Conversation with Samantha Harrison
Is marketing your business fun or frustrating?
If you’re like most of my students, then it's probably more frustrating - but I promise that it’s possible to make it fun!
I don't want you to just take MY word for it. You know I have fun with marketing all the time - you see it, you hear it - but I wanted someone else to share their perspective on this, too. Someone who didn’t go to school to learn all about marketing and someone who it doesn’t come easy for.
My friend Samantha Harrison is that person. Samantha is a yoga teacher and teacher trainer based out of Greenville, North Carolina. She teaches yoga to busy professionals in corporate settings and offers Yoga Teacher Training, private, and group yoga classes at YogiVibes Studio.
I’ve watched Samantha have so much fun with marketing - specifically on Instagram - and I just knew I had to have a conversation with her. With no marketing experience or formal education, she found a way to to make marketing fun and today she's sharing her tips with you. Let's dig in!
Get comfortable with marketing your business by taking action
"Even in college, I didn't take a single business class. It's really been a trial by fire - I put things up and see what sticks! A lot of experimenting." - Samantha Harrison
You have to take action to get to the other side of the discomfort. Remember that the awkwardness is temporary. If you keep moving forward and taking action in your yoga business, you'll eventually get to a place where you feel more comfortable and have more fun.
**This was also a podcast episode (episode #91). Use the player below if you'd prefer to listen to this message.
Have fun with your offerings
"Think about what you would enjoy as a consumer. What would be fun?" - Samantha Harrison
When it comes to your offerings (whether that's an online course, a workshop, a membership, or in-person classes), consider how you can have fun.
Repurpose and repackage!
Step back and take a look at what you already have. Can you put that in a new, fresh container? A lot of us can get caught up at what's included in an offering (the features). Instead, we can repurpose and repackage what we already have created!
Look at other industries for ideas
What are trainers doing? What's going on in the beauty world? What other business models are out there? You can look for ideas from other professionals not in the yoga world for fresh perspective. It might strike some new inspiration!
Incorporate your personality and don't take it too seriously!
The fun stuff is where people actually start to interact. I see so much more engagement when I'm just having fun and being silly.
How to come up with fun names for your offerings
Having fun with creating your offerings involves coming up with a fun name! Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Do a brain dump
Take a few minutes and just write out everything running around in your head. Don't judge your ideas as you're writing, just get them down on paper. You can narrow it all down later. This should spark some inspiration and new ideas.
Listen. What language do people use?
Notice what words your students are using. What are they saying? If you use their specific wording, chances are it will be appealing to them.
Give yourself permission to let go of high expectations
The name doesn't have to be groundbreaking. It doesn't have to be amazing alliteration. It might naturally come, but it doesn't have to be there. Don't put yourself under pressure to be creative 100% of the time. Sometimes that can be a roadblock to taking action.
Writing often helps you market your business
"I do a lot of writing on Google docs and then pull my email and social media marketing from that writing. It really helps." - Samantha Harrison
Just start writing. Whether it's in a notebook or a Google doc, if you have a regular writing practice, then the writing for your marketing will get so much easier.
Spend 10-15 minutes a day and don't over think it. Write out what you WANT. You'll discover stories you can use in your email marketing, bits of copy you can use on social media, and even wording for your sales pages.
"If you have an existing journaling practice, riff on that! Don't have too high expectations of yourself to come up with anything specific. Just start writing." - Samantha Harrison
Pick one thing to focus on while growing your business
"Decide to do something consistently and then speak it out into the world so that other people can hear. Then you have to stick with it!" - Samantha Harrison
Sometimes marketing can feel so overwhelming that there's just no action taken at all. And if you don't take action, you'll never get comfortable enough to have fun.
Change this pattern by putting a stake in the ground and committing to one consistent action.
For example, you could commit to sending an email every Thursday, going live on Facebook on Tuesdays, or posting to your instagram feed three times a week.
Once you decide what your action will be, say it out loud to your audience!
Tell your students to expect an email from you each week. Sometimes we need outside accountability to keep us going.
Once you tell your students, then the next words can be: "What do you want to see from me? How can I help you?" This starts the conversation and can be the source of a lot of awesome marketing content.
Start simple. Just pick ONE thing in your marketing and hold yourself to it. Show up and be consistent!
Your next step
Your next step is to have fun with your marketing today! You don’t have to wait until the next time you’re naming a product or service for this. You can post a silly Instagram reel, or share a helpful tip, or ask questions.
What sounds fun for you today?
Whatever just popped into your mind, I want you to do it! Have fun and enjoy the process of marketing because it’s really just communicating with your audience.
Until next time give yourself permission to have fun with your marketing and grace along the way.
"What would be fun for you and your students? Incorporate some of your personality into what you're doing and try not to take it too seriously!" - Samantha Harrison
About Samantha
Samantha Harrison teaches alignment-based vinyasa and gentle yoga in Greenville, North Carolina. She teaches yoga to busy professionals in corporate settings and offers Yoga Teacher Training, private and group yoga classes at YogiVibes Studio. She received her initial 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) training from the Wilmington Yoga Center in 2014 and completed her 500-hour RYT training with yoga teacher Cyndi Lee.
Samantha's Links
Yoga Feast: https://www.yogawithsamantha.com/yogafeast
Yoga Mystery Box: https://www.yogawithsamantha.com/yogamysterybox
Corporate Yoga Teacher Training: https://www.teachcorporateyoga.com/fall