Best Tips for Collecting Payment as an Online Yoga Instructor

There are many important components when transitioning your yoga business to a virtual studio (e.g., yoga website, marketing, sales funnel, how to deliver services). Once you have figured out some of the basics and how you are going to offer yoga practice options to your clients (e.g., live class, online course, yoga videos), you need to unravel the best way to collect payment for your yoga services. 

As the digital world has grown over the last several years, so have the payment software options. However, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for all businesses. There are many things you want to consider so you select the right fit for both you and your customers. 

Learn more: New RYT? How to Get Your First Job Teaching Yoga

5 Things to Consider When Selecting Payment Software

As a yoga teacher and an online business owner, selecting the right payment software is essential to your success. The following list includes a few things you will want to think about when selecting payment or yoga studio management software:

1. Ease of Use

One of the most important things to consider with your payment platform is the ease of use for your yoga students. It should be a safe process that is easy to understand and simple to complete. The checkout page should be clean and simple with autofill, when appropriate. And, security and privacy badges (ensuring the safety of the checkout process) should be clearly displayed on your site and checkout page. If the site is confusing, doesn’t feel safe, or is unorganized, you will likely lose potential customers. 

2. Payment Option Variety

Some people are uncomfortable with only one payment option and can feel uneasy using a payment software that they aren’t familiar with. Online payments, although fairly common today, can be concerning for some people, especially when it comes to sharing their personal payment information with a company or platform that is new. Consider selecting a software that provides several options at checkout (e.g., credit card, PayPal, Venmo) and is well known. 

In addition, your clients should be able to access and make payments on different devices (tablet, computer, phone, etc.). It’s important to make sure the payment software you choose has that flexibility. You don’t want to lose yoga students because of their inability to pay. 

3. Transaction Fees

Several of the payment platforms have some form of payment processing fees. Typically, there is a small fee for every transaction made. In addition, depending on the software you choose, you may also have monthly fees or potential fees for specific features. Although the transaction fees are usually minimal, they can add up quickly. So, shop around to ensure it works for you and your yoga business. 

4. Features

It’s important to consider what features are needed and most important for you and your clients. Do you need to have automatic invoicing and receipts, coupon codes, recurring payments, or payment plan options? The features are important when maintaining a professional brand, making things easy for your yoga clients, and minimizing extra work for yourself. 

5. Global Reach

If your business supports local yoga clients only, you may not need to consider this. But if you are supporting yoga students all around the world, you will want to have a platform that allows payments from those parts of the globe. 

Learn more: How Much Does a Yoga Teacher Make?

Best Ways to Collect Payment for a Yoga Class when Teaching Yoga Online

When you are searching for the right payment software for your yoga business, ask lots of questions and test out the user experience as well as a business owner’s experience, if you can. Although the following list isn’t comprehensive, it includes some of the more common online payment software options available today. 

Cash Apps

There are a few popular cash applications on the market. Cash apps like Venmo and Zelle are well known but they generally aren’t supposed to be used for business purposes. PayPal is similar but it does have a business option (see below). 

PayPal

One of the most common platforms for online payment is PayPal. They have a business option that provides customers numerous ways to pay. According to PayPal, customers can pay via PayPal, PayPal credit, debit/credit cards, as well as several other local alternatives (e.g., Venmo). And, they have different levels of platform integration depending on your business needs. PayPal also has the ability to provide payment options, recurring payments, and free invoicing (1). 

Other Payment Processing Software

There are a variety of other reputable platforms available that will require you to do a bit of research to determine if they are what you need for your online yoga business. The following list includes a few other options you may want to explore:

• Quickbooks

• Square

• Shopify

• Stripe

Checks

This isn’t necessarily the most ideal route and it’s not technically online but it’s still an option. Not all clients are tech savvy or have the desire to put their payment information online. So, for those rare occasions, you could always request your yoga students mail you a check. The downside is it will take a while for you to receive and process it, so, you should consider requesting the check in-advance of the yoga sessions. 

Some payment software may also allow you to take eChecks. You can learn more about eChecks here. 

5 Tips for Online Payments

Because you may or may not be interacting with each of your yoga students prior to their purchase of your online yoga class or course, here are a few tips to ensure a smooth payment process for your clients:

1. Require Payments Before Class

If all your yoga students complete their payment ahead of time, you will know how many students to prepare for in each online class. It will help you stay organized, but you also don’t want payment processing or payment issues to cut into your yoga class time. And, you likely don’t want to have to waste time chasing down payments after class. 

2. Clear Communication

Once payment is complete, there should be clear communication about what the student will receive and what they need to do to take the next steps. Ideally, they would receive an auto email that provides a welcome and instructions on how to prepare for and access the online yoga classes. 

3. Keep it Simple

We’ve mentioned this a few times because it’s important. Simplicity and ease of use are key for online customer payments. This means website design, the information you request from your students when they sign up, and the payment process should all be simple. Don’t make it too complicated, difficult to understand, or require non-essential info. 

4. Use Your Yoga Website

Although there are likely other applications you will use to engage and communicate with your fitness community (i.e., social media), you will want to consider having a professional website that integrates all the important customer features into the site. Having access to the details of your yoga classes, scheduling access, and payment processing all in one place makes the process easier for students to find what they need and sign up for yoga classes with you. 

5. Clear Call to Actions (CTAs)

Clear CTAs will provide clarity and guide the customer through the payment process. Call to actions like “Check Out Here,” “Buy Now,” or “Register for Class” are clear CTAs that can help lead your students through the process. 

Are You Interested in Becoming a Yoga Instructor?

Check out the Yoga Teacher Training course from the ISSA Yoga & Wellness Academy. You’ll learn the postures and benefits of the ancient practice and have the skills and tools to lead your yoga class. Plus, you’ll be eligible to register for the RYT 200 designation from the Yoga Alliance. 

References

• "PayPal for Business: Merchant Services: PayPal US." Paypal.com. PayPal for Business | Merchant Services | PayPal US. https://www. paypal. com/us/business. 2020. Accessed September 27, 2020.