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