Ep 15: Branding - Mastering your Yoga Teaching Identity

Branding separates you from other teachers, in a good way and clearly explains the type of yoga teacher you are. It also offers students a peek into your teaching methodology. So let's talk about branding and how important it is to differentiate yourself in the sea of yoga teachers that are teaching today. Realizing the differences between yourself and other yoga teachers is necessary. 

You don't need to compare yourself to other teachers, or judge yourself against other teachers, instead, realize your strengths. What do you enjoy teaching? Utilize this information to attract students who love what you have to offer.

Transcript

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This is what branding does, it separates you from other teachers, not in a bad way, it just gives a clear explanation of the type of yoga teacher you are and will give a student a peek into your teaching methodology. So let's talk about branding and how important it is to differentiate yourself in the sea of yoga teachers that are teaching today. Realizing the differences between yourself and other yoga teachers is necessary. I don't think I have to say this, but I'm gonna say it anyway. This is not to have you compare yourself to other teachers or to judge yourself against other teachers. Instead, it's to realize what your strengths are. What you really enjoy teaching and utilizing this information to attract students who love what you have to offer. Welcome to the essential conversations for yoga teachers podcast with me. I'm Monica Bright, and I've been teaching yoga and running my yoga business for over a decade. This is the podcast for you. If you're a yoga teacher, you're looking for support. You love to be in conversation and you're a lifelong student in this podcast. I'll share with you my life as a yoga teacher. The lessons I've learned, all the stuff that wasn't taught in teacher training, my process for building my business, and helpful ideas, tools, strategies, and systems I use, and you can use, so that your business thrives. We'll cover A diverse range of topics that will help you whether you're just starting out or you've got years under your belt and you want to dive deep and set yourself up for success. I'm so glad you're here. Listen, I don't take myself too seriously, so expect to hear some laughs along the way. Now, let's do this together. Alright, here's a question. Can you sum up in a sentence or two who you are as a teacher? Two sentences that will let someone know without a doubt whether you're the teacher for them or not. Can you do that easily? This is what branding does. It separates you from other teachers, not in a bad way. It just gives a clear explanation of the type of yoga teacher you are, and will give a student a peek into your teaching methodology. So, I'm going to give you two examples. The first example is going to be me. I'm a teacher that loves incorporating anatomy into my classes, and I enjoy teaching aging and injured students. Also, I want students to take ownership of their bodies and their practice. Sometimes people need to be taught how to do this. Have you ever had a student who asked you to correct everything they were doing wrong? I remember a time I was teaching a flow class and I had a new student who rushed up to me before class started, introduced herself. And she was so excited to come and take this class. And she said, this is my first time ever taking yoga. And I just want to make sure that I do everything right. So please correct me if I'm wrong. I don't mind. You can correct me as much as possible. And so I said, okay, but in my mind, I was already thinking I'm not going to do that. But throughout class, I did keep my eye on her. I may have gone up to her once, maybe twice. OK, Uh, to, um, ask her, not correct in the sense like move your body here and do it, and now that's right, but correct in the sense of what would it feel like if you were to put your knee in this position? And then I always follow up with how does that feel? Does that feel okay? Then I left her alone and let her enjoy the rest of class. And again, like I said, I kept my eye on her the whole class. and let her have her practice. And at the end of class, she rushed up to me and she said, how'd I do? How'd I do? And instead of answering that question, I asked her. Another question, I said, how do you feel? And she said, aha, I feel great. It was, it was so wonderful. I love this and I'm definitely coming back. So I share this story with you because had I had gone down a list of like seven or eight things that either she did wrong or she could have corrected, then she would have left with the feeling of I didn't do so well in that class. And so. Now, I'm thinking, should I go back to that class? Am I good at yoga? And I didn't want her to feel that way. So I wanted her to have the permission to do with her body what she needed to do. And I also wanted her to start to feel like, uh, my body feels good. I didn't hurt myself. Yoga feels like something that I can do. And so, yes, I'm going to come back to class and practice it again. So that's example number one. That's me. That's the kind of yoga teacher that, uh, I am. Example number two is another teacher who loves teaching about Ayurveda, which focuses on balancing the mind, body, and spirit, promoting overall well being. In Ayurveda, it's believed that each person has a unique constitution or what they call dosha, which is made up of a combination of three energies, vada, pitta, and nirvana. and kapha. These govern various bodily functions and personality traits. Ayurvedic practices emphasize the importance of harmony between these doshas, which is achieved through a combination of lifestyle practices such as diet, Exercise, meditation, and even herbal remedies. Teachers who practice Ayurveda and teach it assess an individual's dosha and recommend personalized approaches to restore balance to prevent illness in the body. It's not just about treating symptoms. Ayurveda focuses on addressing the root cause of health issues by understanding the unique needs. of each person. So a yoga teacher who teaches Ayurveda helps students understand how it can complement their yoga practice through lifestyle choices that align with their