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Art of Living DC 2025 - Executive Summary

Five Strategic Components with Campaign-Based Actions

Vision: Professional Center & Community Presence

Professional Entrance Transforming Art of Living DC into a recognized wellness hub

1. WORLD MEDITATION DAY (December 21, 2024)

Immediate Global Event Leveraging Existing Momentum → Full WMD Strategy

Campaign Dimensions:

  1. Multi-Venue Coordination
  2. Libraries: DC, Alexandria, Arlington, Bethesda → Library Strategy
  3. Busboys & Poets cultural venues → Cultural Partnerships

  4. Embassy partnerships (India, Thai, Japanese) → Embassy Connections

  5. Graduate Ambassador Activation → Strategy Details

  6. 30 course graduates with "Friends & Family" intro talks (Dec 7 & 14) → Sprint Plan

  7. Word-of-mouth campaigns with buddy system tracking → Ambassador Toolkit

  8. 48-Hour Retention Flow → Full Retention Strategy

  9. SMS/voice note + personal call within 48 hours → Sally's Method
  10. WhatsApp groups + Week 1-2 conversion tracking → Metrics

2. MEGA COURSE (January 2025)

Building Momentum with DC's Star Teacher → Full Mega Course Strategy

Why This Course Matters: First of many courses, taught by DC's star teacher. Success here builds momentum and model for future courses.

Campaign Dimensions:

  1. Intro Talk Conversion Strategy → Strategy Matrix
  2. Two intro talks (Dec 7 & 14) with 30-40% conversion target
  3. Early bird pricing ending Jan 8 → Pricing Strategy

  4. Participant Journey: Community events → Intro talks → SKY Course → Sahaj Samadhi → Silent Retreat

  5. Wellness Positioning with Personas → Messaging Templates

  6. Stressed Steven: Corporate optimizer seeking performance enhancement
  7. Seeking Sarah: Wellness explorer wanting community connection
  8. Practical Pat: Biohacker needing measurable results

  9. Science-backed benefits + corporate wellness angle → Corporate Strategy

  10. Registration Pipeline → Technical Setup

  11. Eventbrite + Google Sheets tracking → Templates
  12. Community Connector follow-ups → Volunteer Roles

3. CENTER PRESENTATION

Professional Presence Without Major Infrastructure → Full Center Strategy

Actionable Dimensions:

  1. Digital Kiosk Concept (Future Phase) → Center Strategy

Entrance Kiosk Concept Interactive digital kiosk for registration and information

  1. Professional Materials & First Impressions → Center Presentation
  2. Banners, signage, co-branded materials → Templates
  3. Trained session leaders (5 priority) → Volunteer Roles
  4. "Nature does Yoga" garden messaging → Garden Project

Professional Entrance Concept Vision for professional center entrance

Garden Beautification Vision

Garden Location Context Current location for garden transformation

Garden Concept "Nature does Yoga" themed corner visualization

4. NEIGHBORHOOD PRESENCE

Community Integration Through Strategic Partnerships → Full Neighborhood Strategy

Actionable Dimensions:

  1. Residential Building Campaign → Property Manager Contacts
  2. 10 priority buildings with wellness programs → Outreach Templates

  3. Amenity space utilization + HOA partnerships → Strategy

  4. Yoga Studio Partnerships → Strategy Matrix

  5. 8 studios: complementary positioning + instructor collaboration

  6. Cultural Institution Integration

  7. Libraries + Busboys & Poets → Library Strategy | → Cultural Venues

  8. Embassy programs (India, Thai, Japanese) → Embassy Connections

  9. Business Ecosystem → Corporate Strategy

  10. Corporate wellness + professional associations

5. COMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE

Systematic Outreach Without Complex Technology → Full IT Strategy

Volunteer Activation Innovation: GuruTattva Abhyasa

Knowledge in Action Sunday productivity sessions combining Seva, Sadhana, and Satsang

Actionable Dimensions:

  1. Volunteer Coordination with Clear Roles → Volunteer Activation
  2. Basic Volunteers (40): Event support, retention calls, WhatsApp moderation
  3. Graduate Ambassadors (15): Friends & Family outreach, property manager meetings
  4. Certified Teachers (5): Lead meditations, conduct intro talks

