Can You Market a Spiritual Business Ethically?

How to Align Your Spiritual Values with Business Growth

Business growth can feel conflicting for the spiritual entrepreneur. You built your practice on values like authenticity, service, and trust.

So common marketing advice that pushes for aggressive sales tactic feel inauthentic, if not straight up manipulative. The two main ways marketers, especially in the spiritual industry, take an unethical approach to marketing is by engaging in deceptive advertising or emotionally manipulative tactics.

Deceptive advertising for a metaphysical business can be to exaggerate, lie, or misrepresent the benefits of a product. For example, what does a spiritual or magical oil do? If you’re selling a “healing” oil, it would be deceptive to guarantee that this oil is a physical or mental cure. Scientifically (and legally), that claim will always be untrue. Legitimate marketing should instead focus on the oil’s crafted spiritual intention, not is medical efficacy, and should be backed by the seller’s spiritual authority (by achieving a certain rank in their specific religion) or extensive experience. Otherwise, it would be deceptive to make any claims about an oil other than it smells good.

Manipulative marketing tactics exploit fears, insecurities, and vulnerabilities to pressure customers to purchase. For example, this could involve approaching a grieving mother to say that her son has a message to deliver from the other side, but only if she books a mediumship reading first. It is also seen in tarot readers on TikTok who say “this message is for you” and proceed to make doom and gloom claims, promising they can help avoid this fate if viewers book a session or stay until the end of the video. Another example is supposed manifestation coaches telling people they will always be poor unless they pay for their $1,000 “Manifesting Money” courses, and then, when customers say they can’t afford it, accusing them of having a “poverty mindset.”

You’ve probably experienced most of these tactics as a consumer because they’re so prevalent in the metaphysical space. They’re prevalent because they’re easy. It’s easy to lie. It’s easy to play on people’s fears.

But if your mission is to help others with your spiritual gifts, then you know the easy path was never going to be a choice for you.

Marketing a spiritual business ethically is also uniquely challenging because you are dealing with the intangible nature of spirituality. Even if you’re a metaphysical shop selling physical goods, the real products are the peace, healing, love, and connection they're meant to bring the customer. All of these are internal experiences that can’t be guaranteed. And because many unethical competitors use manipulative tactics, genuine practitioners are left to navigate a landscape where consumer skepticism is high, expectations are unrealistic, and it is difficult to distinguish true integrity from clever branding.

So how do you grow a sustainable business without compromising the very principles that make your work meaningful?

The answer is to reframe marketing.

At its core, marketing is the art and science of creating genuine value by understanding and addressing people’s needs and desires. If you’ve needed a product or service at any time, then there is an audience for that product or service out there. You just needs to find them.

Ethical and successful marketing (and some public relations) builds trust and lasting relationships through transparent communication, honest promises, and solutions that truly benefit the customer. Marketing is how you bring your business’s mission to life. And if the mission includes mutual respect and integrity, then so will the marketing.

Define Your Non-Negotiable Core Values

Before planning any marketing tactic, get clear on what you will and will not do.

• What three words must define every client interaction? Is it compassion, empowerment, and clarity? Or truth, transformation, and respect?

• Turn each value into a business guideline. For example, if "transparency" is a core value, a rule could be: "I will always explain my pricing structure clearly and detail what a client should expect before they pay."

• Every marketing decision, from the words on your website to the platforms you use, should pass through a “value” filter. If a tactic feels like it violates a core tenet, it's not the right tactic for your business.

Practice Value-Led Communication

Marketing is a conversation. Shift from "making a sale" to "offering a solution" by communicating the true transformation you provide.

Instead of just listing "tarot reading," frame it as "gaining clarity on your career path" or "finding peace during a difficult transition." Speak to the deeper need.

Be clear about intent vs. outcome. Market your products and services by their intention ("anointed for courage," "blended to promote a sense of calm") rather than making guaranteed medical, financial, or supernatural outcome claims. Use language like "may support" or "is traditionally used for."

Educate. Create content that teaches about the history, cultural context (with respect and credit), and proper use of your items. An informed customer makes a better choice and values your expertise.

Disclose materials and sourcing. Be transparent about ingredients, materials, and, where possible, your ethical sourcing practices. If something is mass-produced, say so. If it's hand-poured or sustainably harvested, highlight that.

Be honest about outcomes. Manage expectations. Service providers can promise thoughtful guidance and a supportive space, but avoid guarantees of specific future events.

Show your process. Let people see the person behind the practice. A short video explaining how you prepare for a session or make your incense. Demystify your products and services to build authentic connection. This is especially important if you’re making a product yourself, as there are so many cheap, dropshipped replicas of spiritual tools and supplies.

Implement an Ethical Pricing & Service Model

Your pricing structure reflects how you value your own work and your clients' investment.

Calculate a price that covers your costs, pays you a fair wage, and allows for reinvestment. Undervaluing your services leads to burnout and resentment, which harms your ability to serve.

For services, a simple tiered structure (e.g., a single session, a series, a premium package) respects different client needs and budgets. The clients choose their level of investment without pressure. Marketing a tier system lets the potential client know that you care about simplifying the buyer’s decision and are open to wider range of customers.

The client's experience, from the discovery to post-purchase, should feel proportionate to the price they pay. Extraordinary service is a core part of ethical business. This will lead to genuine and enthusiastic testimonials, providing the social proof you need to market your business.

Your Integrity is Your Greatest Asset

In a crowded market, your unwavering integrity is one of your most powerful differentiator (next to skill and experience). A business built on your values will attract clients who are seeking ethical practitioners. Your audience is out there. Growth will be a natural byproduct of doing your right work, for the right people, in the right way.

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For a detailed, actionable marketing plan tailored to your spiritual business, book a 1-on-1 strategy session. We will focus on your core marketing strategy, brand messaging, and content plan. Unlock more in-depth, strategic marketing guidance by subscribing on Substack.

Explore more resources. For visual guidance, subscribe to my YouTube channel. For Tarot Lessons, book a Private Tarot Tutoring Session. For creative inspiration, download 300+ writing prompts inspired by the Tarot. For organizing your practice, access my Book of Shadows Notion Template here.