Reading at a craft show need spread ideas.

[DaughterOfDanu]

I'm hanging out with my boyfriends mom at a craft show later this month and she said I could read cards at her table.

I need some quick yet helpful spread suggestions. I'm planning on keeping readings short (5-10 minutes).

So far I was thinking:
Past Present Future
Celtic Cross

But I know some people are going to want a "general" reading that covers all aspects (Love, Business, Health, Friendship, Etc).

This is my time to shine and make some good connections for my reading business so I want to keep to my ethics of keeping the reading simple and short, yet full of information.

Any other spreads you use at craft shows/reading shows/etc that sitters are fond of?

 

[LibraX]

Hey!
Ohhh it all sounds so exciting!

Okay, well when I do a ten-minute reading for a friend, I do five spreads, all the same layout but with different suits/cards?

So the first four spreads would be the Minor Arcana. Simply just shuffle the the specific suit (Wands, Cups, Pents, Swords), and draw 5 cards. The sitter can concentrate on a specific question if necessary, but obviously the suits are as follows:

Wands - Creativity, current projects, general state of mind.
Cups - Emotions, relationships, love.
Swords - Conflicts, problems, struggles.
Pentacles - Stability, financial, career.

The layout is a semi circle arching upwards, and positions are as follows:

1) Current Position
Where the sitter is in life, the current situation.
2) Current Expectations
What next steps the cards think the sitter should take.
3) What is Unexpected
So maybe a new person entering their life, a new oppurtunity/attitude, etc.
4). Immediate Future
'What comes next'.
5). Long-term Future
Or in other words - outcome!

The fifth spread is exactly the same, but using Major Arcana cards only. The fifth one kind of sums up everything you know?

I feel this spread very successful for me, asking a relationship-specific q. with only Cups gives you a straight to the point, yet indept answer. Same as any of the others. Plus, the actual readings and interpretation doesn't take long at all - so you should have time to fit them all in.
If all else fails, just ask the sitter what aspect of the four suits they're mainly interested in hearing about, do a few, sum it up with the Major Arcana, and hopefully you won't run over time!

Hope it helps, and have fun!

 

[Raindance]

How lucky to be out reading! I would suggest having a three card spread, a five card spread, and the Celtic Cross--price accordingly. You are using your talents and time matters.

Good luck!

 

[shadowdancer]

I do twice yearly readings at a festival, and each reading is 20 mins duration. In that time I offer:

celtic cross as a standard / general spread. If they requestor has a specific issue they would like to look at I tend to use 9 cards in a 3 x 3 layout:
energies leading to the issue/influences
how it manifests now
what they can do to bring about change or a favourable outcome.

if it is a relationship issue similar again:

previous experiences / what has led to where they are
how current dynamics are affecting them
what they can do to bring about change / short term energies coming into play based on current events.

Sometimes I jiggle around how I word the positions but on the whole, a 3 x 3 can look at most scenarios. I also use James Ricklef's 3 card spread where I feel it is the best approach.

I think if you are only doing 5 minutes, you are not really going to be getting much beyond doing a 3 card spread. Certainly covering 10 cards of a celtic cross in a short time will not really go into a lot of detail, and would not leave much room for elaborating or answering questions.

good luck with it - I am sure it will be a great day Make sure you have plenty of liquids and you take breaks. It can be draining otherwise

Davina

 

[shadowdancer]

I do twice yearly readings at a festival, and each reading is 20 mins duration. In that time I offer:

celtic cross as a standard / general spread. If they requestor has a specific issue they would like to look at I tend to use 9 cards in a 3 x 3 layout:
energies leading to the issue/influences
how it manifests now
what they can do to bring about change or a favourable outcome.

if it is a relationship issue similar again:

previous experiences / what has led to where they are
how current dynamics are affecting them
what they can do to bring about change / short term energies coming into play based on current events.

Sometimes I jiggle around how I word the positions but on the whole, a 3 x 3 can look at most scenarios. I also use James Ricklef's 3 card spread where I feel it is the best approach.

I think if you are only doing 5 minutes, you are not really going to be getting much beyond doing a 3 card spread. Certainly covering 10 cards of a celtic cross in a short time will not really go into a lot of detail, and would not leave much room for elaborating or answering questions.

good luck with it - I am sure it will be a great day Make sure you have plenty of liquids and you take breaks. It can be draining otherwise

Davina

 

[shadowdancer]

oops duplicate

 

[Winterlady]

I second LibraX's crescent-moon idea.

It's 5 cards, which gives you a good basis for a reading.

It's short enough so that you can spend time talking to the customers - and really make them feel like you're connecting with them. But it's also long enough so that you have plenty to work with, reading wise.

I wish you good fortune! That takes a lot of skill and energy.

