Gig #3 here I come... What are your thoughts?

Hi everyone! Last month I decided to become a professional face painter. THANK THE HEAVENS that I found this forum or I would probably be lying curled up in a ball on the floor of my closet crying about my over-complication of the fun Im supposed to be having! Thank you all so much for providing such honest opinions and advice to one another over the years because I've learned sooooooo much from you all!


Well... this is where Im at... I signed up for the local farmers market where I have been charging what seems to be ridiculously expensive prices, but my husband and other friends swear that the market/area can handle it: $5 (cheek), 10 half and 15 whole. So far, Ive brought in $140 and $182 each evening painting from 3-7:30. I stand around the first 2 hours chatting with the scarce passers-by and painting other vendors and their kids for free (gotta be a sweetheart!) I make deals with the parents who look interested... I will do any design for a "$5 version" which turns out to be pretty much like the $15 version anyway! I just want to make a buck and get the practice. Then from 5-7 the people start coming and I uphold my regular prices. I dont know how many face I have done around 20 Im guessing each day??? Ive been drawing and doodling my whole life (im 30) so Im pretty decent at pulling designs out of my sleeve although I do keep having to run back and forth to check my design board when they ask for something and I cant remember how I drew it ( puppy, bunny, tiger-simple stuff that i should know!!) I think that I should offer a super simple $3 cheek design... not sure what im going to do...


Tomorrow I am going to do my first birthday party that a got through a friend of a friend. There will be 8-10 kids (maybe more) and I will be there from 5-7. I told her I am just starting out and gave her a great deal for $100. I asked to be indoors if possible (there is a crazy heat wave happening here) She said she will make a spot for me in her kitchen. I told her that was fine and I would just need 2 chairs.. one for me and one for the kid. On second thought I want to bring my directors chair cause Im a stander... should I bring my fat max or just fill a back pack with my stuff? My stuff consists of 2 rainbow pallettes, 6 starblends, 6 rainbow cakes, 1 wolfe black and 1 wolfe white. I dont do glitter tatoos, but i do have a little tub of glitter gel.
Am I crazy to think that I can get away with charging what I do? I see how much paint everyone else has and I seem so rinky dink in comparison. I do have insurance, I did register my business name. I whipped up a few business cards. I just kind of threw everything together this past month and it seems to be looking like I can make something of this business! I even contacted the local city and asked to be their face painter for upcoming events. They were thrilled and are going to try to find sponsprs for me! OMG Im totally diving head first and dont know how much I am worth!!!!!

Im babbling....

We all have to start somewhere, and $50/hr and 5/10/15 PPF is a lot better than some others start out with. Glad you're having fun and finding success! As soon as you feel like you've "got the hang of this," I think it's time to raise your rates. If you're already providing a professional image with your product, service, and marketing, then it's also time to raise your rates. I know that's a bit vague, but it's what worked for me.
Good luck!

I think you will find on other threads how some of us still want to curl up in a ball in our closets and suck our thumbs... even if only for an hour just to shake the craziness of everything that gets thrown at us off!!!!

I think it's better to start large and in charge and just work your hiney off the first year and get better and better week by week and your reputation will grow. As you can see from my somewhat disloyal client, it's much harder to raise your rates later when you start small. Go for it.

D.

Thanks ladies! Denise, Im going to have you in my head saying that its better to start off "large and in charge!" YES YES YES. ANd MIss Ronnie, lol. GUilded cat, thanks for the advice:) I did tell the birthday lady that my usual rates are $100 an hour (im nuts for never even having done a party!)

Thanks again for being ears:)