We love working with All Star Ambassadors. Helping these exceptional instructors lead a top-notch retreat is what we live for. To thank them for being a part of our community, we’re sending them on a four-day trip to the high-end luxury resort Casa Majani in Punta Mita.
This luxury resort right on the ocean front in Puerto Vallarta will play host to our group of All Stars — including Jenny Finkel, Desiree Nathanson, Kimberlea Smarr, and Ingrid Nelson — on their four-day rest, relax, and be pampered trip, all courtesy of Casa Majani and Trip Tribe. With exquisite ocean front views, this gorgeous location features a network of pathways through expansive reflection pools connecting each unique structure, creating the illusion that you’re suspended over the powerful Pacific. The group will be treated to divine locally sourced meals and they’ll enjoy their own yoga and fitness classes at the on-site studio –an ode to the surrounding nature with native wood flooring and floor to ceiling windows.
So… how do you become an All Star Ambassador and take part in incredible trips like this? Here are some tips direct from our All Stars — with a few extra tidbits thrown in from us at Trip Tribe.
Treat your retreat like a business opportunity.
Everyone loves vacation and the opportunity to do what you love while traveling is the best kind. But the most important thing to remember as you embark on planning or running your retreat is that, while this is an awesome opportunity, it’s not your vacation — it’s your guests’ vacation. This doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy yourself at all (what would be the point of going on a retreat!), but it does mean that your guests come first and ensuring their good time will ensure that they’ll travel with you again and spread the word back home about how awesome a time they had, which could mean more retreats for you in the future!
All Star Example: When Jenny Finkel’s guests arrived for their retreat with her in Punta Cana, they were treated to delightful goodie bags made by Jenny. A little extra touch goes a long way.
Relationships matter
Do you have a group of students who tend to be at every class you teach? Do you have a list of private clients who you teach one-on-one sessions with? Consider both of these groups your list of VIPs. If you haven’t reached out to build a relationship with them, do it. They’re already taking the time and making the effort to spend their workout time with you, chances are they’ll be the first to commit to a vacation with sessions taught by you.
All Star Example: Ingrid Nelson nearly filled her retreat with her list of VIPs before she broadcast her retreat to her entire student base.
Market, market, market
You never know who needs a vacation, so always be offering the opportunity to vacation with you. There should never be a class in which you don’t announce your retreat, or a day in which you don’t alert your students and followers about your retreat. Post your retreat page on Facebook, tweet a new detail about your trip, Pin a pic of the location, post your postcard on Instagram, highlight your trip in your student newsletter — be consistent and always present in announcing your retreat. That way it will always be present in your students’ minds. And when they decide it’s time to get away, they’ll know just where to go.
All Star Example: When Desiree Nathanson returned from her trip, the students who didn’t go were bummed that they had missed it. Her recommendation: “Post on social media in the morning, afternoon, and night. Different people are on social media at different times and you want to make sure everyone has a chance of seeing your posts.”
Be flexible and adapt
Unless you’re planning on a week of 8-hour sessions of meditative yoga, chances are your guests are aiming to do more than just yoga — be it heavy adventure sports, exploring the area, or merely sitting on the beach and reading. Your job: be flexible in your planning and adapt to whatever may come along. Travel is all about dealing with unforeseen circumstances, both great and not super great. From weather to sunburns, you never know what will come along and that’s all part of the adventure! Be sure you go into your retreat with a flexible, adaptive attitude and everything will work out.
All Star Example: Three-time Trip Tribe Ambassador Kimberlea Smarr has had her share of situations on her retreats. Her advice: “I have had students come and bring their spouses and the spouse doesn’t want to do yoga… No problem! Adapt, adapt, adapt, and remember you are there because of them and enjoy!”
Originally published May 2015