Present for the BIRTHDAY kid

This year I have started bringing a present for the birthday child at my birthday party gigs.

You would not believe how well received and amazed/thankfull the parents seem to be that you thought enough of the event to bring a gift! I had this one parent go on and on about how much she appreciated me bringing a gift for her son.

I'm not talking about a big gift but just something that lets the child know how much I appreciated being there with them. I usually don't let it go over $10-15 bucks.

I know for a fact it's going to be a secret deal sealer for the next years party because I've already had the parents tell me they wanted me to come back next year and asked me for a couple cards to pass out at work.

I know I can't be the first to think about this but wanted to share it here as an idea for other members. I know that face painting well should be enough of a gift but I like to think of that as a hired service, being a guest in their home or party place I also feel like I'm a guest and who goes to a birthday party empty handed. I've really enjoyed doing this and the kids and parents are always so surprised.

We've been doing this for our bounce house business since we have a million birthday parties every year. Usually it's a few helium balloons and a small goody-type-bag filled with small trinkets like pencils, bracelets, silly bands, etc. What do you usually give them? Does it change for every child or do you have a large stash of the same/similar type stuff?

You can get very inexpensive stuffed toys, etc w/ your company logo/website on them. I'm thinking of doing this. I sometimes make a birthday cake out of balloons for the birthday child or a very elaborate balloon sculpture.

Hey Jumpers, what you said is a great idea, the balloons and goody bag. I don't have a certain think I bring...it just depends on if it's a girl or boy.

If it's a themed party, obviously thats something the kid likes, so I try to find something related to that in wal-mart or target. I don't spend as much as I would if it's someone I actually know...I just tend to keep it under $15.00 and grab a bag from the dollar tree.

The last party was for a boy and he had a Hotwheels theme (race cars, etc.) so I bought a $8.00 pillow shaped like a car that said hotwheels on it and stuck it in a bag. Now everytime that kid seens that pillow he will remember it was the face painter that gave it to him and that should keep me fresh in his and moms head for next year. It's a generous and clever thing to do all in one!

Now that's super smart thinking Psalms!

I planned to do that for my first paid b-day party but I couldn't figure out what to get him. He was turning 2 and I didn't even find out for sure it was a boy that was going to be 2 until right before the party. I should just get a bunch of little cheap gifts and have them ready to go!

I did do a b-day party for a friend of my daughters. Our gift was my FPing (it was good marketing too) and a couple of packs of silly bands plus a butterfly bracelet. ...I should explain that I sell real bug/butterfly/flower jewelry at fairs. Well, now I FP and my friends who share my booth sell the stuff for me. It's a win-win-win!!

I don't take a special gift for the birthday child in particular, but for the birthday party "package" price I also include small party favours (one per child). I have a small case that I carry a selection of "prizes" in - bubbles, rings, sticky hands, friendship bracelets, stickers, pencils, small toys (stuff from Smilemakers.com mostly) and each child can pick ONE thing.

Frankly, I would baulk at spending $10-15 on a present for some kid I don't know, when I am the hired help. Doesn't bother me to be paid staff.

That $10-15 is going add up... ten parties that's $100-150. So you will have to work one party every 10-12 or so to just pay for the "gifts?!"

Yes, good marketing, but your costs need to be reconsidered in my opinion!!

I have a glitter tattoo that says birthday girl and one that says birthday boy, with designs around them... Kids love them and feel special. I got the from Linda Adams

No presents! Why? My point of view is I'm hired for my skill, my customer don't expect me to bring a present. I will sure take special care at the birthday kid but that's it.
My view is, don't do to much than expected as usually those parents are not going to hire you again for the next birthday! Why? Because its the way it is.
I have kids and every year I'm doing something different for their Bdays.

Or, like today I was doing that girl Bday party, she had a lot of fun, they met me at one of my summer festival and then wanted me for her Bday. Yes I made her really happy, gave her extra care and when her friend was asking to get the same design than her I told them nicely that no, she's the Bday girl shes has to be unique! And she gave me a truly bright smile. But at the end I was doing the brother and then I gave him extra care too as he maybe will ask to have me for his bday!

And like every single party I'm doing I got a really large tip, so... no gift needed

It's a very nice gesture to make, wouldn't anyone appreciate it if it were their child...expect it, probably not....appreciate it most definitely.

Above and beyond being a hired entertainer, you are also a guest. I'm a giver by nature so spending a little money on someone to put a smile on their face has never bothered me. I appreciate being at the party...on the other hand if you are in a situation where money is so tight for you that you cannot afford it, I completely understand.

As far as not being hired for the next birthday, you could not possibly be more wrong. If you are finding that you are not getting repeat business then you may need to reconsider some things and try to discover what you are doing wrong....that would worry me big time.

Also if you are not valuing your services to afford investing $10-15 on marketing yourself in a clever unique and very considerate/polite manner, you really need to take a long look at your fees. I don't look at it as losing money at all, I look at it as doing a kind thing for someone who did a kind thing by choosing me for their event.

It's not all about the money and if it is, how dull that must make it for the person doing the entertaining. I know not everyone would consider it, I was just sharing my ideas and how I handle things....that's why it's called a forum.

The glitter tattoos is a very creative gift Suzy, see those are the things that are very much appreciated....and will certainly be remembered. I'm a firm beliver in Karma also.

I do a special glitter tat on the bday kid and they are always glowing about it and the parents always look so happy for them and it costs hardly anything... I don't consider painting their face extra nice a present, you should be doing that anyways lol

don't talk about Karma, I did a horrible karma thing today and I know its going to bite me in the butt!!!

