if you've been hanging around with me for any length of time, i'm guessing the ultimate vision for your yoga career is a little bit bigger than just being a local yoga teacher. (not that there's anything wrong with that!)
but, i'm thinking that the bar you've set for yourself is a bit higher.
maybe you envision teaching retreats in exotic locales.
or hosting sold-out workshops across the country.
maybe you hope to run an online meditation workshop for hundreds of people all around the world!
awesome. awesome. awesome.
if you have a vision of being a dynamic yoga force on a grand scale, teaching students from all ends of the earth, and projecting your unique yoga voice internationally, i want to share 4 steps that'll help you transform from "local teacher" to "global yoga entrepreneur".
i know first-hand how unbelievably rewarding it is to serve on a global scale. in my last Become a Yoga Brand course, alone, i had yogis from France, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Canada, Abu Dhabi and the United States join me for the program. and, cooler yet, i got to interact with them all from the comfort of my home in Bucks County, Pennsylvania! that blows my mind.
now, your vision for serving globally might be radically different, but that amazing thing is -- whatever you envision can (& will) be your reality if you strategically work towards it.
if you're ready to up your global game in 2015, watch this week's vid to get the scoop.
do you dream of serving the yoga community on a grander scale?
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!
as yogis, we do our best to "live in the moment" and "be present".
and, while that's an important practice, there are some things -- like building a yoga business -- that do require some forethought and planning.
if you truly want to have a world-changing yoga career, you need to have certain things in place to set yourself up for success.
just think of it this way, before you mastered urdhva dhanurasana (wheel pose), there were certain foundational asanas that you needed to put in place to guarantee your success in the pose. you needed to first feel comfortable in bridge pose, perhaps you built your leg strength in chair pose, and you cultivated arm support in downdog or L-pose at the wall.
you held the vision of one day blossoming into urdhva dhanurasana, so you put in the work, you laid the foundation, and you were patient!
similarly, you need to have certain foundational business practices in place to make your abundant yoga career inevitable.
here are the 5 things you need to do TODAY to have your dream yoga career TOMORROW:
1) start building a yoga resume (or update your current one)
do you have a yoga resume that highlights your teaching experience, training, certifications and other relevant know-how? if yes -- YAY! you rock! if not, it's time to put all your amazingness down on paper. not only is this a great leave-behind when you're applying for new teaching jobs or pitching a workshop idea, but it will also bolster your confidence as you see all the knowledge and experience you bring to the table (or should i say "to the yoga mat"). need help crafting the perfect yoga resume? i have a step-by-step (free!) guide here.
2) cultivate business sense
do you have yoga teacher insurance? do you keep track of your yoga business expenses -- like new mats, gas for travel, and marketing materials? do you charge enough for your yoga services to support your lifestyle? cultivating biz savvy isn't something that will happen overnight, so choose one area that you know needs a little more TLC, and address it. NOW! there's no time like the present to set yourself up for future success :-)
3) put yourself out there
this is a toughie for a lot of yoga teachers (myself included). whether it's applying for a teaching job at your dream studio, pitching an idea for a yoga workshop, attending a yoga conference, networking with biz-minded yogis that you admire, or simply sharing what you do when someone asks -- it's HARD to talk yourself up! the silver lining is that the more you do it, the more comfortable you'll become.
the truth is, opportunities don't just drop into our laps out of the blue. opportunities present themselves when we cultivate the skill of seeking them out. you're never going to manifest your dream of leading a chair yoga teacher training if you don't talk about it, research it, ask students and fellow teachers for feedback, contact Yoga Alliance, etc. etc. etc. you have to put yourself out there to make things happen!
4) build an online "hub"
this is a MUST if you want to have a truly abundant, successful and fulfilling yoga career. this is NOT an option.
you need to have a website if you're going to change the world -- it's practically mandatory these days.
if you think the studio will handle this for you with a nice bio page, that's not enough. take back your power, and manage your "yoga brand" on your terms. don't rely on your studio to do it for you! plus, your website is a place where you can further express your personality, share your yoga "philosophy", educate about your offerings, and grow a community of like-minded yogis who like you and want to learn from you. you need to have a "hub" for your yoga movement -- you need to have a website!
(did i drill that in enough? no?! ok, one more time: you NEED to have a website!)
5) foster community
if you've been hanging around with me for a while, you knew this one was coming...start building a yoga email list!
why? because it serves as the backbone of all your yoga marketing. your email list is the group of students who like (or perhaps LOVE) you, want to learn from you, and adore how you teach yoga! so you NEED to keep track of who they are.
then, when you have something coming up like a new class or yoga event, you can instantly let all your yoga "fans" know! and, they'll be very happy you did!
bonus tip: foster an even greater sense of community by offering valuable weekly yoga tips & practices in the form of a newsletter!
i want to hear from you!
what ONE THING are you going to do today to manifest your dream yoga career tomorrow?
P.S. my brand new course Become a {Yoga} Brand is coming in 2014! want in? sign-up below for the inside scoop!
