Want to know how to promote a yoga class? Then it’s your lucky day. Or maybe the flow of energies led you here.
Either way, it’s time to spread the word about your yoga class.
We’ve put together a guide to how you can make the most out of modern technology as well as old-school marketing methods.
We’re going to cover how to…
- Define your brand
- Find your target audience
- Make the most of social media
- Optimise your website and blog
- Build a mailing list (and what to send out)
- Use word of mouth
- Get repeat business
Nine tips to reflect the importance of the number nine in Hinduism and yogic practices.
Let’s get started!
1. Define your brand
The first step when you want to promote a yoga class is to define your brand. Yoga classes are booming, which is great news for those who want to work on their core.
But it also means you have to set yourself apart from the others.
A crowded market calls for a strong niche, so have a think about what makes your class special. You could focus on teaching seniors only, or you could combine your classes with hip-hop music.
Your brand will guide your marketing efforts and help you find your target audience.
2. Find your target audience
Now that you know your brand, it’s time to find out who your brand would resonate with.
Chances are that you already know a few people who are interested in the same things as you. Do a bit of research and find out where your audience hangs out.
Younger people will be on Instagram and Snapchat. Older demographics can be found on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Attend some yoga-specific meetups to connects with other teachers and students. It’s a good way to meet fellow professionals and prospective students for your class.
3. Work the social media channels
It should go without saying that you need to be on social media.
Which ones you should focus on will depend on your target demographic. But everyone and their grandmother are on Facebook.
Facebook is also the king of social media ads because you can make them ultra-specific. Unfortunately, you won’t get much organic exposure on Facebook anymore.
Instagram has the highest organic engagement of all the social media channels. It also allows you to cross-post to Facebook and Twitter.
You might also want to look at social media scheduling tools like Buffer or Hootsuite. They can be very useful if you don’t have time to update social media every day.
4. Optimise your website
You have a website, right? Good.
Your site is a very valuable tool for letting people find you on Google and other search engines. But for that to happen you need to put some work into Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).
A good way to do that is to find out what your target audience is searching for (see #2). Maybe they’re searching for “yoga classes in London” or “alternative yoga classes”.
Start writing some informative and inspirational blog posts around these search terms. Then promote them on your social media channels and to your mailing list.
Bonus tip: Install a plugin that asks for the reader’s email address after they’ve read a blog post.
5. Build a mailing list (and use it!)
Email marketing isn’t what it used to be, but it still beats many other traditional methods of advertising.
Everyone has an email address, and the vast majority of them check their inbox every day.
How do you build a mailing list? Offer an incentive.
It could be a free instructional yoga video, an ebook, or a free taster class. Once you’ve got people to subscribe, you need to make sure they stay subscribed.
You want to ensure that people look forward to hearing from you. Always offer something interesting, whether it’s a tip for practising at home or a link to your latest blog post.
Bonus tip: Try to A/B test your mailing list. Send two different emails to two small segments and see which one works the best.
6. Use social media influencers
Ever wondered why famous celebrities get hired for TV commercials and magazine ads?
That’s because they’re influencers.
David Beckham swears by yoga, but maybe your budget won’t stretch that far. Fortunately, the web is full of smaller and more affordable influencers.
Reach out to yoga fans on Instagram or vloggers on YouTube who could be interested. If they mention your yoga class to their followers, it’s a big win.
You can also find influencers out there in the real world. Contact some local charities or youth clubs and offer a free introduction class through them.
7. Invite people personally
What was that? Personally?!
Yes.
Although most people are busy on FaceTime, some still engage in real face time.
Speak to everyone and their dog about your yoga class. Don’t be a walking infomercial, but don’t be afraid to slip it into conversations either.
Tell your neighbour. Speak to your hairdresser. Mention it when you take your dog to the vet. You’d be surprised how well it works.
8. Use word of mouth
You’re not the only one who can talk to friends and family about your yoga classes. Your students will probably also mention it at some point.
Why not use your students to help spread the word? They probably have friends with similar interests too.
You will find no better brand ambassador than someone who’s tried your yoga classes personally. They will be the best advertising money can’t buy.
Feel free to help them bring their friends along by giving them an incentive. Offer their friends a discount for being in the cool club.
9. Get repeat business
Do your best to nurture the relationship you have with your current students. Become their friend (just don’t force it) and trusted adviser.
Ask them about their other interests so you get to know them better. Not only will you all have a better time, but your yoga classes will feel less like a business transaction.
Finally, you’ll also discover new subjects you can write about in your blog. Maybe your classes have helped your students in other areas of their lives.
Found what you were looking for?
Hopefully, your third eye now sees what we see. The possibilities are endless if you just use a bit of creativity.
Billetto lets you promote a yoga class in as little as five minutes. We’ll help you stand out from the crowd and get people to sign up.
Let us know how you did in the comments below!