You are excited, and you should! Organizing and leading your own retreat is very rewarding and exciting.

You dreamed it, you create it, you went for it. Then something happens…and it happens to all of us… which is nothing…nothing happens once you put your retreat out there into the world. Maybe you have a few inquiries, maybe people support your retreat, they would love to go, but for some mysterious reasons you don't see any booking, or at least not enough.

To fill your retreat, you need a well thought out plan and an equally well executed plan. Add faith and trust “that it will all work out” and you will be on your way to fill your retreat.

Note: If you are a retreat leader and you have a guest yoga teacher, you can still go through the same process and make sure they are advertising your retreat with their own students. It’s a team effort.

Before you start - whether you are in the planning stages or your retreat is already out in the world, dedicate some time to this very important 1st step:

CLARITY + VISION

Spend some time thinking about what kind of retreat you want to offer. A dreamy location and daily yoga classes are not enough.

Dream about it, envision every detail, feel the experience ( I mean really feel it), imagine your guests emotions while on your retreat, imagine the benefits of your retreat for them, imagine them on the first and last day and how they changed, transformed etc. Then ask yourself these 3 fundamental questions and answer them as best you can and as detailed as you can:

1- Why Am I organizing this retreat?
What is your intention? What is your higher purpose with this retreat, what are you trying to accomplish? i.e: deepen your students practice
2- Who Am I organizing this retreat for?
What kind of problems are they trying to solve? How am I going to give them the best experience? How can I add Value?
3- What are the benefits of my retreat?
What kind of mind body and soul experience I would like them to receive based on their needs (pain points) - How will my retreat help them grow and develop?. How will it enhance their lives?

Be clear on what your retreat is about, you will know you are there when you can describe it in just a few words. i.e : Yoga + Surf Retreat, Yoga + Sound Healing Retreat, Yoga + Goal Setting Retreat. 

People going on a Yoga + Surf Retreat are not the same as those going on a Yoga + Sound Healing retreat. One group wants to practice, be super active, adventurous and the other is looking to deepen their practice and heal old wounds. Know who you are organizing the retreat for, so you can speak to them directly…they will hear you!

Note: Answering these questions sincerely and in depth will help you gain clarity in planning and also when it’s time to write your landing page copy, emails, ads etc.

The location of your retreat is very important, it is an integral part of your retreat experience it needs to go with your retreat theme. For more tips, insights and information,  check out our retreat check list for step by step organizing tips and pricing overview so you can plan your budget accordingly and not lose money.

Now that you have a clear vision and intention for your retreat, follow these 5 strategies to fill it:

5 TIPS TO FILL YOUR YOGA RETREAT
 

1. Put the word out

Which means putting yourself out there authentically. Ideally at least 12 months before the retreat starts. Gather your helpers, friends and family who can be advocates for you. Trust is a huge factor in the booking process, people buy from people they trust and by referrals because they trust the person referring them.

If you are already promoting a retreat, look at what is working and what is not, are you getting a lot of inquiries, but no bookings, look for the common denominator, is it too expensive, not enough free time, what are the major concerns preventing them from moving forward and clicking on that “book now button”.

If it’s a pricing issue, you can revisit your budget. You can use our Retreat Pricing Worksheet to play with the numbers and know exactly how every little item will change, and affect (positiely or negatively) your bottom line.

Note: If you want to offer an early booking discount, or a family and friend discount or both, it’s best to “launch your retreat” with it. The “book by date” will create a sense of urgency.

Pay close attention to your retreat landing page, it needs to be well designed, with all the relevant information. The copy needs to be well written, this is where you will convert interested, curious people, into attendees. This page, is one of the most important component of filling your retreat. To learn ways to improve your landing page, click here.

2. Create a Marketing + Advertising Campaign

If it sounds complicated, it’s not. Think of all the ways you can put the word out for your retreat:

2.1 Social Media:
Before you start your planning, know where you have the most interaction and engagement with your posts right now and use this channel as your primary advertising platform (Facebook, Instagram etc.)

The other social media channels will be secondary, but cannot be ignored entirely.

To create your advertising campaign - the easiest and most effective way to do it is to create a content calendar. Sit down and think about all the posts (free) and running ads (paid) you would like to have, in order to inform people about your retreat. Posts need to be varied, from inspirational, to educational, to funny, but all need to bring some sort of value, and it has to link to your retreat theme, always. Take all of your ideas and put them in a calendar so that you know exactly what you are posting and when. If you can create your content ahead of time and simply push it on d-day, even better. You can also use MeetEdgar.com, it's a content management company that helps you create, organize and manage your social media content.

Tips for social media campaigns for your retreat: 

Tip 1 -Create a Facebook Group for the retreat so you can interact with people interested in your retreats (add your friends to it), bring value, insights and post regularly. It will help with sharing information, getting them excited, answering their questions etc. Be present, be consistent, be mindful and be helpful, bring them value!. It’s another opportunity for people to get to know you and to trust you.
You can share things like, the itinerary or daily schedule, what you will be eating, a local recipe, talk about the experience they will have with you.

