How personal should my ad be?

[LotusSoul]

Hi Sara and Harlan,

Thank you so much for what you're doing here. I just discovered your site a couple of days ago, and it has inspired to me start marketing myself as a private yoga instructor.

I've started working on an ad to post on Craig's List and I have a couple of questions about what type of personal information might be appropriate to include. When I started practicing yoga over five years ago, I was 60 pounds overweight and was in the early weeks of recovery from alcohol addiction. I lost the weight within the first year and have kept it off. Even more amazingly, I have maintained my sobriety ever since then. I attribute both of these accomplishments primarily to my yoga practice. Do you think it would be a good marketing strategy to share my personal success in my ad, although I don't intend to market my services specifically for either goal. My hunch is that highlighting the weight loss is probably a good idea, but probably not the recovery, unless I want to target that market. I think it could create a negative impression for most people.

I'm also wondering what you think about including a photo of myself in my ad. I haven't seen this addressed anywhere. It seems that providing the potential client with a visual would help establish "the relationship" I'm trying to create.

I'd really appreciate any input you or the other members would be willing to provide.

Thanks so much!

Ellen

[Administrator]

Hi Ellen,

First, congratulations on the positive changes in your life. You have a right to be proud of yourself and the accomplishments.

But you ask a good question.

Of course, you anticipated my answer. Absolutely you can brag about your weight loss because this is a powerful drive most people are interested in.

But as far as the recover goes, we suggest you keep that as your personal
triumph.

We recently worked with a yoga instructor who marketed himself by telling a smiliar story of a recovery for alcohol. We strongly suggested he remove it.

Sara and I both feel it would attract the wrong kind of clients.

As far as posting your picture goes, before and after pictures are very effective.

Don't just publish an after. People want to see the changes.

As someone who is down 51 pounds due to yoga, I delight in your story.

Now, let's see your ad.

As always, Sara and I send you our best.

Namaste!

Harlan

[LotusSoul]

Harlan,

Thank you for your reply and the kudos. Congratulations to you as well in your weight-loss success. I found that once I started practicing yoga, losing weight came almost effortlessly. In addition to building strength and increasing my metabolism, I just naturally started eating better. I'm curious what your experience has been like. You may also be discovering as I did, the power of yoga to transform so much more than our bodies. That's what it's really about for me, and what I want to share with my students.

I appreciate your feedback on my questions. Regarding the recovery issue - while I'm not necessarily concerned about attracting the wrong kind of client (as I would welcome most of the people I know in recovery as clients), my concern is that the much larger pool of potential clients (not in recovery) might view this as a negative.

Also regarding including a picture, I understand your point about using both "before" and "after" photos to support the weight loss benefit. But what about the use of a photo in general, assuming it's attractive and friendly? It seems this might be a tool anyone might use to promote him/herselve in a more personal way.

Hope you don't mind the rebound on my questions. I'm going to go work on my ad some more now!

Namaste,

Ellen

[Administrator]

Ellen, we LOVE your questions.

That's why we are here.

I think that the public in general will have a problem with the recovery.

But if you still have contacts in the recovery community, you can recruit
clients there.

Any pictures are fine. As you said, as long as they show you are friendly.
(And don't bite)

On the other hand, if your pictures are like mine, you keep them hidden.

See what Sara has to put up with?

Actually, we posed this. I'm not quite this bad doing yoga!

[LotusSoul]

Harlan - thanks for your reply. I love the photo - nothing wrong with practicing yoga while reading, or were you reading while practicing yoga?

I've included a draft of my Craig's List ad below and would be very grateful for any feedback you or anyone else has to offer. FYI - I plan to include my photo at the end, but couldn't figure out how to insert a photo to this post.

Shanti,

Ellen



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[Administrator]

Actually, I was reading while practicing yoga.

Sara has her hands full trying to keep my mind on yoga.

Your ad looks good now but the headline could be stronger.

I'd go with:

How I Shed 60 Pounds Without A Struggle

Let us know how you do.

Namaste!

Harlan