Becoming "Professional"
Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 04 May 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.
| Windsong |
04 May 2003 |
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Hi, I'm sort of new on this board. I have been reading tarot for family and friends since 1987, but I have never been paid to do so, ever. I am, however, a certified flower essence practitioner and Reiki practitioner. I am also learned in several other healing arts.
I have recently been flirting with adding intuitive reading to my list of professionally offered skills.
My question is to those of you who actually do charge people for readings.
How are you received? By that I mean, do you usually get people contacting you who want more life clarity, or people who just want to "know their future"? How many readings do you do in a week? Where and how do you advertise?
Also, is it important to have a set fee or is it acceptable to just ask for appropriate donations instead?
Looking forward to your replies,
Song
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| Windsong |
04 May 2003 |
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Also... forgot to add, when you are doing intuitive readings, do you absolutely have to say that your readings are for entertainment purposes? I am thinking that even though a reading can be entertaining, there is a deeper meaning to an intuitive reading. I mean, I don't profess to be able to "call out names" and bring back loved ones. :rolleyes:
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| Belladonna |
04 May 2003 |
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Dear Windsong,
I advertise myself as a tarot card reader in the local newspaper in a rural area in the maritimes and when I first began to read professionally, I also had some small posters made up and put them in a few of the local businesses. I did not state that it was for entertainment purposes only, and nobody has given me any trouble about that, but legally I don't know for sure. I'm in Canada, too, so it may be different.
In my ad, I state my fee up front, and sometimes offer specials. Perhaps you could begin with asking for donations if you are more comfortable with that, but I wouldn't hesitate to charge when you feel ready to do that.
I get all types of clients. Many are going through difficult transitions such as divorce or suffering the loss of a loved one. Some just come to see what I can "see", like Test-The-Psychic. Occasionally, people don't seem to be taking it seriously at all and show NO interest in the cards themselves. But most come with more or less of a tough exterior and claim they have no reason at all for coming, but half an hour into the reading they begin to respond to what I'm telling them and take a more active part in the conversation and have questions and stories etc.
Good luck to you and feel free to pm me with any questions. I think its great. Oh, by the way, I tend to do about 4 to 8 readings a week on average. Love and light, Belladonna
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| Windsong |
05 May 2003 |
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Thanks for that link! I have been reading through it and found out some things I certainly didn't know! I already am a ULC ordained minister and have a small fellowship complete with written belief system. Locally I am trying to establish a volunteer program and food bank (these projects have been in the works for 2 years). I have not, however done any tarot readings as a part of this, maybe because my reading has historically been "on again, off again" - when I feel like it and not on a regular basis like some of you. Probably also because someone stole my favorite deck and I haven't been extremely motivated to replace it!
I am very interested in why people charge what they charge and the "financial" side of it, both the material, mundane aspects (does it pay bills or provide for, say enough food to feed 100 people in a month) as well as the spiritual, karmic aspects of asking for money... and of course how effective marketing for this kind of work actually is.
I did take a look at Keen.com and saw that there are people still charging per minute rates? I'm curious how successful someone can be doing that.
:OL :TEMPS
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| HudsonGray |
05 May 2003 |
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Here in the Midwest they charge $20 for a 15 minute reading at the psychic fairs & $25 at the outdoor Bastille Day celebration, but the spirit fairs have each reader divy up the take with the person who promoted the event & pays the cost of the hotel room, so figure $40 an hour for the readers in their pocket. The Bastille Days readers (about 8 of them) rented the Grimms tent, so they paid about $30 each to sit and read under it all day--all the rest of the money they took in is theirs. Just to give an idea of what the figures are like here.
I also do an event in Pennsylvania in summer that's a medieval re-creation style thing, and the readers there charge anything from $15 to $25 a reading. They keep it all, nobody splits the money they make, they're 'wandering readers' and just sit down with a sign & their deck & people come up & ask for a reading.
I don't read for a living, so can't tell you what sort of cash is taken in on a daily or weekly basis.
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The Becoming "Professional" thread was originally posted on 04 May 2003 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.
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