE YOUR INCOME IN WRESTLING IMMEDIATELY IS DOUBLE YOUR BOOKINGS!

 

 

 

 

Sample letter to promoter - please don’t copy word-for-word

 

Before you send your letter:

  • Research the company and have their next show date(s) handy and mention them in your note. Have an idea of what they draw and what kind of show they are. Are they new? Have they been around 23 years? Do they draw 100 or 1100?
  • Find out who the promoter is if you can.
  • Find out if anybody you know wrestles there.
  • Find out what other companies run nearby (within 300 miles)
  • Make sure it is spelled and punctuated correctly and all names of promoters and companies are correct!!

 

Points to consider when writing a note.

 

  • You have no value as a product to this company yet.
  • You haven’t proven you’re willing to serve them.
  • The point of view of every letter you send should be helping THEM. You will be helped, even if you don’t wrestle at all, by watching the matches and seeing how they run their business. If you’re letter to a new company doesn’t scream “How may I serve you?”, you’re doing it wrong.
  • 2,000 wrestlers are out there trying to sell wrestling when they already have all the wrestlers they need.
  • If you say you’re going to show up, you’d better show up. No excuses.
  • Always UNDERpromise and OVERdeliver.
  • Zero complaining all day. None. AT ALL. Even if everyone else is doing it.
  • If you get a match, thank the promoter. ALWAYS FOLLOW UP with a note showing gratitude for the evening’s events.


THE BIGGEST POINT YOU MUST REMEMBER:

 

THE MORE YOU DO THIS, THE BETTER YOUR LIFE WILL GET.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear John:

 

I need less than one minute of your time. You don’t even need to respond if you’re too busy. I’m also not trying to sell you anything.

Congratulations on the great house this past week!  I’m headed in that direction next month on April 21 (“for work”, “on vacation”, “visiting my aunt”) and would love to come by and serve your company. I’ll help set up the ring, sell merch, tickets, take the jackets, etc.  Whatever you need.  Just let me know what I can take out of your hands that day to make your life easier.

 

Oh, and I also wrestle, too. :)  If there’s a chance for a match, I’d love the opportunity. But I will be coming by anyway.  Money isn’t a top priority since I haven’t proven myself to you, yet.

 

Can’t wait to see you on April 21.

 

Sincerely,


Jim Smith

 

-------------------------

 

To My Friends at ABC Wrestling - this note takes 48 seconds to read.

 

Your Facebook page caught my eye and thought I would drop a quick note. I’m headed in that direction next month on April 21 (“for work”, “on vacation”, “visiting my aunt”) and would love to come by and serve your company. I’ll help set up the ring, sell merch, tickets, take the jackets, etc.  Whatever you need.  Please let me know that day what I can take out of your hands to make your life easier.

 

Oh, and I also wrestle, too. :)  If there’s a chance for a match, I’d love the opportunity. But I will be coming by anyway.  Money isn’t a top priority since I haven’t proven myself to you, yet.

 

Can’t wait to see you on April 21.

 

Sincerely,


Jim Smith

-------------------------

 

Dear Ray,

 

I have nothing to sell you. I will be headed to Boise the weekend of April 21 and would like to come help you at your show. I’m a wrestler on a journey to be successful. I can’t do that sitting at home.  Money is not a priority as I haven’t show you anything but I’d love to come serve your show any way I can (setting up and breaking down the ring, selling merch, tickets, or taking the jackets).  I’m a pretty fair hand in the ring, too but I understand I need to earn my way on the show.  I’m happy to do that for you.  I’ll be by on April 21 to introduce myself and get to work. If you’re interested, I’ve enclose a couple of references and a Youtube link (match goes from 3:19-11:07). Thank you for reading!


Jim Smith

 

Examples of people to follow on social media:

WRESTLERS:
Young Bucks
Cody Rhodes
Lio Rush
Pretty much anyone who’s doing better than you are
Philip Stamper (Comprehensive list of promotions running all over the world)

Non-wrestlers:
Gary Vaynerchuck
Eric Turner (ET)
Seth Godin
Tony Robbins
Anyone who can teach you about business and how to grow it





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