CAROLE DEVINE « MARKETING AN ASTROLOGICAL BUSINESS »
In most businesses , the techniques learned in a marketing course might work , but for an astrological business a different approach is needed . If people do not have a clear idea of what we do , it ' s hard to send out a sales pitch that they will be able to understand . You can advertise ad infinitum , but if the target audience has a simplistic pre-conceived idea ( like astrology is only sun sign columns ), then it will reach only deaf ears or blind eyes . In short , more creative approaches are needed . After spending over 30 years in this profession , I ' ve tried almost everything , but the following are techniques that have worked best for me .
House Parties .
In January 1980 , I was invited to a house party where " Mr . Zodiac " was appearing . He was born the same day as Elvis Presley , so he was quite a showman . But rather than using real astrology , he read serial numbers on dollar bills he couldn ' t see , guessed the contents of people ' s purses and then took us one-by-one into a room for five minutes where he gave us a Sun Sign description ( printed on paper ) and a short psychic reading . It cost us five dollars each . I left thinking , " I can sure do better than that ." For the next several years I did parties too , but I took my Digicomp DR-70 and printer ( which packed in cases ) and gave people real astrological readings for around 20 minutes each . There are several things that have evolved to the way I do it today .
Tape them . At first I didn ' t , but one evening , and one only , I gave them a choice for an extra $ 2 . The first refused , but after I finished , asked me to say it all again and please tape it . I would never refuse to do something like that when it will be a PR opportunity . He would go out there to the others and advise the same . So I did it . After that evening I raised the price another $ 5 and gave them no choice .
Give each guest a coupon ( make one on your computer ) worth the price they have paid to be applied to a longer reading later . Be sure to say it is to be applied to only one reading for each coupon because once a lady collected enough to get a full reading free ! PR is good , but being taken advantage of is not .
Give the hostess a full hour ' s reading later as a gift . This person is doing you a great favor and deserves to be rewarded . Besides , many people cannot afford my fees , so it is a way for them to acquire an update each year . I have many warm relationships as a result of this symbiotic system .
When doing the actual work , try to get to the core of the person ' s issues so s / he can see how valuable astrology is . If you only do a simplistic Sun / Moon / Ascendant analysis ( thinking you don ' t want to give so much for so little ), you are not really showing them what we can do . I always make it clear that I use five predictive techniques , and they are only getting one , i . e . there is much more that can be done . I don ' t see this as a profit-making exercise but more of a proselytizing and marketing effort . I want each person to leave that party with a change of attitude about our science .
Keep the guest list small . One night a hostess invited 23 people , and I was there until 2 a . m . No one would leave until they had their turn . Now I limit it to 4 to 6 , but will do as many as 8 . Ten was too many . This way , the last person will have just as fine a reading as the first one . No one will be short changed because of fatigue . Each of us has our own fatigue threshold , how never , so it ' s a personal thing . You may be able to provide high quality for more people at once . I always insist on having an exact time of birth , as well . No estimates .
Be sure to give them more than just a tape . Bring copies of your literature like brochures , cards , newsletters or flyers about other services . I do intuitive paintings of peoples ' charts , so I bring flyers with pictures of them .
Packaging is important because it is an image maker . I never give anyone just a tape in a box . I buy one-tape albums ( the size of a small book ) and put attractive covers in the trap around it . These are available from Dove Enterprises 1-800- 233-DOVE . There are loads of pre-printed designer papers out there that can be used for the covers . Soon I ' ll have to go to CDs , but I ' ll figure out a way to make them stand out from the ordinary . I make my own labels as well . Easy . There are Avery templates in most all word processing programs and the blanks are in the office supply store , or you can get them from Dove . Be sure to get the kind that match an Avery template .
Dress well . As long as we look like gypsies no one is going to take us seriously . You don ' t have to wear $ 600 suits , but you can dress a little better than the guests might . It ' s subtle , but it ' s powerful in generating respect .
You can do these by mail . I have parties ordered from all over the country . You can do the tapes alone ( a good astrologer can do enough to be accurate without seeing the client ) and mail all the albums and literature to the hostess . This came about because hostess moved far away but still wanted to keep doing it .
Public Appearances
Being invited to speak to the local Rotary or other organizations is a golden opportunity . I have a stock speech that I give to these groups which explains astrology in terms they may never have considered before . I ' ve always acquired at least one new client from each of these appearances . The more friendly and amusing you are , the better the chance of being invited to others . I would advise , however , that you join Toastmasters to get the skills needed to make a great impression . I ' ve spent years in Toastmasters , even winning awards , and have enjoyed it so much I ' d keep it up even if I didn ' t have a business that needed it .
Another opportunity is to do short charts for fund raisers in your community . I recently did one for the local fine arts gallery . You never know who is going to ask you to speak to another group or to arrange a party . You must give out your literature or it ' s not going to do you much good on a personal business level .
КАРЬЕРА АСТРОЛОГА | 2 2012 29