The Value Of Social Media For Your Yoga Business
Did you know that the power of the internet can be harnessed to help aid the growth and success of your yoga business?
In the world of business today, social media is everything for connecting with your tribe. Referring to social media, I mean sites and platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
Perhaps two of the most popular forms of social media are Twitter and Facebook. But what is the value of using social media such as Twitter and Facebook for your yoga business?
Actually, there are many benefits for your yoga business for using social media.
To start, it gives you a connection point between you and your tribe. The people in your tribe get to see all your lasted postings or “tweets” which means they can stay up to date with all your developments. This can be class and event announcements or other news in the world of yoga.
Then there are the groups of people who have gone off email in search of the security of Facebook free of spam and virus’.
This is not to say you have to do the same. Simply that there are benefits to you using these platforms for your business.
Also think about the scenario of a person looking for a new yoga teacher and finds two different teachers on the web.
With all things taken into account,both teachers look equal. They both feel good, teach what you are looking for and cost the same price for a class. Except for one there is a difference. One of the teachers has a website that looks like it hasn’t been updated since it was created.
The other teacher has a blog that is updated daily, a Facebook account and fans and a Twitter account and following.
This teacher keeps her tribe up to date with all that is happening in the yoga world. Any event announcements, information on classes and what is going on in the yoga world.
Its not hard to know which teacher you would pick. Obviously the teacher that is more active and provides more service.
So in order to attract and retain students social media tools can be used and this can facilitate the growth and success of your yoga business.
Getting Your Yoga Business In The Door At Gyms And Health Clubs
One way that yoga teachers look to grow their yoga business is to obtain extra teaching classes. Additional classes means extra income which helps grow your yoga business.
Many yoga teachers look to do this by offering classes at gyms and health clubs.
Amongst many walks of life, yoga has now become very popular. As a reflection of this you will find yoga and even meditation classes now being taught in most of the gyms and health clubs.
In fact you will often find in some of the larger gyms and clubs a dedicated studio to body, mind and soul activities such as yoga, tai chi, pilates etc due to the increased demand and awareness on the importance of taking care of our body, mind and soul.
Contact the studio coordinator at your desired health club in question and offer to teach yoga classes. You could suggest teaching yoga classes on a trail basis say for 3-6 months to see what the uptake level is like.
Sometimes gyms have full timetables and if this is the case you can look into creative alternatives.
Yogis‘ often like an early morning class. Such as the 6.00am class. This can work well in the big cities where folk like to get their classes in before going to work.
Or you could try an afternoon slot or mid morning slots. Search for the off peak times and find a class offering that would suit this timing.
Perhaps even an evening class after peak activities have finished would work well. A lot of people nowadays like to end their day with yoga and meditation before heading home to finish relaxing for the day.
Some of these ideas could be a great way for a club that has a schedule that is full to get your foot into the door for your yoga business.
There are many creative ways to implement yoga at health clubs and gyms to facilitate the growth of your yoga business. Find what works for you and the gym or club in question.
Yoga Business And Your Yoga Space
There is one key objective to keep in mind when creating a yoga space or studio for your yoga business. And that is to want to keep your yoga students coming back from more by creating a space that creates the best yogic experience possible for your students.
When students come to a yoga class they want a specific type of ambience which is peaceful, meditative and supportive to their yoga practice. There are many diverse elements to consider in order to create this.
Ensure the dedicated yoga space is quiet and tranquil. Be sure to have found or create a quiet space as noise and interruptions don’t support the yogic state.
A space that is clean and tidy is also important. All clutter should be thoroughly removed to allow for an easy energy flow.
Natural flooring is best if it is possible. Carpet is to be avoided and wood or tiles work best.
Neutral colours work most effectively avoiding wallpaper that is garish. Strong patterns can be confusing to the mind and distracting.
Long mirrors can be very useful. Postural alignment can be checked with the use of mirrors which is of great help for the students so you may want to consider these.
Where possible the lights should be natural. During the day natural sunlight is best. Avoid fluorescent lighting if possible.
Temperature and air should be comfortable for a yoga practice. There should be a fresh air circulating in the studio.
Ambience enhancers such as candles, essential oils, incense and music can all be used. Make sure that whatever you use is appropriate.
To support your yoga business, once you obtain yoga students you want to be sure to retain them. Students receive a more enriching yoga practice when they are in a nourishing, intimate, cosy and meditative space.
Students are more likely to return to a class when their perception is that it is a great class. It is a good thing for your yoga business to have a high student retainer rate. So help your yoga business and yoga students by creating a wonderful yoga space for all to enjoy.
Yoga Teachers And The Need To Enhance Your Knowledge Base
Wishing to increase your yoga anatomy and physiology understanding as a yoga teacher? Or perhaps you are asking what exactly the benefit is to increasing your knowledge of yoga anatomy.
Firstly as a yoga teacher if you enhance your knowledge of anatomy and physiology it will deepen your understanding and connection to the human body. A yoga teacher will be able to integrate this information into their yoga teaching if this is learnt from a yogic perspective.
Integrating yoga anatomy and physiology knowledge into your yoga teaching will mean that you will be able to teach not only more content about each yogic asana but your knowledge basis will be deeper. The good thing about this is that all of this integrated knowledge can then be transmitted to students in class who have the benefit of the increase in this knowledge.
Is there anything else to be obtained from the further study of yoga anatomy and physiology? A deeper understanding of asana alignment for a start.