specific dosha, cultivating balance and harmony to achieve optimal health and vitality. So you see how these two teachers are very different. And you see how they would appeal to different types of students. So that's a very important distinction to make. There are a number of different kinds of yoga students. And if I'm a yoga student who wants to learn about Ayurveda, then I would be more attracted to the teacher who teaches about Ayurveda. Let's talk about branding and how important it is to differentiate yourself. in the sea of yoga teachers that are teaching today. Realizing the differences between yourself and another yoga teacher is vital. I don't think I have to say this, but I'm going to say it to you anyway. I don't want you to think that you have to compare yourself to other teachers or to judge yourself against other yoga teachers. Instead, I want you to realize your strengths, what you really enjoy teaching, and utilizing this information to attract students who love what you have to offer. So just a real quick side note, um, about how many yoga teachers there are out here now. Do you remember during the pandemic? I don't know if you saw it, but I saw it online. They were, I think, mainly Facebook ads for yoga teacher training. And I think the price. For these trainings, these online trainings were like 3. 99, which is crazy because I paid nearly 3, 000 for my 200 hour teacher training. So I bring that up just to say that the lower cost of training. just lower the financial barrier to entry for yoga teachers. So there are many more teachers now because of those lower costs to take teacher training. In this episode, let's explore how to master your teaching identity through effective branding strategies. Because in today's competitive market, it's about how you present yourself to the world. Your brand is more than just a logo or a website. It's the essence of who you are as a teacher. What you stand for and the unique value you bring to your student from defining your unique value proposition to crafting a compelling visual identity and messaging I have so Much to share with you today Stay tuned because I'm also going to give you some questions to ask yourself which will help you identify your teaching Identity you are Oftentimes, I can clearly see a teacher's brand and what they should be honing in on as their niche. I can see it without a doubt and I'm like, man, they ought to really be honing in on that. I had a colleague who was so knowledgeable about yoga mudras and would sometimes add them to her classes and I thought, girl, that ought to be your thing. At the time, I didn't say anything and I don't think she's still teaching anymore, but if she does start teaching again, I would advise her to double down on mudras because it's her strength. That was so clear. And there are students who would eat that. information up. You see how that would be a match made in heaven for her? Like, she gets to teach what she loves, mudras, and she attracts students who love what she's teaching. So she, it's, it's easy to attract students at that point. It's not like, oh gosh, how am I different from the teacher who teaches at another time on the schedule? We're going to talk about that in a second. But doubling down on what you love and communicating that to students is going to help you stand out in the crowded yoga market. And that's what's going to help you build a thriving and sustainable yoga teaching career. So I want you to keep that in the back of your mind. So what is branding and why do you want to do it? It's the process of creating and promoting a distinct image. and reputation for yourself as a yoga teacher. It's important because it can help you establish yourself as a reputable and professional teacher and attract the right students for you. So let's go through a few reasons why branding is so important for you and I want you to think about it. if you haven't already. Number one, it creates a distinctive identity and positioned you right where your interests are. So when you define your unique teaching style, your philosophy, and understand your values, you can differentiate yourself from others in the teaching industry. So just think, when you don't differentiate yourself, how are you showing that you're any different than other teachers on the schedule, especially if you're on staff at a studio. Why should students choose to come to your class aside from the format that you teach and the time that you teach? This distinctiveness attracts students who resonate with your approach and your philosophy, and it fosters stronger connections and loyalty from your students. Number two, branding yourself shows professionalism and a level of trustworthiness. Well developed brand signals professionalism and trustworthiness to potential students. A cohesive brand image communicates that you're committed to providing high quality instruction and experiences. This professionalism builds trust among students, encouraging them to invest their time and resources in your classes and your other services. Number three, branding provides consistent messaging and experience. Effective branding is going to ensure consistency in your messaging and experience across all touch points, including in person classes. online platforms, social media, and your marketing materials. You're going to have the same messaging throughout all of these. So consistency in your branding reinforces your identity and your values, and it creates a cohesive and memorable experience for your students. They're not going to be confused about who you are as a teacher because it's clear across all touch points. This consistency builds more trust and strengthens your reputation, encouraging students to return for more classes, and even recommend you to more people. Number four, branding attracts ideal students and opportunities. So a strong brand attracts your ideal students, those students who align with your teaching style, your values, and even your goals. When you clearly communicate your brand message and offerings, you attract students who resonate with your approach and your philosophy. Additionally, a well established brand opens up opportunities for partnerships, speaking engagements, collaborations, and other professional opportunities within the wellness