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The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

Helping yoga teachers to stay connected to information, entrepreneur advice and a community of supportive yoga teachers and professionals.
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Now displaying: May, 2021
May 31, 2021

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

222: How to Craft a Great Sales Page with Sarah Guilliot

 

Description:

Do you have a sales page to promote your yoga offerings? An important part of sharing the work that you are doing with the world, is marketing and selling - and there are ways to do it without being salesy! Sarah Guilliot has some tips on how to craft a great sales page so that you can share your offerings with the people they are designed to help.

 

Sarah Guilliot is the founder of Sarah Design and expert on Sales Pages. She worked as a professional designer in the corporate world for 20 years, before switching gears to focus her energy on helping coaches, course creators, and podcasters create amazing sales pages for their launches. Today, Sarah works 1:1 with clients to create customized and unique sales pages that truly reflect the quality of their expertise and drive more sales.

 

From the words and images to use, to the mistakes to avoid - Sarah breaks down what exactly makes a sales page great. She also shares her checklist of things you should include in your sales page, as well as how you can get inspiration for your sales page from other websites and your own students.

 

This is a great episode for every yoga teacher with a website - it will definitely help you refine your sales and shop pages so that you can get more students in your classes, retreats, trainings and more!

 

Key Takeaways:

[8:24] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Sarah Guilliot.

[9:21] How did Sarah get into creating sales pages for websites?

[10:34] What is a sales page?

[12:59] Yoga teachers might create sales pages for higher ticket items like a yoga teacher training that they offer.

[14:25] What is the goal of a sales page?

[16:38] Yoga teachers worry about being slimy and salesy on their sales pages. Sarah has some advice around getting into the right mindset for creating a sales page.

[19:28] What are some of the mistakes people make with their sales pages? What are some considerations to keep in mind?

[22:16] How many images should you be using for your sales page? 

[26:43] You could also show short videos of what your actual class will be like.

[27:46] Sarah shares a checklist of things to consider when creating a sales page.

[34:46] If you would like to see Sarah explain some sales page examples, check out the live video interview (link below).

[35:16] What are some of Sarah's suggestions in terms of looking at other websites to help us design our own?

[36:47] Get in touch with Sarah via her website to do a one-day design intensive for your sales page.

[38:19] Some sales pages don't have an option to return to the main website. What are the benefits of that?

[41:26] What are your key takeaways from this interview?

 

Sales Page Checklist:

  • Title or tagline (what's included or talking to transformation)
  • Images or videos showing what this experience will look like
  • Dreamy statement (bullet point problems - focus on the solution)
  • Promise statement (what you are going to get - benefits)
  • Photos or something that shows what they get
  • Social proof (testimonials)
  • Bio or about you section
  • Details (specifics of what they get)
  • Who this is for / not for
  • Reassurance (refund policy)
  • FAQ section
  • Call to action (sprinkled through page)
  • Video Tips:
    • Call to Action button -- instead of saying "sign up now" -- other ideas

 

Links:

 

Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicity and Sukhasana Chair (Code: TCYT10).

 

Quotes from this episode:

 

“Make sure your language and your plan for how you're selling to people aligns with what feels good to you.” - Sarah

 

"Try not to use too many words. Keep your headlines short and punchy. Small paragraphs, and bullet points are your friend." - Sarah

 

"Try and find ways to use pictures as much as you can, and also try to find pictures that really represent the experience that you in particular offer." - Sarah

May 24, 2021

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

221: Choosing to Teach Online Yoga with Colin Hall

 

Description:

Teaching yoga online is not something most of us want to do, and for many people around the world where lockdowns are still in effect or are in place again after being briefly lifted, they don’t really have an option. However, despite being able to teach yoga in person, Colin Hall decided to close his yoga studio and offer virtual classes instead.

 

Colin is the co-director of Bodhi Tree Yoga and Bodhi Tree Yoga College in Regina, Saskatchewan, which he opened with his wife Sarah in 2004. Colin contributes to the yoga world both through teaching and writing, and his podcast The History of Yoga on Yoga International. In addition to his regular classes at the Bodhi Tree, Colin gives workshops and teacher trainings on asana and yoga philosophy. Apart from his work with yoga, Colin is also a lecturer at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada, where he teaches courses on yoga, religion, and sociology.