Much of the information within the physiology and anatomy for yoga is related to the musculoskeletal systems. This is the study of all the bones and muscles within the human body. In particular where each bone and muscle live, where it starts and attaches and the function of each.
Knowing the musculoskeletal knowledge of the human body system can work wonders for the understanding of asana alignment. And a big part of asana yoga is correct alignment. All the benefits of the asana can be assimilated when there is correct alignment. Big improvements can be made in ones yoga practice with only a small correct adjustment.
Yoga anatomy and physiology is taught within yoga teacher training courses, but often it is brief or in time the yoga teacher forgets this information. Here is where a revision course can be most useful. Otherwise there are dvds and books to reinforce ones yoga anatomy and physiology.
In the final analysis, expanding your knowledge base as a yoga teacher facilitates a better class for your students. A better class experience means better retention rate of students. A better retention rate of students can only be a good thing for your yoga business.
Yoga Business: The Process Of Yoga Certification
In the journey to create a sucessful yoga business there are several important steps. Obtaining a yoga certification is one of these steps to give yourself a better chance of creating a successful yoga business.
Having a yoga certification means yoga teachers have a tendency to gain clients and classes easier. Yoga certification ensures professional standards of teaching within the yoga industry.
Certification is obtained by taking a yoga teacher training course from an institution recognized by one of the authorizing bodies such as Yoga Alliance or the British Wheel of Yoga. Courses fall into two categories: a 200 hour or 500 hour course.
Certifiable courses include aspects of yoga such as teaching methodology and practice; asana practice; meditation; pranayama; yoga philosophy; anatomy and philosophy for yoga; and typically includes a practical and theory exam to establish that the teacher is ready to teach.
Yoga teacher training courses can be taken in ashrams, yoga centers and with today’s technology there are also correspondence courses available online.
Factors such as what your budget will allow you to spend, the time that you have available and when, if you want to travel for the course and if you have a preference for intensive courses or weekend courses will all influence the choice of course that is right for you.
It is a good idea to be in happy with the institution that is offereing the course before making the big investment of choosing where to take your certifiable yoga teacher training course for your yoga business.Before registering for your chosen teacher training course, take a few of their classes and become familiar with their teachers, teaching methodology and content to make an informed decision.
The registration process with one of the certifying bodies takes place after you have completed your teacher training course and passed your exams.The registering bodies all have their own particular process.
Best wishes for a successful journey with your yoga business.
Finding The Right Space For Your Yoga Business
To choose the right space for your yoga business there are a few things to consider.
Tranquil surroundings is a high priority. Or if the surroundings are not tranquil, a space that can be made tranquil.
The ambiance of the yoga class and yoga space and state is not helped with loud noise. Preferably you want to avoid being close to noisy main roads, noisy workshops, places with loud music like bars and other noisy environments.
Fresh air also needs to be circulating in the yoga studio. So windows need to be opened in the location of your choice. If there is noise coming from outside there will be a clash of sound environments. Trying to turn up the music when you are teaching won’t always help because it will drown out your own voice when you are teaching as well as the noise!
Checking out the sound levels before taking out a rental agreement is a good way to test the tranquility of the location. Asking to see if you can do a few meditation sessions would be a good way to do this. Check out the sound at different times in the day and week to be sure to get a good idea. Some locations can be noisy in the morning but quiet at night and vice versa.
Speak to the previous tenants if sound tests can’t be done prior to contract agreements. Previous tenants can often give a true indication of noise levels.
It is even better however if you can find a naturally quiet space close to nature. Natural environments are much more harmonious to a yoga practice. Nature and natural environments have a cleaner energy which are more conducive to a yoga practice.
If there is the possibility of a space close to nature, this should be strongly considered, if it fits in with the overall yoga business plan. Obviously geographic location needs to be taken into account for your yoga business.
Drawing From The Well Of Yoga Ashram For Yoga Teachers
The yoga ashram is a usually quite a well known concept for the yoga teacher. As yoga teachers we may have stayed on a yoga ashram. In fact a lot of us may have completed our yoga teacher training course on an ashram.
However are we as yoga teachers still drawing from the well spring of the ashram?
Even after obtaining teacher training certification and up and running as a yoga teacher and running a yoga business the yoga ashram still has much to offer.
For yoga teachers burnt out from teaching the ashram is a place of retreat and a step back to self. It is a common problem that yoga teachers have full schedules and have difficulty with finding enough time for themselves. Many yoga teachers are run ragged running from class to class.
Here the ashram offers a space to retreat to oneself, rebalance, regain energy and return to ones own practice.
Not only that, the ashram is a space to reinforce all what one has learnt prior. Returning to the ashram is an opportunity to gain higher levels of understanding having integrated prior teachings.
All of this means, taking your practice to the next level. A chance to deepen your yoga practice. The chance to reconnect with self and ones practice at a deeper level.
Ashrams offer further teacher trainings and courses too. If there is something you have always wanted to learn in your yoga practice or something you are passionate about – go back for more training.
As a yoga teacher, learning new aspects of ones practice means keeping practice fresh and alive. This is where the ashram helps.
Ashrams are often running different courses and teachings like advanced pranayama, yoga anatomy and physiology refreshers, yoga therapy courses, detoxification courses and asana specific workshops. This is a great way to keep your own learning fresh, active and vital.
Returning to the ashram is a fantastic approach to enhance understanding and further ones own practice. However the final result is that everyone benefits because the new trainings that you integrate into your own practice gets transmitted back to your students. Everyone benefits. Your students receive better classes and you become a better teacher.