YOGA TO THE PEOPLE WORKPLACE YOGA SESSIONS
& SUPPORTING MARKETING CAMPAIGN MANAGING CREATIVE PROJECTS AND TEAMS, FALL 2015
COLIN REN, GAYATRI MOHAN, NISHITA SOOD, SMEDES SCOVIL
CONTENTS 1. OUR BRAND 2. BRAINSTORMING 3. PROJECT BRIEF 4. MARKET RESEARCH | PHASE 1 5. VALUE PROPOSITION 6. JOURNEY MAP 7. VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS 8. MARKET RESEARCH | PHASE 2 9. PROTOTYPING 10. MARKETING 11. LEARNING LAUNCH 12. CONCLUSION
OUR BRAND
We decided to focus on Yoga to the People because of their unique donation-based business model. YTTP asks:
“Can a yoga studio maintain itself as a business while keeping the focus of its intention on providing yoga as a service first and foremost?� This became the guiding question of our project as we began our research and ideation phase.
BRAINSTORMING SUSTAINABILITY We initially struggled with the sustainability aspect of YTTP. We could follow one of two paths.
Cultural Environmental Build a community around at-home classes for up to six people per session. Redesign YTTP’s currently chaotic payment process at the end of class.
Create a program for YTTP customers to donate lightly used yoga mats and accessories to YTTP.
Design yoga and meditation programs for offsite corporate events.
Design a more eco-friendly, YTTP-branded yoga mat for sale/rent to customers. Design a more eco-friendly water bottle so YTTP doesn’t have to sell plastic water bottles.
BRAINSTORMING SUSTAINABILITY We narrowed down our focus to designing yoga and meditation programs for offsite corporate events.
Cultural
To move forward, we set up an initial conversation with an instructor at YTTP. This conversation immediately revealed a set of key problems with YTTP’s current operations from the organizational, intructor and end-user (YTTP customer) perspectives. Design yoga and meditation programs for offsite corporate events.
PROJECT BRIEF PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED Instructors must go through a 200-hour training session before they can teach at YTTP studios. They receive their weekly teaching schedule only one week in advance. They may have to teach at a different studio each time, further complicating their weekly schedule. Those who don’t have another job suffer from excessive downtime in their teaching schedule.
YTTP has minimal marketing & outreach.
YTTP trains 200 instructors annually, without enough employment opportunities for them within YTTP.
Upon identifying problems from the organizational, instructor and end-user perspectives, we decided to focus on two distinct questions.
How can YTTP better leverage their trained instructors, and avoid wasting the resources invested into their 200hour training sessions? How can YTTP bolster their marketing and outreach efforts to reach a wider audience with greater ease?
MARKET RESEARCH | PHASE 1 Large Client Orgs. Integral Yoga Institute Yoga At Work Program Nava Yoga Work From Om
Minimal Services
Daisy Office Yoga
We propose that YTTP offer their simple Vinyasa yoga classes to smaller organizations with a similar community-building sensibility. YTTP
Small Client Orgs.
Full Suite of Services
MARKET RESEARCH | PHASE 1 CHALLENGES Connecting with reliable sources (studio/office managers) at YTTP Getting timely and relevant responses from the one contact we did find at YTTP How many instructors work full time? Part time? How many instructors leave YTTP after training? How many classes does each instructor teach? Fully understanding YTTP’s business model and operating structure Finding accurate information about competing workplace yoga services
VALUE PROPOSITION After completing our first phase of market research focused on YTTP and its competitive landscape, we arrived at the following value proposition to help them better leverage their trained instructors, while also improving their marketing and outreach efforts:
We propose affordable workplace yoga at a price point of $100/60 min for intimate environments like coworking spaces to: Provide additional teaching opportunities for trained instructors Expand YTTP’s brand outreach and spread their practice Attract more members to the YTTP community (studio classes) Offer culture-building and stress-relieving practices for offices
JOURNEY MAP We identified two instructor types: stable and unstable.
