Day 1 ‘Mindful Marketing’ – Let’s get started!
Welcome to Day 1 of ‘Mindful Marketing’. Today I want to provide you with some pointers on how to start acquiring classes to teach as a new teacher or, if you are already teaching, how to get those few extra classes you want (or need) to sustain yourself. No matter what your plans are in the future, whether it be running your own studio or teaching your own classes in a rented space, it is important to generate and sustain a client base that allows you to earn enough income to live comfortably, prosper and potentially grow in the future.
The first thing to think about is how much you are going to charge for your time. A lot of places that hire yoga teachers (whether they be studios, gyms, workplaces etc.) will have a standard rate that they pay their teachers, which is usually based on experience, training and the length of the class. In my experience, gyms usually pay between $40-$55 per hour, studios around $55-$65 per hour and workplaces up to $150 per hour. I strongly believe it is important to determine how much you think you are worth and being able to justify accepting less if that is what is on offer. Don’t sell yourself short and revise this figure as you become more qualified and experienced.
Once you’ve established (or reestablished) your going rate, it’s time to put yourself out there (again)! Here are a few ways to get you started :
- Approach the places you go to practice yoga and ask the owners if there are any vacancies or if they need any covers. Chances are, they already know who you are and you already know what they are all about.
- Go local. Look around your area to see if there are any places already running yoga classes or looking to start running yoga classes. I would even look past the usual suspects of the gym and yoga studio to personal training studios, wellness clinics, spas, schools, universities, local councils etc. You’d be surprised at the number of places looking for yoga teachers. And don’t forget the good old job board!
- If you have a part-time or full-time job in addition to teaching yoga, talk to your human resources or health/wellbeing coordinator to see if they are interested in adding yoga classes to their program. Make sure you go in prepared. Research the benefits of yoga in the workplace, costs of equipment (if needed), space where you are going to hold the yoga classes and the best time to hold classes.
- Use your network of friends and family and do the same thing!
- Check out online job sites weekly such as Seek, Find Yoga, Indeed, Gumtree, Yoga Travel Jobs, Yoga Trade, and Fitness Careers. One issue with these jobs sites is that each advertisement usually attracts hundreds of applications. Learn how to stand out in a crowd during Day ? of ‘Mindful Marketing’.
- Join your local yoga teachers group on Facebook. Not only are these great for discussions, you will find job advertisements or even cover opportunities. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself and let people know that you’re looking for work on these forums as well. There are also groups especially designed for covers or job opportunities. Here are some of the larger groups – Cover Me Yoga Australia, Yoga Jobs, and Yoga Jobs all Over the World.
- Become a member of Yoga Australia or Yoga Alliance. Your profile can be made public so that people looking for yoga teachers can find and contact you!
If you have already been teaching at a place for a length of time, it could be a good time to renegotiate your payment if you feel like you deserve more compensation.
There are endless opportunities out there for you to share your love of yoga. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and try not to be too hard on yourself if nothing pops up immediately.
Nourish Yoga 