Planning Your Event:
10 Quick and Effective Keys to a Successful Retreat
1. START PLANNING EARLY
We recommend making reservations between six months and one year in advance. Involve some of the proposed participants in setting goals and planning activities. Identify the needs of your group. Utilize people within your group for recruitment! Select your first, second, and perhaps third choice of dates.
2. IDENTIFY YOUR PURPOSE
What issues or subjects will be addressed during the retreat? What will be gained by attending the retreat?
3. PLANNING ACTVITIES
Make sure planned activities fit the purpose. If time for personal reflection is needed, schedule accordingly. If improving cooperation and communication objectives, you may want to arrange some time on our challenge course.
4. KNOWING THE FACILITIES
Visit the site with some of the planning team. The setting will suggest many ideas. One of the Krislund Camp & Conference Center staff will be happy to give you a tour and brainstorm ideas with you.
5. EXPECTATIONS
Set a realistic goal for number of participants.
6. BUDGETING
Budget carefully. Your budget should include such items as:
- Overnight cost, food, and other services
- Honorarium, expenses for outside leadership and program supplies
- Give-a-ways (Some groups give special caps, bandannas, or tee shirts as mementos of the retreat.)
- Add 10% for unexpected expenses or for seed money for the next retreat
- Set fees accordingly
- Determine and communicate your policies about refunds and cancellations
- Determine your policy about scholarships
7. PROMOTION
Promote the event by direct communication with the people who will benefit from attending
- Promote well in advance
- Line up people to call and invite potential participants
- Hand out and mail out invitations with application forms
- Recruit marginal members or non-members to draw them into the full life of the church
- Prepare a fun promotional skit for an assembly, church supper, or worship
- Announce the retreat weekly until all spaces are full
- Do not cancel because of low registrations (the goal is to have a great time even with smaller numbers as to come back the following year building on their excitement)
8. RESOURCES
Start gathering resources early and continue right up to the event. There will likely be surprises during the retreat, so plan to be flexible, but don’t lose sight of the goals.
9. CREATIVITY
Be creative with your programs but maintain some traditions which are meaningful to all participants.
10. EVALUATION
Prepare an evaluation process. How well were goals met? What was especially meaningful? What could be done better next time? Start planning the next retreat for this group, and perhaps even make a reservation before you leave.