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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 21 2006 : 5:47:19 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by robertjames
Hi all:
In terms of marketing,it seems to me we need to identify what groups or type of people are Prime Now for this work
easy one. per my first posting in this thread, there are a ton and a half of yoga students right now, and a certain percentage (not huge, but not tiny) are looking for "something more". That's our crowd. And since yoga teachers are 1. in that group, 2. tend to be looking even more actively (because they've been doing it longer), and 3. are the people broadcasting yoga information, teachers are our IDEAL crowd. |
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Feb 21 2006 : 5:47:59 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Melissa
Hi Everyone -
What does everyone think of say a five day AYP retreat? Maybe at someplace like the Feathered Pipe Ranch???? Whooppeee!
Or we could just hit a chocolate factory en masse... |
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yogani99
USA
153 Posts |
Posted - Feb 21 2006 : 7:07:35 PM
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Hi All:
Okay, so it is unanimous (almost). We all should drop in on our local yoga teachers and hand them the AYP website card as a minimum. Better yet, leave a healthy stack of them. Handing over an AYP book or two besides is best of all.
Picking up on Etherfish's suggestion to "mainstream-ize" the AYP message (you didn't think I was reading, did you, Etherfish?), how about these snippets for the first five AYP E-Series books? Keep in mind these concepts are for public consumption leading to exploration of the practices and finding the reality of what they bring, which may not be exactly what new practitioners are looking for to begin with -- much more, in fact!
The list is only embryonic (maybe idiotic), so please add on, with special emphasis on who could be approached in each category. Keep in mind that those AYP website cards are cheap and can be sprinkled just about everywhere. Many of the "who's" here deserve a stack, at least.
#1 Deep Meditation -- less stress, more creativity, better productivity, more intelligence, inner peace and bliss
Who? Doctors, psychologists, educators, therapists, capitalists, workaholics, artistic types, college students
#2 Spinal Breathing -- relaxation, better health, more energy, ecstasy
Who? Healthcare professionals, patients, athletes, people who want to learn how to breathe
#3 Tantra -- better sex, spiritual sex, sexual power
Who? Tantra teachers and groups, sex therapists, romantics, and everyone gathering in all those places where people go to find each other
#4 Asanas, Mudras & Bandhas -- relaxation, flexibility, energy, ecstasy
Who? Those looking for a simple way into postures, a compact physical exercise routine, plus powerful supplements (Ms&Bs) to meditation and pranayama. People who have interest but don't necessarily want to become asana experts -- little do they know what they are getting into here!
#5 Samyama -- desire fulfillment, personal power, road to riches
Who? Power types, magicians, wiccans, capitalists, astral travelers, miracle mongers
A little tongue in cheek there, but if you saw my emails over the last couple of years, you would know all of these have been represented, and some of the least likely have stuck with AYP...
So, who else? And how many of these are on your normal travel route? You don't have to admit to anything -- just hand out the cards! 
The guru is in you.
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Feb 21 2006 : 9:27:06 PM
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OK here's a way to explore the cheese factor without cheapening the books you already have.
Write a small book just like deep meditation, but without using the word meditation. A lot of people will ignore anything they've seen before.
Start out with ten pages of hype about aging and stress with references,
and telling people not to belittle this simple technique until they've tried it for a couple weeks because IT WORKS!
The book would target a specific audience, like anti aging enthusiasts.
You could take out a small ad in the appropriate magazine. It would say something like "how to add years to your life by using a special technique that only takes a few minutes a day. anyone can do it and it doesn't cost a thing. I could describe how to do it on one page, but the rest of the book is to answer questions.
Serious Yoga practitioners on a quest for God have discovered a byproduct of their complicated practices: a simple technique that removes the number one cause of aging in your life: stress!
So easy that anyone can master it in a few days.
You could have a separate web page just for the purpose of selling this one book, and not have it link to anything else. Let them dig for it if they are interested. the idea is to create a mystique.
Notice how big name brands always have something
"new and different".
Then the last few pages of the book would tell what you're really about,
and what would *really* make them happy. Anti-aging is just one big benefit,
but this same path leads to so much more. . you already have taken the first step...etc.
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yogani99
USA
153 Posts |
Posted - Feb 21 2006 : 11:01:21 PM
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Hi Etherfish:
Lots of great ideas, and lots and lots and lots of work. Who is going got do all that work?
We can represent the product in different ways, within limits, but redesigning and redoing it (the books) over and over for every application will not work, not this year anyway, or next, and probably the year after. There is not enough of me here for that.
It would be like redesigning and rebuilding this whole forum to make it more appealing to some people -- months of work -- I can tell you from experience. Rewriting books takes much longer. Not feasible in real time. We have to get real about this. See?
