how to monetize your yoga blog

someone from the CALM biz community asked me this question:
"how do i monetize my blog & youtube channel?"
first off, i want to congratulate you on thinking about how to pull in multiple streams of income for your yoga biz and for wanting to take your business online -- that's awesome!
but, you're looking for money in the wrong place if you're hoping for a 1::1 ratio of blog readers/youtube watchers to online yoga students. (does that surprise you?!)
the thing is, having a blog, e-newsletter and youtube channel is super important for yoga-entrepreneurs, but they ARE NOT how the majority of teachers who are successful online make their money.
let me me repeat that just in case you missed it -- they ARE NOT how the majority make their money!
we have to look at our blog, newsletter, social media pages and youtube channel as marketing tools, not products to be sold.
your blog and (the majority of) your youtube vids should give students and potential students super valuable, *FREE* info that they can use to improve their lives. and, doing this will build trust, foster a genuine connection with you and grow your community. all of which is necessary for making money down the road.
they are a means to the end...not the end.
then...when it comes time to sell something, like an online course, meditation guide, primo video series, e-book, workshop or training, you'll have a slew of people who KNOW, LIKE and TRUST you who are ready to purchase whatever it is that you're offering.
that's where the money is, and that's how feel-good marketing results in sales!
so, it's not about monetizing your yoga blog on the front end -- blocking readers until they pay -- it's about cultivating community and offering awesome info so that your blog readers become product buyers at the end of the day!​
check out this week's teachings to hear my take on this topic first-hand :-)

what marketing tools do you have in place for your yoga biz?

post your youtube, facebook & twitter links in the comments below. i wanna check them out!

self-care practices for mom-trepreneurs

as many of you know, we welcomed our first baby girl in early october 2014. and, after a lovely, long maternity leave, i started to dip my toes back into the day-to-day runnings of my business in mid-january.
making the transition for entrepreneur to "momtrepreneur" has actually gone pretty smoothly. overall, i feel more grounded and focused in my efforts and have a clearer sense of my priorities.
that said, being a stay-at-home mom and work-from-home biz owner can take its toll if you're not making self-care a priority.
a number of yogis that i work with are also moms. and i've noticed a common thread -- yogis' and moms' worlds both revolve around giving. we give to our students, children, spouses, friends, family, clients, co-workers, etc. etc. etc.
and though giving is a beautiful practice, if all your energy is moving outward, you'll end up feeling burnt out and depleted. no good.
if you sense that your life+biz could benefit from a bit more self-care (and let's be honest -- whose wouldn't?!), then this post's for you mama!
here are 6 self-care practices that i personally rely on to be my best self for both my family and my business.

my friend, Arianna, has put together an awesome FREE week-long program for moms called Heal at Home - a week of simple+effective self-care tips so you can better care for your little one. check it out here.

 

 

all you need is THIS to alleviate mental chaos

do you often feel like you're being pulled in a thousand different directions? and, even when you're working on one task, your mind is ticking through the countless other things you still need to get done?
being in a state of mental chaos (to put it bluntly) sucks.
it's tiring, frustrating and no matter how much you accomplish, it feels like you didn't get quite enough done.
if what i'm talking about here is something you live with or even just deal with occasionally, please know that this is not a "given" state of being for entrepreneurs. just because you may wear 20 different hats as a yogic business owner, doesn't mean you need to feel like you also have 20 different heads all competing for your attention!
but, as with all things, problems don't present themselves with solutions. and, luckily, i have one for you today that'll help you alleviate the mental chaos that's weighing on your mind.
in order to combat mental chaos, you need to have organization!
it makes perfect sense, actually. when your closet is a mess and weighing on your mind, you clear out the clutter, neatly stack your sweaters, line up your shoes and feel 1000% better. same goes for your biz!
today i'm sharing 4 organizational strategies that i personally use to get a handle on my business to-dos and prevent mental chaos from setting in. check out the vid now.

which strategy did you find the most helpful? share it in the comments below!

 

 

how to fill your BIG programs

if you're planning on running (or have run) a teacher training, workshop, retreat or online program, chances are you're thinking about ways to get more people to sign-up.
unless you're one of the lucky few who strikes gold with your marketing the first time through, there can be a lot of trial and error when first running a new program. and a lot of concern about not getting enough students to enroll.
well today we're tackling this issue head on. i'm going to sharing with you the strategies i've used and have taught to my yoga teacher clients that helps them pack their workshops, retreats, TTs and other BIG programs.
so, hunker down, grab a notebook and pen and get ready to jot down some new ideas!

have a big program coming up? share a link to it in the comments below. i'd love to check it out!