How To Handle A Yoga Class No
Weve all been there at some point in our yoga teaching career. You know the scenario. You get yourself all prepared to teach class, youve got the outfit, got your notes, maybe you have a music play mix all picked out and you even chose a theme for the night. You get in your car ready to serve.
When you get to the studio, the parking lot is empty and you think, Well, its early still. But the lot never fills up, the bike rack is empty and the front desk looks like a ghost town. You go inside to the studio and wait. Its show time and
No. One. Shows.
So many feelings can arise loneliness, feelings of rejection, inadequacy, relief that you have the night off, anxiety about paying your bills, and even anger at the time slot you have. Its hard not to take it personally even if its because of the weather or circumstances beyond your control.
And what if only one person shows up? Now you must put all those feelings aside and be there 100% for the kind soul who made the effort to be there. This is not an easy thing to do when all you can think of is your rent or mortgage payment looming around the corner and how after feeding the parking meter, you pretty much paid to teach yoga tonight.
What is the best way to handle these situations?
Most teachers might feel sad and anxious but, being good yogis, will quickly look for the silver lining in the cloud, give their situation a positive spin and make good use of the time.
- Your model teaching container
Offer A Bring A Friend Day
Everyone knows that yoga is more fun with friends, so why not offer a bring a friend week where for each paying student you can bring a friend for free?
Allow your students to bring new friends all week long, maybe even offer a special partners yoga class for them to attend with a new friend. Often, the hardest part with attracting new students is just getting them in the door, and a promotion like this is designed to do just that.
Why A Hybrid Yoga Studio Is The Future
Clearly, this new world of fitness and yoga has ushered in three types of people:
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those who prefer online classes
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those who prefer to practice in groups and face-to-face
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and those who enjoy being able to do both.
So, a hybrid yoga studio is the future!
Teachers will want to be able to offer options for all three of these types of people or risk falling behind the times. This is also a great way to increase yoga teachers own options for revenue generation.
And it doesnt stop there! You can also take advantage of other online platforms such as blogs, social media, and YouTube. These are great forms of marketing for your online AND offline classes. Its important to use the different channels you have available to you so that your students and people interested in yoga can find you easily.
Many people have been practicing yoga teaching in-person for years. Its only now that online teaching is becoming more important than ever. So, what options do teachers have for teaching yoga online? How can you take advantage of the online yoga boom? How can you set up a virtual studio that really works? Find out in the next section!
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Participate In And/or Host Challenges
Participating in an Instagram yoga challenge will aid in getting your content to the hearts and minds of yogis around the world.
Yoga challenges are also a great way to build consistency on Instagram, since the challenges ask you to post every day. After 30 days of participation, your personal and professional community will definitely begin to blossom!
Instagram allows us to broaden the scope of students that we can reach with our message.
If you feel up for it, hosting a challenge is another great way to work with Instagram promotion! Reach out to yoga companies that you admire and ask them to sponsor your challenge.
Ask all participants to follow you in order to be eligible to win the prize and gain followers and community in the blink of an eye!
Why Live Streams Increase An Events Physical Attendance
To expand the reach of an event, more and more organizations are starting to use live streaming video as a way to engage their online audience and to provide content to people who arent able to attend in person. Most often these streams are free and easily accessible through social media, with Facebook Live now being one one the most effective ways of delivering live content. However, some still question the effectiveness of live streaming events, as they worry people will watch online rather than attending in person. So, if an organization wants to increase the physical attendance to their event , why should they offer the event online for free?
Consider the reason why individuals attend conferences, concerts, or sporting events to begin with. For first-hand experiences, of course! For example, an EventBrite case study concluded that 67% of millennials that watch a live stream of a concert are driven to buy tickets for the next upcoming show. Although it can be entertaining and informative to watch an event from home, there are many aspects of the on site experience that just cannot be offered via live streaming.
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Analyze Your Class Data
Analyze your past member attendance reports and evaluate your current data. By making data-driven decisions, you can invest your time and resources effectively to get the biggest return on investment. When you look at your class data, you may find that certain days and times are just not working for you. But, on other days youre fully packed with a waiting list. By readjusting your class schedule, it could lead to better attendance. You may find that certain types of classes are more popular than others. In this case, you may benefit from removing classes that have stagnated and introducing in-demand fitness styles and instructors.
