Strategies That Work

[melhahn]

Thank you Harlan,

We have conducted our feasibility study. We are currently serving three assisted living sites. There is nothing to stop yoga instructors from going out and approaching assisted living homes but for some reason, they have not done it. I have inquired and several yoga instructors have told me that it feels self-serving to promote oneself.

I'll keep you posted about our progress, even if you do not like doing business this way.

Peace,
Melanie

[Administrator]

Originally Posted by melhahn

I'll keep you posted about our progress, even if you do not like doing business this way.

Peace,
Melanie

Hi Melanie, It's not that I don't like doing business your way.

That's not correct.

In your first post, you made no mention of a feasibility study.

If there is a market, and there is enough money in it to make it worth while, I would send a Fed Ex letter to the decision maker at each
facility you are interested in.

The Fed Ex always gets opened and read.

Peace.

Harlan

[yogapeace1]

Hi,

I teach a free, weekly yoga class at a local senior center. To find out if seniors in assisted living communities would be receptive to yoga, I went to about three different senior assisted living complexes and taught a free class at each place. I was told by the staff and the seniors, how much they liked the class. Each placed wanted me to teach yoga classes at their facilitiy. I especially like teaching yoga to seniors citizens because they are so gracious and they gain so many benefits from yoga.

Unfortunately, Seniors in an Assisting Living situations generally do not have money to pay for lessons; and housing owners do not want to pay for yoga classes either.

I love teaching yoga to seniors, but do need to make money. There is a market, but the money seems to be missing. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Namaste,

Pat

[Administrator]

Originally Posted by yogapeace1

Hi,

Unfortunately, Seniors in an Assisting Living situations generally do not have money to pay for lessons; and housing owners do not want to pay for yoga classes either.

Hi Pat, I'll agree that seniors in assisted living situations do not want to pay for yoga lessons because they believe everything should be included.

However, the owners are running these places as a business and must keep their clients satisfied.

It's more a mindset issue than anything else.

Don't believe owners of assisted living centers aren't making very good money.

They CAN pay for it.

They just don't WANT to.

Unless you sell them on it.

Oh, did I just use a four letter word? S-E-L-L ?

Gotta wash my mouth out with soap.

(Fragrance free)

Shanti.

Harlan

[liztronica]

Hello,
I feel the problem I have is that I live in San Francisco where there are a billion yoga teachers! it hasn't made me stop teaching what I love, but lots of people in my classes complain of how expensive classes are (not so much mine). So offering privates seems out of the question to them.
I don't know this it my first time posting here and a lot of these forums have been very helpful. I guess I do get discouraged sometimes.

[MarleensYoga]

Hi Liztronica

Don't search for private clients in your classes. They are comfortable coming to classes so they don't need you for privates, in general (there's always exceptions to the rule of course). You need to find the people that a) are afraid of coming to class or b) don't have time for an evening/weekend class but will take an hour during their work day.

You need to find a way to tap into that market. The downside of your situation is that there a thousand yoga teachers in San Fransisco. The upside is that the general public is very aware of yoga and know 'they should probably be doing it'. Now you just need to find them and nudge them into actually doing it.

[Administrator]

Originally Posted by liztronica

Hello,
I feel the problem I have is that I live in San Francisco where there are a billion yoga teachers! it hasn't made me stop teaching what I love, but lots of people in my classes complain of how expensive classes are (not so much mine). So offering privates seems out of the question to them.
I don't know this it my first time posting here and a lot of these forums have been very helpful. I guess I do get discouraged sometimes.

You are dealing with your own mindset as an issue.

Obviously, everyone in San Francisco is poor.

No one there drives a Lexus, Caddy, Porche, or BMW because they can't afford it.

People all live in the streets because they can't afford mortgages on their homes or condos.

No one sends their kids to private schools.

There is an abundance of money in the world.

Your problem is SCARCITY THINKING and that's who you are attracting
as clients.

Run - do not walk - and buy The Secret to Money Is Having Some by Stuart Wilde.

Read and devour it.

And then...

Raise your prices.

You have created this problem. You can solve it.

I watch Sara just keep raising her prices. And no one says no.

And waiting for the day she tells me yoga lessons are $500 an hour.

Note to Sara: Don't get any ideas.

Peace.

Harlan

[consciouswarrior]

Originally Posted by melhahn

I have inquired and several yoga instructors have told me that it feels self-serving to promote oneself.

I've been lurking for a few days, and just registered, primarily because of this statement. I've encountered this attitude myself, but I don't really get it. Teaching yoga is a great way for me to remain a serious student and to pursue my passion while sharing the gifts of yoga with others, but I went into this with my eyes open to the fact that I was becoming a small business owner.

I've been teaching full-time in the Central Indiana area for about 18 months, and I've grown my business by over 34% since this time last year. I'm still not at the place where I want to be financially, but I've gotten to the point where I can be a bit more choosy on jobs I take.

Right now, I'm trying to follow some of the suggestions here to build up my private client business, and my goal is to be able to, in 6 months, divest myself of some of my lower-paying gigs because I will have found better paying clients to take their place. Better, perhaps I will be able to sub-contract those jobs out to newer teachers and retain a small percentage of commision. I do have a couple of group classes that I plan to keep, even though they are not as profitable, simply because I get a lot of energy and inspiration from the students. I'm also considering offering a weekly free yoga class for senior citizens or prison inmates as a karma yoga offering. As much as I'd like to make more money, sometimes my decisions are motivated by other factors so that I maintain a balanced business as well as a balanced practice.

Some things that have worked for me:
1 - I follow up on EVERY lead, even if it's something that I don't think I'll be able to make work. Sometimes I've been right, sometimes other opportunities have come from these calls.
2 - I gather names and emails and send a monthly, or sometimes semi-monthly, e-newsletter detailing upcoming workshops, classes and intensives that I teach. I also include a brief "dharma article" and I try to promote at least one event happening in the yoga community that I'm not involved with. Starting with my next e-newsletter I'm going to focus on privates, semi-privates and couples yoga.
3 - I cold-call, or drop by, any facility where yoga classes might be a good addition. A couple of the better-paying gigs I've gotten have come from this.
4 - Networking with other teachers and studios, and getting my name on their sub lists and newsletters
5 - When I teach a workshop at a retreat or studio, I "brand" the workshop with the name of my business (for example, my business is called Conscious Warrior Movement...I'm teaching a Partner class called "United Warriors")
6 - I maintain a list of a few reliable subs who I respect as teachers, and if an opportunity comes my way that I can't take, I refer the client to someone on my list.
7 - I'm starting to look at other possible revenue streams that require little-to-no start-up costs (I want to explore the "pay-per-click" idea more, and I'm talking with some people about helping me design some logo-wear which can be offered on a print-on-demand website).

I'm looking forward to trying out more of the techniques I've found here, and getting feedback from site members.