You know you are a phenomenal Wee Folk Toracles card reader. You know that you have made that first time client feel welcome. You know that your prices are reasonable and you've gone the extra mile to make sure your home is clean and safe, and your hospitality offerings are fabulous. Nevertheless, sometimes it's difficult to turn a first time client into a repeat client, so you have to get creative.
One of the creative ideas I had years ago has served me well and it's easy and inexpensive. I will share this idea with you, but feel free to revise it any way that works for you.
So, it starts with a regular deck of playing cards and a hole punch. Here in Central Iowa, I can find decks at the Dollar Store for $1.00. They don't have to be gorgeous - just useful. Once you get that deck, you are going to remove all the face cards - Kings, Queens, and Jacks. You can toss them out or find another use for them, but they are not needed. This leaves you with cards Ace through Ten.
The next step is to glue a business card onto the back (the design side) of each card, ace through ten. If you haven't purchased business cards yet, you can create some kind of label that gives the information about who you are and where people can find you and stick that to the design side of the card. Since I have a mini laminator that fits these playing cards perfectly, I run each card through the laminator. When they have cooled, I use scissors and round the corners as they come out of the laminator quite sharp. Laminating is not necessary, but it does protect the cards from damage and looks more professional. The cards are complete, but what do I do with them now?
After I have done a reading for a first time client, before they leave, I bring out those cards and shuffle them well in front of the client as I'm telling that client that I would like them to pick a card. You need to decide beforehand what you wish to offer with these cards.
- You can do a certain percentage off of each reading based on the "number" on the card so, for instance, if a client draws a 5 card, you would give them a 5% discount on their next reading.
- You could offer them a 20 to 25% discount based on the number on the card they draw - for instance, if they draw a 5 card, they would get 20 to 25% off a reading for their next five visits.
- You could set it up so that they get one free reading after they have come to you as many numbers as are on the card they drew. So, if they drew a 5 card, they would come to you for 5 visits at regular price, then receive a free reading.
The first suggestion is not all that enticing because if a client pulls an Ace, that means they only get 1% off of their next reading with you and that's really not enough to entice them to come back.
The second suggestion is the way I normally roll because it gives instant gratification of savings at each reading. If the percentage is high enough, the client does not want that savings to go to waste. In this case, you must decide what percentage you can give and still make what you need to from each client to make your bills. A time period is a good thing to add to this too. So, once a client draws their card, you can tell them that they get 25% off of the next 5 readings or 7 readings (whatever number is on the card they draw), but that each pip (symbol of heart, spade, club, or diamond) on a single card is considered one month. This means to get the discount, they must come once a month for a reading. If a client draws a 7 card, then for 7 months, they would receive that discount as long as they come once each month. If the client misses a month, they would not receive their discount as the card is null and void and they would have to draw a different card at their next reading with you to start the discount process again. You would also have to decide if you would allow this client to give their card to a friend for a reading if they are unable to make it. If you allow this, the friend would draw their own card at the end of their reading and return the one time gifted card back to your original client. Since that client "used" their card that month by giving it to a friend, the discount is still valid. Each time the card is used, you use your hole punch to eliminate one of the pips on the card. When the card is used up (all the pips punched out), the client can choose another card.
The last bulleted suggestion - offering the free reading - is also another possibility. However, if you are just getting started in your business and want people to really get to know you, this method may not be enticing enough either.
Once the client draws their card, you give them that card to keep. They MUST bring it with them to each reading, so that you can punch the pip on the card at time of payment. If they forget the card, then they don't get the discount for that day's reading and, again, the card is null and void. They must choose a different card and the discount from the newly drawn card does not go into effect until their next reading.
This method, as I said, has worked very well for me. Not only does it give the client something of value with a specific discount for the number on their card, it also assures you of repeat monthly visits and income. Not everyone will take advantage of this opportunity, but many will because a discount is a discount and what you offer with your Wee Folk Toracles readings will be of great value and insight to them. If you allow them to share their card with a friend if they can't make one of their monthly readings, you will also gain another client. It is a win win situation for everyone. Again, feel free to revise this idea in any way that works for you. Be creative!
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