Considering doing the "shoppe thang"... Any suggestions?

Well! There IS a place in town where I have at least a shot at being a reader. It is across town & sans car in this weather I will have to figure out the nitty-gritties such as getting there, but I think it can be managed.

Is it a basic thing to do a reading for the owner of the store in order to impress them?? Well, I KNOW I will be nervous - but what if I'm having an off-day? I'm getting rather better at live readings, but online has been my medium (no pun intended!!! ) for QUITE some time now, & I'm getting the jitters just thinking about it!

I also want to do up a sign for myself, which will read: "I READ TAROT, NOT MINDS." Howzat sound?

I went in there just after having moved here - that was like, early August! Well, you see I had this idea that I'd be going to Europe for my art & didn't want to commit to anything at the time. Now, however, the economy being such as it is - well! No trip has materialized yet, & I do need to have the means of keeping body & soul together... (The girl I talked to had said to call the owner, & it seemed altogether a likely proposition just then. Economy considered once again, still & all at the beginning of the year, people like to get a yearly forecast, correct?)

I was thinking "Cash Only" as a policy - I really can't get mixed up with things like personal checks, let alone CC's...

Does anyone have any helpful suggestions vis-a-vis getting the job, keeping it once I have it, what their cut is likely to be at the store, etc.? I think that most likely I will be paying them a percentage - is there anything else I need to know?

Oh! Hooray for you! You'll be just fine.

blackroseivy said:

Well, I KNOW I will be nervous - but what if I'm having an off-day? I'm getting rather better at live readings, but online has been my medium (no pun intended!!! ) for QUITE some time now, & I'm getting the jitters just thinking about it!

Click to expand...

just relax and Read! "Bad" readings are rare, right? And if you're having a bad day in general, cancel your appointment for that day.

I also want to do up a sign for myself, which will read: "I READ TAROT, NOT MINDS." Howzat sound?

Click to expand...

Lose the caps and italics...sounds too defensive. But definitely use the sign. Then when you get a smirking "tell me what I do for a living" kind of person, you can gently redirect them into a more useful reading experience whilst pointing demurely at the sign.

I was thinking "Cash Only" as a policy - I really can't get mixed up with things like personal checks, let alone CC's...

Click to expand...

Many people don't carry cash (me, for one) or don't like to let go of it "just in case"...so do personal checks but ask to see their license and write down the name, address, and number (don't let them do it) and ask for a phone number as well. Don't take a check from anyone who refuses to comply with your request. (ID theft requires a lot more info that what you're asking for, so don't take that as an excuse.)

I'm cheering you on, Blackroseivy!

Hi blackroseivy!

My two cents, for what it's worth...

Workout payment with the owner well in advance. Either you will be taking payment directly, which will likely be cash only (and then you'll pay a percentage to the owner), or the customer will pay the owner however they want, and then the owner will pay you. Either way, keep track of how many people you are reading for and how much the readings cost. That way both you and the owner can have some assurance that neither of you is trying to pull a fast one.

If you haven't read in person yet, I highly highly HIGHLY recommend you do so in a comfortable setting first, just to get some practice in. It's not really a difficult thing, but it is different from doing online readings. Go with your gut, be open and engaging, smile a lot, and remember to stay hydrated.

As far as when you read for the owner, don't approach it like you need to impress them. That will only make you nervous, which will weaken your delivery. It's a reading like any other. If they have a question, focus on that and not on trying to "wow" them. If they don't have anything specific, just give them a solid reading.

I'm sure there's plenty of pointers I've missed, but that's the advantage of having such a vibrant community here at AT. Good luck in your new endeavor! And I can empathize with the trip to Europe that just doesn't seem to materialize. I've beeen trying to go for some time now. Darn fianances! LOL

Blessings,
Deacon

Hi BRI,

Kudos for taking the next step in your tarot development!

Yes, read for the owner(s). That's what I've done; I mean, anyone can say they read tarot but the owner needs to see this for him/herself. You can't sell a product effectively if you don't believe in it.