LOL, well maybe if you pray about it before the nights over....it wont bite quite so hard!

psshhhh... nope, I am done for lol

Spectrum wrote:Also if you are not valuing your services to afford investing $10-15 on marketing yourself in a clever unique and very considerate/polite manner, you really need to take a long look at your fees. I don't look at it as losing money at all, I look at it as doing a kind thing for someone who did a kind thing by choosing me for their event.

Investing in marketing is one thing and a necessity, but, I feel that $10-15 PER BOOKING is just too much to spend on a "gift" over and above your regular marketing expenses. If figure on doing 4 birthday parties per month (as an average) that is $40 X 12 = $480, or more, a year.

If you charge $100-$150 for a birthday party that is 10% of your total. Take out your regular expenses and overhead and I think you just spent your clear profit...

I would expect that you also spend funds on advertising, business cards, other print material and marketing efforts.

Being "nice" is fine but I'll stick to a sincere thank you and mailing them a card in my regular mailing blitzes.

This is a business - making the birthday child feel special with extra care and attention is more than enough "extra." Most are over excited, over indulged and have too many presents already to really care about a $10 item from Walmart... at least in my area.

If it works for you... go for it.

I do get hire several time by the same customers but not especially for bdays. By kindercares, for Halloween party etc. And I don't worry, my business is doing great, and I'm maybe not hired for the next bday but I'm hired for the friends or family relatives bday's, recommended by my customers. They hare so happy they hug me, I got even kissed Saturday by a mom!
And still not going to bring a present. I'm not on a budget, but I'm here yes because I love what I do, but also to make money, not to spend it right away.
Just my opinion

And again, I'll never give my kids the same Bday! I want them to have memories, not doing the same thing all the time!

I've found that a colouring page or small colouring book with your contact info plastered all over it, along with the little 3 packs of crayola crayons for ALL the kids at the party... go over VERY well. While your $10 gift may be very well received and they'll remember that "the face painter" gave it to them.... where did their card go? what was their name again? oh well....

A magnetic card that will stay on the fridge (costs you about 50 cents), a two page double sided folded in half and stapled colouring book (about 40 cents), and a 3 pack of crayons (depending on where you get them, about 25 cents)... for less than a buck a kid, they ALL go home with my info plastered on everything and the colouring book gets stuck up on the fridge for a while.

Just something to think about. The birthday kid won't be for another year, the rest of the kids at the party could keep you going every month until then!

Well in all honesty I charge enough for my services that the price of the gift does not come as a loss. It's being cleverly thoughtful...it's combining common decency and business all into one. I love kids so anything I did for one, should it be my own or another I couldnt bring myself to view that as a loss on any level. Over excited, over indulged...is something I personally wouldnt use as adjectives to describe the children I'm hired to entertain, why judge them? They are kids. But what I would like to know is if you don't think they would value a gift as a token of appreciation, what makes you think they would value a card? I never just make the birthday child feel special with extra attention and affection, I give my all to each and every child at the party. There are many types of people in the world, so even though I respect your opinion...I personally don't agree with it. I would never choose a hobby, career or anything in my life where it was just all about the money. I'm not going to lose who I am personally in any amount of dollar signs. And don't take this as me being rude by any means..I had no negative tone about me at all while typing it. I don't share ideas on here in hopes to get into altercations lol.

You are SO right Perry Noia, where there are kids, there are parents...and who doesnt want to make the very best impression they can for both parties. Making a small investment in a large group of what should be one of your targeted audiences is sheer genius.

ok, again peeps don't understand my way to say the things.
I do face painting because I LOVE it.
If I wanna make real money I go back into IT jobs.
But business is business. I'm not looking for every dollar, but I have to pay my bills, thats about it.

When I first started I did think about putting together a goody bag for the birthday child, then opted, instead for a pre-made balloon birthday cake hat in their favourite colours. It's special, it leads back to my business, my supplies are RIGHT THERE and I don't have to go shopping especially for it, and it costs about $0.86 (including tax) and 5 minutes of my time to make.

After the party, I send a handwritten thank you post-card to the birthday child - when you're a kid, it's SO exciting to get mail!

I'm unclear as to why you think that you are a guest? If you were not a face painter nor one of their friends/have a child in the same class etc, would you get invited?

I love kids as well. I don't have my own, but just about all of my jobs to date have been child-related. It's not really about that, though. As mentioned in another thread, you don't have to like kids to paint their faces!

I am very polite and professional, and friendly. Depending on the client, I do joke around sometimes, and do a bit of chit-chat. I know they appreciate having me there, and I show them I'm appreciative of their business - returning calls and emails in a timely fashion, a confirmation call the week of the party, the bonus balloon cake and thank you post card, and follow-up emails for new clients. I always make sure to thank them for having me in, and if they offer me a bottle of water or something, I appreciate that - but I am not a guest. I wouldn't get invited to their family barbecue or their girl's night, nor would I be invited to their kid's birthdays - I am hired to be there to provide a service. If I was invited to come as a guest, and wasn't meant to bring my paints or balloons, THEN I would bring a gift.

But that's just me

Thank you Kristal, you said exactly what I had in mind!

That makes good sense Kristal, the balloon thing. I personally don't twist because I cannot stand balloons, never have. They are too explosive and poppy for me, haha.
Everyone here has great ideas and such good points. Whatever you do that works for you is perfect and I appreciate anyone who takes the time to write it out for others here to see. I don't see any need to take time to shoot down someones ideas or ways of doing things...what's the point. If it works for you, it may work for others also. I'm all about encouraging and staying positive. I read a posting a while back where someone was sharing a thought and a bunch of people jumped all over her for it, that made me a little sad. I guess it comes down to if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. I've enjoy posting on this forum so much and if anyone went back and read my postings I would hope they saw that they were encouraging and positive. That's the kind of person I am.