Marketing Yourself as a Tarot Reader

WiseOakReiki

I have my own website about doing tarot readings. It's all set up with an email list, several different pages, information about me and how I came to where I am and most importantly, a way for people to buy readings.

The problem I am running into is how do I reach potential customers? I am seeing a touch of growth but it is CRAWLING and even though people may add me on facebook or like my youtube videos, they are not purchasing my readings.

Here is what I am doing now:

blogging often about tarot related topics
YouTube videos - Weekly general readings and sometimes daily 2-card readings. I post these on my blog and on my Facebook page
I'm on Facebook and Instagram - posting videos in groups that allow it.
I've decided to start a live podcast where I discuss tarot-related topics and give the audience a chance to ask a question and get an answer live from me.
In person readings at a local shop in town
I've put out a flyer to do tarot parties in town as well

I had an add on biddy tarot but after a few months only 1 person purchased a reading. I spent more on the ad than I made on the reading so I stopped paying for it. If I am going to pay for advertising right now, it has to bring in money right away.

I would be interested in methods you all have used to connect with potential clients or books/resources on the subject.

Thanks in advance!
 

Lareia

A guest post on another tarot blog might be an option. I know Biddytarot allows submission of guest posts, with a link back to your own page.
 

LeFou

Go to a public place, and read for free. If its meant to happen on that day, in that place, the Universe mysteriously guides people to your table. Not every time necessarily, but it's presumably important to be able to sense when to read, and when to not read.

The trick is to be able to sit there casually "not reading" so people see you're available to read. But we should resist actively trying to get sitters. It works so much better when they come to you. In terms of professional card reading, "not reading" is the hardest to master, but fortunately, it's the last skill you need.
 

minotaur

If you want to help the Universe guide people to your table have a friend along. Sit down and have your friend come in a bit and get a reading. Others will see this and then will approach you.

If no one approaches you after your friend leaves wait for the area to turn the customers over a bit and repeat. Otherwise go to another location where there are new people.

Most people have a very hard time being the first to do something but once someone else does it then they will go along.

I also suggest accepting tips. This is discussed in the thread linked below. There is a world of difference between those that want free readings and those who would tip anything at all.

For more on these and other thoughts see my post in this thread and then check out the entire thread.

http://tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=245022&page=7

There is some very good thinking in that thread.
 

delinfrey

As I understand, the OP is looking for advice on getting online seekers, so reading at a public place is probably not feasible...

Here are some things I have found helpful:

- Build trust in your reading abilities. You are building up your image as a Tarot connoisseur, yes; but as a person who is good at reading? Offer a free monthly reading to your followers (random choice) and hope for word of mouth

- visit some new age, esoterics, Tarot, magic or other topical chatrooms. Offer to give some free few-card readings. Do them publicly in said chatrooms

- Offer a "price-yourself" system - offer your reading to be priced by the seeker. Many experiments show that people are likely to pay (and pay even more) with this model than any regular pricing model

- Offer nice "gift packages" instead of offering a reading, so that people can "gift" your readings for someone, instead of buying a reading themselves

And don't try too hard.
 

minotaur

The OP asks about doing readings in town and doing tarot parties. It is kind of buried in the post.

So you got me thinking about tarot parties...can be very good. I did ok with them, not great but personally know people who did great. I bet this sweet butterfly does great with them and what magickal eyes she has!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX1LqhtKNhY
 

MandMaud

In this article are many excellent methods for increasing your online following - the title is Twitter, but most of these apply to everything, not just Twitter.
http://technotip.org/60-ways-to-increase-your-twitter-followers/

I haven't done this with regard to tarot reading (soon to start! :)) but a few years ago I was very active online and especially on the blogosphere, promoting myself as a writer, and found it's not difficult to expand steadily if you follow one or two of these (and any other tips you find) whenever you've recovered from the last step you took. Slowly but surely, and then in 6-12 months you think, Wow, I have x times more regular visitors than I did!

There are dozens of bloggers making money by teaching others how to make money blogging. Read them - apply their advice to everything, not just blogging. Most of it is the same rehashed. ;) (Even if making money isn't the point, this is actually tuition in marketing.)

For an author, the best frequency for blogging is weekly, but probably monthly or even every other month would do - regular is good, so set yourself a target that won't stress you to fulfil.

The absolute best advice I ever followed was to make friends online. It is the most important thing. Reach out - it's about relationships. It allows your real self to show better than anything else, and others will "overhear" and eventually click through to find out who you are.

And recently I heard another great piece of advice, which I haven't yet lived by, but it strikes me as valuable: Don't sell, share. You have something great which you want other people to partake of. Be generous and let them know about it! (In other words, never be a slimy car-salesman type!)

