Article Help!

I want to put together an article for the next newsletter about how to keep business coming in during the slow winter months. It seems as many face painters slow down right after Halloween through Feb or early March with "maybe" a few jobs in Dec for holidays.

What strategies have you used to keep things going until spring? Thanks for your time?

-Metina

Something that a lot of people are afraid or embarrassed to do is hand out business cards to everyone you meet. It can be outside of our comfort zone. But as I was suggesting to a clown on the clown forum a little while ago, you can find ways to work it into the conversation... talk about what you do to people that you interact with and often they will ASK you for a card. Find random places to just leave some once in a while where they might get picked up. If you also do balloons, keep a couple of 160s and a mini pump in your purse... make a little balloon animal, stick a card in its hands and leave it in the washroom, on a shelf, on your table at a restaurant when you leave... you don't have to talk to anyone about it, just leave it to show what you can do along with your card.

I also have a mini colouring book that I give out at events along with little 3 packs of crayola crayons. My book is 2 sheets of 8 1/2 x 11 printed both sides and folded in half to make a small booklet when stapled in the middle. It gives kids something to do at fundraiser dinners or whatever events since they usually end up bored waiting for their parents and the entire back panel is my info and what I do.

If you can find a holiday specific way of marketing yourself it can help for specific dates as well.

Pursue other venues or options - I do a lot of theatre make-up and that usually fills up my "dead zones" where there are not many face painting jobs.

The slower months may be a good time to collaborate with a local restaurant on their family night (usually Mon, Tues, Weds.) to keep referrals for birthdays coming in. Also consider indoor and black light venues - laser tag, uv laser bowling, night clubs!! There are also sonogram studios for tummy belly painting - the baby biz is buzzing year 'round. These ladies are wanting to commemorate their "special time" and do something to memorialize it. Perhaps find some decent up and coming photographers or models who are looking for new ways to expand their portfolios or get published so you can also build skills and expand your artistic experience/portfolio. Network and participate in local arts and artists forums events to build a group of people who will remember and call on you. Find a special way to reward or thank people who give you a referral. Remember each person in your direct circle has another full network of family or friends that you want to be the one that they think of for face painting and whatever other skills you have. Ask the local PTA of your school(s) if they will barter advertising in their newsletter for a few hours of service. (There is at least 1000 families your name will appear to!)

I'm all booked up for December with birthday parties, amazingly. Offering discounts for "off-season" is an idea, if you can promote it well. Christmas offers light festivals that are great for PPF work, and February/March is Mardi Gras season if you are anywhere in the deep south.

I'm using the off-time to reorder supplies and practice new designs.

My January is looking dead (don't people have birthdays then?!)...so I'll be using the time to get a head-start on my taxes! Haha. I think it's an ideal time to catch up on paperwork/learn new designs/re-evaluate prices etc then - stuff that you don't always have time for when you're busy.

I'm also going to see about restaurant stuff then - just as soon as I can put something together.

New Years Eve Fantasy parties would be a good one (I am also a Tarot reader and when I work on NYE it is at anywhere from $500- $1,000 an hour- pay is much higher on NYE)

Similarly, winter holiday events are another where I would think face painting would go over well.

Thanksgiving food drives and fall festivals maybe.

I think finding a restaurant (for family gigs) or a nightclub or two (If you want adult clients that you can partner with regularly is ideal. I have done readings at a restaurant in orlando for the last 15 years, and we have had a few face painters there over the years as well. Some have charged a set fee, others have just taken tips, all made out quite well and got gigs from it.

One challenge I think is thinking outside of your OWN box in any business. Seems like most of the people appraoch this as being only for kids, and that is simply not the case, as you know. There is a lot of business and marketing to be done for adult groups too. I just got called to do a latex and glitter elf set for a holiday ad shoot for a nightclub.

If you want to do the nightclub scene, approach a few clubs that you feel comfortable with, if they have dancers offer to do some UV body paint in exchange for a space and promo. Could take appointments for higher end upper body, arm, leg and face work using temptu paints and get clients who want a look that will last a week for their partying.

How about painted jewelry using latex, glitter and/or temptu inks and market to the hoity toity jet set. Jewelry that can't be stolen, can be as ornate, gaudy or delicate as your imagination can come up with, and is sure to attract comments!

Are there going to be any political or social rallies in your area? Face and body art could help them make their point more dramatic!

Partner with your local glamour shots, photographer and/or ad agency... could do baby bumps. Find places that teach child birth classes and ask to come hand out flyers at one of the classes. Have a sense of humor? Find the local biger bar and do the same for tubby biker's beer bellies! Imagine that magazine shoot!

Find the local new age stores, drop off some cards and offer to do fairy masks for new age and ren fairs.

Just a few ideas off the top of my head.

Dean

Metina- Did you do the article or send it to a few places for possible publishing???

I work with Agents -I get payed less but it plugs in the holes -and I rather be painting than not painting. I did a party last night for free for a friend with the terms I get all the pictures. I find when I post new pictures I get work so I will post a few a week on my face book fan page. I also opened myself up to a new school district and the restuarant loved me and took a bunch of cards. When I'm slow I network and I am very passionate so it excites people. I keep notes in my blackberry when I meet people so I don't forget where I left cards etc. I also wear my logo shirts and always have cards on me. Stay in touch with your customers! Send thank you notes and notes thru the year -you need to cultivate work while your working don't let the well run dry and wonder what what happened.

Wyndy,

In tackling this whole "filling the winter dead zone" project, it has opened up a whole new project for me. Between doing the research for this and talking with many people at Fab., a great many painters don't seem to have a business or a marketing plan for the year, nonetheless the dead winter months. So, I am planning a series of articles for the step by step newsletters, focusing on the business side of our business. I hope to have some contributors so that I can do one each month.

This month's article will be focusing on setting a business plan including a marketing budget and marketing plan for the entire year. I have found that you can't be reactionary. It is great to do all the added things throughout the year, but we need a consistent plan that will grow with us, if we want our businesses to grow.

My biggest advice for this year is make note of every event that happened in Nov., Dec. and January and get a contact and address for that event including email addresses. We should constantly be building and cleaning our marketing lists. While it is most likely too late for this year's winter events, now is the BEST time to start planning for next year.

Hey Metina I have a background in sales and marketing feel free to tap my brain.

I do a big NYE event at a club every January, and then a couple of birthday parties...
I also start contacting all of the schools about their grad and prom night parties so that I can get stuff booked up for June.

I send out postcards reminding folks to book early.

Ryan and I make tons of balloon arrangements for several flower shops in the area to sell for Valentines day.

I also try and book a bar or club or someting for St. Patrick's day.