Professional Tarot Readers ...how do you advertise?

My friend and I both do tarot readings at a local independent bookstore. We divide up the week so that there is always a reader available every afternoon and into the evening. We're trying to come up with ideas to promote ourselves as tarot readers (with our personal phone numbers) and also to bring more tarot reading clients into the store. Since the advertising will be on our dime, so to speak, we'd like to keep the expenses as low as reasonably possible. We each already have business cards. We've checked into newspaper ads and found them to be a bit expensive. We were thinking of having some flyers printed to post at businesses with bulletin boards available to the public for announcements, etc. Also, we're going to have a poster sized sign made to put in the bookstore window, with the owner's consent.

Would you please share your ideas for inexpensive self-promotion with us?

A little background: The bookstore owner is selling the business and doesn't want to put money into advertising. We've met the new owner and we will continue to do readings after the store changes hands, but it hardly seems reasonable to ask the new owner-to-be to pay for advertising. This whole change-over will take a few months and we don't want to wait that long. We want to get busy telling the world we're here. Thank goodness for independent book stores! The local Barnes and Noble store manager told me that corporate policy forbids tarot readings in their stores and store cafe's. Could this be true, or is it just because we live in a conservative area (Utah)?

I don't know how elaborate you want to get but I've got a couple suggestions...

With Halloween coming up you might consider volunteering to read for charity events. 501c3s tend to be wide open to "occult" ideas at this time of year, and it can be a great way to get those business cards into new hands. After a while "dancing for a disease" gets to be old hat no matter how stuffed the shirts. And don't forget corporate events for (less-conservative) local companies which are often willing to book themed entertainment. The next month is PRIME party reading time because people expect a little spook in their nights.

The second suggestion is dependent on having some killer artwork and sparkling ad-copy, and will be cheaper than doing a poster. There are several online services (like Vistaprint) that print full color postcards for little-to-no money; the advantage over a business card is that it can actually convey more information and is much more visible than a biz card on a board or counter. But you can carry it in your bag or pocket anywhere, so that distributing it becomes a matter of legwork. Make sure you have a single slick, intriguing, high impact image supported by stellar text... identify some funky cafes or open-minded beauty salons or hip gyms (anyplace where people are doing something for themselves and often waiting around) willing to place them well, and you'll snag people you'd normally never encounter in the eso-store.

Thanks, Scion. Great idea. I'll check it out.

This may sound a bit obvious, so I apologise in advance...

I mostly advertise for free on the internet. I have my own website and have tweaked my coding so that whenever someone types in "Tarot in __________(my area)", they see my details first, every time. I have also added the surrounding areas for this as well.

If you don't have your own website, start hunting for other Tarot websites which list readers. This may mean you end up being listed on a "Psychic" site but look for directories which will attract people looking for this type of thing. Don't worry if it's an international site (as long as it includes the US) - just get "Riverstone's Tarot in Utah" listed everywhere and your email address. You don't need to add the name of the bookshop unless you want to - people will contact you asking where you offer readings. This should be free - DON'T bother paying any of these sites as there are plenty of free listing sites... I've never once paid one to this day

This will serve a similar purpose as the more places you are listed, the more likely you are likely to pop up when someone goes searching for "tarot reader in Utah".

This sounds extremely simple, I'll grant you, but this is where the bulk of my face-to-face readings and parties come through from Hope it helps & if you need more info on your web coding, feel free to PM.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is doing a Psychic Fair. If you do a search on Google for Utah Psychic Fair, then you just might find something in your area. It's a good idea to bring cards, postcards, or fliers to an event like this.

Since you are working out of a bookstore, would they be open to including a postcard or flier as a bag-stuffer? It's just a thought.

Places like street fairs are good too. You can't charge too much there but it always pulls a few people in who are willing to pay full price for a longer private reading.