Entries from April 2008 ↓

I had to do it:

http://www.myspace.com/buildyourmetaphysicalbiz

Go ahead and add me to your friends list if you’re so inclined!  (I have a personal page, too.)

One of the coolest parts of The Readers Studio for me was… the people! (But of course!)

I had about 30 of the 120 attendees sit in on my workshop. Many others told me they wanted to come, but darn it if that pesky, spritely Shawn Nacol didn’t have his own killer gig on writing going on at the same time (a tough call to be sure - lucky for me, Shawn gave me a copy of his handout, which should keep me busy for a while).

Many, many folks came up to me to talk marketing. Which was especially cool, as I got a bunch of great tips I can share with everyone on the blog. One of whom (let’s just call her our heroine) told me this story.

Our heroine is a client of Ruth Hayden, a financial consultant who works with women on the psychological aspects of money. Being tax time not too long ago, the two of them were going over the books.

“The books” don’t always add up, as we all know. Only in this case, the discrepancy might not be what you’d expect. After scanning the documents, Ruth turned to our heroine.

“So tell me,” she said, pointing to the Tarot reading section, “are you taking this thing seriously?”

Our heroine was a bit stunned. “Um, what?”

“Are you taking this ‘tarot thing’ seriously?”

“I thought so,” said our heroine.

“Because these numbers here aren’t showing me that!”

Are you taking your business seriously? As seriously as the readings themselves? It’s a fair question, no?

So often, we’re taught to thing negative, stay small, discount our accomplishments, whatever. You guys know all the baggage already, I’m sure. But then as readers, consultants, or whatever we choose to call ourselves, we have even more resistence to contend with. “Tarot|Astrology|Numerology|What-Have-You - you’re not… serious about that, are you?”

Dead serious, man. These are our clients’ lives we’re talking about. And our own.

Are you a professional tarot reader? A professional astrologer, hand analyst, or numerologist? Are you getting paid for your consultations? Maybe you don’t have goals worked out yet per se, but are you at least a step beyond “casual readings”?

Congratulations! You’re an entrepreneur! And that comes with a whole host of rewards… and responsibilities too.

In my workshop this weekend, we talked a lot about how much of your marketing is completely under your control. We talked about taking control. Step one of taking control is taking yourself seriously, even when others don’t.

You get to define what “taking yourself seriously” means to you and your business. But no matter what you decide, here are the three responsibilities that come with it (these too are from Ruth Hayden):

1. Knowing when you’re at work
2. Knowing when you’re not at work
3. Doing the stuff you don’t want to do (eek! more on that in a later post!)

Taking your passion seriously and yourself seriously is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself. I invite you to ponder the question a bit today. I know I will.

Then go do just one thing…

PS: Are you signed up for the newsletter yet? First issue will go out in about a week or so. Just enter your name and email into the boxes in the upper right hand corner, click submit, check your email for one that says “RESPONSE REQUIRED”, and click on the link in that email.

[This work is copyrighted material. Please visit http://www.buildyourmetaphysicalbusiness.com to claim your free 90 minute marketing brainstorming session with Tarot Pro James Wells.]

Back from The Readers Studio, refreshed and energized. (Unlike every single other multi-day event I attend, be it a seminar or a workshop or convention or whatever, The ‘Studio seems to leave me with more energy, not less, despite the level of activity… which is really saying something, if ya asked me!)

Before I launch into more blogging about the event, I just want to be sure to take the time to extend a big thank you from the bottom of my cockles to all of my workshop attendees! I was absolutely floored at the response, and the subsequent outpouring of thanks from all of you.

For the rest of the weekend, I had folks coming up to me to let me know how helpful they found the workshop, how they could have sat through another two hours, etc. That meant so much to me!

I have to admit, I didn’t know what to expect… so I kept my expectations for turnout low. I would have been thrilled with just 10 attendees. We had close to 30!

I’d also like to extend special thanks to Maribel, who videotaped the session, and Sasha, who took care of bidness (leaving me free to teach).

I should let you guys know something right up front. I’d been hemming and hawing with the idea of this site for so long, but I’d been afraid to throw myself into it wholeheartedly because I just wasn’t sure marketing how-to’s was something metaphysical practitioners wanted. Now I can see that you guys aren’t afraid of marketing, you’re hungry for it. Message received!

Just keep an eye on the blog and be sure to sign up for the mailing list… I’ve got much more in the pipeline, I’m tellin’ ya!

Thanks so much again.

[Thank-you image by Kathleen, who has a wonderful blog, found by way of Google Image Search. ]

What a day!

All was well at the end of Day One at The ‘Studio… I floated back to my hotel room in the best mood I’ve had in a little while (did I mention all those deadlines at the end of April?) Kevin Quigley’s session, while obscure in spots, was nonetheless grand, the cocktail party kept everyone chatting (and fueled - the “hors doovers” saved us all a trip to the Bistro) and the study groups were rockin’ far into the evening (if I do say so myself!).

