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It can be intimidating to ask a studio to hire you for your next workshop or event:
How do I get my foot in the door at a new studio?
How do I know what studio to approach?
Does the studio take a percentage of the fee? Or do they pay you a flat rate?
We are covering ALL of these questions today!!
Before we dive in, you need to identify your workshop topic, title, description and structure BEFORE you pitch your workshop to a studio!
Possible Workshop Locations
At a place where you already teach
This is the easiest option for offering a workshop because you already the know owner, the teachers and the students. And they already know YOU!
This is the easiest option and what I recommend for new teachers.
At a new studio where you don’t teach
This is a little harder because you don’t know the students, the owner or the other teachers. You’ll have to do a little more networking to offer your workshop here. But don’t worry- I’m about to show you how to can connect and land that workshop gig at a new studio!
This is a great option for more experienced teachers who have already offered workshops at their home studio.
Other locations
You can also offer workshops at event centers, gyms, and as part of yoga teacher trainings or retreats (think- guest instructor for a training or retreat).
These are great options for more experienced teachers as well. I won’t go into a lot of detail about these unique opportunities but keep reading to learn networking tips for these events!
How To “Pitch” Your Workshop
First, in all instances, it’s important that you present yourself professionally. Be on time for meetings, follow up accordingly, dress appropriately, and use good grammar.
If you already know the studio owner, then I would email him/her and ask if you can offer a workshop. If they don’t respond right away, attend the studio owner’s class and ask to speak to them. Then offer up your workshop idea including a mock flyer and workshop details. Be prepared!
If you want to present a workshop at a studio where you don’t currently teach, then follow these steps:
Research & visit the studio
- Do you like the studio?
- Do you like the teachers at the studio?
- Do you like the energy of the studio?
- Is the studio already offering a similar workshop?
- Does your workshop topic align with the values and energy of the studio (e.g., if the studio is primarily a spiritual studio does it align with your “yoga for lower back pain” workshop?)
- Research the mission and vision of the studio.
- Who is the studio owner? Read their bio and look at the owner’s teaching schedule. Which class could you attend?
Connect
- Plan to attend one of the studio owner’s classes.
- Email the studio owner one week before you plan to attend their class and introduce yourself, tell them about your workshop idea, the problem you’re hoping to help their students solve and that you’re planning to attend their class.
- The email can go something like this:
Hi! My name is Allison Rissel. I’ve been teaching yoga for 13 years and I specialize in helping people with pelvic floor dysfunction. I’d really love to offer a workshop at your studio to help your students reduce their incontinence and improve the function of their pelvic floor.
I’ll be attending your class on Monday at 12PM and I’d love to chat with you after class about this workshop idea.
Thank you and I hope you have a great day!
- 90% of the time, no one emails me back. No one says anything. I don’t even know if they get my email. But I always send that email ahead of time just in case they won’t be there or if they are really not interested I’d rather know ahead of time.
- Attend the class!!!
- Try to show up at least 15 minutes before their class begins so you can sign in, pay and very briefly chat with them: “Hey, I’m Alison, I emailed you last week and I’d really like to talk to you about a workshop that I’d like to offer here. Do you have a few minutes after class to talk?” Most of the time, they are willing to chat after class.
- Hang around after class until almost everyone has left (Don’t interrupt a conversation!!!) and ask to speak about your workshop.
- Give them your pitch and hand them your example flyer. 😉
DISCLAIMER!!! Sometimes, people tell me no. And guess what? It’s fine. Turns out if someone tells me no, the world doesn’t explode and I can move on.
I then know that we’re not a good fit and I can go to another workshop or another studio and offer my workshop there. So people may tell you, no, don’t let that scare you from ever offering workshops. Keep doing it. You’ll find the studios that really are interested in what you have to offer. So keep it up.
Don’t include in written piece – The Example Flyer
Very briefly, here’s what I would include on your example flyer- pretty picture, title, description, an About Me section with your qualifications and your website. Don’t worry about pricing or dates. You won’t know any of this information until you’ve chatted with the studio owner.
You know what this flyer does? First – it proves that you’re ahead of the game, that you’re prepared and professional. And studio owners want to work with teachers who are prepared and professional.
Plus- it’s a memory of you. You may talk it up with the studio owner and then they immediately forget who you are because they have a million other things to do, but they may put that flyer on their desk, see it and be like, oh, that’s right. I was supposed to go and call Alison. Hmm, okay, let me, let me look at my emails and see if she’s emailed me.
While you’re connecting, ask them TWO important questions:
- What is the pricing structure?
- What are the marketing expectations?
Pricing Structure
Option 1 (not very common) – The studio charges you a flat rate.
Example- it’s $150 to rent the space regardless of how many people show up. Not very common for studios but pretty common for event spaces.
Option 2 (more common) – You and the studio negotiate a percentage split
50/50, 60/40, 70/30, 80/20 split where the teacher makes the larger percentage.
What determines the percentage???? – the marketing expectations and responsibilities
Marketing Expectations
You want to have very clear guidelines on what the studio will and will not do, especially in regards to marketing.
First, the studio will be providing the building, the electricity, the bathrooms, the cleaning, etc. BUT, the studio will hopefully also provide you with the following:
- Putting your workshop on their website
- Accepting payments (and paying the credit card fees!)
- Allowing me to post flyers
- FB posts
- Marketing to their email newsletter
If the studio only wants 20%, then perhaps they will only put your workshop on their website and accept the payments. BUT, if the studio wants 40%, then I expect them to do a lot more marketing for me, like posting to FB and marketing at least twice in their email newsletter.
There are some negotiations that can occur here and this information is critical to know when setting up your pricing.
The Follow-Up
The follow-up is arguably, the most important part of connecting with the studio owner. After your meeting, follow up with an email thanking them for their time and the opportunity to present at their studio.
Briefly outline what you talked about in your meeting, especially the expectations about payment structure and marketing. Be professional and courteous in all communication.
Now that you’ve landed your location, you can FINALLY set up your pricing!!!
Get out there and start networking and connecting. Remember, the worst thing that can happen is someone will say no. Don’t let that scare you! I believe in you!
If you need a pep talk or want to chat about pro’s and con’s of various locations, schedule a consultation call with me.
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