How to Use Halloween to Catapult Your Tarot Reading Business

Would you like to get more in-person Tarot readings? There is so much noise on the internet, it can be hard to get business. But I bet YOU are the only Tarot reader in your local area. If you live in a big city that may not be the case, but I'm still willing to bet that you may be the only Tarot reader amongst your own circle of friends, co-workers and neighbors!

Reading for others, in-person, though nerve-wracking at first, is a great way to sharpen the saw. You get real-time feedback, the clients commentary helps you flesh our even more specific details for them, and you truly learn new meanings and associations for each card or combination of cards.

If you aren't yet reading for others in person regularly (other than friends and family) AND getting paid for it, this post is for you. Maybe you are ready and willing to read for others, but are struggling to get clients. But what if you aren't sure whether or not you are ready to read for others? Let's address both, and why Halloween is a good time to start.

What if You AREN'T Ready to Read for Others

Now if you have been a student of the Tarot for a bit, and aren't sure if you are READY to read for others, I have a suggestion for that. This one comes from Mary Greer, and she suggested this to me when I felt exactly this way. She said "Read for others in a free capacity, at a large event".

The first time I read for people (other than close friends), I read as a volunteer at a large Halloween party. I had a table with a friend and fellow reader, and we worked for 6 hours that night, tirelessly reading for many people over the course of that night. We had a line most of the night, and definitely made our fair share of mistakes (more on that later haha), BUT we came away feeling sooooo much more confident in our ability to read for others.

How This Helped

It gave us a TON of practice. Many people in a row in quick succession, lots of different types of questions, lots of scenarios, and lots of different types of people (including the pesky skeptics and testers!). None of these people were friends, family or anyone we knew, which accomplished several things.

Number one, it gave us the chance to read for people whom we knew NOTHING about, and therefore did not have to worry about "reading into the cards" based on existing knowledge ('cuz we ALL do that hehehe).

Number two, they didn't know us either, and had NO idea how long or short we had been reading. By not charging, it relieved the pressure of feeling like we really had to "deliver", which is especially helpful for a first time. Of course you always want to be accurate and never give misinformation, but we ALL suffer from that feeling of "Who am I, that people are actually going to PAY ME to tell them what I see? Am I really qualified to actually take their money??"

Number three, with that many people, we were able to find new interpretations and meanings in the cards as we received real-time feedback. I actually have learned SO MUCH MORE about each card as we gave live readings and had people converse back and forth and explain in detail the scenario we were eluding to by the cards shown. This helped us create real-life examples of how the cards manifest. (Spoiler alert: The Three of Cups isn't always a party, as we joyfully announced. Sometimes, it's a women's support circle for Cancer survivors!). But hey, THAT'S HOW YOU LEARN, right? Thankfully she was an awesome lady :).

Why Halloween is a GREAT time to Start Reading for Others

Above and beyond all else, opportunity! Now you and I know what a fantastic tool Tarot is for self-development, empowerment, and spiritual pursuits. However, the average person considers it basically a tool for divination right? A fun, party trick? Something spooky witches use at Halloween woooooooo! You my friend, are going to capitalize on that.

Halloween is one time of year that there are a lot of parties, balls and events going on. Yes, there are other times of the year that people party, but this is the one that you will find it EASIEST to have them book a Tarot reader! By their definition of Tarot, it's PERFECT for this time of year! And hey, you might even get to wear a costume!

Now if you have not read professionally and you aren't sure if you are ready, like I talked about above, you will want to offer your services for free. Look for a large charity event happening, they would likely more than welcome a pro-bono offering! You can look in your small town print newspaper or circular, online advertising such as craigslist, or even on facebook under local events!

You can also host a fun Halloween party yourself, say for just a small group, maybe your typical Girl's Night Out type of party, except for this one, no one has to sit through a sales presentation or bring their wallets. It will be for socializing and for reading! Anyone who attends (and you could make this fun, like say, in costume) will get a free reading. You’ll get feedback on the spot.

Keep it light, and have fun. It's easier to pull this off at this time of year, people are already in the Halloween spirit and "ready" for what you are offering. You can offer some festive refreshments like "zombie blood" to drink (Sangria anyone??), but skip the bubbly yourself, you want to be clear and focused for your readings!

So You're Ready to Make Some Money

Now just to be clear, I am NOT going to get into the entire debate about whether or not you should get paid for your spiritual gifts. I am a believer that you have a skill and a service, just like any other skill and service, that people will certainly pay you for if you are interested in earning a living or even just a small side hustle, reading for others.

So maybe you are ready to read for others professionally, and get paid for it, but are not sure how to go about getting your first clients. What I find great about this time of year, is that just like the veil thins at this time, the barrier to entry as a reader thins as well. Like I said above, people are more open to readings at this time of year because it just flows easily with the season.

Why does this matter? Because you are able to meet them under easier circumstances, read for them, and get them a quick win that will have them wanting to come back to you for more. They may "stop by your table just for fun" or out of curiosity simply because you are there. But once they get wowed by your reading, they will then want to become regular clients! They realize you are not just a party trick ;).

How to Do This

Just like I mentioned above, utilizing local print newspapers, circulars and online media such as craigslist or facebook and other social platforms can help you find events already being held that you can pitch your services too. You can also create your own listing, highlighting your services and what kind of events you are great for!

This is also a GREAT time to either host an event of your own or to catch up with your friends to see who is interested in having a Halloween Girls Night! Now, we ladies are having home parties all the time, from Tupperware, to Skincare. When was the last time you were invited to one that was NOT going to include a presentation and a sales pitch? The only thing worse than feeling obligated to buy something you don't need (and can't afford so you look for the cheapest thing in the book to at least make a purchase), is actually LIKING the product and completely overspending!

Instead, how fun would it be to be invited to a Tarot Card Reading Party? Everyone that attends is coming for one specific service, at one price point that they are aware of ahead of time, and it's usually far less than what they would spend at any other type of home party. For example, for the sake of time and money, and to best serve everyone, I do NOT do a Celtic Cross for each person. Too much time (the last person would be waiting forever) and too high of a price point.

I offer my Mini Cross reading for $25 and read for 4-5 people, with each reading being about 15-20 mins. Easy. It's not pouring buckets of cash, but this is how I meet new people that may then love the quick win they got in the short reading (and realize I am not just a party trick!), and want to book me for a longer one on one session.

This gives them the chance to get to know me and what I offer at a low-barrier entry point and decide if they want to work with me further. They may decide to host a small girl's night of their own (because they get a free reading for that and hey, it's fuuuuuun) and introduce me to more people. This is all easier to get rolling at Halloween time when people are more in the mood!

At the time of this writing, we have a few weeks between now and Halloween. What ONE action could you take RIGHT NOW, to step out of your comfort zone and really move the needle in your Tarot Reading Business? Don't waste this opportunity!

Your CHALLENGE: Tell us below, what is the ONE thing you are willing to do now to start reading professionally?

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Other posts in the Ocktoberfest: Embracing the Darkness Series:

Week 1: Autumn and the Suit of Swords

Week 2: How to Use Halloween to Catapult Your Tarot Reading Business

Week 3: The Shadow Self: How to Own and Heal Our Shadow Qualities

Week 4: Death and Rebirth- Letting Go During Scorpio Season

Week 5: Halloween Rituals for Tarot Readers