The Group Fitness Trends That Will Be Popular This Year
While its not possible to predict the future, there are certain trends in the world of group fitness that continue to stay popular year on year. When you combine changing consumer priorities and behaviors, group fitness remains a way to both connect with people and stay fit and healthy.
Group exercise and high-intensity interval training continue to be popular because of the many benefits that come from working out in a group. While some people love to head to the gym alone and sweat through a training session, there is a power that comes with working out in a group. Often, members feel more motivated and accountable working out together. This encourages them to keep going and, eventually, lead to increased results and performance.
Training that connects mind and body will continue to grow. Trends are leaning more towards activities like yoga, Pilates, and mental training such as meditation. More and more people are looking to combine physical and mental activities to combat work stress, financial stress, and enhance overall wellness.
The pandemic has turbocharged the adoption of digital fitness, apps, and virtual training as an effective form of fitness. While you could access digital training before the pandemic, you didnt have the level of competition that you now have. Its becoming an expectation that gyms and health clubs will run both digital and in-person classes.
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Perfect Your Anatomy Knowledge
If you know more about our modern day bodies needs, youll be able to play around with movement in a way that is safe while not having to focus on the asanas specifically. Youll be able to add in movements the body needs and that are actually beneficial to its well-being.
For example, knowing that we rarely move from side to side in our daily lives, or that twists are some of the most helpful movements for the modern-day practitioner , you can incorporate side lunges into your regular lunges sequences, or add open-arm twists in mountain pose, chair or even tree.
How Virtual Classes Can Better Appeal To Students Of All Ages
If youre wondering how to increase student attendance in online classes or how to improve attendance in online classes, using teaching methods that make the material more engaging is a great place to start. Its easy to be a passive participant and watch others interact, so invite students to ask questions and share their insights.
People sign up for classes because the course material interested them. If attendance starts to wane, try adding more interactive elements or mini breaks for longer classes.
If your meeting software offers breakout sessions with separate video rooms, divide students into smaller groups so they can discuss class topics that way before rejoining the larger class.
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Make It Easy For Them To Register
A lot of fitness facilities still have a pen and paper registration system. This means that if a member wants to attend a class, they must either come in and put their name on the attendance list or call the front desk. In todays digital era, this is unappealing to a lot of members.
This is where a good software like Visual ClubMate comes to the rescue. It allows members to register in just a few seconds using the fitness clubs mobile app. Simple and fast, just like the younger generations like to do things today.
The Beauty Of Small Classes
Finally, if you prefer to teach small classes and being pressured to increase your class sizes feels uncomfortable, thats fine too. There is nothing wrong with teaching small classes. You might just have to get a little more creative. Teaching small classes in commercial studios counting on bodies to pay their bills might not be the best place for you to teach. Consider finding a space you can rent by the hour to teach your own small classes. If youre going to teach small classes consistently, you might even consider a different business model than the typical drop-in format. Series-based classes paid for up-front can be a nice way to ensure small class sizes, encourage consistency in attendance, and provide income stability. If you love teaching small classes, it might be time for you to embrace the freedom of being a truly independent yoga teacher.
Building your yoga class doesnt always have to be about numbers and money. If youre building your yoga class, youre also helping more people benefit from the practices of yoga. There is nothing wrong with wanting to share your love of yoga with as many people as possible.
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Other Ways To Engage Your Members While Socially Distant
Throughout March weve seen several gyms use text messaging to invite members to join online classes with great success.
Weve also seen fitness entrepreneurs utilize SMS as a way to share resources with their members in an effort to help them stay active and healthy. There are a host of other creative ways you can engage your members while keeping your distance.
- Text out daily or weekly nutrition tips
- Receive daily fitness challenges
- Encourage people to ask fitness-related questions
With the ever-changing landscape of the coronavirus pandemic, gyms and fitness entrepreneurs have adapted by offering online classes. Thanks to your agility, we can all still get our sweat on while following rules around social distancing.
We hope the ideas above help spark some fresh approaches to increasing attendance at your gyms online classes. And most of all, stay healthy and safe
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Strategies To Increase Group Fitness Attendance
Whether youre running in-person classes, virtual ones, or both, you want to fill out your classes. Class attendance is a huge part of whether the program is a success or not. Growing and consistent attendance is key to overall success, revenue, and a steady workflow.
