The 3 R's of Marketing your Tarot Business

 The “3 R’s” are a cute nickname for reading, writing and arithmetic, the fundamentals of skills-based education. I have my own 3 R’s.  They are the fundamentals of marketing my tarot business, and, they may surprise you. If you are a tarot professional, or are considering beginning your tarot career, these marketing strategies may help you as they helped me.

So often, I hear tarot pros, especially those just beginning their journey, complain that they just can’t get enough clients. I believe that if you are a decent reader, and can apply these three R’s to your practice, you will see growth in your client list, and will begin building the sort of good will for your brand that lasts a lifetime.

My 3 R’s are Reputation, Referrals and Relationships.

Let’s start with the first, Reputation.

I know what you’re thinking.  How can you worry about your reputation if you have only a few clients, or are just starting out?

If you focus on building your reputation, your business will naturally follow.

One of the great ways to do this is to give free readings.

I can hear the groans and protests now. I’ve heard every argument against giving your product away for free. I have only one answer. It’s called “sampling”, people! Every drug dealer knows the power of sampling. Teavana has built a high-end mall brand around sampling fruity teas.

Strategic sampling can build your brand, too. Here’s what to do.

First, consider the venues in which you would like to grow. It makes sense that, if you are growing your local business, you will find ways to get some exposure locally. If you are building an online business, it makes sense to get exposure online.

Second, make sure your sampling really is beneficial exposure. Reading for your friends for free in someone’s living room is not good exposure. Reading for the crowd at a charity function is.

Likewise, giving away free readings on a social media platform may be time-consuming and frustrating. Holding conversations that engage people while giving them just a taste of what you can do can be very worthwhile.

All the strategic exposure in the world won’t help you if you don’t learn how to pitch the sale. Often we believe that a great product should sell itself, and, once in a while, it does. But, after that great sample reading, you’ve got to be able to say, “Now here’s my number. You might want to give me a call when such-and-such happens, or before, if something comes up.” Or, “As you can see, there are a lot of things we could dig deeper into. Give me a call if you would like to do that.” Remember, as a self-employed tarot pro, you must be an effective sales person as well as a great reader.

How you present yourself to the public is important to consider. There is no one right way for a reader to dress, live or act. However, the way you present is an important part of your brand. Be conscious and intentional about your presentation.

Make an effort to be on time, and keep your appointments. Psychics are notoriously flaky. Being the reader who shows up really does count for something.

Online, be careful about oversharing, or airing your dirty laundry. Use social media to share your authentic persona, rather than to bare your soul.

Remember that people talk with each other. If you behave unethically with Mary, Sara will certainly find out, and she’ll tell her friends, too. Bad news travels faster than good. However, eventually, if you treat everyone well, your integrity will become the cornerstone of your reputation.

My second R is Referral. In my own head, that’s actually two R’s – referrals and repeats. I think of a repeat as a self-referral, you see.

When a client refers a friend, there is no better advertising. When a client returns for another reading, there is no better endorsement of your good work.

Take an honest and constant look at your rate of referral, and rate of repeat.  Likewise, when you work those charity functions, keep track of approximately how many people you read for, and how many of them call for a reading, or refer a friend. Granted, sometimes it takes years for a person to make that call. However, if you read for thirty people at an event, you should receive one or two phone calls within the next two weeks.

If you’re not getting those phone calls, if the referrals and repeats aren’t coming, your job is to figure out why. No matter how relevant a reading feels, or how good a connection feels, or how much a person says they enjoyed their reading, the only thing that really tells you if you did a good job is this.

Did it generate another appointment?

If you aren’t getting those referrals and repeats, you must analyze the problem without anxiety or ego. There is something in your presentation or delivery that isn’t working for people. It’s your job to figure out what that is. Perhaps, you can do a reading on it! (I am amazed how often professional readers forget to use their own tool, tarot, to help plan, analyze and set goals for their business!)

