A Special Event for Magickal Businesses: The Creative Retreat

Dear Booksellers,

When you dream of ways to improve your business, do you ever focus on yourself and your staff? A metaphysical business is still a business, and like any business, it will benefit from periodic brainstorming, goal-setting, and visionary work. For owners and staff, a "magickal business retreat" will leave you inspired as you rejuvenate your business plan and recharge your creative passions.

Susan Pesznecker, author of The Magickal Retreat, provides ways to have a successful and rejuvenating magickal retreat for your business.



A Special Event for Magickal Businesses: The Creative Retreat
By Susan Pesznecker

Owning a magickal/metaphysical store must be one of the most fun jobs a person can have—but it has its stressful moments as well. Depending on the size of the local community, selecting and moving inventory can be a challenge, especially if shops face resistance from non-Pagan "unfriendlies" in the neighborhood. Getting the word out may be difficult, and even getting people into the store may take some doing, given the predilection of magickal folks to do so much of their shopping online in today's digital world. Yet even with these challenges, the metaphysical business is still a business, and like any business, it will benefit from periodic brainstorming, goal-setting, and visionary work. For owners and staff, a "magickal business retreat" will leave you inspired as you rejuvenate your business plan and recharge your creative passions.

Begin with a meeting in which the staff collectively discusses a "to do" list for the retreat. Find out what everyone thinks is important, and make sure each person is heard, for sometimes the best ideas come from unexpected directions—and not always from the boss. Identify a common goal and vision, and then develop a detailed list of action items for the retreat. Your aims might include an annual review, setting goals for a period to come, operational changes, community outreach, marketing, policy changes, or just about any aspect of running a business effectively. Focus on "blue sky" items, too: What is possible? If there were no rules, what could we do? What could we accomplish? Think big: the sky's the limit!

For best results, aim for at least a day-long retreat. If you want to focus on staff bonding or specific magickal workings, try an overnight, providing work time as well as evening space for socialization and special events, like ritual work.

Once you have a working agenda and a general plan, parcel out the responsibilities, giving each participant a specific responsibility. Giving everyone "ownership" in the retreat insures a rich infusion of energies and ideas. Assign someone to locate a place for the retreat. If possible, choose a novel space, getting everyone out of their comfort zone; this establishes common ground and supports team building. If staying overnight, you'll need sleeping and bathroom spaces, bedding, and towels. Most groups will want to have WiFi, along with an on-site computer and printer if possible.

Having great food boosts morale and keeps everyone energized. For a short event, ask participants to bring their own food. If sharing food, focus on scrumptious fare that can be purchased, prepared ahead, or assembled quickly. A potluck might work perfectly; take-out pizza is another winning idea. Furnish fruits, veggies, and nuts for healthy snacking.

Once you've accomplished these initial steps, assign someone to prepare a written agenda and time schedule for the meeting. Decide who will chair or moderate the meeting, and finalize the pertinent details. And please: resolve to run your retreat on real time—not Pagan Standard Time! There's nothing more frustrating than trying to get serious work done when half the group either hasn't shown up or hasn't gotten out of bed. Respect the clock: when you're trying to accomplish a lot within a short time, it's your friend.

When the retreat date arrives, open and close with a group ceremony or ritual, even if brief; this brings the group together and reinforces the shared magickal purpose. Stay focused on your agenda, adding magickal effects with music, incense, candles, firelight, or other mood-setters. Brewing herbal teal can be a wonderful communal activity. Plan time to socialize, too. You might include a Bardic, divination hour (you can "read" the results of your meeting), drum circle, or ritual, or even a S'mores party around a campfire pit.

Before leaving the event, thank everyone and may sure they know what will happen next. Assign individuals to follow up on questions and implement decisions. Be sure to hold a post-event evaluation; make this anonymous so participants aren't afraid to be honest. Collect and share the evaluation results with your group, using the feedback to plan the next event.

Happy retreating!

