by Wellness events are a growing phenomenon, and they won’t be dropping off the radar anytime soon. Thinking of getting in on this big trend? Here’s the good news: Anyone can manage a wellness event.
The bad? Not everyone can do it well.
Enter our ultimate guide to successful wellness events! This guide will be divided into four phases:
- Planning
- Promoting
- Hosting
- Following up
At the end of each section, we’ve provided links to our in-depth guides on specific topics. Get the essentials here, then follow up with all the sweet details in our focus-fire articles.
Let’s cover the main features of a successful wellness event!
1. The plan
Here is where everything begins. Blueprint your wellness event using the following guidelines.
Target your audience
Not everyone is into the whole wellness deal. A successful wellness event is built around the right demographic. Try targeting folks from some of these scenes or similar:
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Fitness and athletics
- Well-being and quitting bad habits
- The medical community
- Vegetarians and vegans
Snag a spot
Wellness events can be pretty diverse. From yoga festivals to green food gatherings, there is a lot to work with. So keep your focus in mind as you look for a venue. Consider some of these locales:
- Resorts for a relaxing spa-style event
- Fitness centres for peppy, active get-togethers
- Campgrounds for emphasis on the natural
Time and space logistics
And you thought you could escape logistics!
As you plan your wellness event, think about your activities. Will some be more popular than others? How much space will certain activities need? Popular activities should be given a wide berth, as should more physically active ones.
In terms of time, how should activities be coordinated? Schedule conflicts could leave one booth barren while another overflows.
Equipment and supplies
What equipment will you need? For professional gym equipment, you’ll be looking for a venue that already has it. But for a food-based gathering, you’ll need buffet tables. And don’t forget the recyclable or compostable plates and dining ware.
Guide to planning a wellness event
For more planning tips, check out our in-depth guide: “How to Plan a Wellness Event: Actionable Guide for Good Healthy Fun“.
Your next event could break records
Create an event
2. The promotion
You want publicity, we know how to get it. Let’s get you front and centre on the wellness map!
Once more with feeling
As you work on your promotional materials, remember this: Wellness is a category that focuses on feeling.
With that in mind, you are looking at two broad tones to take with your ads.
- Calm
- Promotions with this feeling signal mindfulness, relaxation, and well-being. Scenic images and serene people are great imagery here.
- Terms like “rejuvenate” and “release tension” let your audience know what they’re in for.
- Active
- For fitness events, you want to rev up the audience. Shots of active, happy people exercising are a solid choice.
- Likewise, snappy fitness terms are your friend. “Cardio” and “gains” and so on. There is a whole language to explore here.
Where to promote?
For physical ads, figure out some local spots to snag passersby with your flyers. The location matters. Bowling alleys probably won’t cut it. You want wellness-oriented places, such as:
- Gyms and fitness centres
- Swimming pools
- Dance and yoga studios
- Co-ops and vegan eateries
Digital promotion
For online promotion, check out popular social media communities. Specifically, you want wellness communities formed around the focus of your own event.
Hashtags are a handy way to locate your audience. Consider some of these as a baseline for your own search:
- #wellness
- #mindfulness
- #lifestyle
Of course, always double-check that the mods or admins of a given group are cool with your promotions.
Advertise the prize(s)
A lot of health equipment is honestly pretty neat.
Help kick-start guests’ journeys into the wellness groove with cool prizes. These can be super basic, like water bottles or earbuds. For the big prizes, there are high-tech gadgets like Fitbits.
As you promote your wellness event, make sure you list some of the prizes. Others you can keep secret and tease with hints. Stir up some intrigue! (And ticket sales.)
“Howdy, partner”
Team up with wellness groups for a wide range of benefits. These can include funding, free advertising, and more.
Some ideas for partner organisations might include:
- Red Cross
- Local green-Earth groups
- Vegan restaurants
- Nearby fitness centres
Benefits can include blood drives, gym equipment demos, healthy catering, or even health screening.
Tickets!
A successful wellness event needs tickets to get sold. Look into a platform for advance-ticket sales, like Billetto.
Guide to promoting a wellness event
Check out our in-depth guide for some extra details not covered here: “How to Promote a Wellness Event: Keep Low Turnout at Bay“
Create an experience that inspires, connects and is remembered forever
Create event
3. Hosting
Here’s where the real fun begins! Hosting can be hectic, but with our guide at your side, you can run a successful wellness event all your own.
Toolkits
With the right digital tools at your side, a wellness event can go swimmingly. Ticketing websites are one such tool, and they are not limited to advance sales.
Use your online ticket-selling platform to:
- Print and share your guest list and event details with your team
- Sell tickets at the door with box office software
- Scan tickets to check guests in
Your team at the ready
No matter your event focus, the team should be ready with answers for guests. A health food fair team should know all about carbs, calories, and proteins. A fitness team should know the difference between reps, sets, endurance, and mass gains.
Get your venue in order
A wellness event may have a lot of equipment to set up. You want to show up way early to take care of this. Sports and game accessories, buffet tables, and health-screening stations are just some of the things you may need to tend to.
Awareness and Plan B
Run a final sweep over your assets before the event is underway. Food should be fresh and ready. For outdoor events, there should be umbrellas and ponchos for rainy weather. Is all the equipment in working order? Make sure everything looks clean and inviting, nothing to conflict with the wellness aura.
Guide to hosting a wellness event
For the full scoop, head over to our in-depth guide: “How to Host a Wellness Event with a Healthy Outcome“.
4. The follow-up
Once it’s all over, there’s still some work to be done. Don’t forget to follow up with these important post-event steps.
Give thanks
Simple and effective. Show some gratitude: There are plenty of people who deserve it. You should thank:
- The venue
- Your attendees
- Your hard-working event team
- Any partner organisations
All of these recipients should be contacted with gratitude. Doing so is a key step toward building relationships in the wellness community. Gratitude itself is an important facet of wellness, and those you thank will notice it!
Hearing back
Sometimes, wellness is a dense topic. Guest feedback can let you know how you’re doing as far as instruction. Consider some questions along the lines of:
- Did you learn any important new info about wellness?
- What was the most important wellness tip you picked up during the event?
- Has your attitude toward wellness changed? (If so, how has it changed?)
- What changes to your life or fitness routine have you been inspired to make?
Healthy data
All events should take time to analyse the post-shindig stats. However, wellness events have some special info to parse. Aside from ticket sales and revenue, you might want to look at things like gym memberships purchased during the event.
Or even more important, the results of any health screening you might have done. Reaching out to guests after the event wraps up is invaluable as far as relationship building. Share the screening results and let them know you care.
Debrief ‘em
Finally, there is the debrief. This is another step all event organisers ought to take.
Wellness events are focused on the betterment of guests. Thus, with your team, you’ll want to discuss guest participation and satisfaction. Were they energised and excited? Did they seem to receive health info well or enjoy the green food options?
Remind your team that they made a difference. This wasn’t just another party. It was about helping people.
Guide to following up after a wellness event
Nail all of the follow-up essentials by sneaking a peek at our in-depth guide: “How to Follow Up After Your Wellness Event: 5 Steps to Meditate On“.
Check your vital signs
With our trusty guide on hand, your wellness event can really come alive. Be sure to go over our in-depth versions of each event phase, listed at the end of the main sections above. Good luck!