You don’t need to be a marketing expert to stay connected with your students—you just need a plan
You became a yoga teacher because you love yoga and you love people. Marketing? That probably wasn’t part of the plan. But here’s the thing: a yoga teacher newsletter isn’t marketing in the way you might think. It’s permission-based teaching—your students literally raised their hand and said, “Yes, I want to hear from you.”
In this free Newsletter Launch Pad workshop, I walk yoga teachers through four concrete steps to get a newsletter off the ground in a single hour. Whether you’re starting from zero or you’ve been meaning to “get to it” for months, this is your roadmap.
Watch the full workshop: {{youtube_embed}}
The mindset shift: service, not selling
The biggest barrier I see isn’t tech or time—it’s mindset. Teachers feel weird about sending emails because it feels like selling. But when your students chose to give you their email address, sending is an act of service. You’re not showing up with a megaphone. You were invited.
And if someone decides they’re done? They click unsubscribe and quietly see themselves out. No awkward conversations. Pro tip: turn off unsubscribe notifications so you don’t take it personally.
Why newsletters beat social media for real connection
Social media is renting space on someone else’s property. The algorithm decides who sees your content—not you, and not your students. A newsletter lands directly in your student’s inbox because they asked for it. No middleman, no algorithm.
Better yet, your subscriber list belongs to you. If a platform disappears tomorrow, you can export that list as a CSV and take it anywhere. You can’t do that with Instagram followers.
Step 1: Choose a platform (without overthinking it)
You are not married to your first choice. You can switch anytime and bring your subscribers with you. Here are four solid options:
- Kit (formerly ConvertKit) — Free up to 10,000 subscribers. Built for creators. Great starting point.
- MailChimp — Free up to 500 subscribers. Familiar interface with built-in automations.
- Flodesk — Gorgeous email templates. Starts at $38/month.
- Offering Tree — All-in-one platform built specifically for yoga and wellness teachers. Website, scheduling, classes, and email in one place.
If you’re brand new, Kit or Offering Tree are both excellent choices.
Step 2: Pick a lead magnet your students already want
A lead magnet is something valuable you trade for an email address. The good news? You’re probably already creating content your students would love to receive. Ideas include:
- Your class playlist on Spotify
- A short guided meditation (record it on your phone in a closet—seriously, the clothes dampen the sound)
- The poem you read in class as a printable PDF
- A home practice sequence you drew or photographed
- A follow-along video uploaded as an unlisted YouTube video
It doesn’t need to be an ebook or anything complicated. Simple wins.
Step 3: Draft your welcome email
When someone signs up, this is the first thing they receive. Keep it warm and simple:
- Thank them for signing up
- Remind them who you are
- Tell them what to expect (how often, what kind of content)
- Deliver the lead magnet
- Warm sign-off
That’s it. One email. You could write it in 15 minutes.
Step 4: Put your signup link where people will find it
Get your signup form in front of your students:
- On your website (homepage, footer, and a dedicated /newsletter page)
- In your Instagram link-in-bio
- On a clipboard by the door after class (with a clear note about what they’re signing up for)
- In your email signature
- Via a QR code at workshops and events
⚠️ A note on studio policies: If you teach at a studio you don’t own, check for non-solicitation policies before collecting emails in that space. When in doubt, ask your manager.
What to write (and how often)
Once a month is the minimum—any less and people forget who you are. Shorter and more frequent beats long and rare. Ideas for content:
- Something you taught this week that landed well
- A student FAQ you answered
- The poem or reading from class
- Upcoming workshops, retreats, or schedule changes
- A personal essay tied to your class theme
And the secret weapon? The P.S. It’s the most-read part of any email. Use it for a question, a fun prompt, or your most important call to action.
Your newsletter is just teaching in a different format
Your readers already want to hear from you. Being consistent matters more than being perfect. Start small, start now, and let it grow from there.
If you want to watch me walk through all of this step by step—with live Q&A—catch the full workshop replay above.
