Whether you are an aspiring yoga teacher, just starting out on your yoga teacher journey or an established teacher struggling to grow your client base at some point we have all asked the same question...'How do I get  people to come to my yoga classes?' This is the question that I LOVE as it means time to get creative! There are so many ways to bring people to your classes no matter if you are just starting out or have been sharing your love for yoga for years. Often times it can be frustrating, and there are more and more yoga teachers emerging so it's time to start asking yourself 3 very important questions....

1. What make my classes different?

2. What are my strengths?

3.  What do I want to bring to the community?

No matter how much competition you face or how impossible it may seem there is always room for more yogis, you just need to find your niche. We are all different as teachers and students and some styles appeal more to others, and the great thing about yoga is the diversity of it. So, choose what you are good at, or a style that appeals to you and SPECIALISE. There's so many different types of yoga that you can choose to specialise in, and most are 30hr courses that you can do on top of your 200hr YTT. There are some ideas to get your inspired:

- Pre/ Post-Natal Yoga

- Aerial Yoga

-Kids/ Teen Yoga

- Mum & Baby Yoga 

- Yoga for Men

- Myofascial Release 

- Yin/ Restorative Yoga

- Chair Yoga

- Power Yoga 

Try to choose something that inspires you, but will also inspire your community. Choose something that perhaps isn't offered in your area and bring something new to the people around you. 

The next thing I would start doing is research! Ask around and connect with the community, find out what is already on offer and most importantly, FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE WANT. Make sure your classes are suited to the people that would potentially come to your classes, so for example if you live in an area with a lot of elderly people a power vinyasa class might not be suited, but chair yoga would be perfect! Also find out when would be the best time depending on your potential clients. The easiest way is just ask them! Find out if they prefer early morning, lunch time or evening classes. Lastly, when pricing your classes see what other yoga teachers in your area are charging and aim for around that mark. You don't want to under-cut them, but you also don't want to over-price and send your potential clients in their direction. The last thing you want is PRICE, TIME and LOCATION preventing people coming to your classes. 

Everyone loves to feel special, and an easy way to show that you truly care about the experience of your students is by adding a special touch. A few ideas include:

- Light candles or incense to set the mood- especially if you are doing a restorative yoga class. If your studio doesn't allow this you can also bring some fairy lights.

- I absolutely love making savasana special, if you have time you should go around to each student and maybe gently push down on their shoulders, lift their head and give a little massage. Do what you feel comfortable with and be sure to ask students if they are ok with being touched and adjusted before class. 

- Try to plan into your classes time to go and adjust students, again do what you and your students are comfortable with but many people choose to go to studio classes so they get that 1:1 feedback and help from the teacher.

- Take time to get to know your students! This is really an essential part of building a yoga community. Hang around at the end of the class to answer questions, congratulate students, notice progression, ask them their feedback and get to know them. 

- I also like using aroma therapy with my favourite essential oils. I sometimes rub a bit on my hands and slowly hover my hands over the face of students so they get a waft of my favourite scent.  

Done all of that and still struggling to get people through the door? All hope is not lost! If fact, there are lots of things you can do to connect with the community and show people that you have something amazing to offer! After all, yoga is all about community and helping people to feel good! Here's a few things you can do to spread the word.

- Get in touch with your local school or pre-school and offer a free kids yoga class and if possible get the parents involved too. Make sure you have business cards and a timetable of your regular classes to give out at the end. 

- Offer a one-off free community yoga class in your local park so the venue is free and you can also catch the eye of passerby's too! 

- Place flyers and business cards in cafes or where your client base would likely go. 

- Do a deal where you can bring a friend to class for free (or even half price) so people are more likely to spread the word.