 

[Evermore]

Suggestions

Just as a suggestion, I would say to use only 3-5 cards maximum in a spread. This is mostly based off of your time per Reading which is 5-10 minutes. So some 3 Card ones could be:
* Past-Present-Future
* You-Other-Advice
* Feelings-Intentions-Outcome (Good quicky I made up--to my knowledge, although it is probably used by others--for relationships.)
* Mind-Body-Spirit
* Problems-Benefits-Advice
* Wish-Advice-Manifestation
* Idea-Action-Outcome

Those are just a few that came to mind. There is a quick 2 Card Spread I remember hearing about and I used to do it a while ago (I forgot about it until just now). It was something such as "Not Only, But Also". Basically the Spread was used when you wanted insight into a situation. Flip over two cards. The first card is "not only" and the second is "but also." So you're actually get two cards saying "you need to know this and this."

There is one 5-card I always use with relationships. I don't remember what it is called but it goes like this:
1. General situation between the two of you.
2. How they feel about you.
3. How you feel about them.
4. Obstacles to a relationship.
5. Outcome.

Sometimes I change #3 to "Their intentions for the relationship" and sometimes I add a timeframe to #5 such as "Where the relationship will be in 3 months."

I really wouldn't suggest anything over 5 Cards. Especially if you want to do the Readings in 5-10 minutes. That's 1-2 minutes per card; it seems a little fast. Maybe advertise them as mini-Readings and give clients business Cards or take their names so if they come to you within the next 2 months or so they receive a discount on their Reading.

Remember when you're going as a professional, you want it to be all about quality . . . not quantity. Would you rather give a great 10-minute mini-Reading on a 3-card spread? Or you would rather give a quick 10-minute Reading on a 10-card Celtic Cross? Not trying to seem rude or anything, but if I were a client, I would love getting a mini-Reading in 10 minutes with a 3-card spread knowing that it's "mini"; it's a little taste of what you have to offer. If I, as a client, got a 10-card Celtic Cross in 10 minutes, I may feel like the Reader didn't even do much because of all the Cards out there. But each client is different. I'm just adding my two cents. Remember, you want clients to come back. You want them to walk away saying "That was great! I can't wait to get a full Reading!" You don't want them walking away saying "Out of 10 Cards I got a very vague overview. Not worth it."

Maybe offer each client a Celtic Cross Reading with you at 15% off or something over the next 3 months. Give them an e-mail to contact you at and take names! I know if I were a client and got a great mini-Reading, I would be ecstatic to receive a full Reading! This way they will feel like there is so much more to find out from the Cards! You don't want someone to walk away thinking the Celtic Cross was the king of spreads and it was disappointing because there wasn't enough time to get all the information out.

And even though some people may say they want a general Reading, ask if you can focus on one specific area for the mini-Reading. Or just throw down some cards and see what comes up. If the cards lean toward a new relationship and job change, then that's what you pass on. Another option would be to create some sort of "prediction" spread with 5 cards such as:
1. Romance in the next 3 months.
2. Career in the next 3 months.
3. Finances in the next 3 months.
4. Health in the next 3 months.
5. Other relationships in the next 3 months.

Change it as needed. It will be short and sweet. But, I still feel focusing on one specific area would be best. But that may be because I detest "general" Readings because general Readings always tend to get general answers.

Honestly, I think 10 minutes is good for a Reading at a craft show because people want to get around to all the tables. They don't want to spend long at one table. So a little taste of what you have to offer as a Reader and your abilities is key. Just don't try to impress them with a large spread only to not be able to get around to all the information in 10 minutes. Instead, impress them by how much information you are able to attain from just a few cards!

Sorry if I'm rambling and repeating myself. I have a really bad cold so my thinking is a bit muddled. I think it's time to relight my incense (for the 4th or 5th time) and play with a deck.

Good luck and please let us know how it goes!

Natasha

 

[DaughterOfDanu]

Thanks you guys!!

Natasha- I completely understand. I went to a Samhain festival where for 20 dollars you'd get a reading. Someone with our group went in and came out in like 3 minutes!! And she was so disappointed that the lady gave her no decent information.

I'll definately keep in mind that I do want quality vs quantity. I want happy customers not confused ones or unhappy ones. So if I get to go (Its a tad up in the air now) I'll market them as mini readings and if I don't, I'll store the info everyone has given me to use the next time I do public readings.

 

[Evermore]

Welcome!

Thanks you guys!!

Natasha- I completely understand. I went to a Samhain festival where for 20 dollars you'd get a reading. Someone with our group went in and came out in like 3 minutes!! And she was so disappointed that the lady gave her no decent information.

I'll definately keep in mind that I do want quality vs quantity. I want happy customers not confused ones or unhappy ones. So if I get to go (Its a tad up in the air now) I'll market them as mini readings and if I don't, I'll store the info everyone has given me to use the next time I do public readings.

Let us know how it goes and what you use if you do go! =] Good luck!

Natasha