industry, expanding your reach and influence. So, case in point. Remember, I shared with you the panel that I was recently on at this wellness event in my neighborhood. And I was on this panel on fitness and pain management. And it's because I clearly defined that I work with injured students. I clearly defined that I've studied deeply in pain science. And these are the foundations of my teaching. Also, I never want you to discount the power of word of mouth and having conversations with students to help instill in their minds who you are as a teacher. So many of the students that come to my classes talk to each other. They're in my neighborhood. They know each other. They know. That I am a teacher of, um, students with injuries. I pay a lot of attention to anatomy and movement and teach about how the body moves. So when they're in conversation with each other about the type of classes that I teach, they're going to add that information when they're sharing me. Number five. Branding provides long term growth and sustainability. So when you invest in branding, it contributes to long term growth and sustainability because a strong brand builds a loyal community of students who are committed not only to their journey, but to yours as well. So you'll find that they want to support your growth over time. Because when you're more knowledgeable, you bring more growth and education to them and their practice elevate. Number six, you define a unique teaching style and philosophy. So branding begins with defining a unique teaching style that sets you apart from others in the industry. This could involve incorporating specific yoga traditions, into your classes, emphasizing certain aspects of yoga. For example, it could be mindfulness. It could be spirituality. Maybe it's the physical aspect of it or integrating other wellness practices like meditation, or like I mentioned before, Ayurveda. But by clearly articulating your teaching style and philosophy, you attract students who resonate with your approach. Okay, number seven, branding helps you develop engaging content and educational resources. Content marketing is a powerful way for you to establish yourself as an expert in your field and attract students to your classes and offerings. So I want you to think about creating engaging content such as blog posts, articles, and articles. videos, maybe it's even podcasts that share your knowledge, insights, and teachings related to yoga and wellness. And by providing valuable educational resources, you'll not only continue to build credibility and trust, but also demonstrate your commitment to supporting students on their journeys off the machine. All right, branding also helps you build a strong online presence. We all know that in today's digital age, it's important to have a strong online presence and it's essential for your branding as a yoga teacher. This includes having a professional website that showcases information about you, your classes, workshops, retreats, other offerings. As well as an active presence on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and even Pinterest. You can use these platforms to share your message via content, engage with an audience that you build around your messaging, and promote your brand through consistent messaging and visuals. So let me ask you a question. Have you ever seen a teacher on social media with a skeleton or with a rope wall in their practice space? Ask yourself, what does that imagery tell you about the teacher? So the rope wall, for example, tells you that that teacher must really be dedicated because they've constructed this. in their living space, which denotes a certain level of commitment to the practice. A teacher who has invested in a skeleton hopefully is not just using it as a prop, but instead using it to teach concepts about movement and anatomy. I use mine to explain more about injuries. But this additional imagery shows a different level of dedication to teaching. Now I'm not saying run out and go get those things, right, because I want you to be your authentic self. So maybe that means that you're using singing bowls or manifestation cards or additional props because you're a restorative teacher. You do you. That's what I'm saying. I'm kidding. Ha ha. All right, number nine, branding helps you cultivate a community and personal connection with your students. When you build this sense of community, you continue to strengthen your brand by deepening your impact on students lives. And you do this by being approachable, responsive, and attentive to their needs and offer a listening ear. Maybe it's advice and feedback. And you can do this in person before or after classes. Maybe it's during workshops with your emails and so many other ways. Just, I want you to think about how you can connect with your students genuinely. And lastly, branding helps you create a memorable visual identity. Okay, I kept this one for last because I don't want you to get bogged down with the idea that you can't brand yourself until you get a logo or until you get a website up and going. Those things can wait. In the meantime, think about what kind of teacher you are and how that might show itself in your visual identity. Your logo and color scheme. And website design will come naturally when you know who you are, as opposed to the other way around. Now, these visual branding elements do play a crucial role in creating a memorable brand identity. Think more about your personality, your values. and teaching style and what are the desired emotions that you want to evoke when people view you. When you're consistent in visual branding across all platforms, including your website, social media profiles, and your marketing materials, it reinforces your brand identity and makes it easier for students to understand you. to recognize and remember you. I know a yoga teacher whose brand colors include a certain shade of purple. And, and she was already established in her teaching and her niche. So her brand colors came afterward. But whenever I see that shade of purple, I think of her. So I'm identifying that color with her brand, whether it's her or not. So I either see the color and I automatically know it's her, or I see the color and I think Think of her. So you see how visual branding can help keep you in