How to Market a Retreat: The Complete Guide for Retreat Leaders
Already hosting your retreat at Spirit Camp? This guide is a refresher to help you spread the word with clarity and care. And if you’re looking to grow your retreats beyond the basics, check out our companion blog: Read How to Grow Your Retreat.
Whether you’re planning your very first retreat or you’ve been leading them for years but feel like you could use a brush-up, marketing will test you. It brings up nerves, perfectionism, self-doubt, and all the tender edges of “what if people don’t come?” I’ve bumped into all of these many times. But I’ve also learned that marketing doesn’t have to be complicated. At its core, it’s about clarity, consistency, and care.
After 15 years of leading and assisting retreats around the world — from India to New York, from the redwoods of California to the Rockies of Colorado, where I co-led meditation retreats with my longtime colleague Yashoda — I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. I’ve also witnessed the long game: how consistency over years builds a reputation and a community that sustains the work.
Before I ever hosted retreats, I was running meditation courses monthly, offering regular workshops, advanced trainings, and ongoing community sessions. That rhythm of showing up year after year is what funneled people into retreats — and what made those retreats sustainable. If you’re just starting out, I recommend building that consistency first.
This guide is meant for both beginners and seasoned leaders. Think of it as a supportive map — with reminders, encouragement, and examples you can adapt to your own style.
Step 1: Define Your Retreat with Soulful Clarity
Before you post, email, or invite anyone, get grounded in the basics:
Retreat name — something memorable and evocative.
Dates & location — always include the year so people don’t get confused.
Call to action (CTA) — how to sign up.
These details should appear every single time you promote, even in casual conversations. Without them, people won’t take the next step.
And beyond the details, write a transformation statement:
“This retreat helps [your people] go from [current struggle] to [desired state] through [your unique approach].”
This becomes your North Star for all messaging.
Step 2: Create a Clear and Inviting Sign-Up Page
Your sign-up page is where curiosity becomes commitment. Options include:
Your own website (Squarespace, Wix, Showit, etc.)
Retreat platforms like Retreat Guru, WeTravel, or BookRetreats
No matter the platform, make sure it includes:
Retreat name, dates, and location
Your photo and bio
Pricing and payment plans
Sample schedule
What’s included / what’s not
FAQs and cancellation policy
A clear, clickable CTA button
Testimonials (from past retreats, courses, or other offerings)
When Yashoda and I led retreats in the Rockies, our repeat attendees already trusted us. But their friends — new to the work — needed those details laid out clearly to feel safe enough to commit.
Step 3: Give Yourself a Long Runway
Retreat marketing is a slow bloom. Twelve months is ideal if you want to maximize reach, especially for your first offering.
Here’s a sample 12-month roadmap:
Months 12–9: Foundations
Set up your landing page and pricing
Decide on payment plans and cancellation policies
Start soft-pitching to your community so they can pencil in the dates early
Consider offering early access or pre-sale booking for your inner circle
Months 9–7: Seeding
Tease: “Something’s coming…”
Share your personal why for creating the retreat
Ask engaging questions like: “Would you love a space to unplug this fall?”
Months 6–5: Announcement
Share retreat name, dates, and a photo
Post and email consistently
Offer early-bird pricing
Months 4–3: Connection
Tell personal stories of your own growth
Highlight what makes this retreat different
Share testimonials
Go live on social media or host a Q&A
Months 2–1: Momentum
Countdown reminders
Spotlight past attendees or collaborators
Follow up individually with those who showed interest
Final 2–3 weeks: Heart Invitations
Send intentional DMs or emails
Hold space for questions
Example message: “If this speaks to you, I’d love to have you there. Is there anything holding you back that I can help with?”
Step 4: Reach Out Personally — With Heart
You don’t need a massive following. Real connection goes farther.
Make a list of 20–30 people or communities. Send a personal note, a short voice memo, or a DM.