 

In Saskatchewan, there were no restrictions put into place about in-person yoga, but in December 2020, Colin chose to teach online yoga instead of continuing with in-person classes. He shares more about how and why he made this decision, and the reactions in his community. Shannon and Colin also discuss yoga philosophy and our moral responsibility as yoga teachers to the people around us.

 

This is a great episode to listen to if you’re wondering if you should go back to teaching in-person yoga in the present climate, and some considerations to keep in mind.

 

Key Takeaways:

[7:31] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Colin Hall.

[9:05] What does Colin do and who does he do it for?

[11:26] What made Colin decide to open a yoga studio?

[13:09] In December of 2020, Colin decided to close his yoga studio even though there were no official requirements to do so. What was that like for Colin?

[18:00] How have things been since Colin decided to close his yoga studio?

[23:52] Shannon shares a little about her preferred brand of shampoo and conditioner, High End Hippie.

[25:13] What are the restrictions like in Saskatchewan at the time of recording?

[28:55] How has yoga helped Colin in making tough decisions for his yoga business, and as a person living through a pandemic?

[30:18] Colin has never had a job till now!

[35:41] What is Colin's plan going forward with the studio?

[39:22] How can we look at the philosophy of yoga with regards to the choices we are making now?

[42:19] How are we connected to other yoga teachers and studios? How does our competitive nature come into play here?

[48:43] What does Colin suggest for yoga teachers who are faced with hard decisions in their business?

[54:31] We have a moral responsibility to our communities to keep everyone safe, not just as yoga teachers, but as human beings. 

[57:53] Check out Colin's online yoga classes via his website, and his courses on Yoga International.

[61:38] There are two live interviews per month for you to check out via YouTube or the Facebook group.

 

Links:

 

Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicity.

 

Quotes from this episode:

"I think that sometimes there's a very wide gulf that exists in between what you're allowed to do and what you should do.” - Colin

 

"It's very easy to lose perspective. It is really, really easy to think that what's happening now is this new reality that is going to last forever and you are screwed." - Colin

 

“I feel like my plan is to just continue kind of scrapping away and hopefully at some point come out on the other side of this thing." - Colin

 

"Your actions as an individual, what you perceive of as your freedom to do whatever you want, is intimately connected with the lives of so many other people around you." - Colin

 

"Anything you do that creates harm in the universe is harming you." - Colin

May 17, 2021

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

220: Alternatives to Namaste with Shannon Crow

 

Description:

How do you close out your yoga classes? Many yoga teachers say “namaste” to end a yoga class, but maybe you’ve learned more about cultural appropriation in yoga and the teachings of yoga, and are no longer comfortable using “namaste” to end a class. Or, maybe your usual closing is starting to feel stale and repetitive, after repeating it a couple of dozen times a week. 

 

Thanks to yoga teachers in The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook group, we’ve compiled some alternative ways for you to end your yoga classes. For the full list of alternative phrases and closings, check out the article 20+ Ways to Close Your Yoga Classes, or the two Facebook threads in the links below.

 

Key Takeaways:

[2:28] How do you close out your yoga class?

[4:19] Allison shares Schedulicity's hot tip of the week.

[5:45] What are some alternatives we can say to close out our yoga classes?

[6:49] Expressing gratitude is a favorite among yoga teachers to close their yoga classes.

[8:12]  Sharing an uplifting message or affirmation is another way to end a yoga class.

[9:21] Another way to close out the class is to bring the focus back to breath. 

[11:01] Shannon used to close her yoga classes by saying "namaste" but has chosen to change how she ends classes as she has learned more about cultural appropriation and the teachings of yoga.

[11:40] Caroline Holmes, one of the teachers in our Facebook group, shared a unique way to end virtual yoga classes - by asking students to close the class.

[13:54] How do you end your yoga classes, and what are the unique words you use to close out a class?

