Executive Summary
Despite its beautiful setting and heartfelt mission, and loyal customer base, Williamsburg Christian Retreat Center (WCRC) faced an all-too-common challenge: their digital marketing wasn’t generating enough new retreat leads to meet their growth goals. With a modest web presence producing a small stream of retreat inquiries, their ambitious goal to more than double retreat revenue over a 5-year timeframe seemed out of reach.
That changed when WCRC decided to partner with Improve & Grow to build a scalable digital marketing strategy. Starting with a comprehensive Growth Action Plan, we helped WCRC launch a new website, optimize their SEO, and structure high-converting landing pages. Over time, we layered in paid social campaigns and strategic content. The result? Four consecutive years of growth and a transformed marketing system that aligned with their long-term vision.
The Challenge
WCRC had a clear mission but limited digital momentum. Their retreat inquiry volume hovered around 12 inquiries per month, and the website struggled with outdated design, unclear navigation, and low conversion rates. Internally, the team was doing their best with available tools, but lacked the infrastructure, data, and strategy to scale lead generation in a way that aligned with their calling.
The stakes were high: in order to meet their strategic plan to double revenue, WCRC would need a major lift in both visibility and conversion. Yet they were operating without the tools or traffic to create reliable growth. There was also a deeper tension: they didn’t just need more leads—they needed to reach the right people, at the right time, with a message grounded in ministry.
The Solution
Improve & Grow began by mapping out a phased approach: first clarify the funnel, then build it, refine it, and ultimately scale it. Our initial growth action plan laid out technical, content, and strategic priorities to align WCRC’s online presence with their deeper mission.
We began with in-depth research—analyzing competitor websites, keyword opportunities, and retreat-specific search demand. This insight shaped a blueprint for a new website that would serve retreat planners better and convert more visitors into inquiries.
The next step was to launch a fully redesigned website that featured dedicated landing pages for different retreat types (e.g., church groups, youth groups, quilting retreats), clean navigation, compelling imagery, and a clear path to request a quote. We installed Google Analytics, conversion tracking for forms and calls, and heatmapping tools to understand user behavior.
On the SEO front, we conducted a technical audit to resolve indexing issues, implemented structured data, optimized metadata across key pages, and built a stronger internal linking structure. Over time, we supported the creation of retreat-focused blog content, updated the site architecture, and expanded keyword coverage.
We also cleaned up WCRC’s local online presence, optimizing their Google Business Profile, correcting directory listings, and encouraging reviews to boost trust and visibility.
To complement organic growth, we rolled out seasonal Facebook Ad campaigns targeting school groups, church retreat leaders, and family reunion planners. These were designed around specific offerings and events—with retargeting campaigns layered in to re-engage visitors who didn’t convert right away.
Each month, we reviewed performance with the WCRC team, aligning upcoming efforts with seasonal priorities (like summer camps or winter retreats) and doubling down on the channels that were driving results.
The Results
In the first four years of partnership, WCRC experienced sustained and strategic growth:
- Total website sessions rose from 25,058 to 58,906, a 135% increase
- Annual website conversions increased from 770 to 1,320, a 71% gain
- Retreat inquiries grew from 154 to 430 annually, nearly tripling lead volume
- Website conversion rate improved from 2% to 4.6%, more than doubling lead efficiency
This trajectory not only helped WCRC meet its growth targets but turned its website into a reliable, high-performing lead generation engine.
What Changed
For WCRC, the transformation was more than tactical. With a clear, consistent flow of qualified inquiries, the team could focus less on scrambling for visibility and more on hospitality and ministry. Their website became an asset, not a hurdle. Their marketing shifted from guesswork to stewardship.
Behind the scenes, internal capacity also grew. Clear performance tracking and a steady rhythm of strategy reviews gave the team actionable insights, allowing them to plan with confidence and adapt with purpose. The culture shifted from reactive to proactive.
Executive Director Bob Briscoe summed it up simply: “Improve and Grow has been a total game-changer for our organization. The phone continues to ring!”
Final Word
WCRC’s journey shows what’s possible when digital marketing is grounded in mission. By aligning strategy with their deeper purpose, they built not just a stronger pipeline, but a stronger platform for ministry.
Today, their marketing systems generate high-quality retreat leads with consistency, freeing the team to do what they do best: provide a place for the Holy Spirit to work.
Looking to build a scalable lead generation system like WCRC? Let’s talk.
Want to learn more about how we help retreat centers and camps? Visit our Retreat & Camp Marketing page.
Want to dive into the proven process we use? Download the Retreat & Camp Growth Roadmap.