The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

397: How to Suck at Marketing with Brea Johnson

 

Description:

Do you feel overwhelmed by marketing your yoga? It is something that many yoga teachers struggle with - especially when it feels like the world often prioritizes being polished over showing up authentically. Brea Johnson shares her insights about how to suck at marketing – and why that can work for your yoga business.

 

Brea Johnson is the founder of Heart + Bones Yoga, a globally recognized online platform for anatomy-informed yoga, mobility and inclusive practices for both yoga teachers and everyday people. She has been teaching yoga, anatomy and movement since 2003 and regularly teaches workshops and trainings around the world. At Heart + Bones, Brea offers online yoga, education and teacher training where functional and inclusive practices are celebrated and encouraged.

 

In this episode, Brea shares what inspired her to start talking about marketing and what we can do when we suck at it. She highlights some common marketing practices that do not align with her values and belief systems and how she navigates the changing social media and online marketing landscape. Brea and Shannon also discuss showing up honestly, imperfectly, and authentically, what motivates them to keep posting about topics that may bring pushback, and much more. 

 

If you feel like your marketing is not "enough" to make a meaningful impact, this episode is for you.

 

Key Takeaways:

[1:59] Shannon introduces her topic for this episode, marketing, and her guest - Brea Johnson.

[3:45] This episode is sponsored by OfferingTree.

[5:37] What does Brea do and who does she do it for?

[8:07] What inspired Brea to start talking about marketing and what to do when we suck at it?

[13:38] What are some things that Brea doesn't do in marketing because they don't align with her?

[17:29] How does Brea turn things that irk her about the yoga world into playful content that educates?

[20:46] How has social media shifted for Brea in the past few years? What are some new trends and changes she is noticing?

[27:10] Shannon and Brea discuss how social media can be a place to let your authentic self shine through.

[34:44] Shannon gives a shout out to sponsor, OfferingTree.

[36:08] What is Brea's advice for when your inner critic shows up to discourage you from marketing your yoga?

[45:54] When we show up and share our values and opinions online, we might get back a lot of hate or pushback. How does Brea deal with that?

[55:27] What keeps Brea posting about "controversial" topics or social justice issues?

[58:42] Shannon and Brea discuss the importance of small actions, even when it feels like those actions may not be making a difference.

[65:49] Learn more from Brea via her website and social media.

[67:08] Shannon shares her biggest takeaways from this conversation with Brea.

 

Links:

• Brea Johnson, Heart + Bones Yoga

• Heart + Bones Yoga on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok

• The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 078: Creating an Online Yoga Studio with Brea Johnson

• The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 375: Why Marketing is Different Now with Tristan Katz & Brooke Monaghan - The Connected Yoga Teacher

• The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook Group

• Shannon Crow on Instagram

 

Gratitude to our Sponsor, OfferingTree

 

Quotes from this episode:

"How do I promote what I share, what I do, how I know I can help people, and how my business can help people without falling into that trap of playing to the algorithm?"

 

"There's something about the consistency and letting go of The so-called vanity metrics and seeing that more broad view of how social media can help connect us."

 

"What is my why? Why am I even doing this? What is my who? Who am I helping? And what is my how? How am I helping?"

 

"How can you show up in the way that works for you?"

 

"This isn't about you. You've got to see the fear and the imposter syndrome and the insecurity and do it anyway.”