Creating a Kick-Ass Bio
Whether you are specializing in private yoga clients or working at a studio, every yoga teacher needs a bio. I’ll admit right here that to me, this is something I’m constantly working on. I often write, re-write and re-re-write my bio. The reason is because this little blurb is so, so important to our marketing. It is often the only thing potential students and clients see about us and a great bio can go a long way in getting people excited to work with us.
Before we get into some of the nitty-gritty of the bio, I just want to say that you will probably have different bios for different purposes. You may have one for your website and a slightly different one for the websites of studios you work with. Or a completely different bio on your resume or for use on a non-profit website. Depending on what the bio is being used as and who your intended audience is, you may have to create multiple bios. But for now let’s stick to marketing to potential clients.
Okay, so a good bio should be brief (under 250 words tops!), pithy (don’t ramble), and highlight why you teach yoga in a way that makes you relatable to your audience. You also want the voice of your bio to be close to your actual speaking voice – maybe a little bit cleaned up, but not in a formal writing voice.
As an example, let’s look at mine:
I have never been an athlete. When I first started yoga, I didn't have strength or flexibility. I couldn't hold a plank or touch my toes. What I did have was back pain from a desk job, stress from a fast-paced, NYC lifestyle, psoriasis and lots of family drama. Yoga provided me the tools to lead a healthier, easier life; one where I prioritized my well-being so everything else could fall into place. I want to deliver these tools to you in a way that makes sense for modern life. No acrobatics. No mystical bullshit. Just useful, practical stuff.
From reading my bio, you should be able to tell that my audience is definitely NOT going to be a bunch of Ashtanga yogis looking to do a scorpion handstand. I’m targeting high-stress New Yorkers who want some help with their body, but may feel intimidated by all the Instagram yoga out there, and clients who also want help with their piece of mind. I give examples from my real life that might jump out to people dealing with the same problem(s). And my bio gives an insight as to why I teach yoga: it helped me to address all the facets of my life with more ease. My bio is under 100 words AND it doesn’t include any references to:’
- Certifcations I have completed
- Names of teachers I have trained under
- Number of teaching hours I have
- Yoga studios where I did my training
- Databases I am registered with (i.e. yoga alliance)
It’s written in the first person and it tells a story. It starts to engage people in the story I am telling without listing out a bunch of random stuff they don’t care about (like other types of clients they don’t relate to at all). I don’t even tell people what style of yoga I am teaching. Honestly, unless you are strictly teaching one style of yoga, only (that’s a whole other conversation), for most private teachers, words like vinyasa, Hatha, Bikram, etc., are just distractions. Clients don’t care about what you are teaching as much as what you can DO for them. They want to know that you are the right person for them (relatable + trustworthy) and that you can solve their problem (back pain, stress, fear of going to a studio, etc.).
If you're struggling with this and need some guidance in the right direction, feel free to email me at jesal@yogawallanyc.com and I'll be happy to help you get started.