Marketing is how we serve our students & community.
Can we inform & excite as well as create connection & be of service?
Below are some questions to consider, as well as suggested action items.
Grab a cup of tea, a journal, & your favorite pen.
Brainstorm the following. Take what works. Leave the rest.
Personal Inventory
As you prepare your marketing strategy, complete an honest personal & business inventory.
- How much time are you willing to invest on marketing?
- How much of your profit are you willing to give for discounts?
- How do you want to spend your energy?
Do you want to cultivate in-person connection or digital connection?
What are your resources?
- Your network – Who is your network?
- Your time/energy – How much time/energy do you have?
- Your money – How much do have to invest?
How will you know you’re on the right track?
- What data will you collect to decide if your efforts are effective?
- How will you create opportunities for feedback of your efforts?
- How will you adjust your efforts?
What are your “maximums?” What risks are you willing to take?
Your Retreat Participants
To streamline your efforts, think about your potential retreat participants & how you’ll connect.
- What/where are the outlets for your teachings?
- Where/what is your platform for communicating with your community?
- Where/who is your community?
Possible platforms/outlets/community spaces:
- Website/blog
- Newsletter/email list
- Classes/Trainings/Workshops
- Online teaching spaces
- Social Media
When deciding which platform you use, consider:
- Which space can you receive immediate feedback from your community?
- Where can you have a dialogue about your retreat?
- How can you learn what is preventing your community from registering?
Once you’re in dialogue with your potential retreat participants, give them these answers:
- Why should I go on a retreat?
- Why should I go now?
- Why should I go on retreat with you?
- What am I going to get from this retreat?
What else do you want your potential retreat participants to know about:
- You?
- The retreat?
- The venue?
- The teachings?
- The food?
- The container?
- The process?
Your Network
Who can help build interest & excitement about your retreat?
As you strategize & brainstorm your marketing plan, stretch your mind to identify everyone in your network, as well as who can become part of your network.
Who are your:
- Mentors
- Teachers
- Dedicated students
- Colleagues & Peers
Who else supports you & your offerings?
What about those who don’t know you personally, but who:
- Support the teachings?
- Support your teachers?
- Support your lineage?
- Support You?
Who can you “cold call” to ask for 5 mins of their time to spread the word about your retreat?
Where can you be a guest teacher, speaker, or writer?
- Podcasts
- Newsletters
- Social Media
- Conference Calls
- Webinars
Marketing Ideas & Suggestions
Remember: marketing is about cultivating connection & serving your community.
Provide opportunities for potential retreat participants to get an example of your teachings.
These examples can be individual or collaborative teachings.
Always connect back to your upcoming retreat.
In-person ideas:
- Offer a retreat info session/potluck/gathering
- Offer a sliding-scale practice
- Provide a guest pass to your class/workshop/training
- Guest teach at a different studio
- Share your teachings at a networking event
Invite your chef to bring a tasting menu to an in-person offering.
Online/digital ideas (larger reach & audience potential):
- Create a video of your teachings
- Offer a free conference call or webinar of your teachings
- Guest teach on a podcast
Social Media Suggestions
These social media suggestions can also be used for newsletters/eBlasts/emails or as talking points on conference calls, webinars, or at networking events.
Make social media posts daily (or as often as you want) that inform & excite about:
- The retreat
- Your vision
- The venue
- The teachings
- Your collaborators
At the end of each Instagram post, remind people to visit the link in your profile.
On your Facebook page/profile, include a link to your registration link & tag the Facebook event page.
Sharing is Caring: Encourage your online community to invite their friends & share the retreat event page on their page/profile.