The coronavirus pandemic accelerated online workout classes. Most fitness brands need to think about how to increase group attendance in both virtual and in-person classes. Great customer experience and ongoing engagement are essential in keeping members committed to classes. In this article, we talk about how group fitness is changing in 2021 and specific tactics you can implement to increase group fitness attendance.
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Partner With Other Local Businesses
Another great way to boost your class attendance is by partnering up with other local businesses.
Find other businesses that promote a healthy lifestyle, like a vegan restaurant, and create special offers for their clients. At the same time, reward your members who attend classes with a discount voucher for that same restaurant. This way, both your businesses will have to benefit.
Start by making a list of all the potential partners in your area and then contact them one by one.
Organize A Free Online Class
Hold a free online event to get more members to sign up for your studio. For example, before starting a series of beginner vinyasa yoga classes, host a free online yoga class. Use social media and your email and text marketing campaigns to advertise the class. A free online class can provide more information and get people excited about taking more of your online yoga classes.
You finish the class by explaining the advantages of your studio, answering questions, and giving potential members a sense of who you are. Then, you can offer a discount for registration. Make sure you are prepared, enthusiastic, and ready to shine for your free online class.
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Comparison With Other Studies
There is little national research to compare with this study, except in the US where the yoga participation rate was estimated at 7.5% in 2005. While the participation rate for yoga in Australia is unclear; it is likely to be between 3% and 12% as a CAM therapy including home practice, but potentially around 7% for organized practice when physical activity, therapy, lifestyle and spiritual path are all considered. It seems that the uptake of the more physical or dynamic styles of yoga may be lower in Australia than in the US, given the lower proportion of men practicing yoga in Australia compared to 22.9% in the US, and the growth of the 15-24 age group. For similar reasons, the average age of yoga survey respondents in Australia may be up to four years older than in the US . Other practice characteristics largely reflected overseas studies, with respondents practicing at least 1-2 times a week, being tertiary educated , employed , and with disposable income suggesting yoga appeals to those of higher socioeconomic status.
Offer Deals & Incentives To Get More Yoga Students
For established businesses, I am vehemently against offering deals and discounts unless such offers are time-limited and offered at specific instances, such as Black Friday.
However, for a new yoga studio, what better way to get students to sign up than to offer incentives? In a new yoga studio, getting initial customers is much more important than worrying about price anchoring.
The studio has to offer an incentive for new students the quality of classes is not enough. Until you establish yourself as a top yoga studio, and all your students come from word of mouth, you could offer deals and freebies that attract new students.
This concept of discounting begets the question: How do you get hundreds of paying customers? Its by converting them subtly. If a student signs up for a discount deal, theres a high chance theyll stay with you next month once they notice the quality of your classes.
NOTE: Avoid the Groupon crowd as those customers chase deals and do not stick around.
There are numerous types of promotions for yoga studios:
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How Do You Price Your Classes And Services
This is a really good question, and the answer is sometimes challenging to come up with. There are so many factors involved in pricing your classes at your studio. Exploring your services, class offerings, teacher experience, location, and clientele should begin to help you form a clear answer to the question of, âWhat should I charge?â
Many studio owners and yoga teachers have a few different options when it comes to pricing. There are two popular methods: pricing classes based on cost per class, and more creative pricing packages. For each method, there are pros and cons.
Cater Timings To Your Target Audience
Understanding your clients is the first step in reorganizing your yoga studio schedule. To maximize your business, you must adjust your timings to accommodate them. Take some time to analyze your client demographic. Are they mainly working professionals, students, senior citizens, or a mix? Also, study which classes each group gravitates to most. Once youve matched your yogis with the types of classes they attend regularly, cater to each group when adjusting your schedule.
For instance, if working professionals are your largest demographic, schedule weekday classes that they could enjoy after 5 pm. This would give them enough time to attend sessions after their workday. If teachers and students are your most popular clientele, arrange classes after 4 pm so they can participate after a busy day at school. If certain classes have a mix of both groups of yogis, try to find a time that suits each. For example, a 7 pm class would accommodate both students and working professionals.
