“Once I figured out what selling really is, it wasn’t the pitching and the begging and the pleading that I thought it was. When I really learned about consultative selling and understanding your customer, it became almost effortless.” - Steph Crowder
If you struggle with the idea of “selling” this is going to help you in big ways! Steph Crowder has personally coached me on this topic and I’m pumped that she’s on the podcast this week to share this message with you too.
She has a way of shifting the concept of selling and convincing to the idea of helping others achieve the goal they’re looking to achieve. One way that I do this is with an affirmation that’s written on a post-it that I see every day:
“I’m offering help that the right people will love to have” and this couldn’t be more true. I’m not out to steal your money or sell you something that’s not going to be helpful. No way. Anything I teach has helped me and/or yoga teachers grow their business. I receive messages like this on a daily basis:
“Amanda, I used your prompt and got this comment. They are such good prompts.” (the comment was this: “I’ve never actually tried yoga before but after reading your post I’m thinking I might try it. Sounds so relaxing”
And this…
“I increased my monthly price AND signed up a new client for a 3-month program with the new pricing!”
I want these comments to come from you next but that will only happen if I keep going, tap into my gifts and teach you through paid programs like my coaching and digital course. If I don’t earn money I will have to have another job and that would take me away from continuing to teach you. You see how that works? It’s the same for you.
You have students who are waiting for your paid programs too!
“Yoga teachers are begging for information on how to make more money in business that’s selling and that’s why you’re here. You taught me to sell in a way that doesn’t feel awful.” - Amanda McKinney
The Truth About Selling
“Typically when we think about selling, we think about convincing. But shift that to ‘how can I consult with someone’ instead of forcing a sale. How can I find a fit?” - Steph Crowder
Most of us have some “money stuff” that comes into play when it comes to selling services like your yoga class. No matter what it is, it’s important to remember that we aren’t actually scared of selling something, we’re nervous for people to say ‘no’ or we’re worried that it will make someone else feel uncomfortable.
“What if no one shows up? What if I look silly? It’s like walking into a party where there’s like 3 people. I know you want a bumpin’ party but you have to start somewhere.” Steph Crowder
If we step back and realize, it’s okay if someone says ‘no’ or ‘not right now’ or….get ready for it….’YES’. All of these options are great but you have to put something out there in order to have someone say yes. And often this takes courage to step out of your comfort zone and if you’re like me, it takes pushing through the discomfort of having no one responding to your efforts for a while.
“You have to be willing to put in the work when no one is watching.” - Steph Crowder
Many of my students ask me ‘Amanda, how did you get to where you are today?’ and my answer is always the same -
“I showed up when no one was listening and continued to show up because I knew I could help you. You are the reason I’m here today. I always had you in mind when I was talking to no one and now you’re here.” - Amanda McKinney
Tap Into What’s Unique About You
“Yoga teachers are begging for information on how to make more money in business that’s selling and that’s why you’re here. You taught me to sell in a way that doesn’t feel awful.” - Amanda McKinney
Steph has a way of teaching about selling that feels easier. There’s no tricks here, it’s getting to know your dream student and then offering them what they want.
No tricks.
No surprises.
No ickiness.
Just learning and listening.
“I love helping people crack the code on who is my customer? What makes me stand out?” - Steph Crowder
This is the first step to sell with ease and it’s a tough one. Tapping into what’s unique about you and what you can offer to your students. The reason this is so tough is because we’re close to ourselves so it’s tough to see. In this podcast episode you hear Steph talk about how see saw tremendous success in teaching selling in her corporate job but when she became an entrepreneur she ignored this for a while. You will also hear me talk about how I’ve heard my entire life “Amanda, you’re a natural encourager” but I ignored that for too long.
It’s hard to know what makes you different but here are 2 questions that can help:
What do people say you “make it look so easy”?
Why do your students say they keep coming back to class?
I would bet that you have heard something over and over again but you don’t even register that it’s “the thing” that makes you different. But listen to your students and hear what they say makes you different. And if you aren’t sure, ask them. They would love to tell you!
“What’s the thing that’s become so second-nature to you that it doesn't feel special?” - Steph Crowder
Who Could You Help? (Everyone, yes, but who specifically?)
This is where you want to start when it comes to developing your message, marketing and selling. Start with the person and what they are experiencing.
