118: Planning a Yoga Conference with Allison Rissel

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Ep 118: Planning a Yoga Conference with Allison Rissel   Description: If you've ever attended a yoga conference, you can imagine how much time, money and effort goes into it. But how do you get started planning, marketing and executing such an event? What are some do's and don'ts of planning a yoga conference? Allison Rissel, joins Shannon on this episode to dive into the nitty gritty of planning a yoga conference.   Allison became a yoga teacher in 2006, and uses her master's degree in Exercise Science alongside her extensive anatomy and biomechanics training to work with a variety of clients. However, her passion lies in training yoga teachers to create their own yoga communities. She does this by offering yoga teacher trainings and a range of services to help yoga teachers bring their yoga conference dreams to life.   On this episode, Allison reveals all the things that go on behind-the-scenes in planning and executing a yoga conference. From the schedule of events at the conference, to marketing strategies to promote and advertise the conference, to hard lessons learned along the way - Allison shares all her insight and experience.   Whether you're contemplating planning a yoga conference, or want to know how to become a vendor or teacher to make new connections within the yoga community and expand your reach, this interview is full of actionable tips you can put to use immediately.   Key Takeaways: [3:40] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Allison Rissel [5:10] What does Allison do, and who does she serve? [8:18] What in Allison's background enabled her to feel empowered to create her first yoga conference? [9:53] When did Allison host the first North Dakota Yoga Conference? How did it turn out? [11:30] How long did it take for Allison to plan for the event? How long did she advertise the event? [13:17] How many teachers did Allison have sharing at the conference? What was the schedule like for the conference? [15:12] Who were the attendees at the yoga conference? [16:32] What has Allison learned along the way? [19:29] What did Allison change or implement in her business after her consultation call with Shannon? [23:58] Allison breaks down some of the numbers from her conferences. [25:26] How does Allison ensure that 75% of the conference participants have signed up by the end of the Early Bird promotion? [27:30] Shannon and Allison discuss Bismarck, North Dakota. [29:27] What does Allison's preparation look like the week before the conference? [33:37] What is Allison doing during the conference? [35:36] How does Allison theme her conference? [37:52] Allison explains more about how she attracts teachers, vendors and participants to her conference. [39:30] How did Allison manage to turn a profit in the first year of running the conference? [42:08] Allison shares how the conference acts as the top of her funnel. [43:25] Find out more about Allison's yoga conference in 2019 by visiting her website. [45:58] Share a conference you love, or any questions you have for Allison!   Links: Allison Rissel Allison Rissel on Facebook North Dakota Yoga Conference North Dakota Yoga Conference on Facebook South Dakota Yoga Conference Yoga Conference Calendar Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training   Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity   Quotes from this episode:   "I saw the impact that yoga had, and that yoga teacher trainings were having in the towns I was at, and it was incredible, and I really wanted to spread that across the whole state."   "I saw the impact that yoga and yoga teacher trainings were having in the towns I visited. It was incredible and I really wanted to spread that across the whole state." (revised Sam)   "I don't know if it's something I could have done by myself, but having two other team mates really helped motivate me and really helped bring this whole dream to reality."   "The biggest thing I wish I would have known beforehand is how much time and money is really involved."   "I want to make other teachers feel really empowered and start their own businesses."   "No matter how well you plan, that week before, something's going to go wrong and there's going to be a lot of work to do."