Starting a yoga studio can be a daunting enterprise. Even if you truly are a yoga nidra expert, for example, the idea of running a business might terrify you. And for many new studio owners, the most terrifying thing of all is marketing.
Mindfulness business mentor Scott Moore explains that a fear of marketing is normal among yoga instructors just getting started. Moore is an international yoga nidra expert and educator, so he needs to deal with the marketing side of yoga as well. He fully understands the trepidation instructors have about marketing.
It is rooted in the idea that most yoga teachers do what they do out of a sincere desire to help people. They want to get paid so that they can do it full-time. Yet they do not teach strictly as a source of income. They don’t do it only for money. So marketing seems a bit over the top. It seems to run contrary to the idea of teaching others yoga.
You Still Have to Pay the Bills
Self-marketing is part of running a yoga studio that can sustain itself. The fact is that you still need to pay the bills. Guess what? Coming to terms with it is the first step in learning successful self-marketing habits.
There is nothing about marketing to be ashamed of. For you to continue helping people with yoga, you need to be able to make ends meet. And to make ends meet, you need to have students. That’s what marketing is all about. So settle in your mind and heart that marketing is okay. Once you’ve done so, you are ready to move on.
5 Tips for Making It Work
Once you’re ready to begin self-marketing in earnest, don’t just go at it haphazardly. Make a plan and stick to it. If you don’t know how, here are five tips to get you started:
1. Define Your Studio
First, define your studio. This means doing two things: clarifying your mission and finding your niche. Your mission is what inspires you to teach. It is the ‘why’ behind what you do. As for your niche, it is the thing that makes your studio worthwhile. It is the thing that says to prospective students, “Come in and give it a try.”
2. Cultivate Connections
Next, don’t think of marketing as selling. Instead, think of it as a way to cultivate connections with prospective students. Share your own yoga story. Explain how you can help others along their individual journeys of self-discovery and wellness.
3. Invest in Relationships
Invest in relationships rather than simply providing a service to clients. Outside of the studio, invest in your community and other business owners. Reach out to other likeminded entrepreneurs and find ways you can work together to make your community better.
4. Create a Brand
Create a brand that aligns with your niche. Develop that brand with a logo, website, online content, etc. But let the brand simply be. Let it speak for you, but don’t force it on people.
5. Make Your Presence Authentic
Most other types of businesses rely on their brand to represent them to the public. But your business is different. Have your brand, but make sure you are your authentic self in every business opportunity. The more authentic you are, the more it will rub off on your students.
As always, keep learning and evolving as a yoga practitioner. Always stay aligned with the core principles you’re teaching your students. If you stay true to yourself and yoga, you’ll be both a better instructor and a better marketer.