Its OK for Astrologers to Earn Money 

               BY KAYE sHINKER

In fact you have my permission, your mothers permission, www.astrocollege.org.s permission, and probably the permission of your favorite tax collecting body, All of us wish that you work hard and earn lots of the filthy lugar.

It is OK to earn money with the knowledge you worked so assiduously to acquire.

If you studied to be an electrician, beautician, or a veterinarian you would certainly expect people to pay you for your skills. How is astrology different? The electrician predicts that the light will turn on, the beautician predicts that your hair will grow and the veterinarian predicts Rover will get well.

Im going to save you a lot of time and money, right now.
I think I have read a dozen books on How to become a Professional Astrologer. All of them conclude with the following statement. A professional astrologer charges money for a reading. Most of these books talk about charging money in the last chapter of the book. 

Ah, but how much should you charge is the next question. Lots more than you think the traffic will bear. Your acquaintances and colleagues expect a discount. If you charge a higher rate, then your discount will sound fair.

$125-$500 for private consultations by appointment at a specified location
$150-$250 per hour for telephone consultations 
$100-$200 for consultations via E mail
$200-$500 for consultations via an online chat

Most of us start our studies dissecting our own charts and then the chart of our significant other, then all of our relatives and friends. Do I charge my friends? No. I learned a lot doing their charts way back when. If my friends ask for a reading, I recommend colleagues. However there is a difference between a friend and an acquaintance.
Here is how I define friend Friends will help you move, baby-sit, pick your sick kid up from school, and bring you groceries when you are sick. Everyone else is an acquaintance. 
You do not charge friends or relatives for a reading. Their charts are your learning tools. Then how about acquaintances or for that matter fellow astrologers? You charge and tell them you are giving them a discount. You are after all a professional astrologer. 

It is OK to earn money with the knowledge you worked so assiduously to acquire.

You have studied astrology a long time. You have spent your earned income on books, and computer software and conferences and enrolled in various classes at the Online College of Astrology. You have passed all of the NCGR exams and studied for your ISAR certification. Someone wants your professional astrological opinion of their chart! Charge.

How do you know what to charge? It depends on where you live or how you intend to give the reading. The rates listed above may sound a bit outrageous to you (not enough for Manhattan NY, too much for Manhattan Ks). Ok then think about your last trip to the beauty parlor. What was your total bill? Triple it. Ok. double it, but remember your neighborhood. How long you intend to talk to the client. In some places a 1:00 pm appointment can become an afternoon gig. In other places the client stops by during their lunch hour. Be sure to offer to tape record the session.

Telephone consultations are very popular with clients, The technique is first they call you for an appointment and give you their data. You explain your rate per hour and where to send their check. Give the check time to arrive, and make an appointment for a date and time they should call back. Be sure to offer to tape record the session.

I personally prefer E mail consultations because I can do it at my leisure and in my pajamas. Im a fairly quick typist, so it is easy for me to write my ideas concerning the clients chart. Via E-mail I explain my rate, ask them to e-mail their data and questions, tell them where to send the check, and ask them if they would like copies of the charts I use sent to them via snail mail. 
Next question. How much time should I devote to a reading? First confirm the data the person gives you. ( my mom told me she was born in 1912, she was born in 1910). Recheck the data. Make a transit chart to their birth chart to make sure their question is really what they are concerned about. If you are just starting out spend time on the chart, you will go faster with practice. Rule of thumb eventually is 1 hour preparation time per hour of consultation.

Aphorism # 1 The adult attention span rarely exceeds 50 minutes even when you are talking about the the most interesting topic in the world. The client. Unfortunately people can talk on the phone a lot longer than 50 minutes, Phone rates should be given by the hour. Adults will read about 2000 words and then their eyes glaze over. Keep your e-mails concise. Explain to your client that it is OK to ask questions via return e-mail.

It is OK to earn money with the knowledge you worked so assiduously to acquire.

Final Big Question. How do I tell the potential client my rates?
Spend some time researching, contemplating, and meditating on your rates, then design your brochure. 

Aphorism #2 Where money is concerned, no surprises. Your rates should be written clearly in a brochure that describes you, your education, your astrological associations and your specific interests.
Example:
Consultations only by appointment at 111 Main street Evers USA $125
Phone consultations by appointment at 222 222 5555 . $125 per hour

Use your computer to design the brochure. Simple and straight forward is the style you should choose as an astrologer. If you read tarot cards or give psychic readings, design another brochure. 

Now determine your hours of business. You can always extend your hours, but it is extremely difficult to shorten them and 24/7 is not doable. Put these hours in your brochure and do not deviate.

Household Hint
Once you charge someone for a reading, do not raise their rate. If you charged them $125 in 2003, then their rate will be $125 in 2012. This establishes a certain amount of goodwill.
Keep the names of all of your clients in the same leather bound address book and write their rate next to their name address phone number, and birth data. 

Ok your at a social gathering. People always ask What do you do? Tell them. Professional Astrologer. Half of the time they will hear Professional Astronomer and start talking about the space program and space shuttles.
Those who listen will say My birthday is 5/1/ 61 Tell me if Im going to find the love of my life this year.
I always say let me see your palm, no your left one. Yep, I say to the ring on the finger, as soon as you get home.
If they dont laugh and instead try to tell me the story of their life, I say my hourly charge is $125 (depending on the neighborhood) and give them my card.

Fortunately that does'nt happen very often because I really don't carry my Ephemeris around, and I think it sounds a bit harsh even rude to announce your rates. 


Kaye Shinker