3 Ways to Build Biz Outside of your Local Area

With tech being so readily available now and tools that allow us to reach more people than ever, it’s so wonderful to know we as yoga and wellness teachers and studio owners can open our classes to people in all corners of the planet. Can you imagine 10-15 years ago how much more challenging it was to broadcast yourself instantly over the internet and social networks? 

What’s even better is that it’s not difficult or even expensive to expand your reach and following. Today we’ll go over 3 ways you can build your business outside of your local area through tried and true methods. Of course these points are always connected to your vision for your business and where you want to take it so that it’s a sustainable and profitable effort.

Before we go into the “how” let’s check in with the “why” first. Why would you want to expand your reach beyond local? Why would you want to create a wider net of audience and ask yourself does it serve in your bigger plan and vision? 

I have a “future self” meditation I take my clients through and sometimes it reveals really interesting points of awareness that have been stuck in the subconscious.

How to grow your audience in 3 effective ways:

1. Social media

You knew this would be one of them as it’s omni present and most likely you’re on one of the channels. Why is this a sure hitter? You can easily connect with someone in Japan if you wanted to probably in less than 3 minutes. 

The most prominent platforms are YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. They all have the social connection side to them and allow you to participate in interest based behaviors and they make it really easy to be a part of this network.

Let’s start by saying YouTube is the second largest search engine out there with millions and millions of users and viewers daily. A well curated schedule of video releases that are specific to what you’re wanting to be the expert in with proper digital strategy can send people to your social media, website and email list. The goal is to get many subscribers who want to follow you outside of YouTube. You can do this by making sure you have an opt-in page (landing page) and your email integration set up.

Instagram is a great place to expand with the use of hashtags #’s with geo tagging. For example, I can do a post #miamibeach and if someone follows that hashtag they’ll see my post. Also you can get re-tagged and shared which allows the growth to be organic (well as organic as you can plan!).

Making sure you plan ahead and do hashtag research as well as follow accounts with your ideal client in mind is very effective. I even go an extra step and say an actual hello to people in their DM’s! It’s always smart to remember that there’s an actual person behind the account. 

Your stories can be created to stay in front of people’s feed and have them sneak peek into your life as a teacher. You can use stories and your feed to offer value and let your global audience have an opportunity to learn from you.

Facebook, the company who owns Instagram, has been around for almost 20 years and was created as the social network platform. The best way to utilize it is simply by engaging. Find groups your ideal client is in, join if appropriate, connect with people and again, give lots of value. 

2. Joint ventures are amazing!

When you partner up with others and have them introduce you to new followers is a great strategy. You can incorporate social media into this if you want as it’ll support the growth. When you do a partnership it’s really great to give and receive equally and be able to share followers. Aim high, ask people who have a larger following and email list than you to do something mutually beneficial with you. That’s how I grow my subscribers and potential clients by often!

Also, be strategic of who you partner up with. If it doesn’t feel like a right fit, it might not be. Be extremely clear in the terms of the joint promotion and have an agreement that’s written and even e-signed. Have all your ducks in a row so when you create these agreements you have clarity and more success overall.

3. Paid advertising

I know stepping in the world of paid ads might seem intimidating but it really isn’t. It’s one of the quickest ways to enter into what’s called a cold market. It’s people that might not have heard of you before. All companies at some point want to start advertising in order to gain more traction and notoriety. It’s a sure way to expand your reach by advertising via interest based and being very specific on the audience. 

You can do an ad to videos you’ve made, to your website, Facebook page or email list. One tip: find someone who can help you with this if you’re not comfortable. There are lots of tutorials and Facebook has a lot of support. Always start with an ideal audience and an end goal in mind. 

Whichever of these 3 ways you choose, or perhaps it’s all of them, it’s important that you’re clear with your action plan and strategy. It’s easy to get lost, not have a congruent message and be discouraged if something doesn’t work. But keep at it and don’t feel alone! In this journey towards entrepreneurship there are so many teachers, mentors and guides out there, like myself and others, who want to see your success, expansion and fulfillment. Pick one of these ways to expand your reach so you can do it correctly and with full energy!

Celebrate your success and keep sharing what you’re passionate about without fear and with lots of courage and confidence!