These days, you don't have to traverse the dark forest on the eve of the Full Moon to find a gypsy, psychic or "intuitive" as many now call themselves. Chances are, the local astrologist or tarot reader is making more than a comfortable living for herself in a corporate complex near you. She's probably dressed in proper business attire, scheduling consultations from her art-deco office right now.
If you're a copywriter, the intuitive, mystical or occult audience is an ever-growing market that's worth tapping. Most Intuitives see the Web as an ideal way to attract covert followers... and in that regard, their "intuition" is dead-on.
Why all the secrecy? Pretend for the moment that you're the typical astrology client. Maybe you feel a little silly telling the naysayers at your office and even in your family that you've been seeking answers in the stars. Thanks to anonymity on the web, no one has to know that you just ran your husband's birthday through that Astrological Personality Profiler and are now clued into his Venus in Scorpio that may be clashing with your Mars in Gemini which is why sparks always fly in the bedroom after you've had another one of your hair-raising arguments.
That said: the world's Intuitives are building websites with the intent of keeping their Private Consultations private... and they need web copy to advertise their services. As a professional copywriter, that's where you come in.
Of course, the more knowledgeable you are, the more likely you'll impress a potential client enough to land a contract. So, if you're already a dabbler in Mysterious Matters, you may want to self-educate just a bit more, to get the voice down pat. Even if you're not an expert, mastering basic concepts and terminology is the quickest way to prove your worth to a potential client in this (or any) field.
Are you a Good Witch, or a Bad Witch?
Pagans sometimes use the terms White Magic and Black Magic in their practice. Simply stated; White Magic is the means to a positive or good end, and Black Magic is the means to a negative or malevolent end. While many modern-day Intuitives steer clear of such outdated terms like magic, the underlying meaning remains. A Spiritual Advisor has an ethical responsibility to guide her clients to a positive end. If you function as her Web Scribe, that means you do, too.
Folks who deal in the unknown view the Universe in a holistic way. Theirs is a world of vibrations, frequencies, channels, energy flow, positives, negatives and other such intrigue. Therefore; in writing copy for the Spiritually Enlightened audience, there will be many occasions when you'll have to describe things as having a "negative" influence on your reader. If you must cast a dark shadow with your intuitive interpretation, do it in such a way that the recipient of the news can deal with it.
Let's use astrology as an example since it's probably the most familiar. Suppose after a customer enters his birth information on an astrology website, the "reading" that comes up goes something like this:
"Over the course of the next several months, you may feel out of touch with relatives, coworkers and friends; and even out of touch with yourself. You'll experience a constant sense of anxiety and unrest lurking just beneath the surface. Although you might think you're working toward a productive end, this "out of sync" feeling can cause you to become ineffectual in all of your dealings. People who are experiencing the "heaviness" that this planetary influence produces often turn to addictive behavior, typically drugs and alcohol."
How do you imagine that an impressionable reader might react to such news? She will either, 1. take it to heart, becoming discouraged and depressed at the approaching downer that's about to befall her, or 2. grow angry at the relayer of the dismal forecast for insinuating that she is anything short of perfect.
She might even head out to the liquor store to load up for her upcoming bender that she didn't know she was going on before the astrology website sealed her fate. (And to think: she didn't even drink before this!)
It's true that not everything in this world is positive, including whatever comes up on your computer-generated astrology reading. But in dealing with the sensitive human psyche, one who writes for this field should know how to comfort, motivate, inspire and encourage. She should fill the reader with faith and hope in herself and the world around her... as well as the power to deal with whatever adversity may come her way during the course of her lifetime.
Therefore, to lessen the blow of a "bad reading," a good copywriter will know how to "break the bad news gently." The same astrology client who received the dismal report above might do well to hear something along the lines of:
"During this period, energy is at an all-time low. You may find yourself feeling ineffectual and self-defeating, with positive relations being put on a temporary back burner. Such "down periods" are the psyche's way of 'recharging' its internal battery for more progressive action later. You may wish to spend this time in deep reflection, or perhaps taking a short repose from the pressing responsibilities of life until the temporary stormclouds give way to brighter days. Emerge stronger, more focused and more effective than ever, for the transformation such a period ultimately brings."
Now, that doesn't sound so bad, does it? If you were the recipient of such a reading, you'd surely be armed with a better way of dealing with the oncoming discord in your life. This, in effect, gives the Spiritually Hungry what they really need: nourishment for their discontented souls.
Aside from the havoc that "spreading bad vibes" can wreak on the Universe alone, the Spiritual Advisor should consider the impact of her words for marketing purposes and the success of her business. If you were selling fruit baskets on your website, would you ever tell the reader, "Beware the occasional rotted pear in your gift sampler!" You certainly would not, if you ever expect to sell anything. Likewise, if you're pitching Enlightenment, you want your customer to have full faith that you can deliver the Good (as opposed to the Bad).
If a psychic's clients don't care for the way she tells their fortune, guess what? They're probably not coming back to her for future advice.
It's in an Intuitive's best interest to remember the tender, vulnerable souls of her audience, and deliver her readings with temperance, good intentions, empathy for the human condition, and above all, Love. From both a moral and marketing standpoint; if you're writing the copy for her website, you're obligated to do the same.
Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.
Find out how crisp, targeted copywriting can make a world of difference for your business. Dina Giolitto is a Copywriting Consultant with ten years of experience. Visit http://Wordfeeder.com for free tips on branding, copywriting, marketing, and more.