What to charge??

When I opened my business, I created a great working relationship with a business that does Character performances, singing telegrams, and provides some party supplies. She wanted to add face painting to her services so I agreed to contract out with her to help supplement my gigs while I was getting started. I still do some work for her and have really enjoyed the working relationship we have built. She has been very loyal to me and never used a face painter other than me even if I wasn't available for a gig she was trying to book.
I got an e-mail from her tonight requesting that I do her sons birthday party. Problem is, I have no clue what to charge. She only wants an hour and I usually require a two hour minimum, plus I feel like I should give her some sort of a good discount, but she is having the party at peek working hours. The party is at 12:00 on a Saturday!
Deep down inside, I would love to be able to be a blessing to her because I know she is struggling financially from moving her business across the country and loosing a ton of business that she was used to relying on. But the other part of me knows that I will most likely have to turn down a paying gig in order to do hers. She's just been too darn sweet and its making it hard to stick with my general rule of no discounts during peek working times. Let me know what you think.

Let her know. If you want to give her a discount, then do it. Or you might explain your rule, and then let her take the chance of whether you get booked or not. Ie: Offer the discounted price without the guarantee of holding the time. If a regular job comes in, you will take that job instead of hers. If no job comes in, then she gets you at the discounted price.

But let me ask you, What will this do to your working relationship? If you get some good gigs from her, and she treats you well, you might want to chalk this off as 'marketing' maybe.

just a thought or two.

Jenny

Well... if she's been loyal to you, and given you work exclusively, how much is one paying gig in the long run???

I presume she is aware of your two-hour minimum. She may be only asking for an hour because she doesn't want you to lose more paid time.

She is intending to pay you, right? So... I say give her a deal to say "thank you" and don't worry about losing one paid two-hour party.

Having an excellent working relationship with loyalty is worth way more than what you get paid for ONE party!

It sounds like a good enough working relationship that I'd value it more than the party fee and book other parties around it especially if it is only an hour and within a close distance to where you live and work. If she works with you she already knows the value and cost of your work so she is probably willing to pay your rate, it is up to you what you offer. She may even be willing to shift the time a bit in order to have you there and have you work other gigs on the same day I'd almost treat it like family, sometimes it's more important to give a gift and priority to someone who is valuable than making the cash. - Just my take.
Danica

I too recommend giving her an awesome discount. I've done that to other family friends and I've gotten LOTS of referrels from them! Plus she's giving you all the FP jobs, so this can be sorta like a "thank you"

I would do it for free as a thank you for her loyalty and gigs for so long.

I'd give her a discount. I've done it for some family and friends of mine and haven't regretted it!

If it's only an hour and not far for you to travel I would do it for free.
If she only wants an hour, I'm assuming there would only be say 12-15 faces to paint- this won't hurt you or your kit, and if she has been that loyal to you - not ever hiring anyone else, then this is your chance to repay her kindness.
You never know - maybe you could have no bookings that day - rain or whatever reason.
I'm sure Karma will repay you for doing the right thing - oh I forgot the whole no good deed goes unpunished thing......
I would go over every scenario until I found one that felt 'right' by me.

I agree with the others....for just one hour...free or heavily discounted (i.e. to cover the cost of gas to get there). Just maybe make a point (if she doesn't already know) that you don't normally do this type of thing but because it's her, you are willing to.

Thanks guys, I'm gonna do it for free. You guys made me feel a lot better about it.