***
Susan Pesznecker (Oregon), a writer, teacher, nurse, hearth Pagan, and Druid, is the author of The Magickal Retreat and Crafting Magick with Pen and Ink. Sue teaches green magick at the online Grey School. For more retreat ideas, visit Sue's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SusanMoonwriterPesznecker.

Manifesting Business Success

Dear Booksellers,

When you dream of ways to improve your business, do you imagine store expansion, increased foot traffic, updated fixtures, or a bustling website? What if you could manifest your business goals simply by envisioning them?

Melanie Barnum, author of The Book of Psychic Symbols, offers detailed insight on how to breathe life into any desire you can imagine. Clarifying your specific goals—and imagining success—is the key.






Manifesting Business Success
By Melanie Barnum

We are all passengers on the bus that is our lives. But have you ever been the driver? We have the power to create a life we love through manifestation. All you need is to take control of the wheel.

The Book of
Psychic Symbols
by Melanie Barnum

Manifesting is changing circumstances to allow something into your life. So, get ready for change! Using symbolic imagery is one of the easiest ways to guarantee success.

Show Me the Money
Imagine, and it probably won’t be hard, that you want more money coming into your bookstore or metaphysical outlet. That’s right. Just imagine it. What do you see? What do you feel? Does it make you uncomfortable? Does it feel negative? Let’s revise that impression.

First, come up with five symbolic images of a positive increase in money. It can be as simple as seeing cash flowing into your cash register, or as grand as envisioning what increase in money could provide, like new fixtures and equipment or more stock. Be specific about the amount you want. It can be a lump sum or a monthly increase, but be specific. Write them all down.
   
Now, take each symbol, one by one, and focus on it for a minimum of one minute per image. Focusing might be hard; that’s ok. If you have other thoughts or get distracted just acknowledge those thoughts and let them pass, then refocus on the image. 

What image do you see when you think of success? Do you see piles of cash? A happy family? A life of leisure? Use this as your end goal in every manifestation. You want success. Focus on this image for one minute.

After you’ve finished, thank the universe and let it go. This may sound difficult. It is. But if you want to manifest, you can’t continue to focus on what you want or you will never actually get it. Part of this is because doubt works its way in. You may feel you don’t deserve the money or you’ll never get the money. This negative energy can redirect your intentions and ruin all the manifesting you’ve tried to do.

So let it go. Let the universe do its job.

Am I Done?
Now don’t assume money will just fall from the heavens. It has to come from somewhere. Yes, it’s a strong possibility that your loved ones or guides are helping to manifest what you want, but they’re not throwing gold coins down to you. (That would hurt too much when they hit your head.) Instead, they are opening up opportunities to bring what you want into your life and your business. 

Simply put, by paying attention to the little things that begin to show up in your life you are letting the universe do its thing. For instance, if you asked for $400 more per month and someone offers you $100 per week to host a workshop, in line with the type of products and services you offer, it’s a no brainer. Do it! There’s your extra cash. 

Be open and receptive to what’s happening all around you. You will find that if one opportunity presents itself that doesn’t feel right, something else will show up to help you achieve just what it is you want to manifest.

Don’t worry. You are also allowed to change what you’re trying to manifest. If you are working on retaining the perfect customer and you forgot to specify you wanted all your clients to be return customers, you can edit your request. It’s okay to go back and “adjust” what you are trying to bring into your life.  Just don’t dwell on it after you’ve fine-tuned what you want to manifest. 

What Symbols Should I Use?
In the manifest above, money is the main goal. However, you may want to manifest something more specific to boost your business. Here are some ideas:

Attract More Customers
Imagine groups of people in your third eye (clairvoyantly) walking into the store. Not angry mobs, but happy groups. A line of people is happily waiting to have their purchases rung up.

Encourage More Purchases 
See customers reaching back up on the shelves to add to what they are already buying. Their arms are overflowing with books and products.


Host More Profitable Store Events
Visualize the media spreading the word about your event and your store overflowing with happy customers.