Tip 2 - Post on both your personal Facebook page and professional page if you have one (if you do not, it could be a good idea to create one). Ask your friend to share your posts with their friends. Build momentum and create added exposure.

Tip 3 - Create a video for your retreat. Videos are powerful. Keep it simple, less is more, however, make sure it looks professional and most importantly, make sure it conveys the message you are sharing. What are you offering, who is it for, what’s in for them. 

Videos are easier to share as well. People tend to easily share videos. Added Bonus, it is yet another opportunity for you to show up authentically and for people to get to know you, and you guest it, trust you.

Tip 4 - Experiment with Facebook ads and google ads. Determine a comfortable budget for you, define your target market (those 1st few questions, really come in handy now), create your message, it needs to be focused on one idea for example, (unless you are doing a brand ad), but in general, focus on 1-3 main attribute/benefits of your retreat and their matching pain points.
Always look at the results and see who is looking at your ad, who is engaging with it, their geographical location, their gender etc. Look for what is working and refine your message and “target” the most responsive and engaged group of people (as per your results). This also why, selling your retreat at least 12 months ahead is crucial, it will allow you the luxury of time to try, analyze, drop what doesn't work and do more of what works.

2.2 Email campaigns to your list
Design insightful emails for your mailing list, bring value, give them insight and inspiration on a subject and tie your retreat to it. Bringing value builds trust and trusts brings bookings.

2.3 Blog + Helpful Articles
You can take one of the main pain point your retreat is addressing, write about how to fix it, how to improve, feel better, change etc. and mentioned your retreat for a full immersion experience. When you provide value, life hacks, insights, people will want to spend $2000 to go with you to Bali or Costa Rica. Submit your blog posts to publications read by your tribe. If at first you don't succeed, try again, but please keep sharing your message!

2.4 Print Advertising
Consider this channel, only if it makes sense to you and you have the budget for it. Print advertising can be costly, however, if you know this is where you will reach your tribe, Go for it.  Note: if you do not have the skills to create a professional looking ad, it will be worth it to hire a professional. Sites like freelancers.com, upwork.com have professional designers for every budget. 

 

3- Hit the pavement, the old fashion way

Create flyers for your retreat, attend relevant events and share them with people. Place them where you know your tribe (target audience) hangs out .

Note: Please don't print cheap looking flyers right off your printer (unless it is a really good one, and I mean really good printer), it is worth the money having them professionally printed, in today’s market, Moo, vista print etc. offer really good deals. First impressions are everything, and cheap looking flyers are not one of them. Showing your attention to such details, will (most often subconsciously) reassure and tell people how you handle everything else in your life, including how you run your retreat and the kind of experience they can expect from you.

4 . Webinars

You can create a series of webinars, depending on your webinar comfort level.

Pick subjects (pain points and how you can help), get the word out, bring people together and mention your retreat and its benefits, it’s always a good idea to have a special promo offer for the webinar attendees. An offer that is only valid for the duration of the webinar.
If you have additional guest speakers, or teachers participating in your retreat, have them on the webinar as well, so they can show their expertise and give a taste of what they can offer during the retreat.

Note: if you have lots of local potential participants, you could throw a party themed around your retreat! It could be at a Yoga studio, or your house. Make sure you think of an exclusive promo offer you can share with them, have sign up sheets ready for those interested.
 

5. Offer Payment Plan Options

Last but not least, payments can often be tricky, because, not everyone has the means to pay the full balance after they paid the initial deposit. This is a huge point that can make or break a decision to book. In this instance, having the luxury of time, is paramount, you can help people by breaking the payments monthly, or in let’s say 4 payments, or let them pay when they can, as long as they are paid in full by the due date.

Make sure this option is clearly shared on all your advertising. It is a big selling point!
You can also decide if you will charge a fee for installment payments, or if you will give an incentive for people to pay in full before the due date. It’s up to you, this is part of your marketing strategy, based on knowing what will help your tribe.

Make sure to keep track of all your payments so that you know when they are due, who is behind and who is paid in full. 

Above all, don’t give up. Stay the course, even if sometimes the numbers aren’t exactly what you had in mind, stay hopeful. The usual trio Fear, Doubt + Insecurities will creep in. Don’t listen, even if you are tempted! Anchor yourself in your vision, your intention, your trust and in your faith that everything is always perfect and that the Universe always has your back. Take a deep breath, meditate on it if you can. Stay grounded in the intention you hold in your heart, be in a place of abundance + joy.

 

 

 

Organizing, selling and leading a retreat can be difficult, but an unforgettable and rewarding experience. Keep learning on different ways to sell your retreat.

At the end of the day, you are trying to share your message, talent, gift with the world, you are a catalyst for change, for transformation, you want to be of service to the world. Don't let the ups and downs of sales and marketing let you forget why you do what you do! Keep going, you are awesome!