But there is a lot we can do with what we do have, and what we will have soon (more small AYP books as listed above). If we cannot redesign the product, we can certainly redesign the presentation in different ways to accommodate each kind of audience in our talking, sharing, and even alter marketing materials like cards, fliers, posters, etc., which also takes work, but not nearly as much as republishing books willy-nilly at the drop of a hat.
The AYP books themselves will not be changed any time soon. There are only so many babies I can give birth to per year and the maternity ward is full already. (And a new web site? Not by me!)
So, I suggest we focus on the presentation, rather than the product.
By the way, that reminds me of the classic "Four P's of Marketing." Here they are:
Product -- Set for this year, with plans crystallizing for next year and the year after (no rewriting of current books planned).
Price -- These are fairly set also. A few small changes are in the works.
Point of Sale -- Internet retail availablity is good, and improving. Placement in physical retail stores is poor -- anyone done any walk-ins lately? With more reader demand, store placement will get easier. In fact, with strong reader demand, store placement will take care of itself. The present wholesale distribution channels we have in place are good and can handle industrial strength demand.
Promotion -- Well, that is what we talking about here. Promotion is not redesigning the product. It is selling the product we have, and includes PR, advertising, networking and direct sales. Maybe a little packaging too, but don't put too much strain on the factory.
So, the bottom line is, what can we do now with what we have? Operative word -- now. And what can we add in a timely fashion to do more? AYP E-Series books #2 and #3 are coming in a few months, and #4 and #5 in the second half of the year. What can we do with these in the near term once they are out? And so on... The same audiences will be there. It is only a matter of approaching them in the best way with what we have.
The concept you have of addressing different interest groups is good. AYP has all kinds of potential with these, and can be presented in many different ways. However, the implementation needs to be in line with real products available now and in the near term. Then we can be connecting with the market segments that are there as best we can, instead of making dream schemes that cannot be implemented in real time.
Most important is these things we are talking about being done without my labor much involved. There just is not any more of me available beyond what you see here. In other words, it is not about what more I can do. It is about what everyone else can do. That makes sense, doesn't it?
The guru is in you.
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Feb 22 2006 : 12:17:36 AM
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Absolutely; you're doing a lot already.
A lot of marketing has to do with packaging and presentation (image).
maybe there's another way to do that. |
Edited by - Etherfish on Feb 22 2006 12:23:08 AM |
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yogani99
USA
153 Posts |
Posted - Feb 22 2006 : 09:49:48 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Etherfish
A lot of marketing has to do with packaging and presentation (image).
Hi Etherfish:
Yes, that has been taken into account as much as possible already for the AYP Enlightenment Series books. They are being written for the mainstream and for longevity. We will not be turning the AYP writings into cheesy stuff, though. We won't go that far. We are willing to meet everyone half-way.
Present it however you like, but please do present it. Thanks much!
The guru is in you.
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Feb 26 2006 : 08:25:53 AM
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I am thinking about how to attract people who wouldn't normally like the word "Yoga" or "meditation" because they have attached a stigma to it.
How about if I had a business card that said this:
DID YOU KNOW . . .
STRESS is a primary cause of aging?
Stress is caused INSIDE your body?
Meditation is the EASIEST way to relieve stress?
EASY meditation can be learned in one day?
FEEL the benefits in a short time
No need to pay or sign up for anything
This is not a religion
Free info at: Advanced Yoga Practices:
www.aypsite.com
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Edited by - Etherfish on Feb 26 2006 9:31:30 PM |
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weaver
832 Posts |
Posted - Feb 26 2006 : 08:52:40 AM
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Hi Etherfish, I think that would be very well formulated!
(The only thing, do we know that stress is the #1 cause of aging?) |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Feb 26 2006 : 09:12:24 AM
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Thanks Weaver- I edited it from the #1 cause to "a primary cause".
The consensus is that stress is the #1 cause of premature
aging in the USA, but that's too wordy.
does anyone know how to make "www.aypsite.org" not show as a
link in that post? |
Edited by - Etherfish on Feb 26 2006 9:41:34 PM |
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weaver
832 Posts |
Posted - Feb 26 2006 : 10:04:42 AM
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Yes, I agree that "a primary cause" sounds better.
The forum script automatically makes links out of typed addresses. You can read more about this here in the Forum FAQ. |
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yogani99
USA
153 Posts |
Posted - Feb 26 2006 : 11:20:23 AM
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Hi Etherfish:
It sounds good. I prefer we use the www.aypsite.com link for public display instead of .org. That is the current approach in all AYP PR and advertising. The two sites are mirrors.
www.advancedyogapractices.com is also used for public display. It is routable and is currently routed to the .com AYP books page. It is a bit long, so I generally only use it in the AYP books where a rerouting may be necessary in the future.
www.secretsofwilder.com is another link that can be used, as appropriate. It is also routed to the .com AYP books page.
The guru is in you.
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