This leaves your mornings wide open for yogis who are not working. Senior citizens and stay-at-home moms can now enjoy their classes at a time that works for them instead of having to squeeze in a class between busy times with their families.
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Why Take This Course
We all need help coping with strong emotions such as stress, anxiety and fear. Not to mention, we all can benefit from improving our mental health, increasing our self-awareness and enhancing our ability to sleep more soundly. Mindfulness does exactly that and so much more. It provides us with the necessary techniques that allow us to not get overwhelmed by our emotional states but instead learn from them in order to live a more productive and less reactive life. Meditation encourages us to come full cycle and relax the body and mind into the present moment to fully enjoy each day.
Ways To Maximize Your Group Fitness Class Attendance
Many factors contribute to consistent and high group fitness class attendance. Often, there isnt just one thing that will improve attendance. Instead, you can implement several methods that combine to create a better experience and attract your ideal customers. If you want to achieve long-term success, maximizing your class attendance is key. Here are nine ways to increase attendance and optimize the fitness class schedule.
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Share On Social Media Platforms
Social media sites can spread a message quickly. Whether you create free posts or use paid advertising, social media can help you reach a wider audience.
- Create a page for each platform youre on with class details, your bio, relevant images and messaging that will encourage students to sign up.
- Quickly reply to comments and questions. Being attentive, respectful and responsive to inquiries shows visitors your page is well managed.
- Use the platforms to send requests to friends and followers asking them to share posts about your class for added exposure.
Use The Right Yoga Studio Software
As you can see, there are several moving parts to modifying your yoga studio schedule. From analyzing data to figuring out which timings work best with clientsyou must be thinking how will you ever be able to create the perfect timetable? Have no fear! Meet WellnessLiving!
WellnessLiving s all-in-one yoga studio management software is designed to help business owners like you grow their studios. With our intuitive system, you can build and manage your studio schedule with ease! Our software lets you categorize your sessions into classes, appointments, or events. Whats the difference?
- Classes are services offered to groups that take place at a specific time during the week.
- Appointments are one-on-one sessions.
- Events are for workshops and other programs that last for a specific period.
With WellnessLiving, you can now arrange your classes into these categories and make things crystal clear for your clients.
For more information on yoga management solutions and what you should look for , click here.
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Keep Inviting New Students
is never done. If youre teaching a weekly yoga class, you always have the opportunity to invite new people. Make it a habit to invite people you meet to your class. Remember, theyre allowed to say no. At least youve planted the seed. I recently invited a student who attends one of my morning classes to one of my evening classes. Turns out she had been coming to my evening classes before I went on maternity leave but when the class time changed she forgot about it. My invitation was a simple reminder for her to add the evening classes back on her schedule. If I never would have invited her, she never would have known.
Individual Goals For The Program
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Establish a meditation practice
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Improves Weight Management
WHY MINDFULNESS + MEDITATION
The power of mindfulness, stemming from the ancient Buddhist tradition, has scientific and subjective benefits that have made this technique of meditation one of the most sought after forms of mediation practiced today. It helps us cope with strong emotions such as stress, anxiety and fear by providing us with techniques to allow us to not get overwhelmed by our emotional states but instead learn from them in order to live a more productive and less reactive life. It teaches us loving kindness to have a more resilient and open heart to let our love flow freely to everyone we encounter. It encourages us to come full cycle and relax the body and mind into the present moment to fully enjoy each day.
While remaining true to the ancient practice of mediation and to the teaching of mindfulness, through this course, we aim to simplify things to lead you to live a more present, centered and balanced life. We firmly keep the focus on YOU and how YOU can learn to relax the body and mind to bring you back to living in the present moment. Once you are truly in the here and now, you can find contentment in the simplest aspects of your life finding joy all around you with a relaxed mind.
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Build A Yoga Studio Loyalty Program
Referral programs are great for getting new students in the door, but what if you want to increase commitment among existing members? In an ideal world, your classes would attract impressive numbers based on their own merit.
In reality, however, you may need to entice students with extra incentives. These can be built into an official loyalty program, which promises special perks to those who take class on a regular basis.
Loyalty programs may be structured with points or by giving students the opportunity to win other rewards. For example, students may receive a specific number of points for attending classes or special workshops. Tie in your referral program by adding points or other benchmarks for successfully referring new students.
