There are few things in my life that have been as challenging (or frustrating) than marketing my yoga business. I don’t know about you, but I was formally trained in Journalism and Downward Facing Dog. Until recently I had very little training in marketing and/or running a business.
It should come as no surprise, then, that I struggled for years. And I have made so many mistakes.
But the biggest problem I had was not a lack of education, but a deep-seated fear of putting myself, my yogaout there.
Marketing my yoga business seemed daunting, so I just quit.
I never wanted to be a salesman.
I don’t want to shove yoga down anyone’s throat. (It’s not for everyone, and that’s great.)
Before I hit that “post” button, I paused and thought about what people would think – the wrong people who would never take my yoga classes anyway, but that’s beside the point.
It felt like a knife in my heart when someone was unsubscribed from my email list. So to avoid that feeling… I just didn’t email regularly.
I would use the old “I don’t have time” excuse. At times, I lamented how “commercialized” my beloved yoga had become. And my yoga classes? Good, they didn’t flourish precisely because people didn’t know about them. Or they forgot.
Or I was just an awesome yoga teacher and no one LIKED ME!… 😩 😢 😭
I’m being dramatic here to say something.
But it’s actually very true to how I felt about marketing my yoga business—too scared to move, too scared to be wrong.
It wasn’t fight or flight. It was a deer in the headlights.
Maybe you can relate.
How things have changed for me
It’s been a process, and I’m still learning. But I can say that I have mostly overcome my BIGGEST fears about marketing my yoga classes…and I didn’t do it by rushing more or forcing myself to do things that didn’t feel authentic .
I’ve made the most progress by approaching marketing my yoga business the same way I learned to approach the challenging yoga poses that scared me.
Check out 5 mistakes almost every yoga teacher makes.
5 Things Handstand Taught Me About Marketing My Yoga Business
1. It’s okay to feel fear.
In business, boldness is often treated as a prerequisite. Don’t wait for the net – just jump! Go all in! Don’t have a backup plan! I’m sorry, but how is this good advice for people who have bills to pay? Working with challenging (and sometimes scary!) poses like Handstand has helped me realize that it’s okay to feel what I feel. In fact, it is human. This fear of my head hitting the hard floor is not only a reasonable concern, it exists to protect me from doing something stupid. And it’s the same in business. I’m afraid to quit my day job and continue teaching yoga when I’m making $20 a class, YES! And that’s not a bad thing.
2. Create safeguards.
You know where a good place to learn the handstand is when you’re feeling scared… a wall! In a supportive environment with a teacher you trust to keep you safe. When it comes to marketing your yoga business, consider hanging out with other people you know will be supportive and encouraging (like my yoga teacher Facebook group!). Then, by all means, set yourself up so that yoga classes aren’t your only source of income – keep that day job, find a fellow hustler, and don’t be shy about leaning on them until you develop the skills you need to balance yourself .
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3. Patience, Grasshopper.
No one expects to be able to nail a challenging yoga asana the first time they try it. There are the extreme few who were born with the right body type or who study gymnastics from the age of 3, but most of us have to build it up slowly over a long period of time. Most of the financially successful yoga teachers are not overnight successes, but have been at it for decades. If this is truly REALLY what you were born to do, you will get there when the time is right, too.
4. Be consistent and firm.
If I tried Handstand once, I would fall flat on my face and then make it impossible.. it would be impossible.
Growing a yoga business is the same way.
You have to keep showing up – even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard. You have to be willing to lose your balance and try again. You have to keep tweaking things, changing, approaching them from a different angle. You might have to say the same thing 14 different ways before it clicks. (You should be a pro at this, as this is part of your job description as a yoga teacher!)
5. Find a guide.
You can learn the most challenging yoga poses by locking yourself in a room and trying them over and over and over. Probably.
Would it be much faster, more effective and enjoyable if you went to a yoga teacher who can show you the techniques, give you tips and celebrate with you when you finally nail that pose?
YES!
So why are we yoga teachers so hesitant to get help with our yoga businesses? Why do we keep trying to do it ourselves, reinventing the wheel, when those who have gone before us are willing to share their formulas?
Learning from someone else is the only real shortcut I know!
If you are looking for strategies to further your growth as a yoga business, you need a coach or mentor who can help you.
I would like to help you in the same way that my coaches and mentors have helped me.
So, I’m offering a free training next week to share some things I’ve learned.
Here’s what we’ll talk about:
- The 3 most important things to consider before planning your yoga marketing strategy.
- How to stop wasting your time on tasks that don’t help you build your business (so you have more time to make your homework awesome!)
- Create more ease in your day by creating a plan and sticking to it.
I look forward to strategizing with you!
