is your yoga biz a party?

does this question confuse you at all? well, when i first encountered this concept (thanks to Laura Roeder, founder of LKR Social Media), i was a little confused, too.

what exactly does building a thriving, abundant business have in common with a party?

a lot more than you might think!

if you're looking to establish a successful yoga business that delights your students, fulfills you, and is an all-around good time, you're gonna love this post.

so, let's dive into how you can use the concept of creating a "yoga biz party" to craft a thrilling and fulfilling yoga business.

1. your yoga business should be fun!

ok, this first one may seem obvious to some, but it's an elusive concept to way too many entrepreneurs out there.  first and foremost, your business should be fun -- otherwise what's the point?  if you don't LOVE what you're building (95% or more - we all have off days!), you may want to rethink and recalibrate.

if your yoga business gives you more headaches than happiness, take a good hard look at what you're spending your time doing, and why you're spending your time doing it.  a lot of us get caught up in the "shoulds" of life -- i should get more private clients, i should teach a yoga workshop, i should build an online course -- but if those things don't light you up, you shouldn't build them into you biz!  

build your yoga biz your way!

2. only "invite" people that light you up!

if you were hosting a fabulous party and were looking to have a totally stellar time, you wouldn't invite people that you don't get along with, people who stress you out, or people who don't bring out the best in you.  and, you don't have to invite them into your yoga business, either!

so, what does that mean?  it means that you should focus your efforts on drawing in the right students and clients -- not just any student or client.  

when you work with your ideal clients, you're lit up inside -- you're operating from your home zone.  and, when you work with people like that, you are able to deliver better teachings and results, which means they'll want to talk you up and refer more of the right people to you!  

do you see how inviting the right people to your yoga biz "party" can put in place an upward moving spiral of more and more business?  very cool.

3. make sure everyone's having a good time!

when you host a party, you check in with your guests -- do you want something to drink?  can i take your coat?  would you like some food? -- same goes for your yoga biz.  

it's easy to get so caught up in the backend of your business (websites, emails, social media) and forget about your part guests!  but the cool thing is, the more you interact with your "guests" the better you'll feel.  culturally, we thrive on human connection, so it's no wonder you feel run-down when you spend countless hours in front of your computer screen.

talk to your students after class, call up a private client and check-in, touch base with another yoga biz pro you've been meaning to reach out to.  the baseline is, our businesses need people in order to be successful, so don't neglect your "guests"!

4. make introductions!

as hostess, you make an effort to introduce people to one another.  have you done that in your yoga biz?

introduce your growing community to one another, invite them to interact on facebook and twitter, and connect people with others that they could benefit from knowing.  let them feel like a valuable member of the community and a true asset at your "yoga party".  people LOVE to feel appreciate and recognized.  do that for your party-goers.

thinking of your yoga business as a party is all about building your biz your way.  not compromising.  not including offerings that don't feel right.  and not inviting people that aren't a good fit for you.

moving forward, i challenge you to play with this concept, and see where you can tweak your biz to make it more fun!  because the more fun it is, the more people who'll want to "attend"!

in the comments below, share one thing you're going to do this week that will make your yoga biz more like a yoga party!

biz: blogging basics for yoga teachers

If the blogosphere seems like totally foreign territory to you, you’re not alone. Countless yoga professionals recognize the benefits of blogging but psyche themselves out before they even start. How many times a week should I post? I'm not a writer -- how do I come up with content? Am I allowed to use other people’s images? The unknowns are enough to stop you in your tracks!

Instead of coming up with a list of unknowns that keep you paralyzed, focus on the positive aspects of blogging instead! It’s a great way to showcase your expertise, share your personality, and interact with your students, future students, and fans!

To help you navigate the blogosphere, there are still some “ground rules” that will enable you to have confidence as you move forward. Just like with yoga, writing your blog is a practice -- one that should be fun, fulfilling, and ultimately rewarding!