your student's mind. Okay. That seems like a lot, but I promise to give you some questions for you to ask yourself to help you with your branding. So grab a journal or a piece of paper. And if you're driving, just listen to the questions, maybe answer them in your head. But then come back to this episode and re listen later so that you can pause and answer each question when you have more time. All right, here we go. It's a list of 10 questions, so just be ready. Number one, ask yourself, what is my unique teaching style? What are my teaching methods? How do I sequence? And what is my overall approach to yoga instruction? I want you to identify what sets your teaching style apart from other teachers. Number two. And you could pause in between questions too and kind of jot it down if you are writing in your journal now. Number two. What are my areas of expertise or specializations within yoga? So I want you to consider your training, your experience, and your interests within the realm of yoga. Are there specific styles, techniques, or aspects of yoga that you excel in or are passionate about? Number three, who is my ideal student or target audience? Define the demographics, interests, and needs of the students you want to serve. Are you catering to beginners, athletes, seniors, pregnant women, individuals with specific health conditions, or a particular community? Pause and answer if you need to. Number four. What are the unique needs or challenges of my target audience? Do you understand the pain points? their goals and aspirations of your target audience. How can your yoga offerings address their specific needs or challenges? How can you solve problems for your student? Number five, what values and principles guide your teaching philosophy? I want you to explore the core values and principles. that underpin your approach to teaching yoga? How do these values inform and contribute to your interactions with students and the overall experience you aim to create? Number six, reflect on what inspires and motivates you. What aspect of teaching yoga brings you the most joy and fulfillment? Number seven, feedback. Have I received from past students? or peers. Consider the feedback you've received from students, peers, or mentors about your teaching strengths and areas for improvement. Can you identify any patterns or themes that seem to emerge from the feedback you received? Number eight, what unique life experiences or personal journey do you bring to your teaching? Reflect on your personal journey with yoga and any unique life experiences that shape your perspective as a teacher. How do these experiences influence your teaching style and your offerings? Some teachers share how yoga helped them with their anxiety. And others share how they came to yoga because of an injury. Maybe you found yoga as a stress reliever, but define your personal journey. That can be very informative as to the type of teacher that you are. Number nine, what sets my yoga classes apart from others in my community or online? So evaluate the competitive landscape and identify what makes your yoga classes unique. or differentiates them from others? How do you stand out in terms of class offerings, atmosphere, or your teaching approach? And finally, number 10. How can I align my niche with my long term goals and aspirations? Consider how your niche, the people you serve, aligns with your long term career goals and aspirations as a yoga teacher. How can you leverage your niche to grow your teaching practice and make a meaningful impact in the yoga community? Now, I want you to take your answers, start to merge them together and see if your brand starts to make itself known from your own answers. If you're having any trouble with any of these questions, No, that you need to set aside some time and you've got to nail down the answers to these questions so you can get to your brand. Seems like there are thousands of new yoga teachers that are being churned out every few months with the help of these online teacher trainings. The question is, how will you be known for who you are? You have to become recognizable if you want longevity in your career. I'm just saying. Okay. I hope this episode has helped you clear up why it's so important to brand yourself and actually how to do it. When you do it, you're going to find that everything gets a little bit easier because you're not trying to be the yoga teacher for every student. Instead, you're being the yoga teacher to the students who align with you, your values, your teaching style, your methodology, and so on. I mentioned earlier in this episode about my four month coaching program, The Business of Yoga 2. 0, that I run with a small group of teachers each round. In it, You will get super clear on your brand. You'll understand the teacher you are and learn ways to market yourself specific to you. If you're not on my email list yet, just join the wait list. The link is in the show notes below. Applications open in April, and this is going to be my third round. And the teachers who have received coaching already are making moves, and they're building sustainable careers. I love it so much. As always, I want you to be clear about your career, or at least be getting clearer on it every single day. It's so important to have this conversation about why branding is so important. And when you have yours, it helps you operate in your flow state, loving your yoga, teaching life and allowing it to be fulfilling and rewarding means that you're teaching from your heart and you feel aligned. Basically, you're feeling so good about your career and where it's headed. If you love this episode, let me know. I'll give you a shout out in a future episode. I love the feedback I've heard so far. Subscribe to the podcast so you know when a new episode drops and share it with another yoga teacher who you think would love to be in on these conversations. Because teachers have asked for business related episodes, I have even more topics to share with you. So thank you for helping to spread the word about this podcast. And finally. Again, if you haven't already joined my newsletter, it's just for yoga teachers. The link is in the show notes below and I would love for you to join it so we can always stay connected. All right, that's it for now. Bye.