How to know what to charge people when you start out as a Yoga teacher, coach or healer.

If you’re a new coach, teacher or healer and you decided it’s time to start charging for your classes or sessions after offering them for free to get experience (see my previous blog about this) have you found yourself thinking;

“If I start charging, will the people stop coming?”

If so, or if you’ve even been a little bit worried about this, read on.

It’s really common for new students to worry about losing clients or students when you start charging or increasing your prices, but here are some really important things to remember when you start charging (or increasing your prices).

1. Create an equal energy exchange between you and your students.

You want to make sure there is an even energy exchange between you and your student so that both of you feel you’re giving as much as you’re getting.  

If, when you’re starting out as a yoga teacher (for example) you want to get experience then that is your currency in return for giving a yoga class. Once you have enough experience then you need to change the energy exchange to something else - namely, money.  

If you don’t you’re at risk of building up resentment as you feel that you’re giving out more than what you’re getting in return. This is not the energy you want to have around your classes or sessions and will start to repel your students or clients.

2. The more money your student invests in you, the more they will turn up for themselves.

Think of times in your own life when you’ve paid for something that you considered to be a lot of money - a coaching package, higher rent for a nicer house, a dream holiday etc - and notice how much more you showed up for yourself or taken care of the thing you’ve paid for.  

Although “more expensive” is a relative term, if you’re looking to work with people who are really ready to fully commit to your class, mastermind, coaching package etc then you need to charge the amount that matches how much you want your student to turn up for themselves. 

When your students are more committed to your class or session they will get more out of it, so you’re doing them a favour but inviting them to get the most out of the experience with you.

3. Find a “Hell Yes” price!

The question of how much to charge will depend on so many factors - your experience, your offering, where you are in the world and who your ideal client is, but the key is to find a price that is a Hell Yes for both you and your client.

A Hell Yes doesn’t mean it has to be cheap, in fact, it shouldn’t be too cheap because then you’re at risk of building up resentment if you feel you’re getting the raw end of the deal. Instead, the price should make you want to do the best possible job and also be enough to make your client want to get the most out of the experience.

A Hell Yes for a client is a price that represents the quality of the practitioner that they want to work with. They want to feel safe that they’ve got the best person they can (within their price range) and so they’re more likely to choose someone who is charging their worth, rather than offering the cheaper option to avoid the risk of working with someone who isn’t that good. 

Does this resonate with you? Have you noticed the difference between your students when they’re paying to come to your class or program compared to when you’re giving something away for free? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!

With love,

Lucy