A constant conversation in the community of professional tarot readers is about when it is or isn’t a great idea to give away services. I addressed this topic with a panel of experts in a recent episode of Christiana’s Psychic Café, my weekly webcast.

Some people say that, if you are a tarot reader, you should simply never give free readings. There is a certain logic to that – why should people pay for what you give them free?

On the other hand, I built my business with strategic free readings. It may not work for everyone, but it might work for you.

Sampling works for many successful companies. Where do you think I picked up my Teavana addiction?

Good sampling has two requirements. First, the sample has to be delicious. Second, the sample has to leave them wanting more.

How do you give a delicious sample of a tarot reading? It needs to be short and hard-hitting. I like to lay out a full Celtic Cross spread, but only give brief bullet-points of the most important revelations.

Those bullet-points should include a reference to, and pertinent information about, something the potential client is currently experiencing. Your goal is wide jaws, popped eyes and “I was just thinking about that!”
The trick to making that happen, for me, is not to ask for a specific question, but to shuffle and ask the Universe this question. “What can I quickly tell this person that will be most useful?”

“Useful” in this context has two meanings. The information must be useful to the potential client, but it must also be useful to me in marketing my services to this person. I am clear in my intention to convert this curious sampler to an actual client.

There is an old trick used by fraudulent readers who bilk their clients for thousands of dollars. That trick is to give only a bit of alarming information before running out of time, leaving the client anxious about a potential disaster, or needing to pay more money to find out about it.

My goal, in a sampling situation, is to fall short of that charlatan technique. I will not leave a client without closure, even in a quick free reading. At the same time, I do want to leave them wanting more.

For me, the way to do this is to give a lot of information about a specific issue in their life. That way, they will think, “What she told me about my job was so helpful; I wonder what she will say about my daughter?”

The other big question about giving free sample tarot readings is venue. In my experience, you need to offer your samples to aficionados of psychic readings, in order to show them the quality of your work. You also need to offer your samples to people who wouldn’t normally seek out a psychic reading.  The number of new clients you can create will surprise you!

Find venues to offer free readings where you might meet both sorts of people, those who typically have readings and those who don’t.

Good sampling is a marketing technique. Used correctly, sampling shows potential clients exactly what you can do for them. That’s the kind of advertising money can’t buy.