How to create a marketing content plan that works for you as a yoga teacher
Conversation with Elaine Oyang
“Instead of thinking as if you are creating videos for the world, think of creating videos for your students.”
— Elaine Oyang
Do you struggle when it comes to creating marketing content?
You’ve probably heard me (or someone else) say that you should create content on a consistent basis in order to grow your business. This can look like YouTube videos, blogs, or podcasts, and the idea is that you create and share some type of information on a regular basis.
If you’re like most of my students, this can feel overwhelming really quickly. The idea of always creating something can stop you before you even start!
That was the case for my student Elaine Oyang, too, but she found a system that works for her and I’m thrilled that she’s sharing it with you today. We talk through how she found this system and how she navigated all the not-so-fun feelings that come with marketing content, too.
You’re going to learn a ton! Let’s dive into the conversation with Elaine.
Mindset matters when creating content for your yoga business
Even though we may know creating content is important for business growth, there are a lot of blocks we can run into that keep us from getting started creating content.
- Not knowing exactly what to do
- Taking too long to film/create
- Thinking you need the best camera, lighting, and other tech tools
- Thinking it needs to be perfect
Each of these excuses (along with others) can stop us from doing what we need to do in order to make progress.
“I would look at Yoga with Adriene (or another big yoga teacher star out there) and think oh my gosh, I don’t have a cute dog, I don’t have the perfect clothes, I don’t have the perfect lighting. No one is going to watch my videos. That is definitely one of the things that held me back.” — Elaine Oyang
If you have ever felt:
“I don’t know what to do”
“I don’t know what to write”
“I don’t know what to say”
Don’t stop there! And don’t let these mindset blocks hold you back. You don’t need everything to be perfect when you’re just getting started.
“We always feel like we don’t know enough, and we always need that next training before we feel comfortable in sharing what we have to say, but really the teachings just come out naturally for most teachers. We are really tapped into our own intuitive, wisdom, and knowing our students.” — Elaine Oyang
How to get started with creating marketing content for your yoga business
A great first place to start is going back to all the conversations and questions your students have. Start there.
“Instead of thinking as if you are creating videos for the world, think of creating videos for your students.” — Elaine Oyang
What do your students ask you after class? On social media? When they do ask, write it down as soon as you can so you don’t forget. The “Notes” app on your phone is a great place to keep this information.
The answers to your students’ questions make the perfect content because it’s what people are actually asking! It’s guaranteed that it will resonate with them.
Steps to put it into action TODAY
- Pull out a piece of paper and set a timer for 15 minutes.
- Write down (without overthinking it) all of the questions students ask that you can remember.
- Pull out 4 of those things to start with.
- Film yourself answering these questions. Don’t worry about lighting or anything fancy with tech.
- Imagine that you’re talking to one of your students.
Again, just start. You won’t get to the point of feeling comfortable if you don’t ever do it.
Think about when you first started teaching yoga and how nervous you were. Now that you’ve been teaching longer, it’s not as nerve wracking anymore, if at all. But you had to do it to get that point. You just have to do it. Taking action is the thing that will make the difference.
“It takes time. It has taken me a year now to really get comfortable. A year ago I was much more rigid and stiffer, and now it’s all more fluid and natural.” — Elaine Oyang
Creating a 90-day content plan for your yoga business
Marketing and creating content for your yoga business is an ongoing process but it doesn’t have to be stressful. By planning 90 days at a time, you can plan ahead to help your sanity but also have flexibility in your content too.
Basically, the 90-day content plan starts with ONE main piece of content each week, like a weekly podcast or YouTube video. Then everything else revolves around that content.
In order for something to actually happen (like publishing new content each month) we have to know when it’s happening. This is CRITICAL! If you don’t know when things will happen, guess what? They won’t happen!
So with the 90-day content plan, you write in what you’ll be posting and when you’ll be publishing it. Here’s one month so you get an idea:
*If you’re interested in creating a 90-day content plan, listen to Episode 27 of the Marketing Yoga with Confidence podcast for the full training.
Creating a system that works for you in your yoga business
There are so many different ways to get it all done, and you have to experiment to find what works best for you.
For example, “batching” your content (where you film or create several pieces of content at once) might feel good to you, or it might feel like too much.
“I definitely like to batch. It helps my brain better so I don’t have to keep switching tasks.” — Elaine Oyang
The important thing is to try a bunch of different systems and then reflect. If it doesn’t work for you, then what will? Not one system will work for every person.
Consistency with content makes everything so much easier, so you need a system to keep you consistent.
How to repurpose your content for your yoga business
Take one piece of content and use it several times in other places. This can sometimes feel uncomfortable at first, but trust me, it will save you so much time and so many headaches!
*If you want a “how-to” walk through on repurposing your content, listen to Episode 60 of the podcast with Rachel Kay Albers.
Try to take one message (for example “You don’t have to be flexible to do yoga”) and say it in a few different ways and in different places: an email, a carousel post on Instagram, a video, etc.
There are different ways you can test out the message. And then the magic comes in when you look back at that data and see which one resonated best with your audience. Which message and in what method did it work? Then simply do MORE of that next time.
Marketing is all a big experiment. What gets the most engagement? Use that as a driving factor for your next piece of content.
“Knowing that even as you repeat information, people still need the reminders. It’s helpful in making me comfortable in repurposing my content.” — Elaine Oyang
Your next step
Whether it’s video or otherwise, it’s time to create a system for your online content.
Your next step is to start where Elaine suggested: Set a timer and on a piece of paper or google doc write down questions you get from your students. Then choose 4 and talk about those questions over the next 4 weeks.
That’s how simple your content plan can be for now!
Then after awhile, you might find that you want to work like Elaine and work a month ahead of when the content is released so you aren’t doing it weekly. Or maybe you like the week by week planning and you run with that. The key is to start and find what works for you.
Until next time, give yourself permission to make a content plan and grace along the way.
About Elaine
Elaine is a certified yoga therapist who helps individuals with persistent pain create a life of resilience with yoga therapy and pain care strategies. She is currently on a nomad trip along the Western United States with her husband, and it’s a joy to be able to continue to serve people online while traveling place to place!
Elaine’s Links
- Website — https://elaineyoga.com/
- YouTube Channel — Elaine Oyang
- Instagram — @elaine_yogatherapy
For more stories like this, listen to the Marketing Yoga with Confidence Podcast.
About Amanda McKinney (Marketing Coach for Yoga Teachers)
Amanda McKinney is a Marketing Coach with a passion for helping yoga teachers find the tools and the confidence within themselves to build the yoga business of their dreams. She does this through her podcast: Marketing Yoga With Confidence and online offerings. All of which focuses on building confidence and community with an extra dose of encouragement every step of the way.
