How to market

Garrettlonewolfe

Hello AT,

Just wondering if I can ask the other members who have private tarot enterprises how they look to market their businesses?

Currently I have a website, and have linked it with Facebook. I am contemplating several other marketing items which have worked with a previous business: lettering on the car, brochures being locally distributed (probably last resort), going to a market day and paying for a stall.

A friend of mine has a business in another industry and has indicated that the website is not effective as a cold marketing tool. An AT poster here has also indicated that websites are generally visited by other readers- which is not my intended audience.

So any suggestions to market a tarot business?

GLW
 

tarotbear

Not that my words will necessarily mean anything ... but to market something you have to know who or what your target audience is and market to that/them, rather than try various 'marketing techniques', hoping that one will work for you. People that are 'in business' usually draw up a 'business plan' that outlines incremental goals to be achieved and accessed. Being in the 'tarot business' is no different than baking designer cupcakes, making quilted tea cozies, or handcrafting fine wood furniture. "Business is business" and needs to be conducted seriously and with great thought.

Your first question to yourself is 'Why are you going to create a tarot business,' followed closely by 'What will make your business different/better than your competition's business.' The next question should be 'Is this a hobby or a potential career,' followed by 'where do you see yourself 3 years or 5 years from now.'

I'm sure others will add their help. I know Tarotiana has a thriving tarot business that she works hard at and she will have another 'take' on the whole matter.
 

Amanda

Build the right incentives to get repeat customers.

Business cards and word-of-mouth. That's the best, although probably slowest, way to get and retain customers. Hand out your business cards at any event you do... give customers a discount on their next reading if they refer a friend.

I would say don't go nuts spending a bunch of money on advertising and marketing tools until you've started making enough money in one year to pay one student's full tuition for 4 years to go to college. You've got Facebook, and that's free. Network with like-minded folks, make yourself the only tarot reader available in the circle, if possible, or highlight a niche that distinguishes you from other readers.

Just remember what size professional tarot pants you're currently wearing, and match your marketing up to that. Represent yourself accurately, and as your business grows, so will your marketing efforts.

I personally wouldn't do anything to my vehicle unless I was planning on doing a lot of corporate gigs with more emphasis on the 'entertainment' side of tarot. But then, I don't know how long you've already been doing this, or the size of your client list. If you're already spending most of your waking day working in this business, then putting something on the vehicle might not be a bad idea to obtain new customers.

Pamphlets and flyers are probably good to hand out at events as well, but a businesscard could probably accomplish the same goal... if you give lectures or something, pamphlets and flyers might be good for that setting, to educate people about tarot, and also give them your business information.

Just some thoughts...
 

tarotbear

'Lettering on the car'

There are many places that make magnetic signs (they also make refrigerator magnets of your business card) that you can put on your car door 'when needed' so you don't have to go to your great-aunt's funeral with your tarot business advertizing while you are attending.
 

Metafizzypop

Lettering on a car? That's novel. Sorta like a plumbing and heating business. I never would have thought of it.

Anyway, an astrologer/tarotreader in my area had an interesting way to promote herself. She got small flyers printed up, and left them under the windshields of cars. I found one on my car in the parking lot of a supermarket. I think this choice of locations was intentional. Even in this day and age, there's still more women who go food shopping than men, and women are a great audience for tarot reading. Even better, the women at a supermarket are likely to have a home to take care of. They're women with families, and therefore, women with people to ask questions about.

It seemed like a well thought out plan. (No, I didn't visit her for a reading. I have my own tarot cards :) )

Could probably make the flyers yourself if you have a printer. Oh, and I think the flyer also gave a ten percent discount on the first reading.
 

Garrettlonewolfe

Thank you all for your words of wisdom.

As Tarotbear wisely states it is a matter of where you want the business to go, and what niche needs to be filled.

This will be a hobby-based business as I am realistic about the difficulties of performing tarot full-time. The main focus would be on locating local individuals who would be interested as my niche would be the lack of local readers in my area.

Thank you tarotiana for the advice for the book- will definately check it out.

Yes, Amanda, definately have my small boy tarot pants on ;). Word of mouth is definately the best, and have the business cards at the ready!

GLW
 

danieljuk

a friend of mine has a non tarot business and like Amanda says word of mouth is the best! he paid loads of money to go in directories and got hardly anything from it. He also tried various cold calling methods and hardly got anything from it. It just annoys people!

Carefully think who do you appeal too and leave leaflets and business cards in those locations. It has to be clever promoting, like in new age shops. stalls in fairs and events with your business card.

have special offers if someone recommends a friend! I recommended a friend to one of my fave pro readers and got points to their loyalty scheme. Everytime you spend money you get one point per $! you get free readings for different point amounts like 100 gives you a large spread reading. If you recommend a friend they get points and you do too! you want people to keep coming back or passing you on to others! take small adverts out in local newspapers and magazines or tarot / new age type magazines.

on your FB page you can enable reviews, make sure people leave reviews but carefully monitor it. someone left a horrible review on my friends business page after saying he did a great service to him. moderate them. also make sure your are listed on google for your website and business. I think you can tie it to google maps and google+ with a page. you can have reviews on that too! a website can bring in trade. make sure it has your location! I have searched for tarot readings in my local area on google!

hope those suggestions help! becareful of promotional tools which cost a lot of money, my friend found very expensive services brought nothing to his business. it really was friends recommending him to friends! :)
 

Midnite

Hi Garrettlonewolfe, I see you're in Australia too. I find the Nova Magazine and possibly the Living Now magazine could be an option for you. Also Gumtree is worth giving a go because it is free. I use VistaPrint for all my merchandise. If I think of anything else I'll let you know. Good luck with it!
 

Midnite

I just wanted to add to my post above...
Although I've suggested a few advertising avenues, rather than general marketing, I've found these avenues to be really helpful for my business.
Also, advertising on Facebook I found was a really good tool too. You control how much you spend. I spent a total of $50 on a Like-based advert and received 500 Likes which was very good for business.