Millennials are a significant chunk of the online world, and they’re quite used to consuming content on their mobile phones. As a result, if you’re looking to attract this audience, you need to develop a mobile app or website to compliment your online store.
While many entrepreneurs see e-commerce as a quick-step-to-full-time-employment, it’s a lucrative field to build a business in. According to the Global Market Insights report from the International Data Corporation, the health and fitness market is projected to grow to $128 billion by next year.
But how can you make the most of this lucrative market? What steps can you take to ensure your business survives and prospers in this ever-evolving digital world?
Fortunately, with a little planning and strategizing, you can take advantage of the digital shift and position your yoga practice for maximum profits.
Here, we’ll discuss the various ways you can market your yoga business online, including:
1. Create a Facebook Page
With over 1.8 billion active monthly users, no wonder Facebook is such a significant platform for brands. Even if you don’t have a product to sell, you can use Facebook to establish yourself as an authoritative voice in your industry and draw potential customers to your side.
If you’ve never used the popular social media network, Facebook offers a variety of apps that allow you to connect with your followers and engage with them on a daily basis. With a Facebook page, you can set up automated tweets or posts that will be delivered to your audience at regular intervals.
2. Launch a Blog
Blogs are still extremely popular, especially with younger audiences. In fact, studies suggest that 62% of people reading blogs are also likely to purchase a product or service after reading about it in a blog post.
Creating a blog is a great opportunity to market your yoga practice because it gives you the chance to share your knowledge and expertise with the world. When developing your blog, it’s important to pick a niche that you’re passionate about. Then, use that passion to convey your knowledge to your audience. This will make you relatable to your target audience and, in turn, boost your sales.
In addition to establishing yourself as a thought leader in your industry, a blog can also boost your social proof. When potential customers find that you’re already being considered an authoritative voice in your industry, they’ll have greater confidence that what you have to say is worth listening to. As a result, your blog can serve as a trusted source of information for your audience, which, in turn, may lead them to purchase your products or services.
3. Build a Community
An important component of any business is its community. Without a strong social media following and engaged fans, you’ll struggle to grow your business. One of the best things you can do for your yoga practice is to establish it as a trusted source of advice and information in your industry. When people know, like, and trust you, they’ll be more inclined to purchase your products or services.
You can use your social media accounts to engage with and connect with people in your industry. To boost your social proof, establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry and engage with your followers on a regular basis. You can also use your accounts to give away freebies as a way to build brand loyalty. For example, you can run a blog post every week with a free trial offer. Establishing and maintaining strong communities is an important part of any business. And it couldn’t be more crucial for a yoga business.
4. Post Regularly
Although you want to engage with your audience on social media, you also need to keep in mind that people are more inclined to visit your blog. According to HubSpot Blogs, people read blogs for content that is both informative and entertaining. Make sure that your blog posts are both interesting and helpful, and you’ll attract and retain a devoted audience.
In addition to establishing yourself as an authoritative voice in your industry, a blog can also serve as a virtual think tank that you can use to bounce ideas off of. Regularly posting blogs can also help you brainstorm new products and strategies for your business.
5. Use Video
With the rise of TikTok, it’s become apparent that millennials prefer to learn about and engage with brands and businesses through video content.
Whether you create infomercials, educational videos, or simply put together videos of yourself giving helpful tips, you can use video content to establish yourself as an authoritative voice in your industry. According to HubSpot Blogs, video content is four times more likely to result in a click-through-to-purchase action than text-based content. For this reason, videos from businesses that are trusted in their industry will almost certainly attract customers.
Videos from trusted sources will also make you appear more relatable to your audience. If you have a useful tip or trick that you’ve mastered over the years, and you want to share it with the world, a video can be the best way to do so.
6. Use Email Marketing
Although you can gain a lot of traction through social media, emails remain a vital tool for any business. And, for good reason: 51% of people read emails on their phones, compared to only 8% of people who read blogs on their phones. That’s a significant chunk of the population!
This is one of the major factors behind the recent growth in email marketing; consumers are reading emails on the go. With businesses closed for the day, people can sit back and relax on an airplane or in the bus on their way home from work, and skim through emails on their phones. It’s the perfect time for a brand to catch their attention and encourage them to purchase a product or service.
For these reasons, email marketing is one of the primary ways that you can market your yoga practice. You can set up automated emails that will keep people up-to-date with the latest tips and tricks, as well as engage with them on a more personal level. When someone emails you directly, it is known as a “cold email,” and it’s often seen as a little less preferred than a “warm email.” A “warm email” is when a customer or potential customer emails you directly to ask about a product or service, or to make an inquiry about your company. For example, Jane Smith from Oklahoma City wants to order a yoga mat, and she’s reached out to you directly through your company’s email account to do so. It is the perfect example of a “warm email.” A “cold email” may be someone who has just stumbled upon your company’s website or Facebook page, or perhaps someone who has heard of your company through a mutual friend. In these cases, the visitor is not necessarily looking to purchase a product or service from your company, but they have an interest in finding out more about your company because they have no prior knowledge of it.
7. Measure the Results of Your Strategy
It’s important to measure the results of your strategy as you continue to grow your business on a limited budget. Without concrete metrics to compare your progress to, it’s quite easy to get discouraged when initial results don’t come as quickly as you’d like. This is why it’s important to set up automated systems that will track the growth of your business on a daily basis.
For example, you can set up a Google Analytics account to track the growth of your blog. You should also look into setting up a web form on your website that allows customers to signup for your free weekly tips or to subscribe to your email list. These are just a few examples of metrics that you can use to track the performance of your marketing strategy. When you have concrete numbers to work with, it’s easier to see what is and isn’t working, and you can make adjustments as needed.
As you continue to grow your business, it’s important to continually measure the results of your efforts and make adjustments where necessary. By taking the time to set up a marketing strategy, and then measuring the results of that strategy on a regular basis, you’ll be able to determine the true efficacy of your efforts in no time at all.