5 Tips For Running a Retreat Post Covid
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I would like to say that after 7 years, A LOT of mistakes and even more learning and growing, I think I have this retreat thing down to a science. Coming fresh off of the Bermuda Retreat, I have been reflecting on how far not only BGP has come but how much I have matured and learned how to put my feelings and emotions to the side to be able to provide a beautiful experience for everyone who comes to a retreat!
After Covid and having over 65…yes 65 people with retreat credits, I spent this last year really focusing on how I can host a great experience and protect myself should anything as crazy as Covid happen again! Here are a few things I have learned along the way.
1. Have a Back Up Plan…
Nothing like planning a retreat in Bali and then learning they are not bringing in any foreign visitors due to the pandemic. Having a second and sometimes even third location can save you headaches and heartbreak.
I'm sure this is something that is true in all aspects of life but especially retreats. You may have the best idea ever, you may think “there's no way this will fail” BUT trust me when I say there are always things to consider.
2. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate!!!
I can not stress enough how important it is to keep your retreaters in the loop of what is happening months leading up to the retreat! If I told you how many times I have had to say “per our email on August 10th 1985 (because that’s how long I keep receipts) we stated that you have a remaining balance of X” having open lines of communication even when they may not reply back will not only save you but also show everyone who signed up for your retreat that you are organized and on top of things.
They will trust that you are taking care of everything and in the event something bad happens or there is a change, they will be more understanding because you have done your job to over communicate with them since they signed up. ConverKit is a great source to write emails and create sequences with your retreaters so you can even see if they are receiving and opening your emails!
3. Oversell the retreat
Every retreat, every year, every location…someone is going to pull out and not come. From pregnancy to misplaced passports to injuries, it happens every single time. To save you from losing money, oversell! If you want to have a retreat with 14 people, open up 16 spots. This way you know…
Which brings me to #4 and probably the most important…
4. Have crystal clear terms and conditions!
Before they sign on the dotted line and pay that deposit…friend if you don’t here anything else I say, here THIS! That terms in condition needs to cover everything from a plague of locust to Jesus himself returning…in which case, just tell Jesus to pull up at the retreat cause we we are not doing is canceling! I stress this so hard because I’m all honesty have been burned from not being clear with cancellation policies and how long someone’s credit for a retreat can be. After Covid…the BGP terms and conditions is tighter than a Brinks Security Truck.
If someone cancels their spot - YOU still had to do all of the work booking their reservations and coordinating their experiences. And over the years, I’ve had people cancel for alllll kinds of reasons. While I’d love to be able to refund everyone - at the end of the day, I’m running a very small business and I can’t discount the work that I had to do prior to their cancellation. So! I created much stronger terms and conditions that not only benefits the retreater but also supports my business.
And everything is very clearly spelled out! No one should have any excuses or questions about what’s happening in the event of cancellation. So make sure that document is super clear and concise before you offer any retreat opportunity to anyone!
Trust me, this will save you MAJORLY in the future.
5. Be mindful of third party retreat planning services
I can write a novel on this. Using another company to plan your retreat can have its pros and cons. Most places pick the accommodations, select all of the excursions and handle all of the booking on the backend for you. They also take a large cut of your profits, make you pay your own airfare and if you cancel, you're left with hefty fees that you have to cover out of pocket. If you don’t love putting together the schedule and creating the itinerary then go for it but be sure to read all of the fine print. Also check to see that this company isn’t working with and planning retreats for 100 other pole dancers in the industry!
Most of the time, it’s best to plan a retreat yourself. That way you can keep all of your profits and create a custom experience that truly reflects your brand. Plus, if you need to make any changes or cancellations its much easier to manage the details when you're in control.
At the end of the day, don't forget to make sure that you are having a good time. It should be less about "ticking off boxes" and more about creating a special experience that truly embodies your brand. Don't be afraid to get creative with it and have fun!
So there you have it! My top tips I've learned for running retreats after Covid.
Have any other tips? Drop them in the comments below!