For yoga instructors, yoga retreat vacations provide a potentially lucrative opportunity to increase income. Growing a small yoga retreat vacation into an established one that attracts yoga practitioners from throughout a region, however, can be challenging. If you're a yoga instructor and already offer small, local retreats, here are four ways you can grow those retreats into sizable regional yoga retreat vacations.
Specialize in a Specific Type of Yoga
If you're going to ask attendees to pay hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars to attend a yoga retreat vacation, then you need to have something unique to offer. One way to differentiate your retreat from other instructors' classes is to specialize in a specific type of yoga, such as ananda, bikram, hatha or yin yoga. By becoming an expert in one of these types of yoga, you'll have something to offer attendees that other instructors in your area don't.
As you become more known as the area expert on a specific type of yoga, other instructors will begin mentioning you in discussions about the type of yoga you know. If you offer yoga retreat vacations, instructors in your region will be able to refer students to you without risking losing their weekly class attendees.
Partner with Local Instructors
If you aren't well-known in the area where you're hosting your retreat, you're going to need the help of local instructors to recruit attendees. Gaining the support of other instructors is easy if you're already an expert in a specific type of yoga, though.
Contact area instructors and offer them free attendance. Even if they don't convince any students to sign up for your yoga retreat vacation, they'll tell their students about it -- especially if you can teach them something. The next time you host a retreat in the area, those instructors' students will be more apt to attend, because they'll have heard about you and your expertise from their trusted instructors.
Ask for Lists of Past Guests
If you're hosting your yoga retreat vacation at a hotel or resort, the place where you're holding it might be able to provide you with a list of past guests. These are people who have chosen to stay at the hotel or restore before, so the location likely appeals to them. Any who are interested in yoga may consider attending a yoga retreat vacation at the place, since they already know they like the place.
Not every hotel and resort will give retreat hosts a list of their previous guests, but you should at least ask for a list. As Meetings and Conventions explains, hotels are legally allowed to release their guest lists. They might decline to, or they might give the records to you.
Substitute for Local Teachers
One of the most effective marketing campaigns is word of mouth -- specifically, words from your mouth. In the weeks and months leading up to your yoga retreat vacation, substitute for as many area yoga instructors as you can, and do it as often as you're able to. Every time you fill in for someone, you'll be building connections with yoga students in the area and have a chance to plug your upcoming retreat. A few of the students you meet may decide to attend.
If you're a yoga instructor, growing a small yoga retreat vacation into an established regional event could greatly increase your income. It takes some work, as all of these ideas require effort. The hard work will pay off when you have more attendees paying to come to your yoga retreat vacation, though. Every time you receive another deposit, you'll be glad you toiled to grow your retreat. You can also contact a local yoga retreat center and see what services you can offer them in exchange for publicity or marketing help.
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