Anyone read for $$? How did you get started?

[High Priestess]

I'm so curious about how others have gotten started reading Tarot professionally. Any insight into what you did that worked for you or mistakes that you made along the way would be greatly appreciated.

 

In time, I hope to offer readings in this way but feel I have more time that I must dedicate to study and offering them as a free service to others before I can do that.

 

Blessings

 

xx

[Little Fang]

Note, that while I've been in business about 3-4 years now, things are still less than a snail pace for me.  Take what works and modify as you must!  It's a learning process, and while I'm doing much better now, I can share the things that are working and things that didn't work so you can see my mistakes.

 

My start was very rough since I didn't really know what I was doing business-wise.  While I tried on Etsy and Storenvy, I didn't know what SEO was, or how to make a good listing.  Everything I did was kind of bad.  My PDF designs were bad.  My images were bad.  While I could read, overall everything else didn't look professional.

 

The best advice I have is to start out on Etsy as an established platform.  I got my first sales there!  I also got a few sales on the hotlines, but I don't much like that format to be honest.

 

When you are ready, and for others reading, I discovered this video the other night and it was an amazing kick in the butt to use Etsy again:

 

I would offer free with good feedback in return, and when you feel ready, do free readings for testimonials!  Those helped a lot since it gave future clients a way to see how I've helped other people.  I advertised those back on AT, and you're welcome to do that here too.  ;)

 

Things that worked for me overall: Research!  Use Etsy to it's advantage as a cheap platform to get started, and that video will get you ahead of the game.  Get noticed on some form of social media so your name stays out there.  Use Canva.com to make good PDF's and images for advertising.  See what others are doing, don't copy, but inspire yourself.  Ask people to look over your store and your graphics.  Here is a good place for that too!

 

Bad things:  Bad design.  Lack of knowing SEO.  Switching platforms too many times and messing with brand identities too much.  Not enough research into the market.  Overall, I was immature at the time and definitely not business savvy.  I feel there were a lot less resources to go off of like there are now. 

 

Sorry if my thoughts are scattered.  I hope this helped some!

[Emilija]

I would like to know how you charged different people. What were your guidelines in your prices? Did you charge something different when you were new versus now that you're more experienced?

[High Priestess]

Note, that while I've been in business about 3-4 years now, things are still less than a snail pace for me.  Take what works and modify as you must!  It's a learning process, and while I'm doing much better now, I can share the things that are working and things that didn't work so you can see my mistakes.

 

My start was very rough since I didn't really know what I was doing business-wise.  While I tried on Etsy and Storenvy, I didn't know what SEO was, or how to make a good listing.  Everything I did was kind of bad.  My PDF designs were bad.  My images were bad.  While I could read, overall everything else didn't look professional.

 

The best advice I have is to start out on Etsy as an established platform.  I got my first sales there!  I also got a few sales on the hotlines, but I don't much like that format to be honest.

 

When you are ready, and for others reading, I discovered this video the other night and it was an amazing kick in the butt to use Etsy again:

 

I would offer free with good feedback in return, and when you feel ready, do free readings for testimonials!  Those helped a lot since it gave future clients a way to see how I've helped other people.  I advertised those back on AT, and you're welcome to do that here too.  ;)

 

Things that worked for me overall: Research!  Use Etsy to it's advantage as a cheap platform to get started, and that video will get you ahead of the game.  Get noticed on some form of social media so your name stays out there.  Use Canva.com to make good PDF's and images for advertising.  See what others are doing, don't copy, but inspire yourself.  Ask people to look over your store and your graphics.  Here is a good place for that too!

 

Bad things:  Bad design.  Lack of knowing SEO.  Switching platforms too many times and messing with brand identities too much.  Not enough research into the market.  Overall, I was immature at the time and definitely not business savvy.  I feel there were a lot less resources to go off of like there are now. 

 

Sorry if my thoughts are scattered.  I hope this helped some!

 

Little Fang[/member],

 

Thank you SO MUCH for offering some insight about what it was like for you starting out. I really appreciate the links and advice you've given me. This is extremely helpful :-)

 

This forum has really been such a great resource for me in the short time I've been using it. I'm sad I didn't find it sooner, but we all get where we need when we're supposed to, I guess.

 

I hope you have a great day!

 

xx

 

[sandrang123]

Little Fang,

 

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I know High Priestess asked, but it's useful information for everyone!

