Best Days for Tarot Reading Business

I have opened a booth for reading tarot in a small New Mexico town (population 1,000) emporium and I plan to spend 3 days a week sitting and waiting for customers. I have some signage and a good central location on the main 2-lane highway through town that is traveled by the seasonal "snowbirds" and a few tourists. I have been open and available for customers since the end of June on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm and have spent most of my time just waiting. The first month I didn't have a customer. I have altogether had about 3 readings and they were all successful readings which may help stimulate some interest. I'm now wondering if Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the best days of the week to be open and I'm considering changing them. I'm interested to know about the experience of other readers who have chosen specific days to be open, or closed. For example, which days would be preferable for the experienced reader.

I would say that various regional dynamics would play the bigger part.

Thanks for your response. The local clientele base is Mexican-American with a prevalent older generation, including the older generation of retired "snowbirds". There's not much here that is unique. Just having a tarot reader in town stimulates a lot of curiosity. I think it is going to be a matter of just persevering and so perhaps any day is as good as the next. Making the selection and sticking to it is probably more important.

Could you do some sort of promotion? I think the key is to get your name known and out there! Cheaper readings or recommend me to a friend and get a free reading or something? get one reading and the next is half price, something for repeat customers? Word of mouth is the best but leave business cards everywhere and market yourself! Leaflets / cards / website! Once people start recommending you, it will take off!

What about offering a mini reading for cheap to get people to your table.

Have you ever not gone into a restaurant that is empty? Get people sitting at your table. Maybe even offer a free 1 card reading to get the energy flowing.

Good luck!

Ruby Jewel said:

I have opened a booth for reading tarot in a small New Mexico town (population 1,000) emporium and I plan to spend 3 days a week sitting and waiting for customers. I have some signage and a good central location on the main 2-lane highway through town that is traveled by the seasonal "snowbirds" and a few tourists. I have been open and available for customers since the end of June on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm and have spent most of my time just waiting. The first month I didn't have a customer. I have altogether had about 3 readings and they were all successful readings which may help stimulate some interest. I'm now wondering if Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the best days of the week to be open and I'm considering changing them. I'm interested to know about the experience of other readers who have chosen specific days to be open, or closed. For example, which days would be preferable for the experienced reader.

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I think it might be worth some experimenting. Like you could try being available on different days and see how it goes. That's the best way to find out what the best days are.

But I can tell you that, in my own experience, the best day is Monday. I do psychic readings using tarot over the phone, and Monday evenings tend to be fairly busy. I think this is because it's right after the weekend. On the weekend, people see their friends and family, etc. Then on Monday, they call the psychic and complain about their friends and family, and all the troubles and worries and failing relationships in their lives. (I've heard about something similar happening in doctors' offices, where Monday is the busiest day for getting calls from sick patients who want appointments. The people calling felt sick that weekend and they had to wait till Monday to call the doctor's office).

What I'm doing is different from what you're doing (I'm on the phone and you're seeing people in person). But I do think that Monday is a day worth trying, if it's possible for your schedule. Fridays for me tend to be rather lame.

Ruby Jewel said:

I have opened a booth for reading tarot in a small New Mexico town (population 1,000) emporium and I plan to spend 3 days a week sitting and waiting for customers. I have some signage and a good central location on the main 2-lane highway through town that is traveled by the seasonal "snowbirds" and a few tourists. I have been open and available for customers since the end of June on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm and have spent most of my time just waiting. The first month I didn't have a customer. I have altogether had about 3 readings and they were all successful readings which may help stimulate some interest. I'm now wondering if Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the best days of the week to be open and I'm considering changing them. I'm interested to know about the experience of other readers who have chosen specific days to be open, or closed. For example, which days would be preferable for the experienced reader.

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I started reading at a small metaphysical shop in a large city, so my experience may be very different from yours, but here it is. I began reading on Thursday afternoons and later switched to Saturdays and Sundays from 1-5 PM. For a while, I did all three days each week.

The weekend days were much, much busier than the weekday. I got quite a few groups of girlfriends, husband and wife, etc. and I don't think it's that easy to get two or three people who can all come in on a weekday because of how many people work during the week.

Does the emporium attract a lot of people to the other businesses there? Even working out of a fairly busy shop, it took me two years before I was booked solid most of the time, so it does take time for word of mouth to go around.

Best of luck on your endeavor--I hope it goes well for you!

Are people walking by your booth pretty frequently? If so, have a friend go with you and and read for her/him. Other people walking by might stop and see what's happening...just a thought.

Also, what are you doing while you are waiting? Is it something that would draw them in?

Ruby Jewel said:

Thanks for your response. The local clientele base is Mexican-American with a prevalent older generation, including the older generation of retired "snowbirds". There's not much here that is unique. Just having a tarot reader in town stimulates a lot of curiosity. I think it is going to be a matter of just persevering and so perhaps any day is as good as the next. Making the selection and sticking to it is probably more important.

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Yes, that is important ... occasionally I would miss 'the' day and clients did turn up as they were used to that. In my above post I meant, avoid clashes with established and popular other local pastimes. Or ... if possible, incorporate your readings into them (eg. a street fair or market).

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Boy, you guys are just amazing with your responses. They are all so helpful. I really like your ideas disa. I'm going to incorporate both your recommendations to read for friends and do something interesting to draw customers when I'm just sitting around. Metafizzypop, thanks to your info on Mondays, and appollonia's info about the weekends being definitely good for her, I have found the answer to my question. I've decided to give Saturday, Sunday, and Monday a try. And danieljuk, you are right to suggest implementing promotional ideas. I am doing some now such as a drawing for a free reading with the money going to the local vet. However, last month nobody bought a ticket. I also offer gift certificates...maybe that will fly around Christmas, but so far, no action. I can see that there are many options for promoting my business and I need to incorporate more promotional fare. I'm definitely going to persevere for at least two years. And, ravenest, thanks again.

Just to give you some idea of my operation, I give my customer a choice of reading options to include 4 different spreads ranging from $15 to $40. The big $40 spread is a 24-card spread that I created myself and call the Karmic spread. Then I do the 15-card Qabalistic spread by Robert Wang, the Celtic spread, and a 5-card Friendship spread that I got from Christiana Gaudet on utube. I'd be interested to hear what spreads you guys like using. So far the Karmic and Celtic spreads have been the most popular for me.

You folks are a great inspiration. I'll be sure to get back here to let you know the results of my new schedule. I think it is an important aspect of marketing our business.....just knowing which days are better. A great forum!! Thanks.