1. Poor event planning
Failing to plan every aspect of the retreat thoroughly can lead to logistical issues and a lackluster experience for participants. It's important to consider details such as venue selection, accommodation, transportation, catering, scheduling, and contingency plans.
Are you utilizing a venue that is profitable?
Are you including accomodations as part of your retreat?
Who's responsible for transportation?
Are you hiring a catering, ordering meals, or eating at restaurants?
What does your event schedule look like?
What happens if people back out last minute due to an emergency?
You have to be able to answer all of these questions about your retreat.
2. Inadequate budgeting
Underestimating or overlooking costs can lead to financial strain and compromises in the quality of the event. Take into account all expenses, including venue rental, food and beverages, speaker fees, marketing materials, and staff, and create a realistic budget.
Most entrepreneurs fail to prepare for expenses that are mandatory: venue, food and flights being the main ones.
That's why your pricing strategy as to take into account all your expenses while generating a healthy profit on your event.
3. Insufficient marketing and promotion
Many first-time retreat organizers assume that simply planning the event is enough to attract participants. However, effective marketing and promotion are essential to reach your target audience. Utilize various channels such as social media, email marketing, website promotion, and partnerships with influencers or relevant organizations.
The biggest mistakes when it comes to marketing I see is:
the event looks like another typical event, there's nothing different about it
business owners feel weird marketing the event that comes across in their social posts
they wait until super last minute to market their event that's 30, 60, 90 days away
4. Unrealistic attendee expectations
Setting overly ambitious goals for attendance can lead to disappointment if those targets are not met. Start with realistic expectations and focus on creating a valuable experience for the participants who do attend.
A huge mistake retreat leaders make is promising way to many outcomes at the retreat. Sometimes I look at retreat sales pages and laugh because it looks like this:
"Our retreat will help you make more money, get in the best shape of your life, improve all of your relationships while you sleep like a baby" - I laugh, because these outcomes can feel disjointed.
Instead, offer one big result, something I call the OBR.
5. Lack of clarity in the retreat's purpose and outcomes
A retreat should have a clear purpose and desired outcomes. Ensure that the goals of the retreat align with your coaching or consulting practice and that participants understand the benefits they can expect to gain. Clearly communicate the retreat's objectives and how attendees can achieve them.
Similar to above, ask yourself two main questions whenever you feel lost in marketing & sales:
1) Who's this retreat for?
2) What's the transformation they are looking for?
6. Neglecting participant engagement and interaction
Retreats are meant to be interactive and engaging experiences. Avoid creating a passive event where attendees are only spectators. Plan interactive sessions, group activities, and opportunities for networking and collaboration to foster a sense of community and maximize participant engagement.
The retreat is more than just the 2 or 3 days you spend on site.
Every retreat has 3 strategic phases: Pre-event, During-event, Post-event, and all of them have their purpose in a profitable and transformational event.
7. Overloading the schedule
Trying to fit too much content into a limited timeframe can result in an overwhelming and exhausting experience for both organizers and participants. Allow for breaks, relaxation, and informal networking to balance the schedule and give attendees time to process information.
The biggest mistake I see here is not giving participants any time to breathe, relax, and integrate all the content you are teaching them.
You retreat should be 50-60% content, and 40% experimential, integreation and connection heavy.
8. Ignoring feedback and evaluation
Gathering feedback and evaluating the retreat's success is crucial for improving future events. Provide participants with opportunities to share their thoughts and opinions through surveys or feedback forms. Analyze the feedback received and use it to make necessary adjustments and enhancements for future retreats.
Simple: start issuing post-event feedback forms to keep getting better and better at live events.
9. Neglecting post-retreat follow-up
A successful retreat extends beyond the event itself. Create a plan for post-retreat follow-up to maintain engagement with participants, offer ongoing support, and nurture relationships. This could include post-event communications, access to resources, or exclusive offers.
A huge mistake entrepreneurs make is assuming after the retreat, the participants are done buying. Nope! There is a huge opportunity for a Back-End program to be offered after the event, resulting in $10,000+ or more of sales opportunity even when the participants have gone back home.
10. Not seeking assistance
Planning a live event can be overwhelming, especially for first-timers. It's essential to recognize when you need assistance and seek help from professionals, event planners, or experienced colleagues who can provide guidance and support throughout the planning process.
Simple advice: find someone who has the shortcuts, and steal from their years of wisdom and experience.
I have hosted over 200+ events all over the world, and would be happy to share my frameworks and roadmap with you.
