Marketing Classes

[yogarocks]

Hi Harlan and Sara,

I know the emphasis on the forum is on marketing privates (and hopefully it looks like there will be more on marketing retreats and workshops too) but I was wondering if I can ask a few questions about marketing classes .Some of us have already have classes which can become more lucrative with more people or we can have 7-10 people in our homes/condos without giving anyone a cut so it also can be worth the money.

I'm wondering about applying some of the audio ideas on classes:

1) Would adwords be useful (and obviously targeted locally)?

2) There are sites like yogafinder etc . I am not sure which are free and which charge but would those directories make sense?

3) Do the new age publications get a good response or is that a waste of money ?

4) It seems hard to approach other yoga studios as they'd be competitors but are their local places that might be compatible?

I'm thinking of the idea of selling passes (like 6 classes that need to be used in 8 weeks). I realize ultimately privates are more lucrative but since some of us already have classes I was hoping for some ideas on building these bigger.

PS I'm looking forward to the info you'll be posting about retreat marketing you mentioned about Sara.

Debbie

[Administrator]

Originally Posted by yogarocks

I know the emphasis on the forum is on marketing privates (and hopefully it looks like there will be more on marketing retreats and workshops too) but I was wondering if I can ask a few questions about marketing classes .Some of us have already have classes which can become more lucrative with more people or we can have 7-10 people in our homes/condos without giving anyone a cut so it also can be worth the money.

Hi Debbie, there's a lot more coming besides privates. We will be moving in a lot of directions.

We started with privates because it's the easiest and fastest way for yoga teachers to hit the ground running.

We are planning the first ever yoga retreat that will combine Sara teaching yoga with me teaching marketing in the afternoon.

Teaching your own classes where you keep 100% is a good thing. One thing I would caution you is that you should be making MORE for classes than for privates.

Is that shocking?

Well, yoga teachers have got to work harder to give class than to do a private. Why do I say that?

Because you've got to have eyes everywhere to track what all the people in the class are doing.

Plus projecting in a class takes lots of energy. [I have a doctorate in education so I've spent large parts of my life on the front lines of education.]

Teaching privates allows you to focus on just one individual.

Of course you have to give 110% in both but it seems to me that classes are more difficult.

Just be compensated accordingly.

So here's Harlan's bottom line: If you are being paid starvation wages teaching classes, move to privates.

If you are teaching classes and being well compensated for it, expand your classes or teach more of them.

I am not against yoga teachers teaching public classes.

I am against yoga teachers being underpaid for a valuable service.

Originally Posted by yogarocks

I'm wondering about applying some of the audio ideas on classes:

1) Would adwords be useful (and obviously targeted locally)?

The teacher in me is coming out here.

You need to get inside the mind of your clients.

What are they looking for? What brought them to you in the first place?

Were they looking for yoga? Pilates? Weight loss?

This is the start of your keyword list.

I'll go into this in the future with a greater presentation on Adwords and keywords.

Originally Posted by yogarocks

2) There are sites like yogafinder etc . I am not sure which are free and which charge but would those directories make sense?

The only way to know this is to track. If people are contacting you by phone, one of your first questions should be how did you find out about my classes or sessions?

Every dollar you spend on marketing should bring you results. When you don't track, you don't really know.

Originally Posted by yogarocks

3) Do the new age publications get a good response or is that a waste of money ?

OK, here's some shocking news - at least in Florida - the new age publications have brought in the LOWEST return on investment than any other marketing medium.

I don't know how they do elsewhere, but in Florida, they did not work.

Now, I've got lots more to say on newspaper and yellow pages advertising but that will come in the future.

I'm interested in ROI - return on investment and those ads didn't break even. To me, it means the medium wasn't worth using.

Originally Posted by yogarocks

4) It seems hard to approach other yoga studios as they'd be competitors but are their local places that might be compatible?

Yoga studios WILL see you as competition. You are on the right track here and we will be going into this in great detail.

Originally Posted by yogarocks

I'm thinking of the idea of selling passes (like 6 classes that need to be used in 8 weeks). I realize ultimately privates are more lucrative but since some of us already have classes I was hoping for some ideas on building these bigger.

PS I'm looking forward to the info you'll be posting about retreat marketing you mentioned about Sara.
Debbie

All of the techniques were are talking about work for classes, work for studios, and work for privates.

As far as the retreat goes, we'll keep you posted!

[yogarocks]

Hi Harlan,

Thank you for the in-depth reply. I will work on implementing some of your ideas. I've always done well with classes in past in terms of repeat students but it's been hard to know how to grow the classes.

I forgot to ask you this- you mentioned in passing whole foods in the audio. Have you found that helpful for marketing (and bulletins in general)? I think that might be something people would check for local classes.

I'm going to try and hunt down a place to teach that can accomodate more people than my condo so it can build.

Debbie

[Administrator]

Originally Posted by yogarocks

I forgot to ask you this- you mentioned in passing whole foods in the audio. Have you found that helpful for marketing (and bulletins in general)? I think that might be something people would check for local classes.

I do not find Whole Foods or Wild Oats an effective marketing tool.

Some may disagree but that's not where the money is.

Peace.

Harlan