 

Links:

 

Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicity.

 

Quotes from this episode:

“One favorite inside of The Connected Yoga Teacher group was sharing gratitude, expressing gratitude in giving thanks.” - Shannon

 

“I used to close my class with “namaste” in place of “thank you”, and I switched it out as I got to learn more about cultural appropriation and about the teachings of yoga.” - Shannon

 

“Caroline Holme shared that she uses the closing of her class as a time to build and strengthen the relationship with and between her students by allowing the students to close the class.” - Shannon

May 10, 2021

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

219: Yoga for Abundant Bodies with Dianne Bondy

 

Description:

In recent times, yoga has become a very exclusionary practice that’s limited to the privileged few - wealthy, thin, young, flexible, white and able-bodied people. However, yoga has benefits for people in all bodies, regardless of shape, size, age, ethnicity or ability. In this episode, Dianne Bondy shares more about how we can be more inclusive in yoga spaces towards people in larger bodies.

 

Dianne Bondy is Founder of Dianne Bondy Yoga, and a firm believer that Self-Love is a Revolutionary Act. She is a speaker, social justice activist, author, accessible yoga teacher, and the leader of the Yoga For All movement. For more than twenty years, Dianne Bondy has been empowering students to come to the mat as they are, educating teachers on the need for inclusivity in yoga and how to bring that into their classes, and leading systematic change within the yoga industrial complex. Dianne is also the author of the international best selling book, Yoga For Everyone: 50 Poses for Every Type of Body and co-author of Yoga Where You Are: Customize Your Practice for Your Body + Your Life.

 

Dianne shares some really important insights about the harm we can cause with our words by inadvertently using offensive terms when referring to people in abundant bodies in our yoga classes, or other yoga spaces. She explains how to be more mindful of the words we use and choose, and how to ensure that we hold space for the bigger people in our classes in a way that is respectful, welcoming and non-judgmental. Dianne also has tips on what to do when students who aren't aware come into our yoga spaces and cause harm.

 

This episode is an excellent complement to episode 218 on body positive yoga, and is a must listen for every yoga teacher who wants to create inclusive and safe yoga spaces.

 

Key Takeaways:

[6:02] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Dianne Bondy.

[8:17] Dianne shares a bit more about her latest book, Yoga Where You Are, as well as her previous book, Yoga For Everyone.

[10:52] What is the work that Dianne does?

[12:06] What are Dianne's thoughts on using words like "obese" and "overweight" in yoga spaces?

[15:27] We are used to hearing such language on the news, or being used by medical professionals, and we think this language is acceptable. Dianne talks about the impact the language medical professionals use has.

[20:04] Shannon and Dianne discuss using the word "fat" to describe people in larger bodies.

[22:40] Language is so powerful in our interactions with other people.

[23:30] How else can we think about making someone feel welcome and safe in our yoga space when they come in in an abundant body?

[27:05] How can yoga teachers address other students who may not be contributing to a safe and inclusive space for people in abundant bodies?

[30:43] What tips does Dianne have to call out unkind comments about people in larger bodies that we may encounter?

[33:00] How can we take the "food and diet" language out of yoga?

[38:54] Find out more about Dianne's work on her website, and on Instagram.

[41:25] Shannon shares her key takeaways from this interview.

 

Links:

 

Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicity.

 

Quotes from this episode:

"We don't get to determine who is overweight and who isn't. We don't get to determine who is healthy and who isn't. We don't get to determine who is obese and who isn't." - Dianne



"Your intention doesn't matter as much as your impact in these spaces." - Dianne

 

"[Larger people] is one of the groups of people in the world that we get to openly discriminate against, and language is one of the number one ways we discriminate." - Dianne

 

"Language has the power to elevate. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to connect. But on the flip side of it, it has the power to shame and humiliate and other people. So we need to decide - How are we going to use the power of language?" - Dianne

 

"The struggle is part of the practice. It's not called yoga perfect, it's called yoga practice." - Dianne

 

"Everybody's body is doing the best that it can. Can we not just celebrate that?" - Dianne

May 3, 2021

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

218: Body Positive Yoga with Gillian McCollum

 

Description:

Body positivity as a social movement has been gaining traction in recent years. In yoga, we aim to empower individuals regardless of their physical weight or size, and focus on accepting all bodies, regardless of their physical ability, their size, their gender, their race, their appearance, as well as challenge the ways in which society presents and views the physical body - all elements of body positive yoga. Gillian McCollum shares more about body positive yoga, and how we can adopt a more accessible approach in our classes.