Boost Profits and Web Traffic 
See huge arrows with blinking lights directing people to your website. Your credit card income statement shows increased dollar amounts. People smile as they sit at their computers and shop at your site.


Increase Repeat Business 
Imagine people, one by one, walking through your door to buy your products—and those same people returning. See his happening again and again. Then, imagine they have brought friends, who in turn come through your doors repeatedly. Allow this vision to loop continuously.   

Remember, your job while manifesting is not to create the “how” it will happen. Just focus on the end result. Let the universe work its magic and figure out the how. It’s not complicated: Use symbolic images and bring clarity to your desires. The more specific you are, the greater your chances of creating success.

***

Melanie Barnum (Bethel, CT) is the author of The Book of Psychic Symbols: Interpreting Intuitive Messages. She is a psychic medium, intuitive counselor, life coach, and hypnotist who have been practicing professionally for more than fifteen years. Barnum was a VIP Reader at Psych Out, a gathering of the nation’s foremost psychics, organized by Court TV. She is also an Angelspeake Facilitator, a member of the National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH), and the International Association of Counselors and Therapists (IACT). Visit her website MelanieBarnum.com and her blog.

Melanie Barnum on her favorite bookstores:
I love the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in Rhinebeck, New York, because it was a part of the whole experience of sharing in the energy of all of the students and teachers in my class. Another favorite is Byrds Books in Bethel, CT, a small, independent store that just opened above my favorite coffee shop.

The May Issue of The New Moon Is Out--Check Your Inbox!

For those of you who currently subscribe to our email newsletter for booksellers, The Moon, you may have noticed a few changes.

We've streamlined the look, included new features, and christened it with a new moniker: The New Moon. As with this blog, our goal is to really connect with you, our selling partners, each month and offer support, guidance, and resources with the aim of helping you grow and thrive in this ever-changing market.

Our May issue of the New Moon was mailed this morning. This issue includes:
-A peek inside our Fall 2012 Catalog
-Shelftalkers (Seasons of Witchery, Jesus Through Pagan Eyes, The Magickal Retreat, and The Long-Lost Friend)
-June New Releases
-And Much More!

If you did not receive a copy in your email inbox, you can also view it here: The New Moon, May 2012 Issue.

You can also visit our website to subscribe to The New Moon, ensuring that it reaches you each month (please note that you will need to log in/register to be able to join our mailing list).

Peek Inside Our Fall Catalog

Llewellyn Fall 2012 Catalog
Click here to access the catalog PDF

Hi Booksellers,

The release of a new catalog is always a supremely satisfying moment for us. So it’s with tremendous pleasure and pride that I officially introduce Llewellyn’s Fall 2012 list. Woo-hoo!

As you may recall, the fall catalog is the “big one.” It includes our entire backlist—a great resource throughout the year.

Kicking off this exciting season is The Art of Bliss, a September release from Tess Whitehurst. The author of Magical Housekeeping and The Good Energy Book offers a delightful guide to beautiful living and personal evolution. Weaving together the I Ching, feng shui, and a sprinkling of magic, she teaches how to reconnect with your bliss.

Have any Wiccan customers who also practice tarot? They will undoubtedly be interested in Ellen Dugan’s Witches Tarot. Teeming with recognizable Pagan symbols woven into evocative digital artwork, this stunning deck will appeal to all devotees of the Craft. Echoing the traditional Rider-Waite structure, the Witches Tarot is also highly accessible. The enclosed companion guide by Dugan features card descriptions and meanings, plus seven unique, spell-enhancing spreads for tarot readings and magickal practice.

Coming this October is The Healing Power of Reiki by Raven Keyes, the first Reiki Master to practice in an operating room under the supervision of Dr. Mehmet Oz. She shares personal stories of working with Dr. Oz and healing workers at Ground Zero, PTSD survivors, professional athletes, and trauma patients. This inspirational guide also includes meditations and exercises to invite healing and engage in Reiki energy.

