Psychic Reader 101

Because I believe that in order to do a professional job at anything, one should have some working knowledge of the business, and because no one told me when I started, here's a part of my manual that will give you some background on this business.

First, you should know that this business, pretty much any business, is based on the Golden Rule -

PRN (Psychic Reader Network) is the largest operation of its kind in the country and does the majority of business in this field. PRN hires "bookstores" or companies as independent contractors, to hire readers and recruiters as independent contractors to do the readings. Some of the bookstores hire managers who hire brokers to hire readers. Whew!

The bookstores have varying types of contracts with PRN, and for the most part are free to divvy up their share with their managers, brokers, and readers whatever way they please, and because the readers are contracted to the bookstores, each one may set whatever configurations they choose, as long as they conform initially to PRN's configurations. This means that certain procedures are the same, no matter which of PRN's companies you work with.

For instance, we need you to complete and fax log sheets with address capture. This is simply the way PRN does things. And since PRN is the largest of its kind, they must be doing something right.

Actually, they use the addresses to do marketing to create more calls coming in for the readers, and it is really a very sound business practice. And they pay the bookstores .25 cents for each one that they don't already have.

Some bookstores pass this quarter along to the readers, and some don't. BLC, the bookstore I am presently recruiting for, pays readers a quarter for each complete address whether PRN paid for it or not! I haven't found any other that does this.

PRN sends each person a free ENVISION MAGAZINE and a newsletter with some helpful information, as well as some marketing materials to encourage them to call again. So it shouldn't be considered a waste of time to get the addresses. I can show you a very nice way to do it and to help your client even more.

As for the log sheets, they are for your protection. You are paid, no matter which line you work, based on the phone company's records as they come through the company's master computer. And as you may be aware, computers and phone companies are not infallible. So by keeping and sending in a record of your calls each day, you are protecting yourself by presenting evidence in advance - before any error may be discovered - so you have a leg to stand on.

The other reason for the log sheets is that the bookstore or broker must invoice PRN for your minutes, in order to get the money to pay you, which is a pretty important reason.

Since you already have a computer, I can show you a way that will keep your records for you, including the time of your calls and your average automatically, with a few keystrokes. And if you have a fax modem in your computer, I can show you how to fax it directly from the computer, so no log sheets.

Are you smiling yet?

OK - the other part of the business is not to smiley.

You need to be careful about which bookstore, company, or broker you sign up with. Some of these have been known not to pay their readers on time, or at all.

As a rule, brokers must provide their bookstore with invoices and issue checks to their readers. More than a couple of these have flopped on this score, and readers have gone begging for their pay. This has even happened with one bookstore, which is currently (Nov. 99) not paying its readers - Billy Tide in the 561 area code. He is also operating under the name We Care, and whatever else. So if you know anyone working for him, you would do them a favor to let them know that they will not get paid, so they don't waste any more time working for him, and sign up with someone else.

The bookstores are paid by PRN on a sliding scale - For example - 5 cents for the first 1000 minutes of the group, 7 cents for the next 2000, 15 cents for 10,000 minutes, etc., and up. Some bookstores pass along this sliding scale to the readers - some to the point where it becomes impossible to earn anything decent for all your work, and you average out to 11 cents a minute. Others pay flat fees per minute.

Flat fees range from about 15 cents (usually with a small, new or greedy broker or bookstore) to 25 cents, with the average being 20 cents. Usually for over 20 cents, you don't get extra for the addresses, and/or there is some other condition to be met, like a minimum number of minutes per week or pay period, scheduled log-on times, etc..

For instance I do recruit for another bookstore, but she will only take readers who are experienced and have a record of working more than 2500 minutes per pay period with an average call minute record of over 20. She will pay more for such readers and also will pay the 25 cents for addresses. She is very legit but doesn't want new, inexperienced people.

There are smaller companies like PRN, started and always starting up. There is a risk that you will work for nothing, or it could turn out really well. I just received an email last week about a company that started up last year. One of my readers was so intrigued with them, that she chased them down and found them. Well, they are now in court for non-payment.

Other small companies that seem to be surviving include Vision, Globe, Intermedia, IDI, LaToya Jackson, Mother Love, Native American Line, Past Lives, Dream Network, Pet Psychics, Laura Bryan Birn, Norcross, Yellow Pages, Witches of Salem, Gemini Twins, Nostradamus, Rasputin, and Angels

These companies mostly advertise in targeted media, while PRN advertises on national and international television as well.

Another option is what is known as an overflow line. These are private companies that hire readers, through brokers, most of the time for 10 to 15 cents minute to take calls that other companies' readers can't handle. Once again, these private companies are pretty much on their own, hire brokers to hire readers and do their own checks. While there are several very good brokers in this field, caution is advised here. One of my readers decided to try this about six months ago, and never got paid. Part of the problem here is that they are overflow lines and the incoming calls vary depending on the advertising of all those other lines, and how many readers are working at any given time.

PSYCHIC CO-OPS
And then there's PWN, which I can offer you. There are several of these companies around as well. This line will pay you 50 cents a minute for calls you generate yourself through advertising. If you are not logged on and a call comes in for your extension, another reader will take it if the caller approves, and you will get 20 cents a minute for the call. If you answer another reader's call you get 20 cents a minute. You really must generate your own business on this line. Once in a while you can find it busy, but mostly it's your own calls you take. Sometimes they have 10 cent bonuses for a week or so.

The benefit of this is you can set your own hours in your advertising. The other side is, you must be available for those hours. It's like having your own 900 line. The cost of the calls is less as well. But I must tell you, there is still a log sheet to do, and you definitely would want the caller's name, address, and phone number for your own marketing purposes.

You would definitely want to stretch your advertising dollars as far as possible.

And just one more thought about the addresses --
You can use this mailing list for another business if you wish, just so long as you don't compete with the company by offering gems, horoscopes, etc.. But if you are involved in an MLM or anything else, this is really a hot mailing list you are developing, and if you use the data base system I suggested, you can print out mailing labels every day, stick them on a post card, and develop a nice additional income for yourself.

So now, we have completed Psychic Reader 101 and you probably have learned more than you ever wanted to know about this business.

But one thing I do hope I have conveyed to you, is that this is a business, like any other business. And to make it work successfully, certain procedures have been found to be effective in avoiding problems.

I feel that the more you understand about this confusing business, the better it will be for you. If you are the kind of caring individual I would prefer to have as one of my readers, I would be honored to have you choose me as your manager.

My team of readers is like a family and they care for each other. They are honest and ethical light readers. And they know they can depend on me for help at any time. I usually answer my emails within a few hours, and you can always call.

I should tell you that I don't write any checks. Whichever company you choose with me, the checks come from the bookstore. I have been with Blue Lotus Counseling for two years and have found Evin, the owner, to be an honest, ethical, and very spiritual person, and have never had any problems with receiving checks, and they come on time.

Blue Lotus pays 20 cents plus the quarter for addresses, and they will allow you to recruit, if you wish, without having the responsibility of invoicing and issuing checks. They will pay you 4 cents a minute for each of your recruits, provided you put in 600 personal minutes (10 hours) every pay period (2 weeks); and 5 cents a minute if you put in 1800 minutes (30 hours).

A penny doesn't seem like very much, but pennies make dollars, and when you have 30 readers under you averaging 1200 minutes, that penny would bring you an additional $12 each x 30 = $360 per pay period or $720 extra per month.

Blue Lotus Counseling is the only bookstore that I am aware of that offers this opportunity to each and every reader and pays this much.

Any questions?