Unlocking career growth in igaming through coaching

In the fast-paced world of igaming, affiliate management is a key driver of business success. Whether you're an affiliate manager, director, or an affiliate entrepreneur, developing and nurturing relationships is vital for growing your network and ultimately your bottom line. 

The fundamental principles of coaching—building trust, setting goals, active listening, questioning, and providing feedback—play a crucial role in this process. When applied correctly, these coaching strategies can help improve communication, foster self-awareness, and boost results across both personal and professional spheres.

1. Building trust

In any industry trust is the cornerstone of any effective relationship, and igaming is no different. In a world where partnerships are often formed remotely, with people you may not meet face-to-face regularly, building trust can be more challenging.

For affiliate managers, trust becomes the foundation of partnerships with affiliates. Without trust, affiliates may be hesitant to share their insights or collaborate effectively on promotional strategies. A trusted relationship ensures that both parties can openly discuss issues, share goals, and solve problems together.

Similarly, affiliate directors must build trust with their teams, motivating them through authentic leadership, transparency, and a consistent commitment to mutual success. Whether it’s handling client accounts or managing internal teams, trust allows for a more harmonious and productive workflow.

To build trust, demonstrate reliability, offer honest feedback, and show genuine interest in your partners' success. Small actions, like being available for regular check-ins or providing timely responses, can establish credibility over time.

2. Setting goals

Setting clear and attainable goals is a fundamental coaching skill that directly impacts both individual growth and organisational success. In the igaming industry, where ROI is a primary focus, goal-setting can significantly influence affiliate performance and client outcomes.

For affiliate managers, goal-setting is essential for outlining clear expectations with affiliates. It helps both parties understand the key metrics, such as click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, overall revenue goals, and things necessary to meet targets. Clear goals also encourage accountability, making it easier for both parties to track their results and identify any areas for improvement.

On the other side, affiliates must set their own goals for growth, such as increasing traffic, expanding into new markets, or optimising conversion funnels. Through effective coaching, affiliates can define and track goals in alignment with the affiliate manager's objectives, ensuring both parties are working toward the same end.

Goal-setting should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Whether for a small campaign or a large, multi-faceted affiliate program, clearly defined goals help provide direction and purpose. Regular check-ins on progress can reinforce commitment and allow for timely course corrections if needed.

3. Active listening

Active listening is more than just hearing words—it's about understanding the full message and responding thoughtfully. Communication is often virtual in igaming and happens through emails, messages, and calls, active listening becomes even more critical.

Affiliate managers and directors should try active listening when interacting with affiliates during one-on-one calls or performance reviews. Listening attentively to an affiliate’s challenges and feedback helps identify potential bottlenecks in strategy. It shows respect for their expertise and positions the manager as a collaborative partner, rather than an authority figure.

Customer-facing roles, like account managers, can also benefit from active listening. In the customer service context, active listening can uncover deeper client needs and pain points. It enables them to offer tailored solutions or improvements that address both short-term needs and long-term strategic goals.

By fostering an environment where open dialogue is encouraged, active listening supports mutual respect and a greater understanding of different perspectives. This in turn enhances collaboration and problem-solving.

4. The power of questioning

Effective questioning is a powerful coaching tool that promotes self-reflection and encourages new ideas. By asking the right questions, you help others tap into their potential and explore new solutions.

For example, instead of telling an affiliate how to improve a campaign, an affiliate manager might ask, "What do you think could be improved in this campaign?" or "What strategies do you think are working, and which ones need tweaking?". These questions prompt the affiliate to reflect on its approach and problem-solve, empowering it to take ownership of its own analysis of campaigns across the board.

For affiliates, learning to ask the right questions—whether it’s about understanding your audience better or optimising traffic sources—can help foster continuous improvement. Questioning can help you see beyond the immediate task at hand like looking at the bigger picture and considering innovative strategies to move the needle forward.

Using open-ended questions also allows for more creative responses and can lead to breakthroughs in thinking. Rather than offering quick fixes, coaching guides individuals to discover answers themselves, building their confidence and problem-solving abilities.

5. Providing feedback

Feedback is essential for progress in any field, and in coaching it is most effective when it is timely, specific, and constructive. Providing feedback should be an ongoing process, not just something that happens during annual reviews.

Affiliate managers should give regular feedback on the performance of affiliate campaigns, highlighting what is working well and where improvements can be made. Positive reinforcement is motivating, whilst constructive criticism can help growth. Similarly, affiliate directors and entrepreneurs can provide feedback to their teams and partners in a way that helps them refine their strategies and optimise their performance.

Feedback should focus not just on the outcome but also on the process. For example, instead of simply saying, "Your CTR was low," we might say, "I noticed that your CTR was below our target. What changes could be made to your landing pages or ad copy that might increase engagement?". This approach directs the focus towards actionable solutions rather than just pointing out problems.

By cultivating a feedback-rich environment, everyone involved is more likely to feel supported, empowered, and motivated to improve.

6. Integrating awareness, self-belief, and responsibility

The three pillars of coaching—awareness, self-belief, and responsibility—are integral to driving lasting change and improvement. They provide a framework that enhances both personal growth and professional performance.

• Awareness: Self-awareness is crucial in understanding how you work, how you react under pressure, and where you can improve. Coaches can help clients in the igaming industry develop greater awareness of their strengths, weaknesses, and the impact of their decisions. For instance, an affiliate manager who becomes more aware of their communication style can adapt it to better connect with their team or partners.
• Self-belief: In a high-pressure industry like igaming, self-belief can be a game-changer. When affiliate managers, directors, and affiliates have confidence in their abilities, they are more likely to take calculated risks, try new strategies, and lead with conviction.
• Responsibility: Coaching helps individuals take full responsibility for their actions and results. Whether you’re a manager overseeing the performance or an affiliate looking to increase revenue, accepting responsibility for both successes and failures is a critical step in growth.

Together, these three pillars foster an environment of continuous improvement and accountability, allowing individuals to reach their fullest potential.

Coaching to drive results and ROI

Ultimately, the fundamentals of coaching—building trust, setting goals, active listening, questioning, and providing feedback—serve as powerful tools for enhancing individual and organisational performance. When applied strategically, they can help you create stronger, more effective relationships, improve communication, and deliver better results in the igaming affiliate sector.

In a competitive industry where collaboration and effective leadership are paramount, understanding the principles of coaching can unlock new levels of success. Whether you are an affiliate manager, director, or entrepreneur, embracing these coaching strategies will improve not only your professional growth but also your ability to drive ROI through more meaningful relationships and improved outcomes.

At Saroca, we understand the power of transformational leadership. We offer customised leadership coaching to help enhance both your soft and hard skills on a personal and professional level. 

Join us for our Transformational Leadership Program this February, an eight-module, virtual course designed to help you strengthen your leadership skills within the igaming industry.