If you’re a yoga studio owner and you want to increase your clientele, then there’s one thing you need in your marketing arsenal: copywriting. Well, after you take those gorgeous photos, of course.
Even if you aren’t familiar with copywriting it’s still important that you understand how good copywriting can help you attract new class attendees and drive up sales.
Before we go any further let’s look at what the term copy’means. According to Wikipedia it ‘is text crafted to persuade readers to take action.’ In other words, it’s marketing material. Professional copywriters (like myself) write website content, blog posts or email blasts for a living. As well as basically anything that will appear online or be sent out to potential customers. From your About Us page and contact details on your website, all the way down to your one-line bio on Instagram. All these things make up a complete picture and your copywriting could be the very thing that draws in potential customers.
Writing good copy is an art form. You need to make people want what you’re offering without being too pushy about it (especially in the more heart centred realm of yoga), and it’s all about carefully choosing your words so that your visitors know exactly what you want them to do next. Ie, should they sign up to your enewsletter? Should they attend a free class?
Here are some basic copywriting tips to keep in mind next time you are producing any marketing material.
Use keywords in your copywriting.
You do this by incorporating industry-related terms into your website copy and marketing materials. This is the best way to get noticed because search engines love websites with lots of keywords. Search engine crawlers will then prioritise your page higher when someone searches on that term or phrase. If you’re new to SEO, check out my collection of helpful SEO blog posts to help you get started.
Tell a story through your copywriting.
Yoga is more than an exercise class. Yoga is a beautiful, life altering philosophy as well as an artform and a journey. So let your customers know this by telling them what it’s like to take a class there or why you started teaching yoga in the first place. Take your potential student on a journey with your words – all before they have even walked past your reception desk!
If you imagine your potential student as the main character, your studio the setting and their path to wellness as the plot, write a story that sees them take the most beautiful trip in the near future. They won’t be able to help themselves feeling inspired and motivated once they imagine themselves in the shoes of that main character.
Testimonials and feedback
Collect and showcase as many testimonials as you can from anyone who steps into your studio – even if it’s a longterm friend. Create opportunities for people to leave written feedback that you can use in marketing wherever possible. Through email competitions, social media platforms, hard copy forms, verbal discussions… anything that helps!
You can even have your customer showcase why they love your class, studio or certain teachers at the end of their testimonial. This helps create trust-worthy promotion about you as a brand because people just crave social proof.
What is the repeated feedback (informal and formal) that you get about your studio or classes? Do people say that it’s ‘such a healing space’? Or that they come to class because they need to escape their family for an hour? Or have been sleeping better? Take note anytime anyone says something and add it to your website and social media marketing as these are the HIGH selling points of your studio.
Have some negative feedback? Use that as well!
If you’re not in a position to change something that people have offered their criticism about, then that’s totally okay and can be used in your marketing.
Let’s say, for example, someone says that they find the classes ‘just too hard.’ Perfect! Use that in your copywriting. ‘Our classes tend to be a little harder than others you have experienced…’ Not only will attract the exact right people for that class but you will be spinning a negative into a positive.
Meet people where they are
Just because you have done the training and study the sutras or the Vedas or other philosophical texts, doesn’t mean that your clients have. In fact, they might not even be aware of how it feels to live in their bodies!
Often, particularly in your marketing (given that is the first place people learn about you) you need to meet your potential new clients where they are. Use word and terminology that they are familiar with, peppered with some aspirational outcomes.
For example, ‘We know that getting enough sleep is not happening for you right now. But our classes teach you how to relax your body and mind, so it’s possible.’
Yoga teachers are often a place people come to for support, information and wellbeing guidance. But it can be more than just on the mat. It would be hard for even the most dedicated student to get all the wisdom they need in that 60 to 90 minutes in class. Students and community members need guidance outside of class. That’s why creating and sharing supportive and informative content articles are an ideal way to nurture your beloved students. As well as position you as an authority in the industry and improve your SEO. Next time someone is looking for a new yoga class to attend, who will they choose? The one that make them feel held and safe with a free flowing of information at their fingertips? Or ones that just have a stock standard website?
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