And once you get the gig, work out your prices with the owner in advance. Usually, the owner takes a percentage of your total reading earnings for that day. So definitely keep track! If the owner asks for more than 50% though, you may want to rethink it (most owners get about 30-40%, from what I've seen).

Your sign is cute. LOL But don't be too cutesy...it may turn off clients and the owner. You can use that as a title for your personal code of reading ethics, and post those as well.

Most payments are in cash or check; at the shop where I read, they charge a convenience fee for those who which to pay with credit/debit card. You can set a cash-only policy if you 'd like, and make sure the owner knows that when scheduling readings in advance for you.

Also...your pricing structure. You don't want to be too expensive, but you also want to charge to honor your gift and your time. And charging per half-hour is easier all around...with a "discount" given if a client books an hour (for example, you may want to charge $35 for 30 minutes and $60 for a hour).

You may want to think of a "value-added" service...make the client feel they're getting something for nothing. I personally give away tumbled stones as the Spirit moves (someone else on the forum does this too). You may want to offer a discount on their next reading with you, and another if they refer someone to you. You can set up a Frequent Reading program...you know, buy 5 readings, get one free, or something like that.

And finally...get business cards and flyers! You can order biz cards from VistaPrint or--if you're computer savvy--get the ones from the office supply stores that you can print on your home computer (they're good in a pinch, but they are flimsy and arent' that professional looking). A brochure giving more detail about you and your readings are good too. You can eventually work your way up to a website (lots of threads about that in this section).

Good luck to you, BRI! Let us know how it goes.

T.

Thank you everyone! Oh, & about the sign: Actually I was just emphasizing what I'd put up & not really serious about that exact "format", so to speak. But making it the 1st thing on a list of ethics is good.

I have read in person quite a bit, but just not NEARLY as much as I have typed them out!

As for a website - that was an idea I had a long time ago, for which I simply do NOT have the finances. But maybe if I get THIS gig going...

Yeah, I'm doing biz-cards for art from VP. I will simply re-do the text for the readings, the design is a really nice one I came up with myself, simple but very somehow spiritual - & get them printed when I can.

Thank you again, I am appreciative of hands-on experience. I do have that book - "Professional Tarot", or whatever it's called! Or "Reading Tarot Professionally"? I can't remember but it's the popular one by that big author. I read it & at least have some ideas!

Oh, and dress up funky!

What kind of a "shoppe" is it?

And do not forget to have lots of water so you do not dehydrate OR lose your
voice.
Well Done to you to take the plunge

Congratulations on being willing to take the plunge! I wish you all success and lots of really good experiences with this, Bri!

VERY good advice about the dehydration, especially as I am on meds that do do that rather - I will have a bottle with me!

As to the "shoppe", it is principally a florist! hehe It's called "Floral Fantasy". However, they do a somewhat sneaky new-age biz there. Allow me to explain. They aren't trumpeting their new-ageyness because of the Bible-thumping Baptist (I believe it is) church right down the same street!!

But the owner evidently does straight psychic readings, & they would most likely welcome a good card reader (such as moi, hehe)!

Another thing I was considering: My collection!! It's BIIIG - well, not as huge as some but big enough to bear thinking about, concerning what to lug back & forth! I am thinking of 5 particular dex which are in the category of just dex & not "sets" which I would need bags for, to take them out of their bigger boxes & leave behind the books.

The dex I was thinking of were these: The Golden (it's my personal favorite), The Winged Spirit, The Hudes, The New Palladini, & the Golden Botticelli. Does that sound like a decent kind of choice? Of course there are also my oracles - I am definitely best with the PsyCards. I don't want to use anything I have to look things up for!

Should I start with straight Tarot & work into oracles later? Hm, perhaps the owner would have a pref - or not, I don't know yet!

Of course, I have yet to call her - have to do that before I even make any more plans! Just wanted to consider some things JIC, as it were...

Many thanx for the good wishes, & I hope that it works out!