Roughly 1 in 10 visitors to your site or blog become regulars, and roughly 1 in 10 of those become commenters (it's blogs that I know best), and I'd guess 1 in 10 of those become customers... and then it's up to you how many become repeat customers! Giving these ratios because false expectations are the biggest cause of disappointment.

Congratulate yourself when you achieve twice as many clicks as last month. Take the credit. Never take the blame when it slows down - that's time of year / month / clash with the football (or other big sports event) / power cut ... when it's more than a blip, that's the moment to try the next technique on your list.
 

Amanda

I have my own website about doing tarot readings. It's all set up with an email list, several different pages, information about me and how I came to where I am and most importantly, a way for people to buy readings.

The problem I am running into is how do I reach potential customers? I am seeing a touch of growth but it is CRAWLING and even though people may add me on facebook or like my youtube videos, they are not purchasing my readings.

Here is what I am doing now:

blogging often about tarot related topics
YouTube videos - Weekly general readings and sometimes daily 2-card readings. I post these on my blog and on my Facebook page
I'm on Facebook and Instagram - posting videos in groups that allow it.
I've decided to start a live podcast where I discuss tarot-related topics and give the audience a chance to ask a question and get an answer live from me.
In person readings at a local shop in town
I've put out a flyer to do tarot parties in town as well

I had an add on biddy tarot but after a few months only 1 person purchased a reading. I spent more on the ad than I made on the reading so I stopped paying for it. If I am going to pay for advertising right now, it has to bring in money right away.

I would be interested in methods you all have used to connect with potential clients or books/resources on the subject.

Thanks in advance!

It looks like you are doing a lot of mass marketing with your focus on money-paying customers in general, when what you really need is more of a one-on-one "special" kind of focus.

Go to a public place, and read for free. If its meant to happen on that day, in that place, the Universe mysteriously guides people to your table. Not every time necessarily, but it's presumably important to be able to sense when to read, and when to not read.

The trick is to be able to sit there casually "not reading" so people see you're available to read. But we should resist actively trying to get sitters. It works so much better when they come to you. In terms of professional card reading, "not reading" is the hardest to master, but fortunately, it's the last skill you need.

Something like LeFou suggests here sounds like something you need more of. Reading for free (and perhaps handing out business cards) is one way to "exchange" for better advertising without coughing up the money for advertising. Demonstrating to generate word-of-mouth is the best advertisement you can get. Focus on building those one-on-one relationships; everything else you're doing is icing on the cake.
 

minotaur

As it has been suggested a couple times in this thread and many times on other threads I wish to address the idea of reading for free to get advertising.

The problem with that is it will work. Everyone will know you as someone who does free readings. Very few, if any of those readings will turn into paid work. It will eat up your energy and productive hours. Just try and get out of the market position of the free reader once it has become established. That reputation will follow you around for years.

"You read for free for my friend. Why not me? Just one reading...pleeeeeeease!" Read for free and you better get used to this type of request. What's more a simple no will not work with the free reading addicts. They can be quite persistent and sometimes abusive with all kinds of philosophical justifications why they should get your work free...ok, that is another thread. Sorry for the digression.

If for some reason other than marketing you wish to do free readings that is another discussion that gets a bit frisky at times.

If you are in-between I might suggest the idea presented by Ruby Jewel on page 3 of the above-linked thread. While talking about working for tips she suggests a karma jar. If they want to instead of tip they can draw something from that karma jar. This is something nice they have to do for someone else. You could go without the tip jar and just use the karma jar if that made you more comfortable. Check her wonderful post for details.

Actually a karma jar is a very nice way to do things if you want to leave money out of the equation for any reason.

Just my life experience in the US. In other countries or cultures these thoughts may not apply.
 

WiseOakReiki

As it has been suggested a couple times in this thread and many times on other threads I wish to address the idea of reading for free to get advertising.

The problem with that is it will work. Everyone will know you as someone who does free readings. Very few, if any of those readings will turn into paid work. It will eat up your energy and productive hours. Just try and get out of the market position of the free reader once it has become established. That reputation will follow you around for years.

This is EXACTLY my concern with doing free readings. I was actually a free reader on Biddy Tarot for about 6 months. It took me a couple weeks to realize how accurate and spot on my readings were. It really amazed me! I just quit doing them because I 1) Don't need the practice anymore. 2)Want to be clear to the Universe about my intention to be paid.

How can I expect people to pay me if I am doing all kinds of readings for free? It doesn't make sense. I'm not opposed to giving mini readings as a way to market myself. But are those people going to value my service enough to come back and ask for a paid reading? That is the question. So far, the answer across the board has been "no".

Also I do readings at a local bead shop for a lower rate once a month. While it is a fun thing to do and I make a little bit of money, I feel that it's not my target market, there is not a lot of traffic, and if people do want another reading, they come find me there again. I have considered making all the readings there "mini readings" otherwise why would people book outside of those times?