 

Gillian is an anti-diet food and body freedom coach and body positive yoga teacher. She came to yoga as a way to cope and find peace and freedom with food and her body, and since 2017, has been helping people get off the diet roller coaster and start feeling good in their bodies. Gillian describes her mission as helping women find lasting peace and freedom with food and their body. Through her group and private coaching sessions as well as Body Positive Yoga, Gillian aims to create spaces where all bodies are celebrated and respected, and to be particularly supportive for those who struggle with body confidence and self-acceptance.

 

What exactly is body positive yoga? What does it entail? Gillian McCollum answers these questions, and more. She explains why body positive yoga is a way to create accessibility in yoga, and shares what it means to create truly inclusive and accessible spaces for our yoga students. Gillian also highlights some of the challenges and mindset issues that we may have around sharing body positive yoga, and how we can start sharing more accessible yoga in our classes.

 

This episode pairs really well with next week's episode about body positive yoga and how to approach yoga students with abundant bodies in our classes, so be sure to tune in next week as well.

 

Key Takeaways:

[6:33] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Gillian McCollum.

[7:44] What does Gillian do and who does she do it for?

[8:59] There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about the yoga world in terms of what yoga practitioners need to look like, or certain practices they have to follow. Gillian highlights a few of them.

[11:46] What does body positive yoga mean?

[16:36] Do people who teach body positive yoga have to be in a larger body or teach people in larger bodies?

[18:30] What are some trainings on accessibility that Gillian recommends for teachers?

[23:46] Having a sample class is a great way to increase accessibility for people who may feel hesitant about trying yoga for the first time. How does Gillian offer sample classes?

[27:23] What is Gillian's response to yoga teachers who are reluctant to do videos because they think they don't look the part of a yoga teacher?

[32:51] What is the reaction that Gillian gets when she shares videos of herself?

[36:43] Shannon challenges yoga teachers offering 200hr Yoga Teacher Trainings to think about how accessibility can be included in these trainings.

[37:47] What does Gillian think needs to be included in a 200hr Yoga Teacher Training about accessibility?

[39:04] Shannon and Gillian discuss how making yoga accessible should come first, and everything else comes after that.

[42:07] Yoga looks different for different people in different bodies, and even on different days, and we need to honor that.

[44:02] Gillian highlights some of the misconceptions and preconceived notions that people bring to yoga.

[45:39] How can you work with Gillian?

[50:45] What is Gillian's advice to yoga teachers who may feel afraid to put videos out?

[54:56] Your imperfections and flaws are what make you inviting, and welcoming - not your perfection.

[57:09] Shannon shares her key takeaways from this interview with Gillian.

 

Links:

 

Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicity.

 

Quotes from this episode:

"I have students and coaching clients who are terrified to even enter the space because they feel like it's just not for them." - Gillian

 

"To feel shame around your body isn't exclusive to people in bigger bodies." - Gillian

 

"If this is the posture or the pose or this is the part of the body or this is the theme for today's class, how can I take that and make access, make it accessible for these folks with these different injuries or conditions or whatever it might be and you're only limited by your imagination." - Gillian

 

"Rather than feeling the yoga, we're seeing the yoga and that can be really distracting." - Gillian

 

"We have to see things to believe it and see things to give ourselves permission." - Gillian

 

"It not only shows people that you don't have to fit the stereotype to practice yoga, but it gives other people the permission." - Gillian

 

"[Accessibility] needs to be the culture, not a component." - Gillian

 

"You've maybe been doing yoga for years or your whole life, but you've never done yoga in this moment. " - Gillian

 

"Your message is bigger than yourself and your body." - Gillian

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