 

I often read for others now, but not as regularly as I once did. A lot of this has weirdly been dependent upon my physical location for some reason. (I've moved around a lot.)

 

In terms of money/audience, I was very old-school, in that I just started reading for friends, then other people (friends of friends) found out I read and were curious. But then those friends told their friends that they had a useful reading, and things grew from there. I started charging, mostly because I found my time on weekends especially was getting taken up with meetings/readings. At first I charged a nominal amount for an hour-long reading, but as time passed, I upped the price.

 

I like the idea of free readings for testimonials, as well as the Etsy platform.

 

One suggestion, too, might be to see if there are any New Age shops around you and ask if they will try you out, for in-store readings. Or maybe try another location off the beaten path...My own reader (who works with Spirit Guides) got her start at an herbal/vitamin store. They were interested in her readings and let her set up shop in the back. When she started, she was charging something like 30.00 a session. Now she works independently, from her home, and charges 150.00 per 1 hr session. Another friend who practices Reiki now works for a message therapist, etc. I also have gone to a wonderful astrologer (Katie at Empowering Astrology) and she got her start by creating a facebook page with lots of useful information on transits, aspects, as well as monthly horoscopes, etc. She gradually increased her fan base with free (though useful, insightful) information, then linked to her website/info about personal readings for natal charts/solar return charts, etc. I went to her to discuss my natal chart, and it was a fantastic reading.

 

Anyway, hope this adds to the conversation! Best wishes for building your base.

Sandy

 

 

 

 

 

Note, that while I've been in business about 3-4 years now, things are still less than a snail pace for me.  Take what works and modify as you must!  It's a learning process, and while I'm doing much better now, I can share the things that are working and things that didn't work so you can see my mistakes.

 

My start was very rough since I didn't really know what I was doing business-wise.  While I tried on Etsy and Storenvy, I didn't know what SEO was, or how to make a good listing.  Everything I did was kind of bad.  My PDF designs were bad.  My images were bad.  While I could read, overall everything else didn't look professional.

 

The best advice I have is to start out on Etsy as an established platform.  I got my first sales there!  I also got a few sales on the hotlines, but I don't much like that format to be honest.

 

When you are ready, and for others reading, I discovered this video the other night and it was an amazing kick in the butt to use Etsy again:

 

I would offer free with good feedback in return, and when you feel ready, do free readings for testimonials!  Those helped a lot since it gave future clients a way to see how I've helped other people.  I advertised those back on AT, and you're welcome to do that here too.  ;)

 

Things that worked for me overall: Research!  Use Etsy to it's advantage as a cheap platform to get started, and that video will get you ahead of the game.  Get noticed on some form of social media so your name stays out there.  Use Canva.com to make good PDF's and images for advertising.  See what others are doing, don't copy, but inspire yourself.  Ask people to look over your store and your graphics.  Here is a good place for that too!

 

Bad things:  Bad design.  Lack of knowing SEO.  Switching platforms too many times and messing with brand identities too much.  Not enough research into the market.  Overall, I was immature at the time and definitely not business savvy.  I feel there were a lot less resources to go off of like there are now. 

 

Sorry if my thoughts are scattered.  I hope this helped some!

[katrinka]

For a long time, I did face to face readings at my house. You won't get a ton of business doing that, and you have to let people you don't really know into your home. So not recommended, even though it was good experience.

 

Then I signed up for Keen. For awhile I was on Keen, Starz, and some others, as well as Etsy.

 

The thing with Etsy is that you have to have a physical product. Typing up a PDF is a lot more time consuming than reading on the phone. So I stopped doing email readings.

 

Now I do phone readings as advertised on my blog, and I do parties.

 

I would like to know how you charged different people. What were your guidelines in your prices? Did you charge something different when you were new versus now that you're more experienced?

 

Guidelines are just what good readers are currently charging. I charge by time rather than spreads, so 30 minutes is $60, an hour is $120 - that's low-average for an experienced reader. Minimum for parties is $250 - I factor in how many people I'll be reading and my travel time and expenses.

 

Personally, it irks me when I see people reading for $10-$20. Clients see a bargain there and get a bad reading, then they decide that all card readers are fake. They don't know the difference between a reader who has learned a system backwards and forwards, and a newbie reading off the pictures and nothing else. They just want to know if they'll get the job, or if their boyfriends are cheating. Cheapo readings are detrimental to all of us. If you're not ready to read professionally, don't.

