biz: 12 questions that will get you clear on who you're meant to serve

sure, we all like to think that we can serve everybody...but the truth is, the longer you teach yoga (and the longer you're in the business of teaching yoga), the more you realize how essential it is to get clear on who you are meant to serve.

what do i mean by that?

in order to truly serve to the best of your ability, and make the difference you're here to make -- you have to hone in on your ideal client.  your ideal client/student is the person you LOVE to teach, who responds best to your teachings, who lights you up, and who you inspire with everything you do and say.  they love you, your teaching style, and can't seem to get enough of your yoga message.

now imagine working exclusively with people like that -- who are so drawn to you that they can't help but share and spread your yoga message with everyone they interact with.  that's the kind of person you want and need to focus on.

if you're not sure who that person is for you, answer these 12 questions, and you'll start to see who your ideal student is.

remember, every answer to the questions below should come from your inner knowing -- your truth -- not from what you think you should say.  also, keep in mind, you're painting a picture of the "ideal student" who you love working with the most -- it's not necessarily someone you actually know in real life.

1. what style of yoga do you love to teach?  (not necessarily what you have the most training in)
2. what level student do you love to teach? (beginners, mid-level, advanced)
3. what is their gender?
4. what is her/his age? (teens, mid-30s, senior citizen...)
5. what are her/his interests or hobbies? (knitting, hiking, reading poetry, listening to jazz music, vegan cooking...)
6. what are her/his spiritual beliefs? (spiritual, christian, buddhist, atheist...)
7. what are her/his dominant personality traits? (type-A, romantic, philosophical, inquisitive, bold, contemplative...)
8. what magazines, blogs, and books does she/he read?
9. what does she/he do on the weekend for fun? (run a 5k, go to a winery, visit with friends...)
10. what is her/his life circumstances? (single career woman, young executive, married stay-at-home mom, retired grandfather...)
11. what issues or problems is she/he dealing with? (chronic stress, bad back, fear of failure, poor self-esteem...)
12. what could you teach/offer/design/share that would be the "answer to their prayers"?

once you're clear on who you're meant to serve, you can start speaking to him/her through all your marketing, on your blog, in the studio, and in your yoga newsletter.

every flyer or brochure you create -- create it for your ideal client.  every workshop you design -- design it for him/her.  every class plan you write -- write it for her/him.

your ideal client is the key to your success as a yoga teacher, because he/she is the person that responds best to your teaching and will help you share your heart-felt, awe-inspiring yoga message with the world.

now, get to know them!!!

biz: how to distinguish yourself in the crowded yoga world

ok, so you know what want to make a difference through yoga.  you know that it's your calling.  you know it's your life work. but, are you now wondering how you can distinguish yourself in such a crowded yoga world?  with so many studios, teachers, and teachers-in-training out there, how do you make a splash in the yoga community?  how do you get seen, heard, and recognized for what you do best?

well, i have good news for you.  just the fact that you're even asking these questions means that you're ahead of the curve.  a lot of teachers are perfectly happy to teach a few classes a week for their local community.  but not you.  you're thinking about how to be a force in the yoga world.  you want to make a difference not just in your local community, but beyond!

you've likely been giving the advice at one time or another to develop a yoga "niche" if you want to stand out -- yoga for athletes, chair yoga, yoga-dance, what have you.  and that's great if you're really and truly drawn to a niche.  but if you're not, you can't force it.  just like your yoga practice, you're teaching and teaching style has to an extension of you.

instead of thinking about how to incorporate a "gimmick", like playing top 40 songs during class (unless that is an authentic expression of who you are!), think about how you can infuse more of YOU into your classroom, website, and teachings.

remember, your students come to your class for a reason.  they like you.  they like what you say.  they like how you teach.  if they didn't, they wouldn't be there.  just by being you, you set yourself apart from every single other yoga teacher in the world!  you distinguish yourself just by authentically showing up for your students.

now, of course, this is easier said than done.  it's easy to find yourself trying to emulate teachers that you admire, adopting their speech, mannerisms, or cuing (i know i've been there!).  instead, notice how you interact with friends, family, and loved ones, and bring more of that person into the classroom.  is she funny?  wise?  serious?  silly?  poetic?  bold?  powerful?  reflective?  logical?  curious?

take note of what students request of you, what they thank you for, what questions they have, and what family and friends ask your advice on.  maybe you rarely use sanskrit and they love you for that, or you always open with a poem that themes your class, maybe you have a way of breaking down complex poses that gives more students doorways in, or perhaps you're extremely knowledgeable about the yoga sutras and teach on them often.  it could be any number of things, and remember, the very thing that sets you apart is often something so basic and "everyday" (in your book) that you're likely overlooking and over-thinking it.

investigate why people come to you, and you'll likely begin to see that you're already carving out a beautiful (and unique) space for yourself in the vast and wondrous yoga world!  capitalize on the uniqueness you innately possess to distinguish yourself and your teaching.