MARIA
stable, 22 dancer, full-time consultant at Ernst & Young Think & Feel Connects with others quickly Happy, excited to share Desire to teach Weekly schedule
YTTP manifesto
Beautiful studios
Environmental focus
Passionate students
No reporting to manager
Effective business model Refers to YTTP as “we�
Smiles, explains highlights in detail
Say & Do Pain
Gain
Lack of teaching opps
Enjoys teaching, income
Paid for teacher training
Believes in YTTP values
See
Hear
NYU endorsement
JOURNEY MAP We identified two instructor types: stable and unstable.
ANDREW
unstable, 34, cyclist, part-time retail worker, experienced yogi Think & Feel Loves yoga Needs income
Other studios offer better pay, reliable schedules
Downtime Conflicting work schedules
High demand for yoga
Full classes
Tries to refrain from blaming YTTP
Say & Do Pain
Gain
Ability to supplement income
Location close to home
Need schedule in advance
Income
See
Hear
Frustrated
JOURNEY MAP Activity Joining YTTP
Class
Training
Schedule
Downtime
Forced to attend a class by NYU friend
Starts regular classes at St. Marks studio
Registered for 200h teacher training
Erratic schedule, clashes with work
Does not rely heavily on yoga for income
Walked in to learn about teacher training
Tried a class in Brooklyn studio
Registered for 200h teacher training
Erratic schedule, difficult to set a routine
Cannot afford downtime
Teaching Flexible and can teach at any studio
Loves yoga but teaches for money
Payment Fine with pay
Fine with pay
Emotions Uninformed
Inspired
Satisfied
Optimistic
Hopeful
Thrilled
Content
Curious
Impressed
Satisfied
Unhappy
Disappointed
Thrilled
Content
Maria Andrew
VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS R&D
Current Proposed
Equipment
Mats, bands, Establishing core values, practice, blocks, blankets, towels, water teaching styles
R&D
Equipment
Space
Instructors
Pre-Session
Promotion via website, social, college partners (NYU)
YTTP studios 200-hour training Coworking spaces
Space
Session
No follow up with customers 60-min Vinyasa
Promotion via website, social, coworking space
Instructors
Post-Session
Pre-Session
Points of Intervention
Follow up with coworking space to host again
Session
Post-Session
VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS SKILLS & PROCESSES
VULNERABILITIES
YTTP brand awareness and reputation
At least 5-7 interested instructors needed
Skilled instructors
At least 3-4 interested coworking spaces needed
Spacious and attractive locations for sessions
Strong marketing needed to promote attendance
CHALLENGES How many instructors work full time? Part time? How many instructors leave YTTP after training? How many classes does each instructor teach? Finding accurate information about competing workplace yoga services
MARKET RESEARCH | PHASE 2 Large Coworking Spaces Wework
Weleet Center for Social Innovation Spark Labs Fueled Collective Yoga Unfriendly
General Assembly
Projective Space Studiomates
Impact Hub AlleyNYC Purehouse
Yoga Friendly
We chose to work with Impact Hub because of their mid-sized working community and their existing inclination towards offering yoga and meditation classes.
Croissant Small Coworking Spaces
MARKET RESEARCH | PHASE 2 CHALLENGES Connecting with reliable sources at Impact Hub Getting timely and relevant responses from our contacts at Impact Hub How many members do they have? How have previous yoga classes been received? What would they pay for yoga classes? Finding accurate information about competing coworking spaces
PROTOTYPING | v1 SERVICE PROVIDER (YTTP) Sign up sheet emailed to teach offsite
Monthly offsite schedule sent out
Instructor (Maria) coordinates with contact at cowork space (Marissa)
Maria transports equipment to coworking space
Maria and Marissa set up
Session starts right on Maria clears out space after class time
Pain points highlighted in grey
PROTOTYPING | v1 CUSTOMER (IMPACT HUB) Impact Hub YTTP sends pricing surveys members and schedule for preferences
Marissa coordinates with Maria
Session starts right on time
Marissa books a space in the office
Marissa helps Maria clear up
Marissa and Maria set up
Impact Hub does a follow up survey with members
Pain points highlighted in grey
PROTOTYPING | v1 END USER (EMPLOYEES) Impact Hub member (Melanie) receives survey about yoga classes and signs up
IH sends final schedule and reminder
Melanie is delayed by a call on the day
Melanie feels dirty after class but has nowhere to shower
Melanie enjoyed class despite missing the first ten minutes
She also had no time to eat lunch
Pain points highlighted in grey
PROTOTYPING | v2 SERVICE PROVIDER (YTTP) Sign up sheet emailed to teach offsite
Monthly offsite schedule sent out
Instructor (Maria) coordinates with contact at cowork space (Marissa)
Maria transports Maria and Marissa set equipment to up coworking space the first day; all subsequent classes will be BYO
Session starts right on Maria clears out space after class time
Improvements highlighted in grey
PROTOTYPING | v2 CUSTOMER (IMPACT HUB) YTTP sends schedule starting with once a week; offsite classes will remain donation based as Impact Hub won’t pay
Impact Hub sends info through newsletter and schedule through Calendly
Marissa coordinates with Maria
Session starts right on time
Marissa books a space in the office
Marissa and Maria set up
Marissa helps Maria clear up
Improvements highlighted in grey
PROTOTYPING | v2 END USER (EMPLOYEES) Impact Hub member (Melanie) receives info through newsletter
Impact Hub sends schedule through Calendly
Melanie is delayed by a Melanie enjoyed class call on the day despite missing the first ten minutes
Melanie can use Impact Hub would consider discounted Impact additional catering and is Hub rate to shower already considering a new at nearby spa cafe on premises
Improvements highlighted in grey
MARKETING
Left: Current website Below: Improved web and mobile platform
MARKETING
Above: Social media advertising Right: Postcards for promotion at coworking spaces
LEARNING LAUNCH STRATEGIC INTENT Cultivate the YTTP brand by increasing its offerings to the community through a program for YTTPtrained instructors to teach at offsite locations, such as coworking spaces. This also provides the trained instructors additional teaching opportunities when they have some downtime at YTTP studios. Workplace classes will remain donation-based, with 100% of donations to instructor, because we discovered through prototyping that Impact Hub, the coworking space in question, would not pay for such a service despite their keen interest in YTTP as a community-oriented organization.
LEARNING LAUNCH REMAINING ASSUMPTIONS TO TEST 1.
Clear service provider interest and scalability: YTTP-trained instructors want to participate in planning and teaching donation-based classes at coworking spaces.
2.
Acceptance by customer: There is more than just one coworking space interested in YTTP’s offering.
3.
Clear end-user value: Coworking space members would be willing to pay for donation-based classes at their workplace.
LEARNING LAUNCH IN-MARKET TEST PLAN UNTESTED ASSUMPTIONS
SUCCESS METRIC FOR LAUNCH
1.
Clear service provider interest
There must be a minimum of 5-7 interested instructors within the first three months.
2.
Acceptance by customer
There must be a minimum of 3-4 interested coworking spaces within the first three months.
3.
Clear end-user value
Instructor must collect a minimum of $50/class on average within the first three months (at a standard rate of $5/person/class in a class of ten).
LEARNING LAUNCH FINANCIAL CAPITAL TO BE EXPENDED Full-time commitment of one YTTP instructor per workplace session = $35/60 min = $35 Reimbursement of instructor’s travel costs = up to $20 Production of marketing materials (website, social ads, postcards) by YTTP staff or freelance designer = $40/hour for a total of 44 hours = $1,760 Distribution of marketing materials (postcards) = digital = 0 Total financial capital to be expended = $1,815
CONCLUSION
CHALLENGES
LEARNINGS
Timeline constrained our ability to make reliable contacts at YTTP & Impact Hub
Conduct a premortem to better anticipate roadblocks
Our motivation plummeted after roadblocks in acquiring accurate information from primary sources
Leverage the project management software, Asana, to coordinate better Be more proactive in seeking out contacts and opportunities Be more persistent in following up with contacts and work more closely with them to develop the program
THANK YOU