Getting gigs

I'm anxious and would like to get more paid gigs (well at least 1) Unfortunately I've led an anti-social lifestyle and don't have many close friends to market myself to. Any suggestions on how to market myself in the public? Honestly I haven't done much marketing period. So I guess I need a starting point. :suspect

if you can find a forum (like this one) for parents in your area, it would be a good place to advertise.... if you can get yourself in with a group of parents somewhere, it would definitely help.

I've gotten a couple of gigs by connecting with an inflatables rental place in my area as well, or as a back up for an established clown or face painter that might be already booked a particular day or suddenly sick and needs a fill-in.

Of course, there is just the old fashioned way of talking to everyone you meet about what you do and handing out a million business cards, but nowadays, a good website and some strategic weblinks can do almost as well (or better).

A facepainter friend of mine said once that she started calling businesses out of the phone book, just to introduce herself and explain what she does and how her services could help their business. It's common enough now to find a painter or a clown on a slow night at a restaurant. Or to have one at an office holiday party to liven things up (not everyone likes karaoke). Maybe nightclubs or skating rinks.

Being at festivals, I hand out flyers, and lots of people ask about parties, but no one has contacted me about them yet... so I have a disconnect somewhere. But, I have a day job and am not trying to fill every weekend to pay the bills. (maybe someday)

A lot of painters do cold-calling for area businesses, mostly in person (with pictures of work in hand) but mail-outs work too.

I personally get most of my gigs through (1.) my website or (2.) people who've seen me at other events. I think the most effective way to get hourly paid gigs is to work local festivals and hand out tons of business cards. People can see you working, see how you treat customers and how well you paint, and they start thinking about where they could have you in their birthday party or company picnic future. :-)

Something else I've done is charity dinners... I give a discounted rate to charity dinners (no, not free) OR if they don't want to pay you to work it, offer to give them a gift certificate for some money off of a party to put in their silent auction. Don't work it for free, but there are ways to use these things for advertising.

There are LOTS of ways to market yourself and your business. The best is word of mouth... and for me a small direct mail campaign. I use postcards now instead of a letter/envelope but it works really well.

And make sure you always have business cards on you and leave them everywhere.

In my book I cover it all in extensive detail... http://www.shannonfennell.com/bookcontent.html

Don't forget to show your car wrap Shannon. I also have my back window decal with business information. You can also purchase the car magnets reasonably, but have heard this can get stolen.

I get most of my jobs from being seen out at other gigs, so take any opportunity to paint and use it as a marketing opportunity. I "volunteered" to paint at my daughters fall class party but told them that I would like to include my coloring sheet and business cards in each of the children's folders that go home each day. (I also put the directions to remove the paint on the back of the cards so it doesn't seem too pushy)


Right now is a great time to look out for holiday bazaars, craft sales and other school, community, church ect...events. These are normally teaming with children and although you won't get a lot of gigs right away, you will plant seeds for the spring.

Post your cards at banks, post offices, gyms, day cares, preschools, ect...that will allow it. The rule of thumb is that someone will have to see your message 7 times to react to it so the more instances you get your name out the better.

Just MAKE SURE to never work for free. Get something out of it and make it clear to them what you are working for. You don't want to get the reputation of working for free(it just says you have no value). Even when getting a discount, negotiate for marketing consideration.

Good luck!
-Metina

I love my car!! And it has more than paid for itself in work! It gets tons of attention, I have people calling me saying "I got your number off your car!" I meet people who say "Oh you have the cool car!"

And at festivals it works as a billboard for my location and the kids pick designs off of it although that wasn't the intent!

I'm so happy.....I already had 2 gigs! I'm a babysitter so I did face painting for the kids I take care in a birthday party, and them in a birthday of a girls from my church...
I didn't make any money but people that I knew for a long time were so surprised that I'm able to do face painting....
Everybody is advertising me!
I think it was a good start......

Sounds like what I did on my facebook with all my mom friends. I call it the F&F discount.

Friends and Family discount $50 for the event. They get a deal. You get the practice. They tell their friends, guests, family. The deal is they don't tell people the rate you gave them but it starts building your word of mouth network and referrals!

One more idea...

F&F discount, I like that wording.

Shannon, your car looks fantastic! I especially love the wheel cover.

I am setting up my first gig from an ad on Craigslist. (they were looking for vendors for a holiday fair there)

I have the same car but in silver Shannon! (and minus the fab art of course!)

I've been playing with the idea of getting a wrap or something done on my car as well...the one downside I see, though, is that cuts down on my road rage time!! Haha. No, I don't get severe road rage, but on occasion there are idiot drivers and pedestrians out there, and I have had to lay on the horn once or twice...

Thoughts on that?

Business cards are cheap, get them. If you can't afford a car wrap (Which I swear by for ANY business!!!) get a magnetic sign. When you are parked at places where people might need your services (Read that as ANYWHERE) stick a couple business cards along the top edge of the magnet. You will get jobs. Have a hat, shirt or button made that says "Let Me Paint you" or something like that. Wear it to the grocery store, doctors office, anywhere... when people ask what it means you give them a quick one line intro to what you to (I do face painting on smiling faces!) and hand them a card. If you belong to any kind of group, have a face paint party for fun and practice (If you NEED the practice) ask everyone to bring snacks and you'll do face painting. Make sure you take pictures and get folks permission to use those pictures! Now you have 20 people who know what you can do and who know (And trust) you, PLUS you have pictures of your work. Remember, have FUN with what you do. If you are having fun, then people will have fun being around you.... that's what you are selling... FUN! And don't forget, NUMBER ONE, a good web site!

I have had 2 car magnets stolen.. $200 down the drain

Yeah I had two take as well, but I've had car wraps damaged too. So, Eh, cost of doing business sometimes.

I always find it odd that people feel the need to damage or steal something like that just for fun.

About 6 months ago I was in a home invasion, 3 guys with a gun in my face, that made no sense either. Took $60 and one ring.

Strange world we live in.

I had mine stolen too, though they were just cheap ones from Vistaprint. I went with a rear window wrap instead, and love it.

I would love to see photos of your car wraps, Angie!

My last RAV4 was silver, the one before that was white too... before that was a white Tercel (before I started hauling around make-up kit!!)

If you are a aggressive driver, I don't think advertising on your car is a good idea. I was harrassed by another driver who claimed I cut him off on the highway while driving my school mini bus (logo and stuff on the bus). I had to file a police report. If you are adefensive but good driver, the car advertising is a great idea.

And on top of my car wrap I have personalized plates "FACEART"... try driving dangerously when you are THAT easy to describe!! LOL

The cops know me well - I used to work at the RCMP Detachment and am on the board of Crime Stoppers...

at least they don't know you well for your driving habits

When I worked at the detachment (BCW - Before Car Wrap) it was impossible to do anything without one of the guys commenting "what were you doing at X last night?"..."so you were at the X show"..."did you see Y at X? They were there when you were."

It was ridiculous... it is a small town and they know everyone.

I'm just glad I'm a decent driver...

business cards, a website is a big help, and I work several restaurants, where a majority of my work comes from