The lovely and sweet Maribel of Liquid Video VIDEOTAPED my session! How wild is this? Let me tell ya, it was really a case of the Universe granting my wish… a couple of weeks ago I got to thinking “Wouldn’t it be great if…” which then became, “Gee, I really should…” and then “I do not want to let this cool thing go by without…” But I didn’t have a solution. I really started to come to grips with the idea of not getting it done (there’s only so much I can do) early this week, when Maribel called me out of the blue. A total godsend. Thank you, Maribel!

And if you’ve never seen Maribel’s work before, let me be the first to introduce you. Here’s a bit of Wald on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BXb79ZneLM

So if you’re in the New York/NJ area and need professional video done (we’ll be talking about the benefits of video here on the site), she’s the lady to call! I’ll be adding her to the “Resources” section when it’s up.

Ordinarily I like to chill out in the hotel lobby in the evening (’cause that’s where Wald always is, don’t you know), but last night I was just beat. So beat, in fact, that I didn’t even try to make Robert Place’s session this morning, as I knew it would test the laws of physics (getting there, not the session itself). That’s what The Readers Studio does - gets ya blissfully tuckered.

I must confess, I’m finding it difficult to get articulate blog posts together while in the thick of it, and my Internet access time will run out (it’s not free in the hotel rooms). But I’ll post more when I get home.

In the meantime, I did add some more pictures…

Highlights of the day so far:

1. Got a massive hug from Rachel Pollack. What’s not to love about that?

2. Rachel also brought some of her beautiful jewelry (which she’s selling - if you’re here, do find Rachel and check this stuff out):

3. After the opening ritual, Wald & Ruth Ann kicked things off by interviewing the 3 presenters. James Wells talked about his love of questions, which in turn raised some interesting questions for readers to ponder, both for their querents and themselves….

“What’s the next right thing?” (James’ favorite)

“What is the loving answer?” (Ruth Ann’s)

“What is the mystery that is calling me?” (Another James favorite, from Christina Baldwin)

All three of the presenters gave lots of food for thought, more of which I’ll share with you later (Thalassa, in particular, got the wheels turning for me). But for now, I’ve got to get back downstairs.

I posted more pictures, so go check ‘em out!

… and we’re off!

Got in yesterday afternoon after an arduous 2-hour trek by public transport. 2 hours from Brooklyn to Newark is just wrong. (But I digress…)

Readers had already begun to arrive (most here for Wald & Ruth Ann’s pre-game Advanced Birth Cards class) and the energy was extremely high. I need to get more sleep…

And now, it’s registration time. The fun begins…

I’ve got a Readers Studio set going on Flickr, so that’s where they’ll be.

Spotted so far: Mary Greer, Llewellyn lady Barbara Moore, Corinne Kenner, James Wells, the amazing and fabulous “old soul” Matt Brooks (who missed last year, as did I), Debbie Lake, Johanna Sherman, Garnet Schaffer, Prudence Theriault, Ciro Marchetti… AND! The one and only Shawn Nacol, who will be giving his Tarot for Writers workshop this evening. Hoo boy… I’ve seen the handouts, and let me tell ya, the boy has got it goin’ on. But of course we knew that.

Here’s the man himself…

(As a working writer myself, Shawn is one of my cheerleaders and heros. I just wish I had his energy!)

Last night, while taking what will probably be one of the only meditative minutes I’ll get this weekend, I closed my eyes, shuffled, and selected a card for the conference.  Three of Cups.  (Which, incidentally, was my personal domain name for a long time.)   That’s what I’m talkin’ about!

Time to go downstairs and get settled. More in a bit!

And Merlin is getting ready for his close-up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCHx3EwXojw

(embedding goes all wonky with this Wordpress theme - I’ll have to figure out why when I’m not running around like crazy…)

Yep, looks like video on my camera actually works.

OK. Now that that’s done, I can print out the handouts for my workshop. Priorities, you understand. Heh.

I’ll be blogging the conference and will hopefully have some video to share with you. Keep your peepers peeped!

In the last post, I gave you 25 things you can do in your business on a regular basis to attract more clients. I promised to follow that up with the most effective strategy I know to get a steady stream of clients and build a stable, fun, successful practice.

What I’m about to reveal truly is one of the best pieces of marketing strategy I can ever give you. I’ve used it myself - not just in marketing, but in many other projects. If you combine just this strategy with the “25 things” list (and your additions), you’ll double or triple your business - I guarantee it.

(Even though I’m giving it to you here and now for free, please don’t underestimate what this one strategy can do for you. Marketing guru Dan Kennedy used this strategy to become one of the highest paid consultants on the planet; as far as I know, he still uses it.)

I call it the “just one thing” strategy. (I don’t know what Dan calls it.) Like most things magical, its power lies in its utter simplicity:

Every single day, no matter what, do just one thing to market your practice.

