The One Thing You Need to Know to Stand Out as a Yoga Teacher

As a yoga teacher there are many important practical things that you will need to learn and embrace. In addition to your initial training, and your continued development, it is also important that you find a way to stand out from the rest!

Today I want to tell you that your message as a yoga teacher is the single most important thing when it comes to standing out! Your message will also be the key to filling your classes, and giving the best of yourself to your students.

When I talk about your message, I am talking about the things that are an essential part of who you are and what you do. There is surely a reason why you teach yoga, and why you have chosen to take the step from practicing yoga to becoming a teacher.

For me, my message is all about embracing the whole self. By this I mean, how yoga can be utilised away from the mat to ensure that you live your best life. One of the ways in which I do this is to incorporate my other passions into my yoga practice, such as nutrition and emotional self-care.

If you don’t truly know yet what your message is then don’t worry! This is something that we are going to explore today and work towards solidifying in your mind!

Define Your Message

Your uniqueness will be one of your most important assets as a yoga teacher. There is absolutely nothing to be gained from copying the message or individual approach of anyone else. You may observe aspects of another teacher’s practice that you want to incorporate into your style, however, adopting their style entirely won’t serve you or your students well at all.

Be Who You Are

There are several questions that you should ask yourself as a new yoga teacher. Consider the following:

• Why are you a yoga teacher?
• Why are you passionate about teaching yoga?
• Why do you want to teach yoga?
• What are you doing that’s different to the rest?

Taking the time to answer these questions (and to come up with your own) will help you to really know why you have made the choice to become a yoga teacher!

It may take you much soul-searching and contemplative time alone to figure out who you really are, and how your personality will shape your journey as a yoga teacher. However, this is certainly a journey that is well worth taking – not just for the self, but also for developing your message in relation to your new career choice.

Your personality is something that is unique to you, which will without a doubt shape the way that you teach. If you are a high energy person then it is likely that you will carry this energy into your classes, creating an atmosphere that motivates, encourages and pushes your students to power through each class as best they can.

On the other hand, if you have a more calming presence, then your classes may be slower and more relaxing, but still with the innate support and inspiration that your students need to push themselves as much as possible within your classes.

Stay Self-Aware

Being self-aware, and always making a conscious effort to encourage this awareness in yourself, will help you to build your understanding of your personality over time. Doing so will also enable you to better understand how other people perceive you, and in turn, why they are attracted to you as a yoga teacher.

Regardless of what your personality type is, you can find a way to use your self and your skills to create the necessary environment to guide your students to success. The key is simply to connect to your students – be present, be available, and be the teacher that you would envision learning the best from yourself.

Why Choose You

One of the most important things to remember is that people aren’t coming to you because you are a yoga teacher, they are coming to you because you have stood out from the rest. They aren’t necessarily interested in what you are, but they have connected to who you are. Being different, and knowing what it is about yourself and your brand that makes you different, is a sure-fire way to help yourself to stand out from the crowd!

Knowing what you are all about is a great first step, but in order to take this further, you will also need to know how you are going to achieve this. Furthermore, knowing why you do what you do is the next big step to becoming the yoga teacher that you truly want to be.

For example, you may already know that you are a yoga teacher, and that teaching yoga is the path that you wish to pursue. However, knowing how you are going to do this – such as what kind of yoga you are going to focus on and what kind of creativity you are going to bring into your teaching, will further help you to succeed. The final boost comes from knowing why you are embarking upon this journey, and what it is you want to achieve for yourself, and for your students.

Your why should be connected to your purpose, and to your intentions. It should be at the heart of your message, and at the forefront of your yoga marketing strategy.

Sharing Your Message

Once you are totally aware of what your message is, then you have to decide how you are going to share it, and how you are going to be consistent in doing so.

As I discussed in a blog post last week, your website is an amazing way to showcase yourself and to promote your services as a yoga teacher.

Your website is also a key place to share your message and it is a good idea to present this in a clear and concise way. I would suggest dedicating an entire area of your website to explaining who you are and what you do. You can then include smaller pieces of information that support your message on other pages.

Your classes are another great opportunity to share and reinforce your message. This is especially important if you have new students in your class who have perhaps chosen to check your class out because something about you and your message resonates with them.

Your social media accounts must always share the same tone and voice, and also of course be consistent with your message. Social media is an amazing place to market your yoga business. When social media is used well, it can be an extremely positive tool and propel you forwards to success!

MANDALA AND MENTORING

For any yoga teachers out there who are looking for an extra boost with building their brand, I have a new training coming this October in London.

To learn more about Mandala Sequencing and about how to build your yoga brand, click to learn more about my upcoming yoga training: Mandala and Mentoring.

In this YACEP training course, I not only teach you a selection of amazing sequences that will bring more creativity into your classes but I’ll also give you the tools you need to help grow your yoga brand and business!