Why Promoting Your Yoga Style Won’t Fill Your Classes – And What You Can Do That Will!
Are you wanting to launch your own yoga classes outside of a yoga studio or gym so you can promote your yoga style, build your own “tribe” and earn more for your efforts?
Or, maybe you’ve already tried to run your own classes – you hired the space, bought some props, set up a website, did some flyers and tried other ways of marketing – but got a disappointing trickle of students, some of which didn’t come back the following week.
Maybe you’re struggling to cover the hall costs, never mind anything else, and there’s certainly little left to pay yourself for all of your hard work. Your initial enthusiasm has changed to disappointment, frustration and your confidence takes a knock.
I’d like to share why I believe if you want to attract lots of students to any yoga classes you run, you need to do 2 things:
- 1Stop telling people what style of yoga you teach! (There is a caveat to this – before you panic, read on!).
- 2Get clear on who your classes are for and what benefits they will bring to those who attend.
I don’t mean you don’t have to explain what style you teach if a student asks – you can even put it somewhere in your blurb on your website – but DON’T make it the focus of any of your promotion.
Here’s how to attract (and keep by the way too!) more students from the start:
Understand your students don’t really come to yoga for the yoga!
They come to yoga because they want to achieve something they think yoga might help – and, more importantly, because of how yoga makes them FEEL.
Think about it: when YOU first decided to try out a yoga class – what was it that motivated you to go?
Why did YOU start?
Did you choose any classes you didn’t enjoy? Why didn’t you enjoy them?
How did the classes you loved make you FEEL? What did they give you?
‘Cos right there is the answer to what you REALLY wanted when you turned up on the mat.
You didn’t want yoga per se – you wanted what yoga GAVE you.
And every other student has their answer to those questions too – and those answers are what you’re providing.
Want to teach hot yoga? Ask some students what it was that attracted them to it – and why they keep coming.
Want to teach Ashtanga or Vinyasa flow? Ask the same questions!
I teach predominantly Hatha and Vinyasa flow – with some restorative and Yin thrown in!
BUT THAT’S NOT WHAT I PROMOTE!
I PROMOTE “YOGA OVER 45.”
My students want to ease aches and pains; to stave off the ageing process; to be able to hear me because they have hearing issues! They want to go at a slower pace; to have a little more reassurance/direction; NOT to feel out of place next to some bendy 30 something! And many of my tribe actually like to feel a sense of community.
AND THAT IS WHAT I PROMOTE!
So get clear about what you love teaching most – and why people would feel comfortable in your classes – and promote that!
Save explaining you teach Kundalini for those who are savvy – or who ask!
Namaste,
Shona
Actions you can take:
