My Experiences Sharing The Chi

When I became accredited in 2015, I was the only teacher in Delaware. I often felt like I was scratching away at a boulder with one fingernail, somehow expecting to make a dent. As time has passed, however, I’m increasingly grateful for the Chi, which continually generates bursts of creativity unlike anything I’ve experienced. Today my life is filled with a sense of mission, excitement, and fun in ways I never imagined possible.

The following are suggestions on ways to brand yourself, generate free press, and stir your own pot as much as possible. The ideas are based on my experience, coupled with an almost constant stream of Chi-inspired brainstorms.

• Pick or create a logo; if you like lotuses, use a lotus. Use it everywhere: business cards, letterheads, class flyers, or build a website with a big lotus on the homepage. If you’re not comfortable designing your own, head to a local office supply store. All have graphic artists on staff who’ll design a complete package. Or visit HYPERLINK “http://vistaprint.com/” t “_blank” vistaprint.com to buy 500 business cards for about $10.

• Having a website (or Facebook page) lends credibility. WordPress makes designing slick websites a breeze, but if that seems overwhelming, take advantage of the wealth of knowledge in our community. (Lisa Otero, KG, and Janet Knapp-Starr have all been so helpful to me.)

• Leverage free press: I put together an hour-long introductory workshop, then called the health editor at the newspaper and they were happy to cover the event. If you aren’t sure what to say, there are resources on both TCC websites. The really good news is that your local newspaper will often give you photos or sometimes even a short video that you can use for self-promotion. Also, at your local office supply store, pay a couple dollars to enlarge onto poster-sized engineering paper any articles you’re featured in. Hang them on the wall at future presentations; they (and you) will look great.

• Contact anyone you think might be open to a free 15-30 minute presentation; free presentations can easily lead to regular gigs. I’ve presented at athletic clothing stores, gyms of all sizes, holistic health centers, community Christian churches/spiritual centers, rotary clubs, business networking groups, parks and recreation centers, even craft fairs. At the very least these events will provide publicity for existing classes. 

• Contact doctors willing to speak with you, especially Functional or Integrative Medicine practitioners, plus Chiropractors, Osteopaths, Homeopaths, and Naturopaths. We now know that “T’ai Chi Chih is an evidence-based mindfulness practice which irrefutably enhances the wellbeing of any regular practitioner.” Use that language liberally or contact Dr David Parrish or Anita Vestal for more info on how to discuss TCC confidently in any medical setting.

• Contact TV stations in your area including community and Christian stations (the FCC requires religious networks to run a certain amount of “God neutral programming.”) A year ago, an opportunity to be interviewed for 15 minutes on a community talk show, which runs daily on a local Christian station, fell into my lap – another example the Chi running the show whether we know it or not. The interview process felt exciting rather than nerve-wracking: kind of like the teacher accreditation presentation on steroids. Both the video and a list of questions they provided prior to the shoot are available on both TCC websites; feel free to use them as preparation for your own adventures in TV-land. The larger world is waiting to hear from all of us.

Remember that all things are possible with the Chi. Just because something hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean it won’t. Your website and Facebook posts, and simply your very different way of being in the world, spread the Chi more than you can imagine. So, get out there any way you can – and don’t be surprised when you begin attracting students almost by accident.