I don't personally believe in this but it's a hot niche right now

[TiffanyDow]

Saw this on Fox News...

Crystal Ball Boom: Psychics, Tarot Card Readers Profit in Tough Economy - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

Psychics and tarot card readers are making tons of money.

People hoping for financial ease news?
tiff

[Zeus66]

I believe I read once that these were booming cottage industries during the Great Depression, as well. So not too surprising, maybe? Makes me kinda sad for those who put any stock in such... um... "information." But to each his/her own!

John

[Dan C. Rinnert]

Time to dust off my crystal ball.

[Andrew Dillon]

Anything that gives hope false or otherwise will always be a money spinner and yes tiff they are HOT, HOT, HOT right now but a word of caution there difficult niches to work in if you don't know what your doing.

[Colin Theriot]

This is great news! I've just done a month long research project on "Cold Reading" which is the process most on-the-fly psychics use, at least for the first session. The part that was most useful to me as a marketer was learning what generalizations the psychic can make that will be accurate for the victim -er... customer, but are really just statistically probably facts.

But now, I can use everything I learned, and not just "Jaque" statements. I even know a card trick that's supposed to prove that the participant has strong psychic powers of their own. It's a killer opener I bet.

Hm. How to deliver this electronically...

[Steven Carl Kelly]

It really is quite a shame.

YouTube - Gypsy "Psychic" Scam -...

Sad.

[Colin Theriot]

Originally Posted by Steven Carl Kelly

It really is quite a shame.

YouTube - Gypsy "Psychic" Scam - California

Sad.

Sometimes, I wish it was still legal to challenge people to honor duels. Society would drastically improve if the crime for being a terrible person was that any citizen with the salt could call you out to tune of justifiable homicide. Or at least tarring and feathering - I just feel like this kind of situation could be handled at the local level, to everyone's satisfaction.

When I was growing up in Louisiana, my grandpa used to say that we never had crooks like that come to the bayou, because no one would ever know what happened to them, and some old cajun would know where to find some nice, fat crabs next season. To this day, I still think of scumbags like these as "crab bait".

But I will say that unless someone's being harmed or defrauded, I still ain't going to judge people that give readings or the people that want them. It's America. People can do whatever they want as long as it's not illegal. :P

[Tracy Yates]

Interesting you would post this Tiffany. My son just brought me a gift home 2 days ago. Know what it was? A brand new deck of Tarot Cards.

I use to read quite a few years back, and even had a job in Florida as a phone psychic at one point.

I agree with other sentiments here in that most people are so desperate they need reassurance that something good will be coming their way. Mostly financially, but also just as frequently wondered is the prospect of a love interest.

That's where the Tarot readers and phone psychics come in.

Needless to say that I was so disgusted by the practices of this particular company that I quit that job after just one month.

Now, I offer Tarot card readings as fun to family and friends. Guess that's why my son picked up the new deck


Tracy

[ryanman]

Well it doesn't take a super genius to figure out that all these are scams...And nothing else.

If I had the power to read cards, see future in balls and predict what will happen next...won't I become bill gates overnight and literally rule the world?

If these guys can tell the future...Why don't they see their own future and make their own destiny? Why do they even need money from people?

[Slin]

If I could see the future I would be in stocks.

I have however, studied cold reading (used to perform as a mentalist) and can say that it helps a lot in sales. When I used to be a suit salesman for Mens Wearhouse I would use those strategies a lot.

[davis9461]

I personaly believe that if others believe in it, who am I to say if it's BS or not. But also, if one enjoys that kind of stuff for their own entertainment then I see it as no different than going to the movies. If it makes them happy isn't that what counts!?

[showbizvet]

There are so many niches to monetize, just often not enough hours in the day. This is where outsourcing comes in, and I'm still working toward that 4 hour workweek, haven't gotten there yet.

[Daniel E Taylor]

You guys are missing out if you don't go to pyschics.