For all the Scott Cunningham fans out there, we’ve got something special for you. This November, we’re releasing Cunningham’s Magical Sampler. This first ever collection includes magical writings from the legendary and beloved author —essays, spells, and rituals—originally published in the first editions of Llewellyn’s Magical Almanac.

New Releases from Lo Scarabeo

We have a TON of new, gorgeous decks now available from Italian publisher Lo Scarabeo! Check out what's available!

Alchemy 1977 England Tarot Deck: Alchemy 1977 is famous around the globe for their stunning gothic artwork and steampunk accessories. Fans of this iconic brand will recognize and appreciate the powerful and seductive images in this extraordinary tarot deck. This captivating mix of art from world famous gothic illustrators ranges from traditional horror to lush supernatural scenes to medieval fantasy. The boxed deck includes 78 full-color cards and an instruction booklet.

Anne Stokes Gothic Tarot Deck: Renowned worldwide for her breathtakingly beautiful fantasy artwork, Anne Stokes delights fans yet again with this gorgeous tarot deck. This exquisitely crafted deck offers a compelling gothic twist on the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith suits. The wands are themed to mighty dragons. Cunning vampires have replaced the cups. Skeletons stand in for pentacles, and the swords have become angels. Use this inspiring tarot to explore strange magical worlds, call upon inner strength, understand dark urges, and test the limits of your imagination. The boxed deck includes 78 full-color cards and instruction booklet.




Michelangelo Tarot Deck: Revered as a divine genius even in his own lifetime, Michelangelo is unquestionably one of thegreatest artists of all time. Honoring the master of the Italian Renaissance, the Michelangelo Tarot Deck cleverly enshrines his signature work into a tarot paradigm. David, the Madonna, and other familiar faces from Michelangelo’s iconic masterpieces come to life in unique and compelling ways. This inspiring tarot, lightly tied to Rider-Waite-Smith structure, can be used to deepen your faith, solve spiritual conflicts, make moral decisions, and embark on your own personal renaissance. The boxed deck includes 78 full-color cards and instruction booklet.

Royo Dark Tarot Deck: Luis Royo, one of the most popular fantasy artists of our time, invites us into a vivid world of haunting beauty, where justice is swift and transformation is inevitable. Shimmering nightscapes are dominated by deadly female warriors, noble armored knights, and luminescent nature creatures, both wild and wise. Loosely based on the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition, Royo’s sensual and empowering tarot deck urges you to confront your darkest fears, embrace your primal passions, and unleash the beast within. The boxed deck includes 78 full-color cards and instruction booklet







Tarot Bags: We also have two new breathtaking tarot bags from Lo Scarabeo, the Moon Fairy Satin Tarot Bag and the Magic Star Satin Tarot Bag.

Runes: There are also three new rune sets available, the Blue Onyx Runes (pictured at left), Golden Quartz Runes, and Hematite Runes. Each set comes with 25 rune stones, a black velvet bag, and an instruction booklet.

Leveraging the Indie Store Advantage: A Unique Customer Experience

Hi Booksellers,

By now, you’ve probably seen the remarkable interview between author Ann Patchett and Steve Colbert on The Colbert Report.

In the interview, Patchett, who recently opened Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee, articulates the importance of independent stores and the unique experience it offers to customers, authors, and the community.

What a great reminder of what drives people to their local bookshop! No website can truly replicate the brick-and-mortar shopping experience — the smell of aging books, the sounds of soft music and hushed voices, and authentic human interaction.

One way to leverage this advantage is through customer service. While not exactly cutting-edge, this time-tested business tactic is still hailed as remarkably effective in today’s marketplace. A friendly, flesh-and-blood person offering insightful recommendations can be quite powerful. 

This article from Bloomberg Businessweek offers a refresher on customer service basics, specifically:

• Emphasize hellos and goodbyes.
• Train greeters.
• Speed order fulfillment.
• Hire selectively.
• Get the language right.
• Develop a system to make each customer feel that employees care.

You can read the full article for complete insight on these tips.

Here are a few more ways to connect with customers, maximize your unique product knowledge, and deliver a unique, rewarding experience that will encourage repeat business from a growing circle of devoted regulars.

