Netzach
This weekend my friend and I had a stand at the Mind-Body-Soul fair in Brighton. They only hold it there once a year (they run other similar fairs elsewhere, including the one at Olympia that I visited earlier this year) and it's extremely well organised. Proper shell-stands, lectures and demonstrations on all day, excellent advertising and a very good selection of stands (well over 100).
We shared a small stand, with my friend doing numerology on one side of it and me doing tarot on the other. We were able to set up on Friday night which was useful because we realised we needed to add a few bits of "decoration" and promotional material and alter others slightly. John had made us two small tables which, with four chairs, fitted perfectly into the space allowed (1m x 3m). And I'd cannibalised a green damask "mediaeval" costume that John wore years ago in a play to make tablecloths. I also took with me a little folding camp-stool which was useful when a mother or daughter or wife wanted to sit in on the reading.
We both took business cards and leaflets explaining what we do and had them on a small table at the front of the stand so people who were passing could pick them up easily. We didn't tape-record readings but provided paper and pens for people to take notes. We had our names and contact details printed at the top of the paper, on the grounds that people might lose business cards but will probably keep the notes of their readings. And we had each ordered pens printed with our details - our names, what we do, email address and 'phone number. The pens work out at about 25p each so at the end of each reading we invited the client to keep the pen.
We also made sure that we had large notices up saying how much we charged and how long a reading took. Someone commented that on some stands this information wasn't provided and that she didn't like to ask because, if it was more than she wanted to pay and she said no, she would look like a cheapskate.
The fair ran from 10 to 6 each day. We started to read around 11.30 on both days (I think people like to look around and buy things before having readings). And on Saturday we both saw eight clients (half an hour each) and on Sunday seven. Interesting that our numbers were the same. Nobody had a reading from both of us. On Saturday the clients came one after another and, at one point, I had a queue! But on Sunday there was a little more space between them. On both days we stopped reading about 4.30 - I suppose people started to go home about then.
There were five other tarot readers there, so I was very pleased to have had so many clients. And I read for another professional reader (who didn't have a stand there) and for the daughter of a reader who did have a stand there.
Remembering the advice given on this forum, we drank loads of water during the day!
I had taken four decks with me (Fantastic Menagerie, Tarot of Dreams, Rohrig and Phantasmagoric Theater) and gave clients the choice of one or more. The most popular were the T of D and the Rohrig. Only one person chose the Phantasmagoric - but I think it is an acquired taste!
Overall, we were extremely pleased with the way it went. I had been a bit worried that my readings might be a bit formulaic but, on the Saturday, after giving an interpretation of one card that was completely unconnected with the "traditional/book" meaning - and having the client nodding agreement - I realised that my intuition was kicking in!
So, very exciting. We came home high as kites and over dinner my friend and I discussed setting up a business together (but nothing to do with tarot or numerology!). A very productive weekend overall.
Today I am EXHAUSTED!!
We shared a small stand, with my friend doing numerology on one side of it and me doing tarot on the other. We were able to set up on Friday night which was useful because we realised we needed to add a few bits of "decoration" and promotional material and alter others slightly. John had made us two small tables which, with four chairs, fitted perfectly into the space allowed (1m x 3m). And I'd cannibalised a green damask "mediaeval" costume that John wore years ago in a play to make tablecloths. I also took with me a little folding camp-stool which was useful when a mother or daughter or wife wanted to sit in on the reading.
We both took business cards and leaflets explaining what we do and had them on a small table at the front of the stand so people who were passing could pick them up easily. We didn't tape-record readings but provided paper and pens for people to take notes. We had our names and contact details printed at the top of the paper, on the grounds that people might lose business cards but will probably keep the notes of their readings. And we had each ordered pens printed with our details - our names, what we do, email address and 'phone number. The pens work out at about 25p each so at the end of each reading we invited the client to keep the pen.
We also made sure that we had large notices up saying how much we charged and how long a reading took. Someone commented that on some stands this information wasn't provided and that she didn't like to ask because, if it was more than she wanted to pay and she said no, she would look like a cheapskate.
The fair ran from 10 to 6 each day. We started to read around 11.30 on both days (I think people like to look around and buy things before having readings). And on Saturday we both saw eight clients (half an hour each) and on Sunday seven. Interesting that our numbers were the same. Nobody had a reading from both of us. On Saturday the clients came one after another and, at one point, I had a queue! But on Sunday there was a little more space between them. On both days we stopped reading about 4.30 - I suppose people started to go home about then.
There were five other tarot readers there, so I was very pleased to have had so many clients. And I read for another professional reader (who didn't have a stand there) and for the daughter of a reader who did have a stand there.
Remembering the advice given on this forum, we drank loads of water during the day!
I had taken four decks with me (Fantastic Menagerie, Tarot of Dreams, Rohrig and Phantasmagoric Theater) and gave clients the choice of one or more. The most popular were the T of D and the Rohrig. Only one person chose the Phantasmagoric - but I think it is an acquired taste!
Overall, we were extremely pleased with the way it went. I had been a bit worried that my readings might be a bit formulaic but, on the Saturday, after giving an interpretation of one card that was completely unconnected with the "traditional/book" meaning - and having the client nodding agreement - I realised that my intuition was kicking in!
So, very exciting. We came home high as kites and over dinner my friend and I discussed setting up a business together (but nothing to do with tarot or numerology!). A very productive weekend overall.
Today I am EXHAUSTED!!