Is your Instagram feed Helping or Hurting your Yoga Business?

Your Instagram feed is one of the best tools for advertising, and it can help or hurt your business, depending on what you post.

Can I tell you about one of my pet-peeves? Seeing a social media post advertising a beginner Yoga class with a picture of the teacher in an advanced Yoga pose. These two things do not align. It’s confusing. It would be fair for a student to assume a pose that is on the post advertising the class would be included in the class. They may be immediately turned off by thinking…“if that is beginner yoga there is no way I can do it”. So why is the teacher using that photo? Probably because it’s gorgeous and esthetically pleasing! But is it actually helping drive business or connect them with the right students? Now, what if your whole Instagram feed is a series of BEAUTIFUL advanced yoga poses, and your offerings are beginner yoga classes. (No judgment, I did this! This is what I thought I was supposed to do as a yoga teacher on Instagram) What if you’re posting about your personal meditation practice and how beneficial you believe meditation is, but not offering any meditation practices? What if you never post yourself doing handstands and then suddenly post an offering for a handstand workshop?

How would this be good for business???

There are literally thousands of yoga teachers in the world and on Instagram. But there is only one YOU. I, as a yoga student, can go to 2 classes which consist of the exact same sequence of poses, taught by two different teachers. I will have two completely different experiences because of who the teachers are. One may enjoy being lighthearted and cracking jokes, and one may encourage you to focus inward and use more silence than words when guiding you through poses. You may enjoy them both for different reasons, or one style may not be for you (side note: this is why you should not discount Yoga as a whole if you have one negative experience…try another style of class or teacher). You are likely going to remember your experience and next time you want a class, think about which experience you would like to have. What if you went back to the lighthearted teacher only to find that they are now teaching in a totally different style. You would likely not return if your experience wasn’t what you were expecting. You wouldn’t feel like you could trust what you would get if you returned another time.

If you are a teacher who is not truly being yourself and is simply trying to emulate what you think a Yoga teacher should be, in person or online, then you are not going to attract those long-term relationships with students. I always say, I am not the best yoga teacher out there, but I have very loyal students because I have cultivated relationships with them. I know their stories, I know what they enjoy doing in classes, they know what to expect from my classes, they trust me, and they know a bit about my life and are understanding if I am a bit off my game one class because my one year old didn’t sleep well the night before. You do not need to be perfect or project perfection online to work as a yoga teacher or wellness provider. You need to be genuine, qualified, deliver what you promise, and be willing to say “oops I made a mistake and said Left instead of Right”. Most people don’t want the curated perfection that often what shows up on the Instagram explore page, they want someone real who they can connect with. That begins with your marketing (ie. Social media) and needs to line up with your offering and delivery.

5 Places to Teach Yoga (besides Yoga studios)

When you are getting close to finishing your yoga teacher training, or perhaps even before you begin, you likely start to consider where you’ll teach yoga. The obvious choice for many teachers is a yoga studio, perhaps one you took your training through or one you frequent, so the transition from student to teacher is fairly natural. However, if you are in a position where you are simply applying for teaching positions at studios, it can be just competitive and difficult to find employment opportunities as any other field. Luckily, there are a variety of places you can teach besides yoga studios that people don’t necessarily consider initially, and some can end up bringing in more income than your typical studio class. Here’s my top 5:

  1. Community Centre’s or other rented space - The cost for renting a space in a community centre is usually quite reasonable, and if you go that route you can set up the classes/programming exactly how you want. You will also be in charge of all the back end work in that instance (registrations, marketing etc), which isn’t for everyone, however, some community centre’s also manage their own programs and may just be in need of a teacher! If there is a community centre near you that doesn’t currently run programming, (or even if they do they may want another teacher or class), reach out and see what options are available.

  2. Schools & Daycares - If you are passionate about working with kiddos or better yet, certified in children’s yoga, schools and daycares are often looking to provide programming to their students. My tip: figure out which age group you enjoy working with most. Some people love working with teens, and others find it difficult. Some people are incredible at keeping little ones engaged and others find it impossible. Yoga for kids is not the same across all ages/grades.

  3. Workplaces - More and more, large companies are realizing the importance of their employees overall wellness and mental health. Yoga programs are typically easy to organize and low cost ways of assisting with this.

  4. In Home private classes - Private classes can feel intimidating when you are first starting out, and working one-on-one with someone is a lot different than leading a class of students. Some yoga teachers will thrive in privates, and others will not. You won’t know until you try!

  5. Seniors Residences - If you have experience or additional training that qualifies you to work with seniors, reaching out to seniors residences to see if they are interested in a yoga program is a great idea. It may be chair yoga or quite modified, but the benefits for the students will still be great.

Did I miss anywhere? I’d love to know where else you have taught! Leave me a comment below to let me know.