I know it’s tempting as a yoga teacher to say “I can help everyone because yoga is for everyone.” Yes, that’s true but it doesn’t help you grow your yoga business. You need to get specific.
Not everyone is friends with everyone, right? That’s because we all resonate with different personalities and that’s true for your students too.
“Yoga can help everyone but you aren’t the perfect teacher for everyone” - Amanda McKinney
While that might sound harsh, you know it’s true because you have your yoga teachers that you have gravitated towards. Just like not every yoga teacher training is perfect for everyone, it’s the same for teachers. And this is a beautiful thing because that means there’s enough to go around.
There are many yoga teachers in this world and that’s an amazing thing! So let’s all tap into our own uniqueness so that we can attract the best students for us.
Who is that for you? Once you tap into who your dream student is this opens up so much for you and it makes selling so much easier! You can speak directly to your dream student and invite them to your awesome yoga party.
What Do Your Students Really Need? And Want?
“It’s tempting to say ‘I know what they need’ but see the difference - Amanda pulled your words so we could be more relevant for you. Instead of talking about ‘getting more customers’ we are talking about making more money without teaching a billion classes’. That simple distinction of words can make all the difference.” - Steph Crowder
Oh the temptation to say “I know what they need” is so big, I get it. There was quite a while in my business that I thought “I know what yoga teachers need” and everything I did fell flat. But then I put a line in the sand and said this:
“I will only offer things that yoga teachers ask for” - Amanda McKinney
Mind you, I didn’t have much of an audience at this point so my sole focus for 6 months was producing content and asking the question “what do you need/want” to any yoga teacher I could. Any yoga teacher!
This slowly gave me information to work with and then I was able to create services that you needed and wanted. And low-and-behold, you bought things! You can do the same thing with your students too. Start with just one but ask a lot of questions without any predetermined ideas. Allow their words to shape your classes and offerings.
“You need to really tap into what they are actually saying. No paraphrasing. No assumptions. Find a way to get to the bottom of what those words are.” - Steph Crowder
The Idea of “Enough”
“How much money do I actually need to sustain my business or life?” - Steph Crowder
It’s important to know what “enough” is in business and in life or else we will constantly chase and want for more. We all fall into this trap because we’re human. Whether it’s wanting more students, more money or more yoga pants, our brain tells us “more”.
The best way to combat this is Steph’s concepts of calculating your MVI (Minimum Viable Income). This needs to be an exact number, not a round number. You need to know exactly what you need to bring into your life or business to “keep the lights on”. Knowing this number will help you see what you actually need and tell your brain what “enough” actually is.
You can do this with income AND also number of students for your class or workshop too. For example, your brain might tell you that you need 20 students in a workshop because that’s a filled room but is that actually what “enough” is to pay you your hourly rate?
“Many times I work with students and they will calculate what they need to make for a 2 hour workshop and they find that it would be 4 students” - Amanda McKinney
By knowing this you can ease the pressure of selling and simply invite your students and then once you hit the “enough” number, everything else is extra and awesome! It helps take so much of the pressure off of selling.
“One thing that we overlook is your belief that it’s possible. If you don’t have the belief that you can really do this, your head is never going to get on board with the actions you’re taking. And one easy way to get there is knowing your numbers.” - Steph Crowder
Your next step
Know your numbers - figure out your MVI or your number for the class or workshop you want to sell out. Start with something tactical so it can help your brain get behind “I can do this”. Once you have this belief, you’re truly unstoppable my friend!
Until next time, give yourself permission to sell and grace along the way!
About Steph Crowder
Steph Crowder is a Business Strategist & Sales Coach who hosts the Courage & Clarity Podcast and Video Show. With a decade of experience in sales training & business coaching, she loves to help people work with what they already have & know to make selling feel simple while getting massive results. She's lives in Louisville, Kentucky with her husband and two young kids, where you can often catch her drinking a margarita & watching the sun set.
Steph's Links:
Website - https://www.courageandclarity.com/
Podcast - Courage & Clarity - https://www.courageandclarity.com/listen
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/courageandclarity/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/courageandclarity
Crickets To Customer’s Course (Amanda’s Affiliate Link)
Want to learn more from Steph? Her course: Crickets to Customers is a powerhouse course designed to help you sell out your next offering!
I would love for you to join me inside Crickets To Customers!
Plus you will get access to a special bonus if you use my affiliate link!