Starting a tarot business

I've been doing tarot for a couple fo years, and I do it for all my friends, and now they're all telling me I should start a business, but I'm not sure how to do this. I gladly volunteer my time now, doing spreads for my friends for free, and I feel odd about charging them. I would hate if they stopped coming to me because they didn't want to pay. So I guess I could set a low price. Or, I could just charge people I don't know well, and still read for free for my good friends... but I don't know if my potential customers would find that fair or not. And besides, I don't really do it for strangers anyway, so I'd have no one to charge.

Not to mention the fact, that I would need a place to do it. I don't know if meeting in a coffee shop or tea shop (I'm in Taiwan, and there are a lot of the latter) would be appropriate.

Anyone out there with some ideas as to how to make the shift into the business world?

I read for friends and family for free (although not too often as I prefer not to read for folks I know well).

You're entitled to give to your friends if you like. If you don't feel comfortable charging them then don't... They give you their friendship after all (as you give them yours).
They could also pay you with something other than money - maybe they have gifts or services that they could swap for your readings.

Hi Raya -

I'm doing the same! I don't charge my friends and they get grandfathered on that but any friends they bring me are fair game. I haven't found a good place for my readings....I do them at the hairdresser. But usually for the people in the salon. But a cafe would be a great idea - so maybe I'll have people meet me at a local spot in the future.

I was giving student discounts to my babysitter's college friends.

good luck to you

Barter is a great vehicle for the transition. When I was in college, I was constantly busy so that the idea of just giving away time was loopy and the solution just presented itself. People would bring me books I needed for classes or CDs or in one case, repaired my computer... That way, even if fellow students didn't have cash on hand, reading still saved me a TON of money. Either way, the value of my time was protected. A quid pro quo sets easy unscary boundaries and the exchange also places a value on your time and skill in a gentle way.

Another good device is the "Jar of Consequences." Just put a jar on your table with a couple bills in it to nudge them along, so they can pay what they think it's worth. The thing is, this often tends to be more like a "tip" than an actual payment. But it's a start.

At the Reader's Studio in NYC last weekend, Kevin Quigley made a great point about this exact thing. He indicated that if they don't pay for it, they think of it as entertainment and he is not interested in "entertaining" anyone with cards.... No payment means the reading carries no value for querents and they're inclined to disregard/forget it. Kevin only skips payment for family and VERY close friends. Drawing that line in the sand makes for an easy boundary; if they ask for a read they're agreeing to pay. And it also gives the reading more weight and thence more impact.

Take the plunge! If you're good you should be paid for your expertise. And it's imcumbent upon you to make that clear.

Scion

Raya said:

So I guess I could set a low price.

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I'm just starting a 'business' too, although I really wouldn't label it that. I'm just doing mini-readings the last Fri/Sat night of the month at a local bar/restaurant. I'm charging $10, but was curious what your opinion was?

Best break in by reading face-to-face for strangers first.

Then think about doing it professionally.

Reading for strangers face-to-face is a whole different ballgame, differnt ballpark, differnt county...

Umbrae said:

Best break in by reading face-to-face for strangers first.

Then think about doing it professionally.

Reading for strangers face-to-face is a whole different ballgame, differnt ballpark, differnt county...

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I agree. That's why I'm *dabbling* with strangers, but familiar-faced strangers. I live in a small town so I see these people over and over, know their first names, but that's it. And it's in a fun setting, not intense, so for me, it's a win-win situation with the bar's owner (brings in new patrons thru advertising me), it gives me paid experience, and just good o'l cheap entertainment for the familiar face!

Umbrae, do you think $10 is reasonable?

HighPriestesss said:

Umbrae, do you think $10 is reasonable?

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There are numerous considerations for charging – number of cards and/or time is the most popular.

Many readings break down to somewhere around $1-3 dollars a minute (could be realized as $25-$40 for a half-hour), or $2-$3 per card ($20-40 for a 10-card not-so-Keltic-Kross).

However – this should change for location and clients. Some geographic locals are different. I’d charge lower prices in upstate Maine or Wyoming than New York or California. It depends what the market will bear.

Readers with ‘Name recognition’ can demand much higher prices than us peons – that’s the way the market works.

$10 is a good starting fee. Years from now, $600 is not unreasonable.

HighPriestesss said:

I'm just starting a 'business' too, although I really wouldn't label it that. I'm just doing mini-readings the last Fri/Sat night of the month at a local bar/restaurant. I'm charging $10, but was curious what your opinion was?

Click to expand...

I'm wrestling with the price thing also. I was thinking of doing a half hour and hour rate, the hourly rate of course being a bit cheaper than two half hours. I think 10 dollars is a good cheap rate if you're just starting out. People will be curious, and they'll want to give it a try, but they won't want to pay that much. Oncce you get a little "street credibility" and people start calling you, then I think you can raise your rates.

i myself live in Taiwan, so I'm not sure how much I'll charge. I'll wait and see. i think that right now I have some friends coming to me for readings. I'm asking them to help me "spread the word," and once I have strangers calling me up for spreads, I'll start charging. But I still don't know how much...