*Update* "Business Sense for Dummies"

Okay, here's the scenario:

Tomorrow I have a meeting with a local restaurant manager. I had called him to inquire if they had a kid's night and they do... unfortunately, it's the same night as my other weekly restaurant gig. However, he said that he currently has at least a dozen or more fundraisers lined up and thought we could work something out with that.

I have a couple of fall festivals coming up but am in desperate need of lots work (translation: I is broke!!!)

These are schools and booster club fundraisers... I HAVE to make some money so I need a formula from someone on here for the BEST way to make $$$. I don't expect much, but I need to pay my son's high school college course immediately so I have to take what I can get.

Just remember, I am the QUEEN of needing it in simple terms because my brain cannot go to technologyland or businessland without having to stop off in dummieland first.

Do a workshop for kindergarten kid's moms on how to do a butterfly face paint for example. You can do it at home, just make flyers with a set date, and a phone number to make a reservation, charge per person....
You could also offer to do it AT the kindergarten and offer them one entry free of charge...

Thanks, mamakatrien. But this restaurant is the one holding the fundraisers for schools and various clubs. They are donating a certain % of every meal purchased on the night of each fundraiser to the schools or clubs. There will be a lot of parents/kids eating there on these nights...

Since the restaurant will not be paying me I will be doing ppf... not the most ideal gig, that's for sure, but I have to make $$ fast. I'm thinking that because they will most likely be school nights that not too many can be talked into a face paint. I could offer tattoos as well. I was thinking of offering to donate $1 from each paint or tattoo back to the fundraising organization... or would it be too unethical to offer this; I'll donate a certain % back to the organization once I make $50.00. This could ensure me that I will at least make $50.00 so it won't be a waste of product.

What do ya'll think?

someone said I should hit up the local football games for quick PPF (you could do it on nights you have nothing else going on) Offer a few faces based on their school colors-or based on their mascot- Volleyball here is also huge!

Again with the schools---think Homecoming--are any local schools having a cool theme that you could work face painting into--contact the school and see if they could hire you (or if they won't offer PPF per couple at the dance (or offer it before the dance.)--I know some schools won't let kids in if they can't tell who they are, so check with the school--maybe do 1/2 faces?

Home coming, pep rally's, cheerleaders, lots of opportunity there.--plus most schools have some sort of halloween/fall carnival or activity.

You could talk to the local high school theater department about teaching an afterschool or saturday workshop (for a fee) on painting faces (if you don't want to train others so they don't turn into competion) teach them the basic of shadowing, different types of make-up, techniques, and so on.

What about a community center? Would they be interested in a contract with you to face painter for their daycare center on Saturday mornings?

Do you have a local Haunted House that is open? Could you contract with them to paint the people in the haunted house? and then do some PPF for people going through (of course most of that is at night and most people won't want to be painted in the dark)

Can you contact the pumpkin patch people in your area (we don't have any of those that I know of here )

Start advertising for Halloween parties--

I know most of these are all PPF---but in my area I am not aware of corp. events and actual paid birthday parties are few and far between so my brain is that thinking past PPF yet.

I have started paying attention to where I see a lot of kids consistently. I have even searched through the yellow pages for companies that might hire a face painter----

Do you have any kids activity places (bouncy houses, kids gymanstics, and such)

Are any of these helpful?

Good Luck!

Miss Ronnie I dont know if maybe in New York yall have flee markets? Well in Arizona we do there are really good ones and really bad ones. Everyother weekday on Wednesday I do that!! There is a HUGE crowd and it gives me money fast! Hope this helps.

You normally dont even need much! You normally just pay your fee and set up and start painting. Its really simple here at least.

Thanks for all your input, guys... but I was hoping for help in what to offer during tomorrow's meeting with the restaurant manager.

I have no problem getting gigs otherwise... in fact, I'm booked every weekend for Fall festivals starting next weekend.

Oh sorry!

ahhh---sorry!

I guess our input now on the restraunt would be a little too late!! How did it go?

Haven't had the meeting yet... it's after 2:00pmEST...

Just back from the meeting. Wanted to let you guys know what happened because it may be beneficial to others who are looking to hook up with a restaurant.

The restaurant is one of the local Denny's. The GM said they used to have Tues. & Thurs. designated for kid's nights but then they went to just Tues. - which would be a conflict for me since I already have a weekly Tues. night gig with another restaurant - BUT

He is so excited to work with me that he is probably going to reestablish the Thurs. night kid's night just to have me on board with them!

The fundraising aspect is probably a wash, but that's okay because it wasn't a guaranteed money maker for me anyway.

So, you never know... make an appointment or walk in and see what may happen!

So whats the deal Miss Ronnie, the actual agreement I really want to offer fp to a few restaurants I know have kids night.

If they reinstate kid's night I will present my fee. Plus I must be allowed to display a tip jar & business promotion material.. not to mention a free dinner for myself. But his mind was turning round and round and he was spouting off all these other possibilities where he could use my services. (Hopefully something will come of this!)

But don't limit yourself to a restaurant that already has a kid's night. Find a family friendly restaurant and see if you can talk them into starting a kid's night.

Hopefully it will come to fruition.

I've been wanting to venture out into the restaurant gig thing, but honestly I'm such a scary cat. I still consider myself a newbie because I don't have the speed and precision together.
Miss Ronnie, is speed necessary in restaurant gigs?

I would say no. I no longer offer full faces at my rest. gig with Moe's Southwest Grille... but will do masks, crowns and half faces, etc.

The nature of Moe's is that you go through a line where your food is assembled for you behind a sneeze glass. On kid's night that line gets quite long and so the kids all come over to me or to the balloon twister (he's there every other week, I am there weekly) while the parents are in line. Some wait until they are done eating to visit me. There have been a few hectic nights, but for the most part it is quite manageable - and I stay busy right up until it's time to leave.

So there are a few restaurants that say Kids Eat Free on Sunday for instance, how do I charge them my regular fee if they are giving food away for free. Help me out will ya. (wording wise I mean). Thank you!

I don't know what your fees are... but I started at Moe's almost 6 years ago and I only did cheek art and I used the paint they provided me which was Apple Barrel craft paint (GASP!) because I knew nothing about face painting then... except that I figured I could paint decent cheek designs. I have asked for a price increase twice and got it. I do work for a fraction of my regular fee but I double my fee in tips almost every week. I take home about $20 worth of food for dinner for my son and I.
I've gotten scores of referrals and parties from there without ever advertising. Even though my business has grown ten-fold since, I hold onto to this gig because I have literally seen the same customers week after week and watched these children growing up... plus, it's kinda "home" for me there.

Offer them a deal on a 3 hour gig and see if they bite.

Thank you Miss Ronnie and yes I will go to these places, I already have in mind a few. Lets see how it goes.