ever hear the saying you're the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with?
well, that's a very important piece of advice to keep in mind -- especially when you're trying to grow your yoga business.
if you don't surround yourself with people that are motivational, uplifting, helpful and who believe in you and what you're trying to build, you're going to have a rough time. not just because you won't have the support you need, but because if you don't surround yourself with people who believe in possibilities, you're in for a major prana drain.
that's why one of the best things you can do for your budding yoga business is to befriend yoga "big shots" -- teachers and mindful entrepreneurs who are a few steps ahead of you on the path to yoga biz success who can lead the way, offer guidance, and help you avoid unnecessary pitfalls.
if the idea of reaching out to people has you shivering in your boots, i've got some "how to" advice that i hope will help!
1. get on their radar.
if you're hoping to meet or collaborate with someone, you have to first get on their radar. how else will they know you exist, right? i know it may seem scary to send an email to someone who you idolize, but the more you do it, the easier and easier it will become! my advice, make a list of all the awesome yoga teachers, life coaches, heart-centered professionals, and biz mentors you'd LOVE to have in your corner, and then pick 5 to send a short, sweet email to. you may hear back, you may not, but celebrate the fact that you did something outside of your comfort zone! and then, email 5 new people the following month!
2. it's about quality, not quantity.
when it comes to networking with "big shots", remember it's more important to have quality connections than a large quantity of connections. when you send your emails, you may only hear back from 1 or 2 people -- and that's OK. your business is teaching yoga, not managing a network of email correspondence! cultivate relationships with those you do hear back from by sharing valuable information and advice, interesting blog posts, and offering to help them with projects that they have going on that you're interested in.
3. be pleasantly persistent.
this advice comes from marie forleo, one of my marketing+biz teachers. she extolls being pleasantly persistent when trying to foster real relationships with "big shots". if there's someone you really, really, really want to connect with. it's totally OK to email them a few times over the course of a couple months. sometimes a little extra persistence is the very thing they need to see to realize that you're serious about your yoga biz.
4. speak on their level.
in all your correspondence with "big shots", speak on their level. do not write or talk as a "fan". fans always want something, peers do not. speak as a fellow professional. it's totally fine to compliment them on the good work they're doing, but don't make yourself sound small or insignificant or unworthy in the process. write as you would to a friend.
5. don't reinvent the wheel.
after sending out your first batch of emails to "big shots", check out which ones got responses. how were they worded? how long were they? (tip: generally the shorter and the more to-the-point, the better) what did you lead in with? was it formal or casual? once you see what style of email elicits the greatest response use it as a template for all future introductory emails to save yourself time!
don't know where to start when it comes to emailing "big shots"? in my upcoming course, Become a Yoga Brand, i include several email templates taken from actual emails i've sent that have elicited positive responses that you can use for networking, getting interviewed, pitching ideas, and more!!! sign-up now to hear more about the Become a Yoga Brand course & you'll gain FREE access to my BYB Speaker Series to learn from some awesomely successful yoga "big shots".
do you have any tips for how to befriend yoga "big shots"? if so, please share them in the comments below!
