discounts for special events?

[stardust]

hi guys,

  just wondering what some of you do as far as cutting breaks for certain events such as churches, and volunteer fire companys for example.
  what would u change your hourly rate to- if u would dicount them at all. since its hourly you would not be charging per face so would you put a tip jar out maybe?

 your ideas would be great
   mucho thanks!

[Sherry]

Hi Stardust,

When I've wanted to discount for multiple hour events, I've went down to $50 an hour.  Another idea is to ask for a trade for value for value.  To advertise your business in their marketing.  Ie.  Ask for a full page ad in their flyers.  (A tip I just learned at the Vegas Convention! )  I think it was from Lilly Walters.

Sherry

[Alison]

I do not cut my prices!  Or else, why have them?

This is how I earn my living.  I give charity After I earn my money, and I choose which to give to based on other things than Who Will Give Me A Job.

[stardust]

so then there is no rule for "charity" events? should we discount them or just charge the same hourly as any other?

[mrsito]

I think that since you are going into this business as your own boss so to speak, you have the discretion to decide how you're going to run it. You have to think about what your business is worth to you, what your worth as a professional is and how much you are willing to compromise. Don't sell yourself short because you have this perception that charity trumps the importance of getting what you deserve. You can still "give back" so to speak.

[Shannon Fennell]

I wrote an article on that subject... titled "When is Free not Free?" which was published in Illusion magazine.  Here is a link to it http://www.shannonfennell.com/Illusion3article.pdf

[reginanewsum]

last summer when I started for the month of june and july, I did 6 vacation bible school events at churches, I called them, presented face painting on the phone and told them I would do it for free! They told me there theme and I studied it! Went to the church, painted gobs of kids, three out of the 6 churches thanked me! went threw tons of paint, never got one job off from 6 events! Did one large picnic for assualed victims, painted for 9 hours, got one job! Did one abused childrens family event for three hours painted my butt off! Was so tired, got no leads! This year I will still do SOME volunteer work, but it will be my choice. I will do my groups event in aug for the 9 hours, but they have seen my work and have offered me  $200 this year for material cost for the day! But I have thought about it and for non profit I will offer like maybe $20 off per hour, for at least a two hour booking.  I did do a gig tho in Sept of 2009, for a non profit group, painted for three hours, received only $25.00 per hour, thats all they had to spare was $75.00, and they let me put out a tip jar, well my cup runith over! When I got home I counted it and there was $272.00 in it! I was so busy I never paid attention to what was going in there, once in a while I would push the money down in my big cup! So all in all it figured out to be  about $116.00 per hour! That was good!

[Skidzz]

I was told by an accountant, that when I do charity events to write down everything I used and claim it on taxes as charitable contribution. So tax break, free advertising, practice, and a chance to help. I thought this was a great tip.

[Sherry]

Good to remember.  I think I need to get more organized to keep track of these things.  I also mean to write down my mileage for events (free & paid), because I believe you can use that when filing.

[Party Picassos]

I am not great at keeping a running log, but I do list my fp jobs on a calendar with the addresses.
Then around tax time, I am going to mapquest to look up the mileage. It works for those of us who are lazy!