Develop Strategic Partnerships to Grow Your Niche Market With Sherry Zak Morris, E-RYT 200
Learning Objectives • After viewing this workshop, you will know more about… – The Importance of Using Partners to Grow your Business – Ways to Identify Synergistic Partners in Your Market Niche – How Different Partner Types can Benefit your Business in Different Ways – Why Social Media is Not Enough to Gain Visibility
Agenda • Why Partner? • My Journey … My Niche • Case Studies – Different Flavors of Partnerships • The Economy of Partnerships
Why Partner? • Lone Ranger vs. Community – Do you really want to do it alone? • Increase your Expertise, Credibility, Visibility and Diversity • Let Someone Else Toot Your Horn! – Reputation is earned over time • Grow your Sphere of Influence – Partners provide expansion opportunities
My Journey… My Niche • Life Before Yoga: 25-Yr Corporate Road Warrior • My Introduction to Yoga • Bought an Ashtanga-focused Yoga Studio for my 50th Birthday! • Focus on Gentle, Senior and Chair Yoga – Teaching – Studio, libraries, hospitals, assisted living, Corporate Wellness – Video Production – YogaJP/Videos/DVDs – Training – CEU Workshops & Mentorships 5
My Mentor, Mary Cavanaugh My Introduction to Gentle and Chair Yoga • Mary, Creator of Chair Yoga • Yoga DVD Production Company • Mary at 50 Mary at 80 Actively Aging with Yoga! 6
A niche is all about Demographics! Gentle, Senior & Chair Yoga • 20’s, 30’s, 40’s – Injuries, Congenital issues, chronic illnesses – “I want to be fixed, repaired or learn to adapt” • 40’s, 50’s – Repetitive motions, Lifestyle patterns – Old injuries, accidents, sports – “I want to be ME again” • Issues across the Ages – Diseases – cancer, heart, digestive – Back Pain – Stress – “I want to be healed” 7
My “Sweet Spot” Yoga Student Demographics • 50’s, 60’s – Seek balance vs. activity – Support for Physical limitations – Peace of mind, many are caregivers – “I want to be healthy! Health is Wealth!” • 70’s, 80’s – Joint restrictions/replacements – Seek mild form of exercise – “I want to maintain my independence” 8
My Demographic Profile This will be Your Homework! Physical Conditions Barriers to Entry • • – Arthritis, Back Pain, Chronic – Go where they are! Illnesses Libraries, Community Centers, • Assisted Living, Corporations, – Joint issues/replacements Hospitals, etc. – Injuries and rehabilitation – Cost Restrictions – Wheelchairs, walkers, canes Free/$5 Classes • Mental Issues Communities • • – Stress, stress and stress – Large Hispanic community – Fear of aging, losing – Senior Citizens independence, death – Wheelchair/Disabled Spiritual Considerations • – Support Organizations – Religious Reaching them! Where are • – Holistic vs. traditional they? – Where they shop and live? – Are they online? – What do they read?
Case Studies • Grow your Expertise – Find Partners who know more than you do! – Leverage their Specialties • Leverage your Local Community – Increase your geographic visibility and footprint • Find Multiple Sources of Income & Exposure – Expand your core competence and niche focus into other business and marketing vehicles • Increase your Visibility & Credibility – Find Partners who have a broader reach than you! – Let them Toot your Horn!
Case Study: Grow your Expertise Justine – AVI-Certified Viniyoga • Therapist – Healthy Low Back Class – Yoga for Cancer Recovery Paula – Senior Citizen Yoga • Teacher – Senior Yoga Classes – Chair Yoga DVDs Tatis – Hispanic Teacher • – FREE Spanish & Bilingual Chair Yoga at the Public Libraries Tami – Quadriplegic • – Chair Yoga Student & Teacher-in- Training – All Ability Yoga Website Heather – Joint and Heart Issues • – Became a Gentle Yoga Teacher – Adaptive Yoga Class
Case Study: Leverage Your Local Community Libraries • – 15+ Libraries and 30+ Yoga classes every month – FREE to Patrons Hospitals & Rehab Centers • – Deskworker Yoga for Employees – Gentle/Chair Yoga for Patients Assisted Living • – Chair Yoga for Alzheimer's, Stroke, Dementia, etc. Cancer Research Center • – Offer FREE Yoga for Cancer Recovery Classes Local Businesses • – Yoga classes as part of Employee Wellness Programs
Case Study: Multiple Sources of Income/Exposure Teacher Training – Yoga Vista • Academy – Specialty Workshops – Online Video Workshops & Certification Programs Video Production – YogaJP • – Live Online Classes – Teaching Tutorial Videos – Specialty DVDs Wellness & Health Education • – Community of Holistic Health Specialists – Take5Moment website Specialty Classes & Teachers • – Yoga Vista Studio – Onsite and Virtual classes Speaking Engagements – • – Yoga Alliance (3 times) – Presenter at Community Events
Case Study: Increase your Visibility & Credibility YouTube • – Share FREE! LIVE studio classes – Over 5,000 subscribers Costco Connection – • – Article on Innovative Health Strategies – 5 min videos Press Coverage – • – Local Newspapers and Magazines – AAA feature for Yoga in San Diego – USA Today Photo Journal Gaiam Blogging • – Share Your Unique Perspective on Yoga Richard Simmons – Just ask! • – Share a Target Demographic – Gives Exposure!
My Partnerships Keep Growing!
How do we reach our Niche Demographic? • Direct Marketing • Partner Marketing • What WE do! • What THEY do! – Classes, Retreats, – Market and Promote Workshops, Trainings us along with them – Newsletters, Flyers – Bring us into their Sphere of Influence – Websites, Social Media – Give us Credibility – Expand our offerings to a wider audience • Small Footprint • Unlimited Growth
Potential Yoga Partnerships THE OBVIOUS! OUT OF THE BOX • Holistic Healthcare • Symbiotic Organizations – Chiropractors • Other Yoga Teachers – Acupuncturists – In the Target Demographic • Medical Community – Specialists – Doctors, Physical • Recognizable, Therapists, Rehab Centers Trustworthy Brands • Neighborhood & • Think Beyond Social Community Media – Gyms, Health Fairs, Civic organizations Be wary of Exclusive Partnerships!
The Growth Economics of Partnerships • You don’t have to pay or give up your first born – Leverage what both partners bring to the table – Toot each others horns! • The Hub and The Wheel Concept – You may be the hub of some partnerships and an associated wheel in others
Grow Your Partner Community!
Contact Information • Sherry Zak Morris – Gentle, Senior and Chair Yoga – YogaJP.com • Sherry@yogajp.com 20
Questions?
Learning Journeys is proud to sponsor this workshop. Learning Journeys: (888) 884 – 8259 • Info@LearningJourneys.com • LearningJourneys.com
Upcoming Yoga Alliance Online Workshops Share your Yoga Classes Crafting and Planning on the Internet A Retirement Strategy Presented by Jennifer Hoffman, Presented by Santo Loporto, Wednesday, June 17 at 2 p.m. ET Tuesday, June 23 at 2 p.m. ET Free for Yoga Alliance members Free for Yoga Alliance members
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