11B Yelp and Groupon

     We do have a Yelp Account and we have 4 reviews. We also have a coupon offer on Yelp but have not received any interest so far from that. I can't say that it has helped us much at all. I notice that the studios that have paid ads tend to have a lot more reviews so perhaps that is the key to Yelp, pay them for advertising to show up in the searches. We come up 22nd on the list of yoga places in Oceanside, which doesn't make any sense since yoga studios in other cities come up on the list before us. I believe that is probably connected to not paying for an ad.
     I have also tried a Groupon coupon and we did find a couple great students that have stayed with us. My experience with Groupon as well as Living Social is the majority of users are really looking for a discounted price and a lot of them go from studio to studio, using up the coupons but don't stay for long. It is good exposure, however, I think it makes it harder for the client to transition to paying the full price for yoga classes. I have found it's better to offer my own special discount on classes rather than such a deeply discounted price.

11A Other Media

     It's interesting that we are reviewing Google maps this week because just tonight I had a new client walk in saying she found Shanti Kitti Yoga using Google maps. That was the first time someone mentioned that. I don't use Google+ much, however, I can see where it would be useful in linking to other yoga communities and circles. I also learned about 'Hangout" which I would like to try for employee meetings.
     I am not a fan of Yelp but I can see where it would be beneficial to have great reviews on there. I have had a couple great legitimate reviews from customers that they decided were not acceptable based on their standards so they refuse to add them. I also don't appreciate the fact that you have to pay them to remove your competitor's ads away from your site, since they put them there to begin with.
     I have tried Groupon as well as Living Social and it has brought us a couple good clients, however, the majority were just looking for a discount and did not purchase anything after their coupon expired. I think those sites are useful for the exposure but in the yoga world, the student really needs to see the value of the classes and buying them at such a low price doesn't help them make that transition to actually paying for regularly priced classes.
     Linked In is a great tool for connecting with other yoga teachers and studios. You can use it to find teachers as well ask for advice from other studio owners.

Week 10B Comments

I commented on the blogs of Sherri Moore, Tiffany Lehman, and Charles Guzman.

10A Email Marketing

     For a yoga business, newsletters are a great way to stay connected with your group of students. Once a month or every other month I believe is sufficient if you have some valuable information. It is useful for sharing upcoming events as well as inspiring stories of how yoga has impacted someone's life. One of the newsletters I receive includes a short sequence of poses for a specific purpose, such as easing low back pain. Another newsletter I subscribe to also includes a couple delicious recipes relevant to the season or holiday.
     I think my students would enjoy information about the origin or purpose of some the poses we do as well as inspirational quotes or stories that uplift the spirit. They also enjoy jokes or funny stories having to do with cats and yoga. Information on anatomy and how different poses affect the body might also be interesting. Tips on staying healthy or losing weight are generally very popular topics as well. The key is short, sweet and to the point so they look forward to the next one.

Week 9B Categories for Blog

     What helped me figure out the categories was contemplating what the goal of my blog would be. My first objective would be to attract new students and persuade them to give yoga a try. My secondary goal would be to help current students grow their individual practice and keep their passion alive.
     So my categories would be the following:

1.  Pose modifications for the non-yogi or beginner
2.  Poses to decrease stress and promote deeper relaxation
3.  Specific poses to target and alleviate back pain
4.  Challenging poses for the experienced practitioner 
5.  Tips on meditation and creating a daily practice of meditation

Since most people are quite hesitant to walk into a studio, I think knowing that there are so many ways to modify a pose and making the practice accessible for any body type, would encourage them to think about trying a class. Most people are also interested in reducing their stress level as well as finding relief from back pain, so information on how yoga and meditation can help might pique their interest and motivate them to come in. For students already coming to class, blogs on new ways to approach a challenging pose are exciting as well as information on developing the spiritual self would also be appealing.

I commented on the blogs of Sherrie Moore, Mekiela Robinson and Mumontes.

Week 9A Blogging for Business

      Yoga is a personal and intimate experience shared with like-minded others also seeking inner peace and development, so it would make sense to share stories of how yoga has changed their body or their life. People are always touched by honest emotion but most are afraid to share their story in public. For a yoga studio, it makes a lot of sense to share the challenges as well as the joy of different individuals practicing yoga. It might inspire someone who is reluctant or intimidated to visit a yoga studio to give it a try after reading about someone who also felt the same way.
     Adding that human interest touch also reminds people of how much more alike we are than different and I think it helps people feel more comfortable and trusting when they read a refreshingly honest blog.  Blogging can also help you educate or inform potential or current students and help you establish yourself as an expert in the field. So even though you might not actually be an expert, you can probably still share something they don't know yet or perhaps just a different perspective. Over time, with accurate information, your reputation as an expert will grow.
     Adding that personal touch might not make sense if you are writing a blog on a technical explanation of something but I think for most blogs it makes sense and it makes it more interesting.