Oh - & yeah, I only have 1 real "Tarot" dress & it's for warmer weather but I will consider what to wear for sure!

WHOOPSIE! I almost forgot the old stand-by, RWS - I have the "Original" & I love it. So I guess that's 6!

Hey BRI,

A couple thoughts...

I wouldn't waste another second thinking about this until you have the facts to hand. I think a reasonable place for you to start is to simply speak with the owner and ascertain their policy with regard to readers. It's pointless for you to worry about modes of payment and split percentages and oracles-or-not until you've gotten the nuts-n-bolts from your prospective employer. THAT is the point you should start the rest of the planning. Before that, you're spinning your wheels. Every business has policies in place and even if they've never had an outside reader (unlikely) they will present you with a framework of what works for them. Subjunctive planning is essentially worthless beyond the initial impulse.

Just get the basics sorted: payment must be up front, establish the store policy on refunds and bookings, set firm hours and expectations on both sides so everyone is clear. GET IT IN WRITING. That could be as simple as an email (which has a handy timestamp) or as formal as a letter of agreement. In my experience the initial setup tends to favor the "house" until you prove yourself and your value to them as a draw for business, at which point both sides renegotiate with a clearer understanding of exactly what each side brings to the table.

If you have anxieties about face-to-face readings, deal with them prior to any of the above. Frankly I think these are baseless fears and that you should just exercise confidence and get moving. If that seems impossible, then read gratis on the steps of the library or in the local uni cafe. But if you are charging people then decide that you are worth it and SHOW UP as a professional reader. You should be calling that owner Tuesday and if you haven't banished those doubts prior they'll cut your legs out from under you. Reading for the owner is no different from reading or any other person; only your wishes make it seem so. As my mother would say: just be excellent.

Most significantly: don't get ahead of yourself. Making plans is pointless until you've had a frank, practical discussion with the owner involving the schedule and dollar amounts and a legitimate offer. I wouldn't worry about your signage, cut, extras... until you've booked the gig. They may have policies about such things, so it does no good to go in with preconceptions. I agree about having a clear ethical statement in mind, but (in stores, parties, or privates) I never give a client a literal sheet to read; I answer questions as they come up. The way I read, I just don't find plunking down a rulesheet useful or purposive.

By the same token, I find offering deck choices almost pointless: it wastes reading time and puts a strange weight of decision on the part of someone who very likely won't understand the choice. Most clients don't care what you read with as long as the reading is a slam dunk, so take your slam-dunk deck. Maybe a second for backup. Beyond that and you're likely to overwhelm them with clutter and choices that have nothing to do with their reasons for coming in for a reading. The reading is about them; in fact they are PAYING you to make it about them... forget that for a moment and they will be swift and merciless.

The important thing to remember is that all the tools are about you getting your job done. The deck, the payment, the signage, the ethical statement, the water... are there to help YOU. From a service standpoint, they should be invisible to the client. Vital point! The vast majority of folks you'll see don't give a toss about your tools. People don't ask their surgeons for a selection of scalpels or decorative scrubs. They ask for help and offer trust in their doctor's expertise. You love the Golden, so I'd say take the Golden and something as an alternate in case someone loathes period artwork. If you like using an Oracle for longer readings, then by all means bring it, but that decision has to be made by you. What will guarantee that you'll give the best divinatory bang for buck?

Afrosaxon's advice about business cards is KEY: your best clients will be referrals from cards and word of mouth. BIZCARDS=ESSENTIAL. Vistaprint does them for the price of shipping and you'll always need cards whether you're reading at this shoppe or at a local cafe. Also her idea about value-added items is smart... though you may want to wait on spending the extra dosh until you have some financial cushion. Setting price is a perennial question: NYC is not TX. I find a good gauge of price is local haircuts... check the 'hood and see what salons charge; it's a really useful rubric in terms of time and $ ceiling. But all of this is premature.

My advice: get the facts, keep it simple, read the cards. And avoid the subjunctive whenever making a plan of action... subjunctives are the ruination of most projects.

XOXO

Scion