[sandrang123]

I agree with this...bad readers are the WORST for our community. Unfortunately, there are way more than us out there.

[Trogon]

I don't want to seem TOO obtuse ... but what is "SEO"?

[Little Fang]

I don't want to seem TOO obtuse ... but what is "SEO"?

 

Search engine optimization!  The better it is, the more Google, or etsy, likes you and puts you at the top. I added it to the forum and it has helped people find us!  :-*

[Saturn Celeste]

I have a business model but have not charged yet.  I will once I launch my site.  This is my business model.

 

1.  I'm using an online name I've had for over 10 years.  It's already in the google and other major search engines.

 

2.  I use an avatar I paid for to keep it unique.  It is part of my brand.  This is the image, I use it everywhere except here!

 

3.  It will be 2 years this spring that I went to a tarot mentor.  He gave me a crash course for an intermediate reader that I was at the time. 

 

4.  In the past 2 years I've built up a catalogue of decks to use for my business.  I will offer a portfolio that people can browse and let me know what deck they want me to use for their reading.  This portfolio is what is taking me so long building the site!

 

5.  For the past 2 years I've been doing free readings on different websites I frequent.  I have an affinity for reading without seeing the querent and have had excellent success on doing written readings.  I always include photos of the cards used.  I will be including videos for paying customers but have 5 kittens in the room I keep my tripod and light so the room is off limits for now.  Soon as I can get my equipment out, I'll be able to start filming.

 

6.  When I decided to go into business, I bought my cameras.  I have a Kodak, a video recorder, a webcam and a sports cam.  I have a blue yeti mic but I had that all along because I voice act for Fallout game mods.

 

7.  I have had ladymoiraine.com for over 15 years now so I'm established online but it's an adult gaming site.  I have a gallery on that site I upload all my pics to because I have limited storage on my Wix site.

 

8.  I have a Wix site.  They have a good SEO and I'm optimized on my pages.  I have to work on the home page and get my photos uploaded to the portfolio and fix the slide show on the portfolio page.

 

9.  My prices and types of readings are found here:

https://www.saturnreadstarot.com/packages

I've been messing around with the prices trying to make a free reading giveaway but paypal makes me charge .50 no matter what so I'm not done messing around on the package page.

 

10. I got my disclaimer from a business template Benebell Wen had posted on her site.  Can't forget the legalese with a business site.

https://www.saturnreadstarot.com/privacy-policy

 

11. I have a Saturn Reads Tarot FB page.  I will do my launch on FB.

 

12. I will flood YouTube with my deck reviews and discussions.  YouTube will be my main drive to my site.  I need to have 20 to 30 videos made for my launch so I can upload them often.  I  figure I'll have the deck reviews and discussions, I'll have a Celestial Advice reading for the week or month not sure yet, and some sample readings from my followers, especially the pet & writer readings so people can see how they work.  I will eventually do erotic readings I should be able to upload to my other website and send it to my clients via email.

 

And that's my business model.  I've been working toward a launch for almost a year now but RL is a bitch.  I'm hoping to get it together in early 2018.  I'm so close yet still far away with as many photos as I need to take!  If anyone has any questions, just ask! :D

https://www.saturnreadstarot.com/

 

 

 

[Little Fang]

Wow Saturn, you've got it all thought out!  :-*  Very excited to see your launch and your videos!  I'm planning on getting on the YouTube video train myself, once I'm in a better position to film.

 

And thanks for reminding me about Benebell Wen, I can't recommend her legal stuff highly enough!

[EmpyreanKnight]

I love the decks you featured in your site's video section. All the best on your new venture, SaturnCeleste! :D

[sandrang123]

Awesome, Saturn! Great work!!!

[High Priestess]

Wow SaturnCeleste[/member] thanks for providing so much information about what you do for your own business!

Your plan sounds great!

[Saturn Celeste]

Wow Saturn, you've got it all thought out!  :-*  Very excited to see your launch and your videos!  I'm planning on getting on the YouTube video train myself, once I'm in a better position to film.

 

And thanks for reminding me about Benebell Wen, I can't recommend her legal stuff highly enough!

 

Thank you Little Fang! 

 

I love the decks you featured in your site's video section. All the best on your new venture, SaturnCeleste! :D

 

Thank you so much, EmpyreanKnight!  I appreciate you taking the time to peek!

