Requesting exclusivity

For the first time in my fp career, I am putting this out there. We have a small fair which is setting up in October. The vendor fee is reasonable, so I want it. But I don't want there to be more fp booths. I used to think that was selfish, but with what I'm learning on here, it isn't as unusual as I thought.

Here's what I sent.


Thank you very much. 

I plan to get this in the mail immediately. Before I do, however, I need to know if you already have a face painting booth at the fair. I am planning to hire a second painter to help me cover the weekend and we need to know the business will be there. What I'm requesting is exclusivity. 

I provide high quality face painting and glimmer tattoos at reasonable prices, which range from $5-$10. I am licensed and insured, so you can be sure I will bring quality to your fair. My professional festival booth is 10x10'.

If you think my business will be a good fit for your fair, please let me know. 
Meanwhile, you can see my work at www.fancyfacesbydiane.com. 


What do y'all think? Too much?

Diane,
Small festivals can be tricky about this because they may say sure and then you find a church booth down the way painting for free. The festivals people will say they didn't except any other professional face painters. Second just because your local and they agreed to it this year doesn't mean a less experienced but marketing sieve painter could take it from you next year. I've found unless you have it in writing we want you back next year means nothing 10 months down the line. We do festivals and events in surrounding towns but don't in the town my Daughter graduated high school from because of this. You said in your letter your licensed do you mean in Cosmetology?

I think it's reasonable to ask and you have nothing to lose by asking, they can only say no and they might say OK!. It's that old expression "If you don't ask, you don't get"

If it's the lst year, or the first year with painters, also request the same for next year and thereafter if you book with them--and get it in writing, even if it's just e-mails back & forth.

All they can do is say no. I think it was worded just fine For a small event you really do need exclusivity in order to make $

This year was the second year I did small fairs in our surrounding area. In every instance I was supposedly the only face painter and yet each fair had various people painting faces either for free, almost free, or even for similar prices as I was charging. When I approached the fair personnel about it they gave me various excuses and apologies, but never did any of them put a stop to it. The last fair I did actually had two other face painters in addition to a free painter in the 4H tent. Mind you, this fair was barely big enough to support one face painter let alone four. I have decided I really hate doing fairs. I don't know if I will ever do another one. I may do a few 1-2 day festivals, but I will never do another county fair. I say if you are going to do a fair, definitely get exclusivity in writing, though I don't know if even that would have done anything in my situation.

I have been doing mostly festivals this summer. There is usually free face painting somewhere. Well, you get what you pay for... I usually have a line up and I am busy the whole time at the festival.

The license statement refers to a business license around here.

I am doing another festival where there is another fp booth, but they have a rule that no one can give away what other people are selling.

I have no idea what he will say, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.
If he can't grant me exclusivity, it may mean that I just won't bring in my second.

Rthling,

I did a street fair over the weekend and wasn't sure if there were going to be other face painters. It wasn't long before I saw a little girl walk past my stand with a butterfly painted on her face (nothing near like what I was painting). I looked at my daughter and said we're not alone here. Then who do I spot walking down the street but Karen Sawyer!!! She's one of the instructors that I've watched on FABATV that lives in my area. She stopped at my booth and we chatted for a minute and she told me that she would be painting for several hours. I was starting to feel like why am I here Well....once the street fair kicked into high gear we were so busy and had two lines waiting for our services!! Don't let exclusivity stop you from working an event.

I think it sounds perfect. I have the same problem with fairs in our area, a lot of church's have people doing really awful face painting for free. But usually people find me, because I'm the one doing the good face painting, and not the ugly hearts and stars, haha.

Here was his reply...

Diane,

We have had a querry from a face painter but no committment as of yet. For the low booth price that we have we cannot give you product exclusivity. However, we can give you prime placement since you are one of the earlier vendors. It sounds as if the quality of your work should be your guarantee of success. In the past the face painters we had were church groups or school groups whose talent was at a beginners level. I mean if you want a flower or bee on your check they did okay. But I got to tell you, and I am really no critic, but it looked like something my grandkids came home after a sleep over.

Hope to see you at the Fair.

I told him I understood, and would still like to participate, just asked that no one be allowed to give away what vendors were selling.

I think that's actually a good, honest reply. I would still do it if I were you. If you are the best painter, people will find you.

I will be. I'm dropping the app and fee off tomorrow.

Yeah, the response you received is similar to what I get here except they do offer an "exclusivity fee" that is usually between $500-$800. I don't know a single face painter that does well enough in 2 days to cough up those sort of fees on top of their booth fees.

I didn't expect to get it, but it was worth asking. You never know until you try!

My City 4th of July fair has exclusivity and it was AWESOME. I covered one day at the County fair for Ottergirl last week. I was the only facepainting booth there, but one "hairstylist" booth decided to throw in face painting. Sigh. PET PEEVE.

We got exclusivity at the lst of a (really) local music fest. We had 2 encroachments, in spite of agreements-- one by balloons at a crafts table next to us (that the organizer stopped when enlightened) and a request by an acrylic face painter to "help" us--(I explained our insurance woudn't cover her & why, and gave her info on suppliers & the forum here.)

Turned out well--more for next year, & for local advertising -- the venue organizers and the MAYOR all stopped by to thank us for our participation (but we didn't see them so the same for any of the other booths)--the local paper took pictures, my girls spent the evening flirting with the PD and we had a good trial run as a team in this type of venue.

My teen/younger adult kids took turns manning things--while I & my older daughter picked up a outside gigs & came back for the busier evening--so it paid for itself this year & next should be better...

I think it never hurts to ask. So maybe you didn't get exclusivity, but you did get bumped up to a better spot! Sweet deal, now rock those faces!!