1. Pray
Prayer is the best place to start. Seek God’s guidance as you develop that unique approach that will work best in your parish.
2. Find a friend to help
Remember that you are not expected to “do it all.” Seek the help of other interested women. Find someone who complements your skills – or someone who is in touch with a different population of women at your parish. Witness the ripple effect that takes place as your co-promoter(s), who belong to different “circles,” share the invitation with women you may not know.
3. Extend personal invitations
Be sure to reach out to every woman who has attended a retreat in the past. Encourage them to come again this year, and to bring a friend.
4. Reach out to leaders in the parish
Introduce yourself to your Pastor right away, and ask him to support your promotional efforts. Ask your parish secretary for help and guidance in submitting bulletin announcements, hanging flyers, etc. Share retreat information with the heads of parish organizations, such as Religious Education, Women’s Guild, and other parish committees and ministries.
5. Use a variety of approaches
Your promotion team will probably want to use a combination of approaches, including phone calls, e-mails, letters, flyers, bulletin announcements, and an appeal at Mass if possible. In the Promoter Tools section of our website, you’ll find samples of these items to be adapted for your parish.
6. Contact retreatants prior to the weekend
As your weekend approaches, your promotion team should touch base with each registered retreatant, to field any questions or concerns. This is especially important for anyone attending a retreat weekend for the first time. Then relax and allow yourself the gift of being present to this year’s retreat experience!
7. Follow-up
Soon after your weekend is over, consider asking one of the retreatants to submit a letter or testimonial to your parish bulletin – encouraging more women to join you next year. You may also want to consider hosting a gathering of retreatants sometime during the year. It’s a great way to stay “plugged in” to the grace you found on retreat, and generate interest and excitement for the next year.
Print a copy of this page Steps to Successful Promotion