Opening a yoga studio? We can help! We’ll give you the top 7 things you should consider as you get ready for clients.
Opening a yoga studio can be one of the most rewarding challenges that you can embark on as a yoga teacher! But it can also be one of the most challenging – here are a few top business tips for opening your yoga studio that will make your role as a new yoga studio owner much less stressful…
1. Define why you want to open a new yoga studio
There are a lot of yoga studios out there….but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for yours! It’s important to define your point of view – what makes your studio different and unique? Is it your yoga teachers? Your class schedule? The vibe and setup of your studio?
You must feel there is something missing…or you wouldn’t have the itch to start your own studio. So lean into that and really figure out what will make your studio different! That will help inform so many other decisions down the road – your location, name, studio setup, marketing plan, etc.
2. Find a location that feels like home
Choosing a great location for your studio is one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make! You want somewhere that’s easy to find, with good opportunities for prominent signage and straightforward access for students. You also want a location that has parking and/or public transport available so that your students don’t have to stress about getting to class on time.
The size of the studio is really going to depend on your needs, but we would recommend looking for a space that can fit your students’ yoga mats comfortably (people are looking for a little more personal space these days!) and with an area to check people in and for people to change. Of course you’ll also want to make sure that your new yoga studio has easy access to bathrooms that can be safely accessed during class (when students might be barefoot).
3. Decide on a name and a logo and start building your brand identity
Once you’ve found the perfect space, the next step will be to create signage for your yoga studio. But, in order to create signage, you need a catchy name and a logo. When it comes to naming your yoga studio, you want something that is simple, easy to remember, and easy to identify. Ideally, you will include “yoga” in the name so that people clearly know what type of business you are.
For example, “Lotus Yoga Studio” is clearer than something like “Blue Zen”. Sometimes a name that makes sense to us doesn’t make sense to our customers, so once you have ideas don’t be afraid to ask around to get opinions from your friends and family. Make sure you also search your country’s trademark and business name registries (and do some Google searches!) before you make your final decision so your yoga studio doesn’t get confused with other studios who have a similar name.
After you’ve settled on a name, it’s time to design your logo. Again, you’ll want something that is simple, easily recognizable, and memorable – your logo really represents your yoga studio’s vibe and should clearly attract your target market. We recommend working with a professional graphic designer for the logo design because this will be how people identify your business going forward. If you do choose to DIY using an online service then make sure you’ll own the rights to your logo since sometimes that’s not the case.
4. Create your website and get started on social media
Once the name and logo are taken care of, it’s time to get things organized on the back end. The first thing you need to consider is your digital presence. Most people will start looking for a yoga studio by searching in Google “Yoga in my area,” so you have to be online!
We recommend creating a simple website and starting a dedicated Facebook page that has the name, address, schedule, prices, and hours for your business. You might also have an Instagram account which can be tied to your Facebook account to make posting easier. It doesn’t need to be complicated, but you do need to have these things so that people can start to find your yoga studio!
5. Find a great booking software
Now that you have an online presence, you need a way for people to book and pay! There are many different booking software options available to you, but we recommend using Punchpass (sure – we’re biased!) Punchpass is designed for small businesses and has affordable price options based on your needs. The software lets you add your class schedule (including workshops, events, courses and other offerings) and your students can book and pay with one click. You can integrate Punchpass into your website (or use it without a website) so that everything is super simple for your students, and for you!
It can be tempting to avoid the added cost of a booking software, but the time, energy, and money this will save you is worth the investment in the end – we promise!
6. Hire incredible yoga teachers
As a yoga studio owner, you’ll wear a lot of hats. It’s great for you to teach a few classes, but don’t try and teach them all. It’s so important to find a great team to work with and support you and your business.
First, you want to identify what class times and class types you’re looking to fill, and then identify how much you can pay your teachers. Next, you can put up a job posting (your area probably has some Facebook groups for yoga teachers or studios – join them all!) or turn to your network and begin to interview teachers for the class times you’re looking to fill. It’s super important to make sure that your teachers are aligned with your vision and goals for your studio, so make sure that you are clearly communicating these to them and don’t be afraid to say no to applicants who aren’t the right fit.
Once you’ve got your team of amazing teachers ready to go, it’s time to open your doors to the public!
7. Tell people about it!
The final piece of the puzzle is to tell people about your studio! Make sure you’re keeping your friends and family in the loop, advertising on social media, building a mailing list so you can send great newsletters and spreading the word as much as you can. Don’t underestimate more ‘old school’ ways to get the word out – things like an eye-catching sandwich board, simple flyers and some local business networking are still incredibly effective promotional tools – even in the age where it seems like everything happens online!
It will take time to build up your studio, but it will happen faster if you are consistently telling people about what you have to offer. It may feel like you are always repeating yourself, but keep it up! It’s a fine balance between patience and persistence but if you put in the work it won’t take long for your classes to start filling up!
Opening a studio is a LOT of work, but hopefully our top 7 tips for opening a studio will help. Good luck and have fun!