Greet Everyone
A quick hello sends a welcoming message to customers and engages them right away. It will make them feel accepted and comfortable, especially if it’s their first time in your store. It’s also a great lead-in to the next tenet of customer service: asking open-ended questions.

“Is There Anything I Can Help You with Today?” 
When I’m in a hurry, it’s a relief to get quick assistance. A gentle, open-ended question opens the door to a one-on-one interaction that could turn into a lengthy conversation about your customer’s interests, a hand-selling opportunity, or a chance to share your knowledge and expertise.

Build a Rapport
Building a relationship is key to earning customer loyalty. Make an effort to know your customers and their interests. Take the time to have a conversation. Ask for feedback. Keep the connection alive by inviting them to sign up for alerts on sales, promotions, and events.

Of course, customer service is just the tip of iceberg when it comes to creating a unique and satisfying experience for customers. We'd love to hear your ideas!

Green Your Store, Your Home, and Your Friends This Earth Day

As Earth Day approaches, the issue of green takes center stage. How eco-friendly is your store? We’ve provided a few ideas for retailers in the past, including ways to save money by going green for Earth day, a list of books for your shelves that are spiritually green, and ideas to celebrate Earth Day at your store.

But this year, I propose something different. Instead of simply adopting green practices, why not encourage our co-workers, our friends, and our families to adopt some green practices as well? Below are a few green ideas that are earth-friendly (and often budget-friendly) that you can implement at your store and in your home, and make easy and fun suggestions for family and friends.

 1. Change your lightbulbs. CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lights) pack a punch in terms of energy savings. And now is a wise time to start switching over; with regular bulbs being phased out in the next couple of years, they will become unavailable, and many retailers are offering low prices (as low as $1 a bulb in some cases, like Excel energy has done in our area) to entice consumers to make the switch. Also, since a CFL can save you up to $50 in energy costs over its lifetime,  you could be looking at a savings of $1,500 or more (over the next year or two) when you switch all of your bulbs to CFLs.

2. Hand out seed packets. What a fun way to spread some green! Make "gift baskets" for customers, friends, or kids that include seed packets, handouts and stuffers with green living tips, or other items (a small portion of potting soil, perhaps?). Starting a few flowers on the deck or some herbs indoors will bring out the gardener in everyone--adults and children alike.

3. Hand out stuffers with tips for living green. Many people feel overwhelmed by the idea of "living green;" a handout that includes quick and easy tips can be a great way for them to feel more comfortable with the idea. These can be included with your seed packets (see number 2 above) in a fun and creative gift basket or other package. We have a stuffer with Natural Homemade Skin Care Remedies on our downloads page that could be included as well.

4. Encourage customers to bring their own re-usable bags. Encourage customers to bring their own re-usable bags (saving on plastic and paper) by offering a discount to those that do. You can also encourage friends and children to use re-usable cloth bags by giving them as gifts. Many stores, from Amazon to Ebay to Etsy, have a vast collection of styles and patterns; some sites will even let you customize your own design, making them a perfect gift for anyone.

5.  Ride your bike to work--and encourage your co-workers and friends to do the same. Bicycling can be great fun, as well as good exercise. It's also a great way to save on gas costs and automobile emissions harmful to the earth. Bike together to work with co-workers that live near you, or set up a challenge to see who can bike to work the most days in one month. For more ideas on how to take up bicycling as a primary mode of transportation, read our article, "Bicycle Commuting and the No-Car Life."

6. Save on printer paper. Set your printers (both at work and at home) to print everything as double-sided. This has the potential to cut the amount of paper you use in half, reducing not only your carbon footprint for paper (including trees used and carbon emissions released during the creation process) but also could therefore cut your printing paper budget in half. Have a document that is one-sided, or papers you are about to recycle? Staple them together, un-printed back side up, so that it makes a great note pad for jotting things down at work or an art pad at home on which kids can draw and sketch.

What are some other fun and innovative ideas on green living?