One of the best tips I’ve learned came from my friend and retreat co-facilitator for Wild Heart Men’s Retreat, Mike Sagun: always end with a question. When you ask a question, the person feels more compelled to reply, and that creates dialogue instead of a dead end. For example:
“Hi [name], I created a retreat I think might really speak to you. It’s about [brief transformation]. Are you interested?”
Or:
“I’d love to share this retreat with you. Would you be open to a quick phone call to hear more?”
Phone calls, in particular, are powerful. People want human-to-human connection — even if they already know you. Giving them that time and attention often makes them far more likely to book.
Step 5: Get Curious About Your People
Marketing is more listening than talking. Ask yourself:
What are they struggling with right now?
What would bring them joy or clarity?
What keeps them from saying yes?
And remember: it’s a balance. People come for your energy, your story, and your practices. They also come for community — the friendships and connections that form — and for the land that holds them.
At Spirit Camp, the redwoods are an incredible ally. But I’ll be honest: I’m still learning not to hide behind them. It’s tempting — especially for those of us who tend toward avoidance, or who carry wounds around failure and perfectionism. I still bump into this. But the truth is: you are the hook. The land supports, the community amplifies, but your energy and story are what people are saying yes to. So be bold. Take risks. Step forward.
Step 6: Share What’s Real (Your Story Matters)
People aren’t just signing up for your curriculum — they’re signing up for you.
I’ve struggled with perfectionism and the desire to look polished. But the posts and emails that resonate most are the raw ones — when I share honestly about what I’m learning, or how the practices support me in my own life.
Every time I lean into this, the right people show up. Sometimes they’re repeat attendees, sometimes they’re friends of past participants who heard their stories. Vulnerability creates resonance, and resonance spreads.
Step 7: Pick a Few Channels and Stay Consistent
Don’t try to be everywhere. Pick two or three channels you enjoy and can sustain. Some ideas:
Instagram — behind-the-scenes stories, reels, photos
Email — deeper storytelling, trust-building
In-person — mention your retreat in classes, workshops, 1:1s
FB groups or communities — if aligned with your niche
Podcasts — as a guest on shows your audience listens to
Post once or twice a week. It doesn’t have to be loud — it just has to be consistent. When I was running monthly meditation courses, that regular rhythm built trust and funneled naturally into retreats.
Step 8: Repeat Your CTA (Clearly and Often)
A call-to-action isn’t pushy — it’s clarity. Always repeat:
What the retreat is
Where it’s happening
When it is (with the year)
How to sign up (CTA)
Every. Single. Time.
Yes, you will feel like you’re being repetitive. Maybe even annoying. That’s exactly the point. Most people need to hear about your retreat 10–20 times before they act.
Keep it fun for yourself by varying the why:
“Because rest matters.”
“Because creativity needs space.”
“Because community heals.”
The what, where, when, and how always stay the same — the why keeps it fresh.
Examples of CTAs:
“Want to join us in October? All the details are here: [link]”
“Only 3 spots left — grab yours now: [link]”
“Curious? Let’s chat — book a call here: [link]”
Final Words of Encouragement
Over the years, I’ve watched people come back to retreats again and again. I’ve seen them bring friends, and I’ve seen new friendships form around the fire. I’ve watched the land hold people as deeply as the practices themselves.
Marketing a retreat isn’t about being perfect. It’s about showing up consistently, sharing vulnerably, and making it easy for people to say yes. Sometimes it feels effortless, sometimes it feels like work. But if you stay the course, it builds. It builds reputation. It builds community. It builds trust.
So keep showing up. Keep sharing. And remember: marketing from the heart is simply another form of care.
You are the draw.
Your story matters.
And the land and community you gather in will carry it further than you can imagine.
If you’ve already booked Spirit Camp, we hope this guide supports you in filling your retreat with more ease. For facilitators who are ready to expand their groups and take things to the next level, we’ve created a companion piece: How to Grow Your Retreat Without Losing Intimacy. Together, these two guides are designed to help you fill your circle with care, clarity, and community.
