So, you’ve decided you want to host a yoga retreat? You think you’re ready. Well, almost. Here’s a do’s and don’ts guide by International yoga teacher Laura Burkhart, who travels around the world teaching at retreats.
By Laura Burkhart
Tips for Teachers
Hosting retreats can be fun, rewarding and adventurous. What most teachers don’t realize is the amount of time it takes to develop a retreat, the personal finances that are required upfront to reserve a retreat facility, and the work that goes into hosting a retreat.
The following tips are for those new to leading retreats, as well as seasoned leaders who want to improve the quality and success of their retreats. These keys will ensure your retreats run smoothly and that everyone has an excellent experience.
Before the Retreat:
1)What’s your Student Base?
Whether you host the retreat on your own or go through a company, most attendees will be your own students. So, make sure you have taught long enough to have developed a solid relationship with your regular students. Get some feelers by asking your students if they’d be interested in attending a retreat hosted by you, and tell them about potential locations and the price range. You will get your answer.
2)Can you do it all by Yourself?
There are pluses and minuses to hosting a retreat on your own, or with another teacher, versus going through a company.
Going solo: You are in control of everything—the location, cost, marketing, communication, logistics, food, activities, sign-ups, airfare, transactions etc., along with teaching yoga and playing retreat host—your prime job. This option is particularly good if you plan to host a local retreat, and have good connections who are ready to help. If you manage time well, like to have control over the event, and are very organized, go ahead. The revenue will be all yours. Be sure to get an assistant if you plan to have a long retreat.
With a Partner: When you host a retreat with another teacher, you have a support system in place and you both can share teaching responsibilities. You will also have a larger database to target, so there’s also a possibility that more students will come for the retreat. The downside about co-hosting is that finances can get tricky, especially when one teacher brings in more students than the other. Make sure you think through it.
Through a Company: The upside about going through a retreat company is they handle all the “dirty work”. If the company has been in business for a while, there is a good chance they have a lot of experience managing retreats and have worked out any kinks to offer a smooth, well organized experience. Since they advertise the retreat too, you are likely to get more attendees. The downside is you will need a minimum number of attendees to cover your personal costs, such as your airfare. You may also make less money than when you host your own.
3)Near or Far?
When you choose a nearby location to hold a retreat over a weekend, not only is it less expensive, it also saves time and airfare. You will most likely be able to continue conducting most of your regular classes, and it is easier to fill your local retreat because it is cheaper for the attendees too. The downside is that it may not sound as exotic and you may not make as much money, but it is best to host a few local retreats before escaping to a far off location. Getting away to an exotic retreat has its own charm—you get to see a new place, your expenses are covered and you make money, although if your primary income comes from your regular classes, you will be missing out on that. When setting up the cost of the retreat, try to at least break even. The drawback of a faraway place is it involves more logistics and moving parts for both you and the attendees, and a larger time commitment.
4)What’s a good price?
While deciding the price, think about the demographics of your students: their age, gender, estimated income and lifestyle. Are they more interested in luxury or affordability? What are their interests: hiking, cycling, rock climbing, massages? Do they eat meat and drink alcohol? How much time can they take off from work? The more you know your students’ lifestyle, the better you create a retreat that will appeal to them.
5)Marketing
Once you have surveyed your students, picked the location, put down the deposit, and figured out
logistics, price etc., start marketing it extensively.
Announce in your classes: Make sure to announce the retreat at the end of all of your classes. Give time after class to answer questions.
Promotional Materials: Create retreat fliers and promotional cards. Keep them on hand, and makes sure you have them available after class. Keep a stack of promotional cards in studios where you teach, with their permission. Ask studios, health food stores and active wear shops if you can post a retreat flier on their notice board.
Social Outreach: Use social media and a newsletter to reach as many people as you can.
Early Bird: Encourage students to sign up by a certain time to avail of early bird offers.
At the Retreat
Make the retreat about the attendees. You are there to serve the attendees: it is not your vacation! Schedule time for yourself before or after the retreat if you want vacation time. I would advise against bringing your significant other or children on the retreat, so your attention is entirely on the attendees.
Create a community. Make sure everyone feels included as most people are looking forward to being a part of a like-minded community. At the beginning of the retreat, break the ice by getting attendees to introduce one another; you might even have a partner activity to help attendees integrate with each other.
Stay connected. Attendees always have questions and change of plans. Make sure you’re quick with email and text replies.
Be present and spend time with attendees between classes, and give personal attention. They are not there to just take a class with you, but to know you and for you to know them.
Set boundaries. Though it is good to spend as much time as you can with attendees, you might need an hour or so to conserve energy and prepare for class, take care of business with the retreat center, set up an activity, or a moment for yourself to breathe.
Be positive. Check in with attendees and make sure anything negative is quickly nipped. Try to fix the issue and turn negative situations into positives as quickly as possible.
After the Retreat
Makes sure your attendees get home safe. At the end of the retreat, assist attendees in getting to their shuttle, boat, plane or car, etc. Be sure to thank them for coming on the retreat with you!
Follow up. Stay connected with them. Send a follow-up email thanking them and share pictures. For those who live close to you, I’d recommend hosting a retreat reunion at a coffee shop, restaurant or home. I find these friendships to be the most beautiful, rewarding outcomes of hosting retreats!
After the retreat is over, you will most likely feel a combination of satisfaction, along with physical and mental exhaustion. Be sure to take time after the retreat to take care of yourself. Retreats absorb a lot of your personal energy and you need to replenish your soul afterwards. Take a day or two to refill your cup, rest, go to the spa, and treat yourself. You definitely deserve it!
Laura Burkhart is an E-RYT 500 San Francisco-based teacher, and a former Yoga Journal Singapore cover model. She teaches international workshops, hosts retreats, and conducts workshops at yoga festivals.
This article was first published in the print edition of Yoga Journal Singapore, which is now Yogahood Online.
