See article entitled “Spiritual retreat centers face financial challenges in tough times” , Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. More information about these tough times…
My silent treatments started 15 years ago. Stressed out, worn out and wigged out, I wanted out – of town, that is. But I was in no shape to make travel plans, so a friend of mine took one look at me and, over my feeble protestations, signed me up for a retreat in the Los Angeles mountains shepherded by a Benedictine monk. A silent retreat. No talking allowed.
This article introduces you to the world of silent retreats and some of their locations.
Lent is a time to reassess our relationship with God, and it’s difficult to do that if we’re busy all the time,” Father Pierson said. “It’s helpful to just get away for a little while and slow down and reflect.”
There are many kinds of retreats available to suit different personalities and different spiritual needs. Here are a few to consider during the Lenten season.
Marketing your retreat center and events
For less than a dollar per day…
The Internet has opened a door for those individuals and groups to locate a retreat center and events without much trouble. The seeker of these retreat facilities usually uses a Search Engine like Google to search for places and workshops in the locale that interests them. The “search terms” vary but the most popular words include a combination of the following: retreat, retreat center, conference center, ‘state’ retreat center, spiritual, religious, health, etc… There are online directories that charge a nominal fee for retreat centers to advertise themselves and their events. In addition to your own web site, advertising with some of these retreat directories is an excellent way to effectively promote your retreat and conference center.
Can your retreat facility be found on the Internet? One way to test whether your center can be found is to run Google Search with words that include the state and city, the name of the facility, key words mentioned above and spiritual words if appropriate. With this test you are wearing the cap of a retreat seeker and seeing if your facility can be discovered quickly. Most likely, they will not know the name of your center but are searching within a specific geographical area. If retreat directories rank high in your search, you might wish to contact them about advertising.
Social media is becoming a popular way to advertise your retreat center and events also. It is free and can be used to direct traffic to your website. Popular programs include FaceBook, YouTube and Twitter. Some retreat centers are using blogs to generate articles that will promote them.
Once an inquiry is made about your facility and their activities, be sure to capture the information from the inquirer, including name and email address. Then you are able to use direct marketing techniques to send out newsletters and announcements with tools like Constant Contact to those in your database.
A few of the Online Retreat Directories publish information not only about retreat and conference centers, but the following: retreat events calendar, retreat jobs, retreat centers for sale, spiritual directors, retreat leaders, retreat books and retreat articles.
The Internet provides an automated meeting place for the seeker and provider of the retreat experience to discover one another. Computer technology is improving and the price to acquire online advertising is low compared to the benefits derived. Advertising your retreat center online is a low risk, high return investment with only a short term commitment to measure the benefits.
Author – Phil Stone, Founder of www.findthedivine.com
Christ the King is operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse NY as a special address in the community: “It’s a peaceful place,” says Anne Richter, a member of the House staff of seven people. “You kind of feel God here.”
The diocese welcomes visitors of all faiths to the retreat house, “for either a casual stroll around our peaceful grounds” or overnight guests there for a retreat.
Click here for more about the history of Christ the King Retreat House