My brilliant idea

When my shiny new business cards came in, I still had some of the crappy old free vistaprint ones left, so while at a festival, I wrote $1.00 off a large face painting on the back of them, painted my face and walked around and handed them out. Every single one of them came back as a sale, some as multiple sales. Some people ended up not using the coupon at all, and just got medium or small designs, but it brought them to my tent regardless. It worked so well I am going to order 250 more free cards and have them printed as a coupon. Works wonders, I love it. I put a blank that says Today Only and I can stamp in the date with my little date stamp. Love it!!!!

Great idea!!! I love it worked!

Yup and I will simply punch the card with one of my pretty scrapbooking punches, give it back to them, so then they have my contact information already and they are good to go.

You're a clever girl!

Love this!!!! I'm going to make some up for my festival next weekend!

Brilliant! Love it!!

these ideas work! love it!!!

Yes, brilliant!

I love this idea..great i bet for festivals..

Love this!

Ah clever you, now that's thinking on your feet.

That is brilliant! I would love to have my girls walk around a fair passing them out. Super idea!

Great idea! Really glad it worked

Great idea!!!

I was thinking along the same lines when I had all my cards printed with a 20% discount on the back. I also have an expiry date, and conditions (ie. only use once, not to be accumulated, etc). It helps me to feel confident about charging a little more for 'casual' faces, because repeat customers will get the discount... and I figure repeat business is worth it.
The only trouble with 20% discount is that it means I need to carry more coins as 20% off $6 works out to be $4.80.

But that aside, I am happy I have done it. I've just got to get better at handing out the cards. My 6yo volunteered to hand them out last time he came with me to an event, so perhaps I'll be able to encourage him to do that again. He was very confident about it. Too cute!

Thanks for sharing, Great idea.

Brilliant!!!

It is a great idea. One that I've used to great effect but before everyone jumps on this there are things that should be known ahead of time...

*I have to say that at least 90% of my events have a "no soliciting" clause in their contracts. We are not allowed to move/advertise beyond the area in front of our booth. Check your contracts before you drop money on these.

Just so that people know- at Ren Faires I've taught "hawking classes" that cover these types of things, and there is a protocol. Some of it sounds like common sense and I'm not saying any of you would do these things, but I thought it might be good to post some of the tips, just in case.

*Know your target demographic for each time of day/event and how to read interest. Approach those people. This one is a hard one for kids-as-helpers to understand

*Target areas away from other craft/art/kids *vendors*- instead go to food court areas, the middle of midway areas, places where people are in lines (but not the bathroom). However, sending someone painted to hand these out in front of a "free painting" area does actually work and since it's free, you aren't effecting their business.

*Avoid calling/motioning people out of booths. If they seem interested, wait until they come out and then approach them.

*Avoid areas where there are performances going on. Catch the crowd coming out of the show. This also goes for showing of animals at country fairs.

*Target people who look genuinely interested. I know people who blanket places with these but then get discouraged when they find them floating on the breeze along the ground.

*Exact dollar amounts or free add-ons work better than percentages.

*When sending kids out, make sure they know these as well.

Good luck and have fun!

I do an event that is a parade followed by an art fair. I send my girls, painted, to the parade. They would certainly only give cards out to people who commented or to children who looked interested. Parades are the best! There's your demographic, in hoards!

And maybe it's just my region and size of events, but no one here has had a no soliciting rule. But I can imagine really large venues with strict rules. I suppose I don't want to be the reason for a no soliciting clause in next years contract . Luckily my little area of tourist lakeshore towns and villages are pretty laid back.

I've used coupons before and they worked wonderfully.

Lynnie wrote:It is a great idea. One that I've used to great effect but before everyone jumps on this there are things that should be known ahead of time...

*I have to say that at least 90% of my events have a "no soliciting" clause in their contracts. We are not allowed to move/advertise beyond the area in front of our booth. Check your contracts before you drop money on these.

Just so that people know- at Ren Faires I've taught "hawking classes" that cover these types of things, and there is a protocol. Some of it sounds like common sense and I'm not saying any of you would do these things, but I thought it might be good to post some of the tips, just in case.

*Know your target demographic for each time of day/event and how to read interest. Approach those people. This one is a hard one for kids-as-helpers to understand

*Target areas away from other craft/art/kids *vendors*- instead go to food court areas, the middle of midway areas, places where people are in lines (but not the bathroom). However, sending someone painted to hand these out in front of a "free painting" area does actually work and since it's free, you aren't effecting their business.

*Avoid calling/motioning people out of booths. If they seem interested, wait until they come out and then approach them.

*Avoid areas where there are performances going on. Catch the crowd coming out of the show. This also goes for showing of animals at country fairs.

*Target people who look genuinely interested. I know people who blanket places with these but then get discouraged when they find them floating on the breeze along the ground.

*Exact dollar amounts or free add-ons work better than percentages.

*When sending kids out, make sure they know these as well.

Good luck and have fun!

Have I told you lately that I adore you?

Great ideas, I have a stamp I put on the back of my cards that also mention my facebook page. At my last event this weekend I took a picture of every face and then told every customer these would be on my facebook page if they want to go on there and tag themselves. Worked pretty well and quite a few have already checked in. Also makes them take a card for a reason and keep it.

thefacepaintlady wrote:
Have I told you lately that I adore you?

Ahahaha, thank you!