Fake or not it's a good way to get yourself inpspired and motivated
to take action.

I went to a pyschic in JULY and she said the next 3 months
are going to be great financial months for me.

And they have been the best 3 months I have ever had.

Obviously she probably says that to everybody, but the fact
that it inspired me to take action to make it come true was worth
the 40 bucks I paid.

Daniel

[Colin Theriot]

Originally Posted by Slin

If I could see the future I would be in stocks.

I have however, studied cold reading (used to perform as a mentalist) and can say that it helps a lot in sales. When I used to be a suit salesman for Mens Wearhouse I would use those strategies a lot.

Cold Reading has some amazing application for sales and marketing and frankly, I'm surprised at how rarely they're mentioned as being related.

I have a few books on the subject, but my favorite was the Ian Rowland book "The Full Facts Book of Cold Reading". For anyone that's interested in checking it out, there's goodies galore there.

I was led to the Rowlands book by an article in the New Yorker about John Douglas and how FBI Criminal Profiling is wrong as often as it's right, and that it's comprised largely out of Jacque Statements (statements that seem to be specific, but are in fact ambiguous enough to encompass all possibilities).

The article went on to talk about how the profiles' legendary success can be attributed to the same phenomena that make psychic fraud so persistent. In particular, the mind tends to remember the hits and forget the misses, leading to a false memory of an overall impression of accuracy that is in no way based on any scientific measurement.

As you can imagine, the ability to create these kinds of impressions in people is extremely useful to marketers.

[timpears]

I have a nephew who's ex wife reads Tarot cards. And from what I hear she is very good at it and the stuff she comes up with is spot on. Personally I have never believed in that kind of crap, but who am I to say. I just always wonder why, if they can see the future through their talent, why the hell are they wasting their time on this piddly stuff. They could make some real money at the horse races or the stock market and in the casinos. Why take old ladies for all of their money?

[dannbkk]

People are worried the world is coming to an end, so want to know about the future, yes great niche!

[DougBarger]

It's because of this clown teaching them all how to do it:

YouTube - Brian Regan - Epitome of Hyperbole -...

[Slin]

Cold Reading has some amazing application for sales and marketing and frankly, I'm surprised at how rarely they're mentioned as being related.

I have a few books on the subject, but my favorite was the Ian Rowland book "The Full Facts Book of Cold Reading". For anyone that's interested in checking it out, there's goodies galore there.

I was led to the Rowlands book by an article in the New Yorker about John Douglas and how FBI Criminal Profiling is wrong as often as it's right, and that it's comprised largely out of Jacque Statements (statements that seem to be specific, but are in fact ambiguous enough to encompass all possibilities).

The article went on to talk about how the profiles' legendary success can be attributed to the same phenomena that make psychic fraud so persistent. In particular, the mind tends to remember the hits and forget the misses, leading to a false memory of an overall impression of accuracy that is in no way based on any scientific measurement.

As you can imagine, the ability to create these kinds of impressions in people is extremely useful to marketers.

YES! It's a great book First one I read on the subject, there are a lot of others out there that are pretty good.

I usually suggest kenton knepper, but not in this case. Just to second someone else on this, if you are ever interested in cold reading (whether for fun, sales, or performances) check out Ian Rowlands book.

[TiffanyDow]

I have a feeling it'll only increase with the whole 2012 nonsense. Sorry ahead of time for my non-superstitious nature

[greff]

Hey, I'm with you Tiff. I don't care how people want to spend their money. Who is to say that an hour with a crystal ball psychic is less valuable than an hour with a psychiatrist? Just saying.

You take the Tarot cards, I'll take the crystal ball for promotion. Fair enough?

Nice post.

[FredJones]

Wish I could read the future like these guys can (take it with a mountain of salt). I would predict the future of entire mankind, discover and invent everything to be invented ever and become THe MAN WHO EVER LIVED in a few days from now!