  5. GuruTattva Abhyasa: Sunday productivity sessions → Details

  6. Smart Automation with Familiar Tools → Technical Setup

  7. n8n Integration: Google Forms → Sheets → WhatsApp → Calendar
  8. Camunda BPMN: Automated retention task assignments
  9. NotebookLM: Volunteer knowledge base with AI assistance

  10. 48-hour retention flows → Sally's Method

  11. Messaging & Metrics

  12. All outreach templates → Messaging Library
  13. Go/No-Go gates with traffic light system → Metrics Framework

Implementation Approach

→ Full Sprint Execution Plan

Pre-Sprint: Whitney Building Pilot

Test everything at one location first:

  • 10-15 participants at single building
  • Full automation systems active
  • Complete metrics capture
  • Success criteria: >60% week 2 retention

Sprint 0: Foundation (Nov 20-26) → Details

  • Activate 20+ graduate ambassadors
  • Contact 10 property managers
  • Reach 8 yoga studios
  • Setup NotebookLM knowledge base
  • Implement n8n automation flows

Sprint 1: Launch (Nov 27-Dec 3) → Details

  • First residential building sessions
  • Test retention flow
  • Launch yoga studio partnerships
  • Track initial metrics

Sprint 2: Scale (Dec 4-10) → Details

  • Add 2-3 meditation locations
  • First Friends & Family intro talk (Dec 7)
  • Optimize based on Week 1 data
  • Push course registrations

Sprint 3: Peak (Dec 11-17) → Details

  • 6-8 active meditation locations
  • Second intro talk (Dec 14)
  • Heavy WMD promotion
  • Community at maximum engagement

Sprint 4: WMD Event (Dec 18-21) → Details

  • Execute multi-venue coordination
  • Capture maximum new contacts
  • Convert energy to January course

Sprint 5: Course Launch (Jan 1-15) → Details

  • Final registration push
  • Convert meditation attendees
  • Launch with 50+ participants

Success Metrics

→ Full Metrics Framework

Immediate Targets:

  • WMD Participation: 100+ across all venues
  • New Contacts: 75+ captured with info
  • Course Registration: 50+ for January
  • Volunteer Retention: 80% active participation

Conversion Funnel: → Funnel Details

  • Session attendance → Contact capture (80%)
  • Contact → Return visitor (60% Week 1-2)
  • Meditation → Intro talk (30%)
  • Intro talk → Course (30-40%)

Resource Requirements

Human Resources → Volunteer Structure

  • 60 Total Volunteers: 5 Leaders + 5 Connectors + 20 Digital + 30 Graduates

Minimal Technology → Tech Setup

  • Free/Low-Cost Tools: Eventbrite, WhatsApp, Google Sheets, Basic CRM ($50-200/month)

Core Approach: Sattva in Action

Sattva (Sanskrit: purity, harmony, goodness) defines how we engage:

Human-First Outreach: - Direct Community Presence: Libraries, cultural venues, residential buildings, parks - Weekly Sessions: Consistent touchpoints building trust and familiarity - SKY Course: Transformation through proven breathing techniques - Continued Journey: Sahaj Samadhi → Silent Retreat (completing the core path)

Positioning: "Where authentic human connection creates lasting transformation."

Additional Program: FitDC Partnership

Note: Lower priority - included for reference

  • What: DC public office & insurance sponsor provide free online SKY course for DC residents
  • Challenge: Free participants often don't value the experience as much as paying participants
  • Opportunity: Offer FitDC graduates in-person course repeat for ~$50 (non-zero value creates commitment)
  • Current Status: Not actively promoted but can be leveraged for specific outreach

Critical Success Factors

  1. Human connection first - Every interaction embodies Sattva (warmth, authenticity)
  2. Meet people where they are - Libraries, venues, buildings, community events
  3. Clear volunteer roles - Basic/Ambassador/Teacher structure with diverse representation
  4. Smart automation - n8n/Camunda connecting familiar tools (reduce volunteer burden)
  5. Go/No-Go gates - Traffic light system at each sprint

This executive summary reflects the actual campaign strategies developed in the case study, not theoretical planning. Each dimension represents tested approaches from the field research and sprint planning documents.