yoga is a $6+ billion per year industry. yes, that's billion with a "b". yoga is everywhere -- around the corner at the gym, down the street at 3 different studios, on our laptops, smartphones, iPads, on our TVs, and even in our schools and workplaces.
with so much yoga out there, it can be almost paralyzing to think about how to distinguish yourself from every other yoga teacher out there, and enjoy your piece of the multi-billion dollar yoga pie. but there is a tried-and-true method that will continue to work for ALL yogapreneurs, no matter how crowded the yoga world becomes.
the popularity means there's room for growth, expansion, and success. it means there's room for YOU. nearly everyone you talk to does, has done, or wants to do yoga, which means you are needed and necessary for this amazing yoga revolution to occur.
your authentic, special, one-of-a-kind yoga voice is a necessary part of the intricate and beautiful international yoga community.
ok, so there's room for you, but how to you get seen?
be yourself -- no one else can be you, teach like you, talk like you, joke like you, sequence a class like you. the number one most important thing to establishing your unique yoga brand is to teach and speak as authentically as possible.
don't try to imitate others' teaching styles. don't try to emulate other people's success. find what works for you -- even if that means doing something that's different or maybe has never been done before.
when you teach yoga, infuse your personality into every aspect from the music to the theme to the asanas you choose to the workshops you offer to the weekly newsletter you send out. the more you there is, the more you'll differentiate yourself from every other teacher out there. no one else can be you. and you can't be anyone else (so don't try to be!).
think about what you love, and bring that into the yoga classroom. for example...
- if you love art -- host a special art-lovers' yoga class in a museum or gallery space
- if you love vegan cooking -- have a vegan potluck brunch once a month after your sunday morning class
- if you love kids -- offer to start-up a toddler yoga class at your studio during a timeslot when their moms are taking another class
- if you love wine -- bring your students to happy hour after your thursday early evening class to mix & mingle
- if you love hip-hop music -- design a hip-hop yoga workshop for others who share your passion
hope these ideas got the wheels spinning, and remember...
put YOU in everything you do.