 

Awesome, Saturn! Great work!!!

 

Thank you Sandrang!  I'm so nervous about the site knowing I still have so much work, your words are very encouraging!

 

Wow SaturnCeleste[/member] thanks for providing so much information about what you do for your own business!

Your plan sounds great!

 

Thank you High Priestess!  I can't wait for my lauch on FB.  I've done live FB readings before and they're really fun!  Between YouTube and FB I hope to have some traffic. :D

 

Thanks again to everyone.  One thing I do want to add about having a tarot business.  Consider how you title your site, your YouTube channel and  your FB.  If you stay with the same name in everything, you'll have a better chance of being found in google.  Your name is your brand so use it consistently.  I hope this helps in setting up your own tarot business!  ;D

[Albadawn]

I would just like to add a note of thanks to everyone contributing to this topic. Circumstances are leading me to consider reading tarot for money for the first time, and the advice given here is so helpful. :)

[ToadieOdie]

Saturn, I know this is an old thread but how did you set up the payment methods on your webpage for your tarot reading packages?

[Saturn Celeste]

Saturn, I know this is an old thread but how did you set up the payment methods on your webpage for your tarot reading packages?

Most websites have a Paypal option.  Once they pay you'll have their email address then you can contact them for specifics.  You need to see what options your blog software offers and take it from there.  Almost all of them use paypal.  You have your tarot packages available with pricing so they know what they are buying.  What trouble are you running into Toadie?

[ToadieOdie]

Saturn, I know this is an old thread but how did you set up the payment methods on your webpage for your tarot reading packages?

Most websites have a Paypal option.  Once they pay you'll have their email address then you can contact them for specifics.  You need to see what options your blog software offers and take it from there.  Almost all of them use paypal.  You have your tarot packages available with pricing so they know what they are buying.  What trouble are you running into Toadie?

I don't know what I'm doing exactly on the business end.

 

I can do graphic arts. I can write. I have a Paypal account. I have a WordPress blog that I set up myself and have been running since 2016. I upgraded it to the freelancer level last year. I don't know if I didn't upgrade my WordPress high enough or just what. But it seems I don't have Paypal integration at the level I have.

 

So I'm going to assume that if I need to bite the bullet and pay extra to get that plugin integration, I'm also going to want security plugins as well? It seems that there is a highly customizable plugin call WooCommerce available that I should be able to work with, but there are so many security plugins in this list that I don't even know where to begin. I just know that if I am going to have money flowing through my site I need to have something set up to protect that from that beginning.

 

I feel mildly overwhelmed looking at this.

 

[Little Fang]

Another option, and it's my favorite, is Ecwid.  They have a plugin for Wordpress and are very easy to use.  You don't need to pay for it unless you want the extra features.  You can see it in action at littlefangtarot.com if you so desire.

 

I've heard good things about WooCommerce as well and I've tried it in the past, but I've just found Ecwid to suit my needs better.

 

There are free SSL certificates that you can get installed on your site that work really well for security.  If you have more questions about that I can help you!

[ToadieOdie]

Well okay, looking at my plan it says "Sell anything with a simple Paypal Button" but I'm not seeing anywhere how to set that up.  :( So I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong here.

[ToadieOdie]

Another option, and it's my favorite, is Ecwid.  They have a plugin for Wordpress and are very easy to use.  You don't need to pay for it unless you want the extra features.  You can see it in action at littlefangtarot.com if you so desire.

 

I've heard good things about WooCommerce as well and I've tried it in the past, but I've just found Ecwid to suit my needs better.

 

There are free SSL certificates that you can get installed on your site that work really well for security.  If you have more questions about that I can help you!

I will check this out too. I'm just a little miffed that I have paid for the upgrade on WordPress and can't seem to figure out how to use this one feature out of the package I got. I have been able to use everything else just fine.

 

[Little Fang]

I found this when I looked at the Wordpress.com : https://en.support.wordpress.com/paypal/

(I use the WP software installed on my own host so I am not sure how they work it, but this should help!)

[ToadieOdie]

Yeah, I just found it and figured out where the add button is in the tool bar.

I'm feeling more than just a little dumb right now. BUT at least now anyone else that uses WordPress will know for future reference and save themselves hunting for the damn thing.  :-[

[Little Fang]

Don't feel dumb!  :hug:  Seriously, some things are just easy to overlook.