11/27/2025
This one is for the card readers, healers, crafters, and astrologers trying to keep their souls in a ruthless marketplace :)
Marketing is Just "Humaning" at Scale
Being a person is your brand- Ethan Nicoll
I’ve been spending this week gathering my thoughts for my upcoming appearance on the Lucky Mojo Hoodoo Rootwork Hour this weekend. Our topic is a practical one: "How to make money at psychic fairs and markets."
As I was outlining notes, I found myself zooming out and examining how I actually feel about the concept of marketing in these times.
Things are changing quickly. Technology has opened the floodgates, and while access is a blessing, it also creates a lot of noise. As we try to practice our crafts and share our talents, that flood can make us feel unnoticeable. It tempts us to shout louder, to "sell hard," or to mimic the aggressive tactics we see in our feeds.
But does that feel natural to you and your art? Does it feel true to your soul?
The central question isn't just how to get attention; it’s how to go to market and receive appropriate compensation for our efforts. What level of compensation helps you sustain your life so you can continue your practice? And how do you market with integrity in the process?
Here is the confident truth I keep coming back to: If you know how to make a friend, you already know the basics of building a business.
Marketing, stripped of the hype, is simply relationship psychology applied at scale. It is the art of presenting yourself as a worthwhile person to know, to trust, and to work with.
Here is how to translate the intimidating jargon into the human skills you already possess.
1. "Branding" is just Consistency of Character
In the corporate world, they call it "Brand Identity." In the living room, we call it Personality & Style.
When you interact with people, you are signaling who you are through your vocabulary, your dress, and your energy. Think of the friends you trust the most: they are usually the ones who are consistent. You know who they are, you know what they stand for, and you know what to expect when you see them. That reliability creates safety.
The Translation: The most effective branding is simply allowing your business to reflect your actual character. If you are a jewelry maker who loves gothic aesthetics and deep conversation, lean into that. When your business looks and sounds like you, the right people feel at home immediately.
2. "Niche" is just Shared Interests
Marketers will tell you to "drill down on your target demographic." In the real world, this is just finding your tribe.
We naturally gravitate toward people who share our values, hobbies, or sense of humor. We don't try to be best friends with every person we pass on the street; we look for resonance.
The Translation: If you are a tarot reader, you aren't trying to convince the whole world to believe in cards. You are simply looking for the people who are already looking for you. It’s the social equivalent of realizing you get along better with gardeners than with stockbrokers, and choosing to hang out at the nursery.
3. "Lead Nurturing" is just Building Trust
This term often feels cold and mechanical. In the real world, this is just patience.
Deep relationships aren't built in a single day. You meet for coffee. You chat. You build a history. You allow trust to accumulate through a series of positive interactions.
The Translation: "Nurturing" is simply the confidence to let a relationship breathe. If you are a meditation guide, you don't need to force a retreat on a stranger. You offer a moment of peace. You let them see you are safe. You let the connection grow at a human pace.
4. "Pricing Strategy" is just Self-Respect (and Reality)
This is the part many spiritual practitioners struggle with. We call it "The Ask" or "Closing." In the real world, this is just Healthy Boundaries.
We often feel guilty asking for money for spiritual work. But consider this: in a friendship, there is always reciprocity. If one person gives and gives until they are depleted, the relationship collapses.
The Translation: Appropriate compensation isn't greed; it is sustainability. You are asking for the resources required to keep a roof over your head and food on your table so that you can continue to be of service. If you undercharge to be "nice," you eventually burn out and can help no one. Marketing with integrity means stating your needs clearly so the exchange is balanced and honest.
5. "Inbound Marketing" is just Being Helpful
Business schools teach this as "content strategy." In the real world, this is called being a good neighbor.
We are naturally drawn to people who are generous with their knowledge and kindness. The person who helps you jumpstart your car or offers a great book recommendation is a person you want to stick around.
The Translation: Magnetism comes from generosity. When you are genuinely useful and passionate—whether you are explaining the history of incense or the mechanics of a bicycle—you draw people in. You don't have to chase them; they come to you because you are a resource.
The Vital Distinction: You vs. The Business
There is a final, crucial nuance here, specifically for those of us doing interactive work like readings, healing, or rootwork. While we are using your social skills to grow your business, we must remember that you are not a commodity.
In a digital landscape that tries to flatten everyone into a 2D "profile," the most radical move is to maintain the boundary between your spirit and your shop.
Your business is the vessel—the shop window—through which you offer your skills. But your soul? That remains yours.
In these exchanges, you are sharing your light to be received, but you are not selling off parts of yourself.
The Boundary: You are not selling your own life force; you are selling the skill of access.
The Service: You are helping the client learn to tap into the world around them to circulate their own energy. You are the mirror, not the image. You are the spark, not the fuel.
The goal of the astrologer, the rootworker, or the artist is not to have the most optimized "funnel." The goal is to present your authentic talent and awesomeness to the people who need it, and to receive enough in return to keep that talent alive.
If you read cards: Your marketing is letting people know you are a clear, safe conduit. You aren't fixing them; you are illuminating the path so they can walk it themselves.
If you make candles: Your marketing is showing the intent you pour into the wax, providing a tool for their ritual, not doing the work for them.
If you are a healer: Your marketing is your capacity for empathy, broadcasted so those in pain can find a guide, not a crutch.
Use marketing terms only as tools to help you do what you were born to do: Connect.
If you would like to hear more about making money at psychic fairs and markets, tune in to the Lucky Mojo Hoodoo Rootwork Hour on YouTube, Sunday, 11/30/25, 3:00PM Pacific, 6:00PM Eastern @ youtube.com/
myselfismycards.com/myselfismycards-blog/marketing-is-just-humaning-at-scale (https://www.myselfismycards.com/myselfismycards-blog/marketing-is-just-humaning-at-scale)
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