(full episode here 👆🏽)

What are private yoga lessons and why teach them?

Private yoga lessons are 1:1 sessions, typically taught in-home, at a park, or wherever you and the client feel most comfortable.

Teaching a private yoga class is an amazing first step when you're looking for ways to teach outside the yoga studio and increase your income as a yoga teacher. Why?

Because one hour of private yoga instruction can earn you anywhere from 3-5x what you would make from studio classes. This allows you to make more money while teaching fewer hours.

You can show up with more energy and intention to truly serve your students. You can share more of the practice you love without risking exhaustion and burnout. It can be a beautiful exchange of energy.

Sounds great right?

However, nurturing an aligned and consistent clientele base as a private yoga instructor requires an entirely different approach than teaching group classes in a local yoga studio.

How to find private yoga clients

This is one of the most common questions I get asked as a yoga business coach: "How do I find private clients?" The short answer is everywhere.

You have to get creative and lean on your communication and relationship-building skills to foster opportunities to meet your ideal clients.

Lean on your community

Private yoga clients are literally everywhere. Sometimes they show up through some things you've shared online, past work you've done, or even your personal relationships.

It's easy to underestimate all the ways potential clients can become connected with your work. But I promise, if you lean on your community and professional network, client referrals and inquiries will start pouring in faster than you can imagine.

The important thing is to be able to clearly and consistently communicate what you do and who you serve.

Show up to serve your students

Instead of asking yourself, "How do I find private clients?", shift your perspective, and ask, "How can I best serve my ideal client?"

The key is service.

When you are first thinking about how you can serve others instead of how they can serve you, you will start to see potential clients everywhere.

When you communicate and share your gifts from the energy of service, people will naturally be drawn to you and your work.

Identify your ideal client

The first step in attracting your ideal client is clearly understanding who they are, what their pain points are, and how to effectively communicate the way your services can help.

 

If you haven't already identified who your ideal yoga community is, you can access my free mini-course, which will help you:

• Understand the value of focusing and niching-down your business when you are first starting out so you can fast-track your success

• Take you through a series of exercises to identify what your value statement is based on your knowledge, skills, life experiences and curiosities

• Develop offers that fit your niche and a marketing strategy that supports them

Once you have identified your niche and ideal client, you can start using these tactics to find new clients.

12 Ways to find more private yoga clients

#1 Word-of-mouth referrals

Word-of-mouth remains one of the most effective forms of advertising. This is because personal referrals establish trust between you and the potential client.

Let your friends, family, and community know about your services and the type of students you specialize in working with. Look out, especially, for "Master Connectors". These are the people in your network who always seem to know someone who knows someone. They are the ones who will speak your name in rooms you are not it and share you with their network willingly and often.

Nurture all of your relationships, as they create powerful opportunities for yourself and others.

#2 Reconnect with past clients

Apart from your personal contacts, you can also reach out to your current and/or past clients.

You may start by offering them a first look into a new offer you've created before you publicly launch. You can also offer referral fees, sales commissions, or thank-you gifts to those that refer you.

Just remember, when reconnecting with those you've worked with before, be genuine. Always lead by asking if there's any way you can further support or offer guidance.

Give before you receive, always.

#3 Open your schedule and communicate it clearly

Inform your current students (from private or group classes), personal contacts, wellness colleagues, and social media audience that you have "X" number of open spots for private yoga sessions.

Sometimes, even if someone knows about and sees the value of your work, they might not know that you're actively looking to take on new clients. Clearly communicating your intention can solve that problem.

Describe the specific problem you help solve, and ask if they know anyone who might benefit from your services. Then, let your community connect you with potential clients.

#4 Create a lead magnet

Develop an affordable or free lead magnet or entry-level offer that provides substantial value to your ideal client and guides them towards a higher-level offer.

For example, you could offer a free PDF that helps solve one of your ideal client's pain points. Another option is to host a free challenge to build up hype for a new offer you're about to launch.

The point is to find an easy entry point for potential new clients to experience the value of your work.

#5 Host an event

Consider hosting a weekly, monthly, or quarterly event or luncheon to network and serve your community.

This event doesn't necessarily have to be extravagant or filled with your ideal clients. It can be low-key and also include people who are connected to your ideal clients.

Think of something as simple as a monthly weekend hike for those interested in yoga and meditation in your city. It should be something that is sustainable for you and that is inherently fun to both host and attend.

Consistently establishing yourself as a leader in your community is a great way to be at the top of your ideal client's mind when they're ready to work with you or when people are thinking of whom to send referrals to.

#6 Schedule a public speaking opportunity

Another great way to position yourself as an expert in your niche and get your name out in your community is to explore opportunities for public speaking.

Create a presentation or talk that shares your journey and offers exciting and helpful tools and techniques to solve one of your ideal client's pain points. Then, find spaces to give your talk where your ideal client already hangs out.

Consider reaching out to hotels, networking groups, clubs, universities, corporate organizations, or even yoga studios.

If you're having a hard time booking a suitable venue, you can also collaborate with someone who has a larger, aligned audience and host the talk together.

You can also reach out to speaking agent and/or corporate wellness brokers that will help you get hired to speak in the corporate world, where your expertise on health and stress reduction will be well received.

#7-12...

Originally, I had brainstormed this piece as one blog post, however, I've realized that this is just too much information for one article. Check your inbox next week for part 2.

In it, I will brainstorm six more ways to fill your schedule with more private yoga sessions and offer a few more valuable resources to assist you in your journey toward becoming a wealthy yoga teacher.

Want to create your dream yoga business?

So many of us yoga teachers struggle to find ways to teach and share the practice we love while honoring the needs of our own bodies for rest and relaxation. It's easy for yoga teachers to find themselves working 40+ hours a week and still only bring home between $30-40k a year.

But I promise, it is so possible to build a yoga business that both supports you financially and gives you the freedom and time to spend with your family, traveling, or doing whatever your heart is called to do.

And with the right mentorship, strategy, and belief in yourself, it can happen quicker than you realize.

I have done it myself, and I have successfully coached numerous other yoga teachers in building their unique niche, brand, and offers on their road to six figures.

Are you ready to invest in yourself?

Then, you'll want to join the Online Yoga Biz waitlist. Doors open every few weeks and spots are limited.

Online Yoga Biz is a comprehensive program that helps yoga teachers, like you, launch and grow a profitable online coaching business so you can ditch the burnout of the studio grind and enjoy the time, location and financial freedom you desire and deserve. 

You’ll learn proven mindset, launch, marketing and sales strategies so you can finally gain clarity, lead with purpose and create the business model that supports your ideal life and soul’s highest calling.

Join the waitlist to save your seat!

👉🏽WANT TO CHECKOUT PART 2? CLICK HERE🔗