• Be Yourself – This is key. If you’re not authentic, your audience will sense it, and quickly lose interest. Instead, speak like you. You’re not writing your Master’s Thesis, you’re writing a blog post! Keep it fun, engaging, actionable and write like you speak – don’t try to sound smart. Share your knowledge in a relatable way, and your readers will appreciate your down-to-earth, understandable tone.
• Keep it Simple – Don’t overthink it. You don’t have to share every single thing you know about given topic (that’s what your future book will be for), instead share a few key points that are particularly helpful.
• Keep it Short – Conciseness is greatly valued. Think about the posts that you gravitate towards, and remember that your readers will likely appreciate the same. Do you like bulleted points, action lists, lots of images? Replicate what pulls you in when you write your own content
• Be Consistent – Write regularly – notice that I didn’t say write daily? Give your readers something they can count on. I recommend posting at least once a week to keep your content fresh and interesting. If you don’t update your blog enough, readers will lose interest when they check back and there’s nothing new to read. But remember, you’re not writing a novel, you’re writing a blog post – an image with a short paragraph can suffice if it gets your point across!
• Give Credit – Don’t be afraid to borrow ideas, pictures, or even content from time to time. Just be sure to give credit where credit is due. If you use an image from Pinterest or Flickr, provide a link to the source. If you want to share a quote or paragraph from a great article you read, include a link to the original piece. Keep it on the up-and-up, and when in doubt, ask permission! 99 times out of 100, the original poster will thank you for sharing their content with your audience.
• Share It – This is essential, especially if you’re a budding yoga entrepreneur. Don’t just let your post sit there, lonely, on your site – share it! Post a link on your Facebook page, tweet it out to your followers, or send it in an email to your contacts. Not everyone is following you as closely as you think, so don’t be afraid to share it in every way you can. Show up where your students, fans, and followers hang out, and they’ll thank you for it!

i originally wrote this post for LKR Social Media as Blogging Basics for Beginners.

biz: how to embrace your uniqueness for ultimate success!

I tried fitting into traditional business molds – I tried being an “interior designer”, a “writer”, and a “yoga teacher”, but none of them fit me and truly fulfilled my needs. It wasn’t until I examined what unique skill set I already possessed, and then worked backwards from there, that I found my niche – my true calling.

I love yoga, and have 400 hours of training to back that up. I love business-building (can you tell from my varied resume above?). And then it hit me, my calling wasn’t to become the best vinyasa yoga teacher that ever lived, it was to help other yogis and budding entrepreneurs find their niche, expand their reach, and grow their business.

When it comes to distinguishing yourself in your field, having a niche can be an extremely valuable tool. As you well know, a niche is an angle or perspective from which you deliver your offerings, or the style in which you offer them.

If you’re afraid that having a niche will exclude potential customers or clients or pigeon-hole you, you’re not alone. Many people share this exact same fear, and therefore never pursue a niche. But, nothing could be farther from the truth – having a niche is a great way to connect with your target market on a deeper level, and because your niche is a reflection of you and your passion, it will also mean that your fans, followers, and customers will be more engaged and will love spreading the word about you!

Here are 5 reasons why you should consider “niching” your biz.

1. It distinguishes you.

If you’re having trouble distinguishing yourself in a crowded industry, find a niche! Maybe you’re the straight-talking yogi – no Sanskrit here! Or perhaps you’re a new mom and self-taught vegan cook, and leverage your unique skill set to create Youtube videos that share how to cook vegan baby food. With a niche you can create a career – and a lifestyle – that’s a reflection of you!

2. You’ll feel more fulfilled.

If you try to fit into a mold of what you think you “should be”, you’re never going to be truly happy. A niche allows you to craft your career around your uniqueness. The more you fuse your passions with your skill set, the happier you’ll be.

3. It’s helpful.

Having a niche allows you to fulfill a need. When you have a focus, people know exactly what to come to you for, because they know exactly what you offer. Instead of spreading yourself thin, trying to be everything to everyone, you can hone in on what you’re truly good at. This focus allows you to use your unique skill set to truly fulfill a need for your customers and clients.

4. You’ll have more focus, drive and motivation.

Sometimes people fear that a niche will limit their creativity and potential because they’ll run out of ideas, but nothing could be farther from the truth. A niche will give you focus, drive and motivation since you’ll continually be interacting with your target market, and they will let you know what services, programs, and products they’re interested in. The further you delve into your niche, the more pockets of expansion you’ll see. Plus, since your offerings will all have a focus, those that like what you have to say will become repeat customers.

5. You’ll become an expert.

When you have a niche, you have the potential of rising to the level of expert. There may be thousands of competitors out there in your industry, but if you offer something different – like yoga business advice instead of just “business advice” – you set yourself apart, and ahead, of the competition. When you have a distinctive focus, style, or approach, you’re setting yourself up to become known as the top expert in your niche!

(the above was from my recent guest post on LKR social media's blog.)

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