You are now a yoga teacher! With a RYT certificate in hand, you start applying to gyms and yoga studios; however with the current economy you quickly realize there are few openings for new yoga teachers. So how do you find students and places to teach?[private]
Who is your ideal student?
A common thought in the yoga community is since everyone can benefit from yoga, you should market and offer yoga services to everyone that you come across. Often this leads to unfocused marketing campaigns that are ineffective and expensive. It also leads to students who simply are not a good fit – they are demanding of your time and energy and are often the same students who are asking for you to discount your services!
Focusing on a specific type of student allows you to become more efficient, create a stronger personal and professional brand and expand your business. Does this mean that you turn away students who do not fit this “ideal student” profile? Of course not! But you are more likely to attract the students to appreciate and value your teaching.
The law of attraction is a simple concept: like attracts like. So what kind of student are you attracting?
When I think of myself as a yogini and yoga teacher, there are several personal qualities that resonate with a specific type of student. I am very focused on my health and fitness, but I also value a relaxed lifestyle that is focused on friends and family. I eat organic and vegetarian most of the time, but I love a family cookout and a glass of wine. Staying in shape is important to me, but I don’t like to run. So the students I’m looking to attract work hard and play hard – they are looking to develop a yoga practice that provides energy, focus and personal growth in their life.
Another example could be a friend of mine who teaches Gentle Yoga a few times a week. She is a more mature woman with a sparkling personality and calm demeanor. Her voice is very soft and soothing. Her full time career is demanding; she prefers a relaxing and soothing practice. So her ideal students are a similar demographic – more mature, career oriented people who are looking for a practice that will be relaxing and soothing.
Create a description of your ideal student.
Start with these questions to identify who your ideal student is:
- Who is your ideal student?
- What do they do for work?
- Are they married or single?
- Do they have kids?
- How much do they earn?
- Where do they live? What kind of home/neighborhood?
- What kind of car do they drive?
- What do they do for fun?
- What stress/problems do they face?
- What kind of food do they eat?
- Why do they practice yoga?
Why are these questions important? Understanding the lifestyle, values, and stresses of your student allows you to provide more value.
When you focus on attracting students who you resonate with, amazing things begin to happen. People feel that you have created a class just for them! Students share their positive experience with friends. Word of mouth is the most effective marketing – so create an amazing experience!
Positioning yourself as an “expert” with a particular type of student is also helpful when approaching gyms and studios to get a job as a teacher.
Consider another friend of mine who is a former firefighter. He had started taking yoga while still in the fire department and knew the benefits yoga provided to those who have very stressful careers. Before he even finished his training program, he started talking to local fire departments about offering yoga to the fire fighters. Because he is a former firefighter, his students are more likely to respect and value him as a yoga teacher.
Next…where is your ideal student…
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