How to make a flyer...

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 22 Sep 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

MAR	22 Sep 2004
Hello people, I would like if you can give me ideas in how to make like flyer about do tarot readings where I live (I live in a condo). Next to the condo's office there is a bulletin board and I realized people who live there are giving their services as hairdresser, sewing clothes, massages, etc.. then I thought about do the same but offering my services a tarot reader, I talked with one of the women who works in the condo's office about the idea, and she was trilled and told me it was a good idea and that she was going to be my first client and I'll have a lot of them, and that's cheer me up. To make this short, how can I do a flyer, simple, offerings my services as tarot reader, what should I write on the flyer? Do the flyer has to have tarot pictures? please, all the ideas are welcome. Thanks an advance :D

HudsonGray	22 Sep 2004
Well, cover who (you), what (tarot), when (pick a standard day or time & list the dates for the entire month you'll be available), where (in your apartment or a community room?), how much (price). And how long the readings will go for the price, of course, so you can schedule people without them having to wait 2 hours. I'd put some cards on as illustrations to make it eye catching (drop & click from the internet if you're doing it by computer--use the cut & paste function). But keep it brief & to the point. People only stand & read for something like 15-20 seconds.

Kath	22 Sep 2004
Keep the fonts you use clear, and easy to read. Calligraphy looks lovely, but it can take a bit of time to decipher, and like HudsonGray said, people only spend a few seconds looking at flyers. Coloured headings are eye catching, but don’t overuse them (or alternatively, print your flyers on coloured paper). Make sure that the layout is clear and easy to read. I’ll repeat HudsonGray’s advice – you need to include who you are, what you’re doing, how much you’re charging and your contact details. Good luck!!

Fulgour	23 Sep 2004
If you use one-half piece of regular paper for each, create a mock-up ~ fold it twice into a little flyer. There will be 8 individual page facings, each about the size of a standard business card. (Try that now.) Ok? Now, if you leave the closed side blank, it's 4 pgs to use for your basic information. On the very front, the Signage ~ your name and logo ~ nice and simple. Then when opened, the two inside pages can have all the nuts and bolts info: a little bio/intro/hello on one, next what your offering, 15 mins/30 mins, and prices. The back and inner fold are left over ~ be creative :)

SongDeva	23 Sep 2004
Please don't put on the flyer that you live in a condom. Most people call it a condo, for good reason. ;)

MAR	23 Sep 2004
Thank you for your ideas guys, they are great! and SongDeva, you can't imagine lol how you have made me laugh with that comment. I think I going to edit it for some reason ;) you are right! :D

lunar_rabbit	23 Sep 2004
Hey Mar - good idea! I would suggest making it a little smaller than a normal flyer. Perhaps 1/4 of a sheet of standard paper or smaller. For some reason, with spiritual things like tarot, smaller is better. Perhaps it's because people like to feel like they are finding a little treasure. Perhaps it's because tarot is so intimate in some ways that putting it on a large sheet of paper kind of cheapens it. (There is a church near my folks' house that has a very large electric sign that *really* bugs me for the same reason.) What do the other flyers look like? Do people use those little pull-off tags with phone numbers on them? Or use a push pin for business cards? These are all things to keep in mind when advertising with others. Yours should look eye-catching but not be glaringly different. Just some suggestions! I've got experience with this sort of thing, so let me know if you need any more specific advice.

Flavio	23 Sep 2004
What about adding to your flyer one or two cards from a mini or pocket size deck?, those cards would catch people attention (at least visual people like me! :D) and the rest of the flyer filled with your information.

Shade	23 Sep 2004
Remember the #1 rule of selling, people don't buy products they buy benefits (they don't buy cars they buy transportation, they don't buy insurance they buy security). So your customers don't pay for readings they pay for insights, guidance or answers depending on your style. Try and see how you might word that in. I don't know if I would put your address on the flyer, for your own safety I'd recommend putting your first name only (unless that seems far too unproessional) and your phone number. You just don't know who's out there. Oh and a lot of times people get lazy and take the whole fler instead of writing info down... make several copies.

HudsonGray	23 Sep 2004
I think I would suggest doing the readings in someplace other than your apartment, just for safety's sake. There are some disturbingly weird people out there, the last place you want to be trapped is your own place of living. Is there a coffee shop nearby, or a community room, or library where you can have semi-privacy but still be safe? I know a lot of home sewers who won't let customers come to them, they go to the customer or meet in between, just for this reason. And THEY'RE usually dealing with women, not men. Be safe.

lunar_rabbit	24 Sep 2004
Quote: Originally posted by HudsonGray I think I would suggest doing the readings in someplace other than your apartment, just for safety's sake. GOOD POINT! Plus, I just love the ambiance of tarot reading and coffee shops!

Waterlily	24 Sep 2004
A dance organization I do flyers for regularly does two sizes of flyers: An larger 8 1/2 x 11 with basic info to get attention, and then smaller ones (1/4 page size) with all the relevent info for them to take away. You can use push-pins to put them up, or make a pocket on the large flyer to hold the smaller ones. Make sure there is enough information on the larger one so that people can still get in touch with you if all the smaller ones disappear. I do think a graphic is a good idea to get attention. Use a positive looking card or two, like the World, the Lovers, the two of cups etc. from light, non-threatening looking decks. And I agree, definitely don't give your address or meet in your home. First name only is safer.

shelikes2read	24 Sep 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Kath Keep the fonts you use clear, and easy to read. Calligraphy looks lovely, but it can take a bit of time to decipher, and like HudsonGray said, people only spend a few seconds looking at flyers. Good point. I'd also like to mention, since I have several friends with vision loss, that you want to make sure the color contrast and print size are good. Pale-colored print on light-colored paper, or ANY color print on bold-colored paper, could prove to be hard for some people to see. Ditto for print that's too small and/or, as Kath said, too fancy. Persons with vision loss (be it due to age or other reasons) will thank you. :)

MAR	24 Sep 2004
oh guys, thank you very much for your wonderful ideas. yes, I was thinking to do one large flyer that it goes on the bulletin board(it has a glass and it closed with key), it can be open by people's office here in the condo) and smallers with more information and I was thinking to put them on my neighbors windshield's car or neighbor's doors apartment and have some extras. Also, I don't want to put my address on the flyer(don't want unexpected visit) and don't want to do the readings, here at home. I going to talk with the office to see about the community room and do may be the reading at people home, always with appointment only. I've thought about a Barnes and Noble near from home as 10 minutes far or some coffee shops nearby, but I don't want to be kicked out from it, but as you have give this ideas, do you think, I can do it at coffee shops or books store without any problem???? I don't want to discard this. it's very good idea. I want to make the flyer simple, but that looks good, EYE CATCHING as you said ;) and for last, I want to put some beautiful tarot pictures as you have mentioned. see you later to read more ideas from you. :D

The How to make a flyer... thread was originally posted on 22 Sep 2004 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.