Are you a new or aspiring Yoga teacher or a Yoga teacher looking to start their own business? Check out our Yoga Teacher resources and get my 5 tips for getting started!

New YouTube Channel!!!

The Your Best Yoga Youtube Channel is live!

I just wanted to let you know that there is a new way for you to practice Yoga with me - online! Please visit the Your Best Yoga YouTube channel for weekly yoga videos. I’ll be posting Beginner Yoga videos as well as videos for more experienced Yogi’s. I’d love to hear what kinds of videos you want to see, so please comment below or contact me with your suggestions.

Yoga Myth #3: Yoga is too Easy/Boring

This is part three, of a three part series, debunking some common Yoga Myths. If you have a Myth you would like to share or challenge me to debunk, share it in the comments below. If these Yoga Myth articles inspire you to try your first Yoga class - click here to sign up for Yoga in Winnipeg.

“I just can’t get into Yoga, it’s too boooorrrrinnggg…..”. I'm going to break this Myth into two categories - Those who have tried a Yoga class before, and those who have not.

For those who have taken a Yoga class and ended up finding it very boring or too easy, there could be a couple reasons.

1. Maybe you went to a class that was too easy for you - was it a Restorative or Yin class? Was it mostly floor based stretching? A lot of very athletic people, that are used to more intense exercise, will likely find a more passive form of Yoga very boring (they will benefit GREATLY from it - but that’s another article). But if they went to a more active style class - Flow, Vinyasa, Ashtanga - they may find it a bit more challenging, stimulating, and up to their speed. Those kinds of classes are sometimes referred to as the "gateways" to the other styles of Yoga for those who are coming from a very athletic background. Once you get bit by the Yoga "bug" and want to learn more and keep feeling good, you can venture into some of the other styles.

2. Maybe you didn't jive with the studio/instructor. There are many different styles of Yoga studios and ways teachers approach the practice. No two instructors are the same, so maybe it just wasn't a good fit.

3. Maybe Yoga just isn't for you at this point in your life. I said it. I truly believe Yoga is for Everyone, but that doesn't mean that everyone feels the same way. Fair enough.

Choosing the right style of Yoga can make a big difference!

Choosing the right style of Yoga can make a big difference!

For those who have never tried Yoga and just have a perception that it is too easy or boring....don’t knock it til you try it! Choose a class that you think is appropriate for your fitness level, understand that going to one Yoga class means you've gone to one Yoga class, and that each class will be different. Leave your ego at the door and really pay attention to how your body feels during and after. I bet it will feel pretty good! Quick story: I used to teach a class at a fitness centre that was attached to an army reserve base. I primarily had military spouses and family members in my classes, while the military personnel were working out in the weight room next door. Every now and then, someone finishing up their heavy lift would walk by our room and get curious. One very athletic looking man decided to come on in and give our Yoga class a try. His exact words after coming out of one of the poses were "I thought Yoga was easy and just stretching - I am sweating!". Too easy? I think not ;)

Myth #2: You Have to "Calm your Mind" to Practice Yoga

This is part two of a three part series debunking some common Yoga Myths. If you have a Myth you would like to share or challenge me to debunk, share it in the comments below. If these Yoga Myth articles inspire you to try your first Yoga class - click here to sign up for classes in Winnipeg.

Yoga Cartoon By Gemma Correll

Yoga Cartoon By Gemma Correll

I've heard people say this many times - "I can't do Yoga because I just can't calm/empty my mind enough to focus".

Um, honestly….me too.

We have all seen the pictures of the calm Yogi sitting in meditation with his or her eyes closed, fingers in a Mudra, looking ever so peaceful.... but I bet at least half of them were thinking about what they were going to eat after that photo-shoot was finished. I'll be honest, sometimes I can totally focus in a Yoga class. I hear the teachers prompts to "be here now" and I am able to focus enough on the sensations in my body as I move through the poses to leave my worries behind for an hour. Other times, I don't even hear that prompt from the teacher because I am ruminating about something that happened the day before. Guess what? I am still getting a lot of benefits from moving through the practice. And take a second to re-read that last sentece - Yoga is a PRACTICE - so just keep practicing! The more you practice being mindful, being still, focusing on your breath, and keeping your attention in the present moment, the easier it may become.

If you are interested in learning more about meditation you may enjoy these Audiobooks (Links to Amazon Canada):

Meditations for Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza

Total Meditation by Deepak Chopra M.D

Click here for the US links for some wonderful Meditation Audiobooks.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn on qualifying purchases.

In conclusion…. Please, don't let your "monkey mind" keep you from trying Yoga. Just keep showing up with all your worries and practice letting them go, even for a moment. You are still going to benefit from moving your body, taking those deep juicy breaths, and inviting yourself to relax, even if it's difficult some days, I promise.