Fees?

[Glitterfly Faces]

I am so confused....

I have been advertising on Kijiji for about 3 weeks now and have not booked one party.

Are my fees too high?
I charge $70 an hour and can do approx 8-10 full faces within that time.
Glitter tattoos is $70 an hour for approx. 15 tattoos.

If they choose the face paint party package they can add glitter tattoos to each guests for an additional $3/person.



I had one inquiry in 3 weeks and no return booking.

Am I doing something wrong?  what can I do to get more people calling for appts and bookings?

I am really excited to start this adventure and have all the products to start.

I did a volunteer party this past Friday and painted about 7 kids....it was a blast. 
How do you let the kids decide who goes first, second....etc?
They all kept arguing with eachother about who goes next.

Thanks,
Kim

[Sherry]

It can be slow going at first.  During my first year things were slow.  During those times, I would start looking for events to get into... festivals, fairs.  During the cold months, look for indoor events to be a vendor.  If you get out there, people can see what you're doing and take your card and have what they need to book you.  That seems to generate more parties for me.

Are there any Christmas shows coming up in your area in November or December?

Another idea... look online for local kid activity directories to place your ad.  Also Craigs List.  I booked my first party through an ad on Craigs List.

I think your prices are good, btw.

[Shannon Fennell]

Is the advertising all you are doing?

Have you tried dropping off business cards and flyers around town at craft stores, theatres, libraries, art stores, parks & rec facilities, playschools?

Have you mailed out letters or postcards to potential clients introducing your services?

Have you inquired about setting up to paint at local sports events?

[Party Picassos Facepainting]

I have placed on Kijiji and never had a response for a client, just junk mail. I had better luck on Craig's List too. If you have kids or can practice with a classful of kids, that's great advertising too. I paint several classes for the end of the year picnics, just because I want to and it generated several jobs.

[Alison]

I just assume that they're in a line, telling them to straighten it out, or like where it should start.
Telling newcomers that they have to get on the end of the line (which had originally been only in my own head). 

But it can still get difficult sometimes - especially like near the end of an event when they realized that you're going to be leaving soon.  It is frustrating when you want to paint as quickly as possibly to get to as many people as possible - but their discussing it with you causes you to paint even less than you would have painted even if you Weren't hurrying.

[Sherry]

I still haven't figured out the best way to deal with line issues.  I feel that when I try to get involved, I end up making somebody angry or annoyed, so when I'm not sure who is next in line, I ask, "Who's next?".  I then trust that they'll tell me the truth or many times, an adult will step in and let me know.  If money was no object, I think having a line manager to handle that sticky situation would make my job a dream.

[Glitterfly Faces]

Great advice.
Thanks ladies.
I really hope that I start getting jobs.  Just started adding up my receipts into a spreadsheet and my hubby would kill me if he knew how much I have spent.   

Hopefully the craft show on Nov.28th will make up for some of that expense and turn into some jobs.
Although, it is only the glittter tattoos b/c another woman is already doing face painting.
Have a good day all,
Kim

[Sherry]

My mom's boyfriend is successful and self-employed and he always said to give yourself at least 2 years for your business to become a success.  Most businesses lose money the first year, so don't be discouraged.   

[Glitterfly Faces]

Thanks Sherry.That does make me feel better.
I appreciate all your advice.
Take care,
Kim

[mrsito]

i guess i'm lucky my husband is always with me to help resolve line issues...
he gives them a piece of paper with their number and the number of the design they picked so they're set when they sit on the chair...

[Alison]

I like a little bit of interaction to go on when the person sits in the chair - so I don't feel like a Painting Machine.  And it feels like I'm being more respectful to the person that I'm painting, too.  They're not just canvasses - They're people.  And if that means that we can't throw on some paint and then crinkle up the paper, that's just the way it is.

[Alison]

But that still doesn't tell us what to do about the people who 'don't get a turn'.
Yes - I try to make it valuable for them to get a turn,
but I work by the hour.  
It's unfortunate, but when that 'hour' is up, it's up.

If I'm working a Party, it's the host/ess who is limiting how many people can be done, not me.
S/he could choose to pay for more hours.

And if I'm working Retail, it's just the Facts of Life, the end of the day....
There are thousands (billions?) of people in the world - I'd like to uplift each one of them.  I'd like to have all the necessary time and money and energy to give each one them.  And all the stray cats too - I'd like to take them all in and feed and brush them.  But I'm a grown-up.  I know that I have limited resources.  Only 24-hours in a day, and some of them have to be spent sleeping.  Or helping someone else than the person who's 'at the end of my face-painting line'.  

People might try to make us feel guilty for the limits of our human condition -
But I am not unrealistic.  So I treat it as a job.  If paid to work by the hour,
I do what's reasonable within that hour.
Even if some of the people around me 'cry'.

[Sherry]

This makes me think of something that happened at my last event.  It was the Harley event with the sea of motorcycles.  I ended up parking on the other side of the restaurant that was next to their store, so it was a pretty long walk and I was trekking back and forth to put my stuff away. 

I came back to get my last 2 little containers and a lady came up to me and launched into a story about her granddaughter.  (I don't know where the granddaughter was, the Grandmother came up by herself)  She said she'd just gotten out of the hospital from having a cancerous brain tumor and it would mean so much to her if I could paint her.  I sat there dumbfounded for a second trying to figure out what I should do.  I looked at my stuff and thought I couldn't do anything with that... all my brushes and water containers were already packed away on the other side of 2 parking lots.  I thought, I'd have to paint her with my fingers or something.  I said, "I don't have any brushes."  Then she left. 

[Alison]

Good for you, Sherry ~
Does the woman with a brain tumor stop a strange doctor on the way to his car and ask for surgery on the spot?  Does the woman fresh out of the hospital stop a cashier as she's leaving Macy's to go get her a sweater? 

[Alison]

but it is good.  i don't fault the people who stop us .  not only is it flattering, but there's nothing wrong with asking.  they dont have a chance to get what they want if they dont try, if they dont ask.... (i think i even told the story here about the woman who i appreciated for stopping me on the subway stairs for a balloon). 

sometimes we can accommodate them.  sometimes we're even glad to accommodate them.  BUT WE DONT HAVE TO.  if it makes our day crazy, if we just dont feel like it, if it's unreasonable - then we do not have to feel at all guilty for firmly saying no.