Manifesting a Successful Retreat
Your yoga retreat planning is in full motion and there is excitement, anticipation, and perhaps a little anxiety. Will I be able to fill all the spots? How will I get the word out there? All of a sudden, little doubts start to creep in.
Well have no fear. Doubts are normal and will fade with some positive thinking and manifestation.
Not to mention, True Nature Education is here to support you with your marketing needs.
We stumbled across a lovely article written by yoga retreat leader, Susan, for one of our favorite centers! Over the years Susan has led successful global yoga retreats and has shared an amazing write-up on how she manifested her retreats into being. Take a look and we hope it inspires you to get rid of all those silly doubts.
How did you fill your yoga retreat?
How did I do it? With intention, perseverance and sound advice. Everything in life starts with intention and requires holding that intention strong until the end. My intention was to bring my community together in the relaxed, warm and welcoming setting of Blue Osa. I wanted to share yoga and work on accepting change and stepping away from comfort zone. This intention gave me a sense of direction that lead me through self-doubt and fear of failure. When you have intention, it is easy to fill your yoga retreat.
If I could give you a grocery list for manifesting a successful trip, it would sound like this. Here are 12 tips on how to fill your yoga retreat:
Create the image in your mind
Ensure that the image is based on your truth and serves the highest good. (Be really detailed in your visualization with positive emotional triggers.)
Hold a Costa Rica Party
I had two, one in March and one in August 2013 for February 2014’s trip). I offered a $300/$200 discount respectively for anyone who signed up that day. People like to pre-plan their big trips, and for a lot of people this is huge! The party class was free. Past retreaters were invited and asked to bring a Costa Rican dish to share; and we enjoyed delicious food while sharing our experiences with interested students.
Create a trip packet and enrollment forms to inform and facilitate the sign-up process
Blog, share on Facebook and email regularly reminding everyone of the wonderful opportunity. It takes six times before the general consumer cognitively recognizes a service and has the impulse to act.
Offer a payment plan for those that really want to come but cannot lay out a lump sum of money all at once
I required a $500 non-refundable deposit and allowed everyone to make whatever payments they could afford. The balance simply needed to be paid in full by December 1st.
Don’t give up
Sometimes the numbers aren’t exactly where you’d like them to be. Fear, doubt and insecurities will try to creep in. Don’t go there! Return and stay grounded in your positive feeling and visualized intention.
If and when you start to doubt, work on refining your agenda; develop a program guide and share that with participants and potential retreaters. People like to know what to expect. Reach out to those that you think might want to come and personally invite them. Request everyone’s travel itinerary. This not only helps you put together a chart of arrival and departure times for the resort, but it gets them excited and talking about the retreat. IT DEVELOPS MOMENTUM.
Make announcements, be enthusiastic and explain what students will experience or receive from this awesome vacation retreat.
Trust the universe!
Gifts are delivered in many ways. Quite often they are what you least expect. When you are grounded in love and services, God delivers wonderful surprises
Have fun and be in a place of abundance and joy.
Treat the event like a business plan
Who is your target audience?
How will you market?
What’s your goal?
What is in it for them? Why will customers choose to sign-up?
Advertise, promote, announce and talk about the trip repetitively. (I used Google Ads, Facebook, Constant Contact, flyers, class announcements, and shared the experience with anyone and everyone who inquired)
In short, leading a yoga retreat is no walk in the park, but it is rewarded by unforgettable memories and long lasting bonds. Set an intention and push through until the end. Take all the advice you can get and put it into practice to ensure a successful yoga retreat from start to finish.
About Susan Smith
Susan Smith, yoga teacher, guide and author of “The Power of Yoga” has been a dedicated student of yoga on and off the mat since 1997. With over 29 years of education and experience in exercise physiology, fitness and spiritual awakening, Susan developed a fluid style of yoga founded on her studies in Hatha, Ashtanga and Hot Vinyasa techniques. Her training includes numerous certifications from master instructors throughout the U.S. Each contributed to her teaching philosophy. She shares her vision, passion, and practicality with students worldwide.
Written for and published by our friends in the Osa Peninsula!
If you would like to book or lead a retreat with True Nature Education feel free to contact us at info@truenatureeducation.com
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