Keeping Client Engagement During Quarantine

Well, It’s official. The world has changed. As we get used to this new normal, All countries  have taken steps to adapt. We have the Plandemic in North America, Re-initiation phases of Spain and the list goes on. So what are our concerns as teachers as we adapt OUR new normal? Do we reduce our class sizes and offer more time slots? Do we Cue more touch less?

Our situation is doable, moreover the yoga world is very adaptable.

Our situation is doable, moreover the yoga world is very adaptable. It wouldn’t have survived this long if it wasn’t. I guess the question is:  What will our future look like in the next 2 years and how to we maintain what we have already built?

Sometimes letting your actual authenticity shine in a conversation is all anyone needs right now. 

Reaching Out 

Reaching out could be as simple as asking your community how everyone is and replying to the comments. It could be anything from a quote, a picture, a funny meme, whatever it is to let your students and potential viewers know that you are there. It’s not advisable to only post about your classes and paid content. It doesn’t send a generous message. A place you need to be coming from especially in times of uncertainty. Connect with people even a little can go a long way.

Creating a group

If you already have a social media community, great! If not, creating one is something to look into. Maybe you start with friends and family with a few students at first. Since most people are online you can post as many times you want without worrying about peak viewing times.  Mention both paid offerings and non-yoga content. As for the order or scheduling of your posts, in most marketing resources, They say for every 2  or 3 ads, you need to post something random or unrelated. It’s a good formula, but it may also feels like a formula. If I feel that with the social media influencers who do this, chances are another 500 people like me feel the same way. Go by your instinct. If it feels like the way you post is more ‘real’,chances are it is. 

Go by your instinct. If it feels like the way you post is more ‘real’,chances are it is. 

Ask-Me-Anything

One of my first jobs online was to test out a platform called Ask-Me-Anything. I made a profile saying that I was a nurse and a yoga teacher and once a week I open my column for people to comment all their questions in relation to my expertise. During my week-long run, I answer all the  questions that pop-up. Nowadays a live session on social media can do all that for you. Post a live ask-me-anything event, on your page, group or profile and interact away. It is a great option for those who lack the yoga space to create classes, it maintains contact with your community, most importantly, you create dialogue. Sometimes letting your actual authenticity shine in a conversation is all anyone needs right now. Again, you’ll never know who needs to see and hear from you at this time.   

Making a home practice series

While live classes are the fastest thing to churn out, maybe a well-thought-out yoga series could be a side project. Why? Most of the people who turn to yoga are individuals who need some form of correction. By providing classes that target a specific area with sequences that progress with each class. A bundle with an end-goal, you may find niche clients. This is very good especially when you are new to teaching online or have a low online presence. Having a series means that you can upload it to different platforms or to your own site. Once it’s out there, it’s passive income whether you earn a bit or alot. By providing a well-thought out sequence that targets a specific and common problem for yoga students, you contribute something valuable to a niche group. It sets you up for client loyalty and organic growth. It’s better than paid advertising.

Stories

Stories are both on Facebook and instagram. It is a short video that lasts 24 hours. It works adjacent with paid advertising in the sense that they can be used to upload snippets of your class ( live or pre-recorded ), to reach everyone on your community even non-yoga practitioners. Why? because everyone knows someone who’s into yoga. I mostly see ads on people’s story feed to advertise their make-up services, or more successful yogis that upload the trailers of their series. They create more new followers with story ads than paid ads. According to an article on Facebook Business News, Stories allow the creators to be more experimental and authentic. The fact that stories have the shelf life of a fruit fly, creators don’t feel the pressure of posting something that lasts forever. Try it out. 

Vlogging

Another way to branch out is by opening a YouTube channel. Talk to people about your day. It's a way for you to connect with your students and maybe, in the process, find your niche. The good thing about vlogging is that it is generalized. You can use it as a launching pad for all the projects you want to experiment with. Making a series, linking your videos to paid products ( downloadable content, consultation, classes,  and the like)  giveaways for your following etc. I do have some tips:

• Have a clean background free of white noise. People tend to nit-pick at the details behind.
• Clean your camera! I saw a video of a person who forgot to do this and it looked like a hostage video.
• Lastly, get the essential equipment like a capture card, mic, etc. being presentable isn’t all about you, it’s about the entire package, your service. You don’t need to spend thousands to do it. 

When there’s a will there’s a way. We have a myriad of manners to connect with people. While not all of them are related to your business, it is related to your image–this translates to your brand. So, keep in contact with your clients even when it’s not about yoga. It’s a time to connect with the people you care about.

Create a group and nurture that community. Create a pre-made online series for your paid downloads. Be specific in your objectives for this series so you can create your niche. Use Facebook and Instagram stories to make your ads or experiment with your paid offerings. It can act as an advertisement and focus group simultaneously. Have an Ask-Me-Anything session with your community. It shows off knowledge in your field as well as a way to interact with your students in real-time. Lastly, Vlogging is a way for you to branch out and try new things during the new normal. It’s a great tool for you to find what you want to do and create new followers. I hope that this article sheds some light on you today! 

Good luck and be safe Momoyogis!