Doesn’t matter how small it is. In fact, it’s good to do just a small thing more often than not - you’re more likely to do it.

Some days, you’ll do big things, like spend three hours working on your website or a brochure. Most days, you’ll do something small, like pick up the phone and say hello to a client, just because.

Size does not matter. The important thing is that you DO it. Every day.

Because next thing you know… three months have gone by, say, and you’ll have done NINETY THINGS.

Every little bit of marketing you do adds up… to increased demand for your services, increased fees, increased leverage, and a bigger business. (We’ll talk about each of these in turn on the blog and in the ezine.)

And because you’re not putting pressure on yourself to do any one particular thing on a given day, the prospect of a three hour project wonn’t freak you out. After all, you don’t have to do it today. (Oddly enough, without that pressure, the chances of you actually doing it increase significantly.)

Just one thing doesn’t seem like a lot, but 90 things really add up. (In case you ever doubt this, just take a look at your closet. Me, I look at my bookshelves and smile AND groan at at the same time. Heh!)

So I challenge you: what “one thing” can you do to market your business today? (See my last post for a few ideas.)

As the title of this post says, this is my favorite marketing strategy ever. It’s also my favorite strategy to complete any project. Why? Because it’s so painless.

You can always do just one thing.

[This work is copyrighted material. Please visit http://www.buildyourmetaphysicalbusiness.com to claim your free 90 minute marketing brainstorming session with Tarot Pro James Wells.]

What a stunning response so far! Thanks to everyone who has commented here, on Aeclectic, or dropped me an email to give me some positive feedback. Looks like this will be helpful for many, which is great to hear.

BYMB will be even better with your input, however. If you’ve got some marketing challenges or questions, please don’t hesitate to drop me a line at elizabeth - at - [domain name of this site].

In the coming weeks, I’ll be adding a resources page, which will feature all kinds of incredible tools to help you build your practice. The page will start out pretty small, but will grow over time. And everything will either be handpicked or created by me (I’ll never recommend anything I haven’t personally checked out and used myself).

Thanks to all the folks who signed up for the ezine, too. First ish should be out in early May, I’m guessing. Please bear with me as I make it through the rest of April, which is packed!

Thanks again, everyone.

Has anyone ever made you a promise like this one?

“Do this one ‘magic secret’ and you’ll get a TIDAL WAVE of new clients, INSTANTLY!”

If you’re new to marketing your business, okay, maybe not. But if you’ve explored some of the marketing resources out there, chances are good you’ve run into this one before. Just do this one thing and the floodgates will open! Whoosh!

Yeah, right.

Marketing your business isn’t about doing one magic thing. It’s about doing a lot of little things. Regularly. Consistently. And (here’s the big one) when you already have a full dance card.

Nobody wants to hear this, of course. The instant gratification world we now live in has trained us to want the quick fix. The quick fix is very seductive. (Straight up: I’m not immune either!)

Alas, the quick fix is a pipe dream. That’s ok. What do the financial planners always say? Spread your resources around. Diversify… and do!

In that spirit, here are 25 small things you can do to build your business. You’re probably doing some of these already. Others, not. Some of them work together well. Others are more stand-alone.

1. Write down, in very specific terms, what makes you different from all the other Tarot readers, astrologers, numerologists, etc out there

2. Write down, in very specific terms, who your ideal client is

3. Make a list of your top 5 or 10 clients are and focus on them for referrals

4. Make a list of “advocates” - people who know you, love you, are in your corner - and ask them for referrals

5. Define very specifically where your best clients come from (or might come from)

6. Design a simple flyer or brochure

7. Design a business card

8. Carry your marketing materials with you

9. Make a simple website if you don’t have one. Start with a free service or social networking site.

10. Buddy up. Find a partner to share goals, encourage you and hold you accountable.

11. Tell everyone what you do

12. “Fire” a problem client

13. Increase your confidence in the tricky stuff (networking, stating your fee, talking about what you do) by practicing

14. Check in with a past client and see how he or she is doing

15. Throw a party for your clients

16. Start a mailing list for your clients (don’t add them without permission, though!)

17. Give a workshop

18. Focus on building relationships, not getting clients

19. Create an email signature that communicates what you do and attracts clients

20. Write an article

21. Don’t give discounts!

22. Ask a thrilled past client to give you a testimonial you can use in your marketing

23. Don’t leave your marketing to chance - create a low-stress 30-day plan

24. Use birthdays in your marketing - give your clients a birthday gift or incentive

25. Give back, both time and money - especially if you don’t have much of either.

What can you add to the list?

Next, I’ll reveal how to combine these with my absolute best strategy to get more clients than you’ll ever know what to do with. “Do this one thing and the floodgates will open!”

Got carried away there. But it IS crazy effective and is entirely congruent with what I’ve said here. You’ll see!

[This work is copyrighted material. Please visit http://www.buildyourmetaphysicalbusiness.com to claim your free 90 minute marketing brainstorming session with Tarot Pro James Wells.]