If psychics didn't charge, would you trust them? Or their free information?

Question

When I first moved to a new city & wanted to drum up business, I decided to charge $20 for a reading. I thought this amount was very readily available, especially for people who genuinely needed guidance. A few weeks of no calls & I started to think ads in the paper were a waste of money. Then a guy rang & asked if I could get to his place for a reading, he was desperate. I don't usually go to men's places, but being truly cash poor at the time, I went.

I gave him the reading & at the end of it, he said, "You were the last person in the paper I rang because you were the cheapest. To me it meant you weren't confident. I would easily have given you $60 bucks today for your reading and paid for your petrol expenses as I enjoyed it so much. Next time, up your price. I bet you get more clients."

He was right, I did, but in 10 years I have only upped the price twice, to $80 now and I give anyone who can't afford it a hefty discount. But if it was free would u call me? Trust me?

Answer 1

Sure, milk them for all their worth.

You have to realize that by charging money you are creating a bit of a conflict of interest.  Whether conscious of it or not, you are more likely to tell someone what they want to hear if your livelihood depends on such income.

This reminds me of a story.  I work with a woman who breeds Collies.  She's been doing it for years and is very good at what she does.  She had a litter she needed to move quickly because they were building new cages or something like that.  So rather than the usual $500/puppy, she thought they would sell more quickly at $200 each.  After weeks none of them sold so she doubled the price and had them all in homes by the end of the week.

Answer 2

if you didn't charge and were accurate then why wouldn't i trust you?

Answer 3

psychics are waste of money imo. People shouldnt waste their money on c**p. They should give it to like charities or something instead of sitting there while some bozo tries to guess their name with common letters... "im seeing a vowel..."

i believe that there are supernatural things in this world... but as for psychics... they are a joke and a scam.

honestly if ur not psychic and just like to help out.. then become a psychiatrist. or a councillor... you know... a respectable career.

if i ment someone and i asked wat they did for a living and they said.. im a psychic... i would laugh in their faces.

When someone is truly able to give me a real foresight thing... then i would stop ripping on psychics... but until then... its open season on psychics.

Answer 4

You're lucky you're alive...going to a man's apt. in NY. Since you're not a psychic..you must know a lot about people and be a good actor.

Answer 5

Anybody who offers anything for free is immediately suspect in most business practices.  People don't expect to get something for nothing.  Usually, people will think that they are going to get roped into something (like extra charges or some sort of sales pitch), or they believe that they are going to get what they pay for (nothing).

I believe that somebody who has developed their skills enough to offer a service to others should charge what they could expect to get in any similar profession.  Most psychology or health professionals charge a higher fee for the first visit and then have a lower standard fee for any subsequent treatments.  I think it's a little different with psychics or people doing readings.

Not all psychics are able to make a clear connection with every person that they meet.  Typically, I would consider it appropriate if the first visit was considered an evaluation where you determine if you can help this person.  The inital evaluation would be short and free or provided at a low cost.  Subsequent visits would be the standard fee.  This gives you and the person you're working with the opportunity to meet and determine if you are both comfortable with the relationship.  You may end up spending some time where you don't get paid, but in the longer run, you will have more repeat business, and, if you're good, more word of mouth clients.

Another approach, for those psychics who don't feel right about charging for their "gift" is to request that the person they are treating bring *something* as compensation for the treatment.  That is, if you don't feel comfortable trading money, allow the person who is being treated to decide what they want to bring to you.  You're not going to get rich that way, but many people who do this work do their work as a service rather than as a way to make a living.  Good luck with your business, and I hope some of this information was helpful.

Answer 6

In all honesty, I wouldn't trust you even if you were the one paying me.  And never would I pay for a psychic.

Answer 7

The price would have nothing to do with it.  I'd want some proof that you can do what you do.

Answer 8

What truly makes you think you are a psyhic

Answer 9

If it was free, no I wouldn't

I'd assume you were no pshyic, and that's why you weren't charging, and because you couldn't get any clients (even though this might be the case), so i might not think you were good.

I'd most likely to go see someone who was a bit more expense.

"You get what you pay for" is a saying most people live by

Answer 10

I guess it depends on how far down on my own rope I am at the time.  My heart wants to say yes, but my mind tells me no.  I also guess what it would be though, that you could tell me that I KNOW no one else knows.  I've had some pretty weird experinces...so I guess never say never.