It is this important step – analyzing where you are losing the referral – that many readers fail to take. Instead, they post in social media groups with concerns that their free readings aren’t generating business, or that there just aren’t enough potential clients available to them.

The bottom line is this. If your readings aren’t generating more readings, you’re doing something wrong.

People love readings. Most successful readers stay busy most of the time. If that’s not showing signs of happening for you yet, you may need to make some changes.

Work to develop a reading style that generates referrals. Remember that the mood of the public changes quickly. You may have to gently alter your style from time to time to remain current. Be sensitive to whether people seem to be preferring a gentle delivery of difficult news, or a more straight-on approach, for example. Do people seem to prefer a more casual tone, or would they prefer you to have a more formal appearance?

You can tailor your style to fit the changing mood of the public as you perceive it. This will make your readings more accessible and relatable, and will help you generate referrals.

It’s also important, in a reading, to give specific information. One of the most common complaints about a lackluster reading is “it’s all so general.”

Giving specific information takes skill and courage. Frankly, if you don’t yet have that skill and courage, you aren’t yet ready for professional tarot.

The final R is the logical result of the first two. It’s all about the Relationships we build. It’s important to remember that our important relationships in business are not just with clients and potential clients.

In business, we develop relationships with peers and colleagues, with venues and vendors, and with organizations and other businesses.

“Ujamaa” is a Swahili word that has come to mean “cooperative economics.” That is, the idea that we can work together and help each other grow, rather than competing against each other.

The world of tarot, and metaphysical work in general, is a good place to practice cooperative economics. The more we can promote each other and collaborate together, the more successful we all are.

Building relationships with potential clients is really what marketing is all about. We already talked about making the sales pitch at the end of a free reading. Whether you are talking to a stranger or a repeat client, it is important to end every conversation with your willingness to talk again soon.

When you put your business card in someone’s hand and say “Call me!” you are building an important relationship. This sets an intention, and helps your potential client feel comfortable doing exactly that.

Fortune Stellar: What Every Professional Tarot Reader Needs to Know

By Christiana Gaudet

Buy on Amazon

Of course, the most sacred relationship in our work is the relationship between client and reader. It is important that we honor and nurture our clients as much as possible. We do this by bringing our very best to the table each and every reading.

It takes time, patience, and constant maintenance, to build a good tarot business. If you focus on building your reputation, fine-tuning your reading style and creating relationships, you will manifest exactly the tarot career you desire.

I offer a private, customized program of tarot mentorship available to select candidates worldwide. Please email me if you are interested.

For more information about building your tarot business, read my first book, “Fortune Stellar”.

Tarot Sampling: When free readings mean good business

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.

Five Tips for Marketing your Metaphysical Business that may Surprise You

There are so many talented healers, readers and coaches in business these days. Often, what separates the successful from the unsuccessful is not their skill in their field. The defining factor for most of us is how well we market.

That’s unfortunate because if we felt called to be marketers we would have studied marketing in college and be working in a marketing firm right now.

Perhaps there are a lucky few who can hire a marketing firm.  Most of us have to do it ourselves whether we like it or not.

If you have a metaphysical business and are in need of a marketing boost, consider these five surprising tips.

1. Write good copy. Okay, that’s not surprising. But here’s what is. Many metaphysical business owners don’t know what “copy” is, understand its importance or know how to write it well.

I have seen poor grammar and terrible spelling. I have seen copy that literally makes no sense. I have seen copy that uses so much flowery airy-fairy language that meaning gets lost. I have seen copy that looks like bragging, and I have seen the opposite, copy that is self-deprecating.

“Copy” is the writing you use to advertise yourself. It’s what you write for print ads, radio ads, your website, your business cards and your brochures.

One universal principle in advertising is “WIIFM.” That’s “What’s in it for me?” for the uninitiated. Your copy must reflect your mission and your credentials, but its primary focus must be to explain to your potential client what benefits they will receive from your services.

