Source: peaceandpandemonium.blogspot.com via Irina on Pinterest

As a yoga teacher, do you tend to shy away from promoting your yoga offerings?

Do you dislike marketing and feel like it’s totally un-yogic?

You are not alone; countless teachers do not consistently market or talk about their yoga offerings for fear of seeming pushy and inauthentic in the eyes of their students.

If  you fall into this category, there is hope! Believe it or not, there is a way to go about marketing and speaking about your yoga classes, workshops and offerings that is not only authentic, but will serve your students and lead to greater marketing success as a whole.

So, what’s the trick?

The key is to share why you’re offering what you’re offering, not what you’re offering. That’s the whole point isn’t it?

Share why you teach what you teach, and why you do what you do. Share why you’re drawn to yoga and why you love to share that passion with others. The why is meaningful, and it communicates your authenticity.

For example, don’t simply say:

“I’m running a hip-opening workshop this weekend. Hope you can come!”

Instead, share why:

“I’m running a hip-opening workshop this weekend to help anyone with tightness or holding in that area to open their hips on a physical level, and also release tension on an emotional level, since tight hips are often associated with emotional holding. If you think you could benefit from this kind of work, please come!”

I think you’ll agree, the second invitation is much more powerful. It explains clearly to your students how this workshop will serve them and improve their practice and life.

Students need the why to discern if the offering is applicable and appropriate for them.

When you share the why, you speak from a much more authentic, empowered place—as a result, you become far more effective in your marketing efforts and better serve your students. It’s a win-win solution!

Always keep in mind that you are your students’ connection to the practice of yoga—you do them a disservice when you don’t fill them in about all the awesome classes you teach, workshops you run and trainings you provide.

Your students want to know what you have going on—they come to your class for a reason. Serve them the best way you know how—that includes keeping them in the loop about all the amazing yoga related events you have going on!

Tell them why and they’ll thank you for it by showing up in droves and recruiting their friends and family to attend your terrific, genuine and heartfelt teachings.

Cailen Ascher is a yoga teacher and entrepreneur, and she shares conscious business practices for yoga teachers at www.CALMbiz.com. If you’re looking to expand your reach, and grow your yoga career in 2013, get a copy of her FREE Yoga Biz Resume Guidebook here, or check out Cailen’s one-on-one offerings. Enjoy what you read? – sign up for Cailen’s FREE newsletter, like CALM Biz’s Facebook Page or follow her on Twitter.

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Assistant Ed: Lacy Rae Ramunno
Ed: Bryonie Wise