No matter where you are in your yoga business, there are amazing tools that can save you time, energy, and money! The trick is knowing which ones will actually do just that! That’s why you’ll find this list of business resources for yoga teachers below. Whether you work independently as a part- or full-time teacher, or you lead a team of teachers in the yoga industry, these tools of the trade can amplify your success.

Last week, I spoke to another group of yogis about to graduate from their 200-hour yoga teacher training program. Their eagerness to share yoga inspires me. They recognize the value of this practice to reduce stress and tap into your infinite potential.

Like many other new teachers, though, they’re uncertain about what tools they’ll need to build the online aspects of their yoga business. Hint: This translates to getting new clients, building a yoga community, and actually getting paid for the investment you’ve made as a yoga professional.

The resources listed below are ones that I use myself. These are the platforms and programs that help me teach students around the globe. And as with anything I share on this site, I commit to trying out these tools first. I experiment with companies in the marketplace, and promote only what I love (and find truly effective).

Keep in mind this is a simple overview of the best business resources for yoga teachers. They can be utilized whether you teach part-time or full-time … and they’re sure to help you establish an online presence that reflects the high-quality teaching you offer in the yoga room.

Photo Credit: Tierney

RESOURCES TO BUILD A SALES-DRIVEN WEBSITE

Your website is an extension of you and your brand. It’s also a powerful tool to share your message with a broad audience and boost your sales. Yet building and maintaining a website can seem daunting. That’s why you want to simplify the website design process as you get started. And, you want to make sure you focus on the essential elements of a website that will welcome new clients into your community.

Here are some great business resources for yoga teachers that make this possible:

WordPress

WordPress.org is one of the most reliable and popular website platforms on the internet today. This is because it’s easy-to-use with many customizable templates to choose from. It’s also free, which is a perk if you’re on a tight budget starting out.

Leadpages

Leadpages is a simple, yet powerful tool to help increase the size of your community through lead generation. Whether you are rolling out a new event, or have a special promotion to offer, you can create custom ways to expand your reach. Plus it integrates seamlessly with many other online services you already use.
https://www.leadpages.net/

Squarespace

When I built my first website by myself, I used Squarespace. It has numerous beautiful templates to that make your yoga business look spectacular. Plus Squarespace is extremely functional. Squarespace makes it easy to post content for your students, collect payments from them, and integrate numerous other applications for scheduling and social media.

Kajabi

I use this platform to host Swagtail’s online courses. Only this powerhouse of a company is a one-stop-shop for so many that are new to building a website. With Kajabi, you minimize the moving parts in your business. They simplify the process of managing your site, communicating with students, and giving them access to online content in one simple place. The platform is easy-to-use and works extremely well for desktop and mobile users alike.

EMAIL MARKETING SERVICES TO BUILD YOUR COMMUNITY

In order to have people show up to your yoga classes, purchase class passes, sign up for your next retreat, or do any kind of business with you, you need a marketing strategy in place first. On a simple level, a marketing strategy outlines how you will reach potential clients and welcome new ones into your community. Most importantly, you want to have a clear way to communicate with these individuals. And this all starts with building your email list (also known as list-building in the business world)

Some of the best email marketing services to manage that communication include:

ConvertKit

ConvertKit is my go-to platform for emails because it’s easy-to-use and has many features within the service that allow me to communicate efficiently. If you notice throughout Swagtail I offer additional resources–like worksheets and sequences–that accompany each article. Yet to gain access, I collect email addresses. These are called content upgrades. They continually welcome people into the Swagtail community, all while providing valuable information and giving me a way to speak directly with those interested in what we have to offer here.

DRIP

Drip is also a powerful email service provider that allows you to connect with, and relate to, every customer on a personal level. You can collect leads, send out email broadcasts, and track important data with this automation software. I started out with this platform years ago. What was great is that you could outline your email sequences in a drag-and-drop, visual way. The only reason I switched was because it was limited in content upgrade capability.

There are also other email marketing platforms out there today. These are:

Yoga Teacher Tip:

You can use pop-up in your website to collect email addresses of those interested in your yoga products and services. One of my favorites is PopUp Ally. This WordPress plugin helps users transition from simply a visitor on your website to a part of your community. Because of its smart technology, it can anticipate people’s needs as they browse your site–which actually improves their overall virtual experience with you and fosters the trust needed to build your business.

SCOIAL MEDIA MARKETING APPS TO STAY CONNECTED

The idea of social media marketing can also seem overwhelming. If it is to you, you’re not alone. In fact, I was there at one point, too. Yet having an online presence is just one piece in a larger puzzle that helps create a strong yoga business. In fact, when you have a plan to manage your communication via social media, you can stay more energized. You’ll also have more time to attend to other aspects of your teaching–like class planning or teaching itself.

Tailwind App

Are you ready to save time and energy with your social media posts? The Tailwind app allows you to schedule your content for multiple platforms in one place. Plus, you can measure your success along the way and maximize the timing of your posts to reach a greater audience. This is my go-to (mainly because it’s easy to share content from my website to various social media platforms). Check out more details about Tailwind here.