If writing isn’t your strong suit, get help with your copy. Many people want to make sure they come across as “just me” in their copy. Yes, it is good to be genuine and authentic. But why would someone pay a “just me” for a metaphysical service?

2. Avoid insider lingo. Never use insider industry lingo in your copy or in your conversation with clients. In fact, maybe don’t use it at all. Our clients don't understand our inside jokes and don't like feeling stupid.

An example is the word “muggle” from the Harry Potter series. In case you haven’t read the books, a muggle is a non-magical person. Recently those in the tarot industry have started using this word to describe their mainstream jobs, and to describe people who are not privy to our tarot wisdom.

Harry Potter is fiction. What we do is real. One of the biggest marketing problems we have is that people don’t always see that what we do is valid. Using fiction to describe our work isn’t helping. And, in the novels the term “muggle” is not complimentary. We don’t use the “R” word to describe those of limited intellect. We don’t use the “N” word to describe those of a particular heritage. Why would we use the "M" word to describe our target audience, even in jest?

Be conscious of the language you use. Make sure it is understandable and respectful to all. Insider lingo divides us from the people we are trying to reach.Insider lingo sets up a sense of “them and us” that keeps us from connecting with our clients.

3. Market to the mainstream. Unless you have a business that is specifically set up to only serve the metaphysical community, direct your marketing primarily to the mainstream. If you don’t believe the mainstream wants, needs or understands your product you need to change your thinking.

Often it seems that metaphysical people market solely to each other. It reminds me of the French Revolution scene in Mel Brooks’ “History of the World Part 1” where Cloris Leachman as Madame DeFarge says “Look at what we’ve become! Beggars begging from beggars!”

Yes, we use each other’s services. We are often each other’s favorite clients. But if we rely solely on each other we are failing to bring our services to the people who need us most. Worse, we are limiting our business to a very small community.

Be willing to be the only tarot reader at the Chamber of Commerce marketing event. Be willing to speak about Reiki at the Rotary luncheon. Be an interesting guest talking about angels on the local morning radio show. Will some people laugh at you? Of course. If you can’t take a little ridicule you are in the wrong industry. Some people will admire your moxy. Some people will call you for appointments. That’s all that matters.

When you tell the mainstream about your work you are truly in the position of being in service. These are the people who need us most. These are the people who can best afford us. These are people we can educate. And, most importantly, many people in the mainstream ARE metaphysical and are excited to meet us! We give them permission to be who they truly are.

4. Don’t focus on demography. This advice is counter to the marketing science that instructs us to identify our demo and market directly to them. In most business, demographics work. In metaphysics,demographics may be unnecessarily limiting.

Many of us can identify a favorite type of client. Many of us see more people of a specific gender or age group than any other. But unless you consciously want to limit yourself to just that type of client, don’t.

There are two reasons for this. First, at the end of the day we are all healers of one type or another. Is there some group of people who don’t need healing? If we relegate ourselves only to people we believe understand their need for healing or are drawn to what we do we are missing the clientele who can most benefit from our services.

Second, as healers we can understand the damage we do when we pigeon-hole people. How do you know the wealthy politician doesn’t want an astrology chart? How do you know the rapper doesn’t enjoy energy work? How do you know the retired army general doesn’t want to study tarot?

It is hard to encourage others to be open-minded if we ourselves are not.

5. Trust Spirit.  This one is simple. Believe in your calling. Ask your guides to help your clients find you. Use your metaphysical tools to help you strategize. So many metaphysical practitioners forget to use their primary skills and belief sets to their own business advantage!

If you truly believe in what you are doing, show your faith by using your prayers, meditation, magick and spiritual connection to grow your business!

If you know that Spirit has called you to your field, then you know that Spirit doesn’t want you to work in a vacuum. Use the same healing energy you use in your practice to help you create a thriving business.

Metaphysical marketing all comes down to three basic principles.Believe in what you do. Treat everyone with respect. Communicate effectively.

That doesn’t seem so hard, does it?