Iโve been leading retreats 13 years and the way I run them now looks very different from when I started.โฃโฃ
Some changes came from watching how guests actually move through a retreat. Others came from realizing that a beautiful property and itinerary arenโt enough to make people register ๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ฏ.โฃ
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โก๏ธ These are five things I do differently now.โฃ
๐ญ. ๐ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฎ ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ต ๐ถ๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐โฃ
I used to finish the retreat details, post the information and wait to see who registered.โฃ
The problem was that people had no reason to make a decision right away. They might like the retreat, save the post and tell themselves they would come back to it later.โฃ
Many never did.โฃ
Now, I create a launch plan before registration opens. That may include:โฃ
* Introducing the retreat before revealing every detailโฃ
* Building a VIP or early-access listโฃ
* Announcing a specific registration dateโฃ
* Giving existing students or subscribers first accessโฃ
* Offering a limited early incentiveโฃ
* Following the launch with information about the rooms, activities and destinationโฃ
Instead of asking people to react to one announcement, I give them time to become familiar with the retreat and a clear reason to act when registration opens.โฃ
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๐ฎ. ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ธ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ร ๐น๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ดโฃ
Many retreat venues automatically quote a daily meal plan that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner for every guest.โฃ
That is convenient, but it is ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ข๐ญ๐ธ๐ข๐บ๐ด ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ด๐ต ๐ท๐ข๐ญ๐ถ๐ฆ.โฃ
Guests may be away during lunch on an excursion. Someone may eat a large breakfast and not want another full meal a few hours later. Others may decide to explore a local restaurant during their free time.โฃ
๐๐ผ Now, I ask whether meals can be priced individually instead of automatically accepting the full package.โฃ
This makes it possible to pay for the meals the group will actually use. It can reduce the retreat price, create more flexibility and prevent the host from paying for food that goes untouched.โฃ
To date, Iโve not had a venue tell me โnoโ.โฃ
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๐ฏ. ๐ ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐น๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ต ๐ณ๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒโฃ
Meals are one of the most important parts of a retreat.โฃ
Breakfast gives everyone a chance to ease into the day together. Dinner brings the group back after classes, excursions and free time. These meals naturally become the times when everyone catches up and gets to know each other.โฃ
Lunch feels different.โฃ
By the middle of the day, some guests are hungry and ready to sit down. Others want to stay at the pool, take a nap, book a massage or skip lunch entirely.โฃ
Instead of requiring everyone to eat lunch together at the same time, I prefer to leave it open (freestyle๐ค๐ฝ) when the venue and itinerary allow. Food can still be available, but guests can come when they are ready.โฃ
It gives everyone more freedom during the day and may also reduce the food budget.โฃ
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๐ฐ. ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ปโ๐ ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ป๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐โฃ
On paper, the first evening seems like the perfect time for an opening circle.โฃ
Everyone has arrived, the retreat is beginning and the group is finally together.โฃ
In practice, people have spent the day flying, driving, navigating airports and adjusting to a new place. Someone may be jet-lagged. Another guest may arrive late because their flight was delayed.โฃ
By the time everyone sits down, most people are too tired to absorb much.โฃ
Now, I keep the first evening simple. Guests settle into their rooms, have dinner, receive the information they need for the night and get some rest.โฃ
The full opening happens the next morning, often as part of the first class, when everyone is rested and able to participate.โฃ
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๐ฑ. ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ธ-๐๐ผ๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐โฃ
The retreat doesnโt end when everyone checks out. After guests return home, I send each person a handwritten thank-you note.โฃ
It gives the retreat a more personal ending than just a group email or automated survey. It also gives me an opportunity to thank each guest for trusting me with their time, money and travel experience.โฃ
It is a small gesture, but it lets people know they were not simply another registration on a spreadsheet.โฃ
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๐ฆ๐บ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐โฃโฃ
None of these changes requires a more expensive venue or another major excursion.โฃ
But together, they have changed how I sell retreats, how I structure the days and how guests experience the week.โฃ
The launch gives people a reason to register. Flexible meals can reduce unnecessary costs. Moving the opening circle allows guests to participate when they are rested. A handwritten note gives the experience a personal ending after everyone returns home.โฃ
Often, it isnโt one enormous decision that improves a retreat. It is a series of smaller choices based on what people actually need.โฃ
โHave a retreat-planning question youโd like me to cover in a future email? Hit reply and send it my way:)โฃ