Pinterest is a powerful search engine that can help grow your yoga business. You can creatively craft pictures that will inspire your clients and position you as a reliable guide in their eyes. This post reveals how to create Pinterest images to do just that--all while saving time and energy along the way.Other platforms include:

  • CoSchedule (which has an plugin that works directly with your WordPress website)
  • Hootsuite (a great way to manage multiple social accounts at once)
  • Buffer (sometimes the longest-standing platform still exists for a reason!)

What about creating beautiful images?

Since pictures are worth a thousand words, I highly suggest you use Canva to create the best visual content for your social media outlets. Canva is a user-friendly platform to create beautiful images (without having to be a skilled designer). Use this for social media posts, cover photos, and even video thumbnails–all elements that help build your brand in the online space. The best part is their free version gives you access to most features.

Photo Credit: Diane Nicole Photography

ONLINE TEACHING PLATFORMS FOR VIRTUAL LEARNING

Teaching yoga online has been around for a while now and has been pushed to the forefront of the industry as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. To ensure you reach your audience in a seamless way, you can use any one of the teaching platforms below:

Zoom

Do you need to work with clients virtually? Would it be easier to host staff-meetings with a video conference? Essentially Zoom allows you to create a video for your every business need. It’s also fantastic for live classes and working with private clients. The best part is that inviting someone on the call does not require registration or a password. It’s the most user-friendly way to collaborate if you want to think beyond the walls of your studio!

Others on the Market:

Thinkific: This online platform offers a wide array of teaching yoga online. Thinkific includes pre-recorded classes that students can take at their own pace. Plus, you can teach live classes, offer memberships, and create bundles where students can save money when learning with you.

Uscreen: Uscreen is a lot like Kajabi in that it’s a one-stop shop. Kajabi also integrates email management and web design. Yet, if you’re simply looking for a powerful way to host live classes, provide hosted content for ongoing learning, and make payment incredibly easy–Uscreen can be a great fit for you. Plus they have lots of customizable templates to ensure your online presence matches all aspects of your brand.

MindBody: There are mixed reviews about MindBody, yet they’ve been an industry leader for numerous reasons–simplicity in connecting teachers with students, easy scheduling options, and powerful app functionality. That being said, they’ve recently added live streaming to their list of features. Thus, if you already have an account and want to expand your teaching capability, this just might be a good fit for you.

RESOURCES TO SIMPLIFY ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS

There are numerous behind-the-scenes business resources for yoga teachers to stay organized. This includes how you create and store content. It also relates to how you organize your classes and provide a way for students to register for them.

Scheduling

If you’re not using an online platform that offers scheduling already, you’ve got to check out Acuity! I’m a huge fan of simple and straightforward–especially if these programs work! That’s why I love Acuity Scheduling. It’s a powerful way to create your own schedule of group classes or private lessons. Then, you can integrate the platform with Zoom if you are teaching virtually. And perhaps my favorite part is the easy way students can navigate the platform to adjust their schedule as needed, too. Check out Acuity Scheduling here.

Google Workplace

Google Workspace is the all-in-one online tool to organize your business. The email and calendar features keep you connected. And, the Google Drive is a simple way to create, store, and access the numerous documents necessary to support your yoga business. Since you can use it from any location with the internet, your efficiency increases. Another great bonus is that it allows multiple parties to work on files at the same time–without causing problems within the files. This makes it an excellent collaborative resource as your team begins to grow.

Quickbooks

Quickbooks is a time-tested business resource for yoga teachers and other professionals alike. It’s an accounting software that simplifies bookkeeping for your business. Money management is a great skill to cultivate as a yoga professional. Plus, when you are able to track your numbers, ensuring your business is profitable, you become stronger, confident, and sure-footed with your business growth over time.

Zapier

If you’re not using a one-stop platform like Kajabi to manage your yoga business, then you’ll want the various aspects of your system to communicate with one another. That’s where Zapier comes in. It can link your email marketing software with your scheduling app. Or, it can connect a recent purchase with the perfect email sequence. Basically, Zapier is an online automation tool that connects two or more apps to automate repetitive tasks without coding or relying on developers to build the integration. As we used to say when we were kids, “It’s sinchy!”

Photo Credit: Jay Farrell Photography

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

Time and money are precious resources as a yoga teacher. To save time, you want to be organized and have repetitive tasks automated with tried-and-true software. To keep money flowing into your business, you want to make scheduling, payment, and learning as easy-as-possible for your students. You just want to do so in an efficient way. That’s why we created this list of business resources for yoga teachers to help you do all of the above–and so much more!!

Take Action Now:

  • Ready to dive into the details of how a yoga business operates?
  • Do you want to build a strong one from the ground up?
  • Or is it necessary to fix gaps in your existing yoga business to become profitable again?

If so, then check out our 6-week Launch your Yoga Business Course.