Reading Length

[Harperhaven]

I'm not sure this is the right place to ask but...

If a client purchases a 30 minute reading, do you do only one longer spread or do you do multiple smaller spreads? I guess what I'm basically asking is do you expand the words to fill in the time?

The reason I ask is I am a fairly succinct person. I don't take 15 minutes to do a 3-card reading. Frankly, I don't think it should take that long. Is this unusual?

 

[Apollonia]

I'm not sure this is the right place to ask but...

If a client purchases a 30 minute reading, do you do only one longer spread or do you do multiple smaller spreads? I guess what I'm basically asking is do you expand the words to fill in the time?

The reason I ask is I am a fairly succinct person. I don't take 15 minutes to do a 3-card reading. Frankly, I don't think it should take that long. Is this unusual?

I agree, a 3 card reading that someone is paying for should not take 15 minutes. If one of my clients pays in advance for 30 minutes and their questions are all answered in a shorter period, I ask them if they prefer that I refund the balance, or keep it on their account as a credit.

Even though I realize it is an industry norm, drawing out the reading or ending it early and keeping the money just doesn't sit well with me. IMO, most of the time clients know when a reading is being padded and it's not great for the relationship. I have had clients tell me that they went to a different reader and were appalled at how long it took to answer a single question compared to when they came to me, and that they would not be going back to the reader who seemed to be just trying to kill time.

 

[Grizabella]

If a client purchases 30 minutes, then the reading session should take the 30 minutes. How you use that 30 minutes can vary, but you need to invest the whole 30 minutes with a big spread or some smaller ones. There's no set time that a reading "should" last. But you certainly need to give full value for the money. A 3-card reading certainly can last the 30 minutes depending on how fully the cards are explored but if it were me, I'd be drawing another spread or at least some more cards for more information on the 3 cards. If the reader just rattles off the basic meanings in a hurry, then a 3-card reading can be quite short. If you're using the cards as your tool for an in-depth exploration of an issue, then it can last quite awhile. I'd say, though, that if you're selling 30 minute readings, you do whatever it takes to give the full time the client paid for.

 

[nisaba]

I agree, a 3 card reading that someone is paying for should not take 15 minutes. If one of my clients pays in advance for 30 minutes and their questions are all answered in a shorter period, I ask them if they prefer that I refund the balance, or keep it on their account as a credit.

In similar circumstances, I tend to say that we still have a little time, are there any other issues the reading didn't touch that they'd like to look at. I don't run accounts for people. Most people like their anonymity - we deal in delicate issues.

I find that with the majority of people, I can fill half an hour - most people require that I repeat things, sometimes a number of times, before I feel as if they understand. If I finish markedly early, it's often because I had a client of intelligence who was really paying attention.

 

[SunChariot]

I'm not sure this is the right place to ask but...

If a client purchases a 30 minute reading, do you do only one longer spread or do you do multiple smaller spreads? I guess what I'm basically asking is do you expand the words to fill in the time?

The reason I ask is I am a fairly succinct person. I don't take 15 minutes to do a 3-card reading. Frankly, I don't think it should take that long. Is this unusual?

Although I don't read in person, here is my input. (I personally do not charge per minute but per card). Some people are more succinct. Some are more wordy. First and foremost be yourself and do what comes naturally to you.

Maybe think about if 30 minutes is too long for you as a reader if you are very succinct. Maybe 15 minute readings. Or maybe you can let them ask 3 or 4 questions in that time that you can look at. So really it would be like doing 3 or 4 separate readings, one after another.

...just some thoughts. But I would not try to expand words to fill the time. Quality matters more than quantity. If you try to stick in "filler" words that don't come naturally to you, the quality goes down a bit.

Babs

 

[rosetiger12]

I think if you're that succinct, maybe you shouldn't be advertising as "30 min readings".

I would get a bunch of guinea pigs and try out some long spreads and just let the reading flow and see how much time it takes and if the clients are satisfied with the answer.

Then you could charge a set price for a reading, schedule them into the average time period and leave generous breaks between appointments to allow for overflow from talkative customers.

Then you get a fair price for the reading, and don't feel that you need to "fill time" or cut things short.
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Or you do a medium spread, and then do one or three card clarifications if the client has more questions.