Complimentive arts

I wasn't sure where to put this so if I need to move it, please let me know.

We talk a lot about other forms of body decoration that we do. The other day I was telling a fellow face painter that in addition to that I have incorporated other arts as well and found they work **FABULOUSLY**. She suggested I share this with others.

I know many of you are down on PPF events but they are our bread and butter here. A few years ago I found that if I added hawkers I could more than double my profit, even with paying them, so I trained them in glitter tats and have them work it. One of them got a massage therapy certification and asked if he could offer chair massages to the parents while the kids get decorated. BRILLIANCE!!!
He charges a dollar a minute with a minimum of 5 minutes/$5. I get 20% of whatever he makes as a fee, or if he hawks and glitters for me, I deduct that 20% from what I pay him. Either way, I make more money. We're in the process of hiring one more for one of my other booths. They MUST carry a valid state certification and as long as they are in my booth, they are covered under my insurance.

In this same token, private parties. Our henna and glitter tattoos tend to be popular with teens and "ladies nights in". I have a friend who is a licensed esthetician (sp??). We've gotten together with the massage therapist and come up with indulgence packages. I decorate them, they get massaged and a mini-facial. You have never seen people jump on this soooo hard. Baby showers, hen nights, ladies nights... I've worked in salons doing body art, which is what made me think of doing this for private parties. Women have been enjoying not having to go out and having the indulgences come to them. They supply wine and munchies and we just show up. Not only is it a blast but it gives them something to do and enjoy while I'm doing the art. Aaaaaaaaaaaand as much as I LOVE working kids parties, this is a really nice change.

Many areas have schools for massage and beauty schools so if you don't know people who do this and want to try, perhaps you can hit up those.

Anyway, I just wanted to share. Hope it works as well for you!

Great ideas Lynnie thanks for sharing.

Works great for me! I even have names for a couple of the events!
-Cabin Fever Relievers
-Fun, Fearless & over 40
-Perfect Pamper Pajama Parties
-Goddess Parties
-Arabian Nites Body decor
-Ya Ya Sisterhood

I do end of class celebrations with Yoga studios as well.

I work with 2 different salons and we have 'Spa parties'. Spa parties are a big hit for the Stagettes! I love kid's events, (did a 'Tangled' movie at a theatre birthday party Sunday) but almost all my $$ comes from adult and teen parties. I've even done Red Hat Club nites! (all participants are over 50!). I don't have anyone in particular I work with tho, they just give me a call to join them or the hostess books all for the same nite. I also hook up with alot of belly dancers and poi dancers.

Gah! I typed a response and it lost it!!!

My pleasure, Mandi! I hope they can help others out like they've helped me.

Kim, I'm a performer as my other job. I perform circus and sideshow arts, fire arts, bellydance, burlesque and hula. I've been combining body art with those for years as a "party experience" or as "edutainment". Bellydance, lesson and henna for "Touch of the Exotic Party" or Hula, lesson and glitter of "Tropical Temptation Parties". They have been a mainstay of what I do for years, absolutely. What has worked so amazingly with this is that the women want the spa experience without leaving their house. Don't get me wrong, I love working with the spa's I do. They are really amazing places and the people are FAB. We started ours over a year ago and have found that the clients we are getting wouldn't have gone to a spa party and wouldn't have booked any of the in-home services separately but all together they are the ultimate temptation...like a really good Bavarian chocolate! It's expanded our clientele by about 40% (we actually track all of that- I'm an excel junkie and my hub is a numbers dude. lol). Doing both allowed us to simply expand the service base.

The next thing we're adding is a nail tech who will do mini-mani/pedi's which are hot towel wraps, moisturizing massage and polish. I'm interviewing nail tech's now for that. The 70+ yo ladies that are in my aqua-robics class asked for that to be added on specifically. lol

Sorry! I should clarify! The spa parties are not at the spa...the spa comes to the party! They set up 'stations' in the house and sometimes do 'games' with fun little prizes. Wish I had the stick-to-it-ness to track the numbers!!! I'm so not that organized! LOL

lol Kim. Despite my taking business class as part of my law program (which I dropped out of) years ago, I only started tracking two years ago, after 15 years of doing henna and not tracking. I was amazed at the information it provided and how organized it helped me become. Since I started tracking I've been able to expand markets, refocus efforts, cuts costs and triple in size- I have 7 people who now work for me in the booths, in addition to the two from the spa parties, and if the growth projection continues I'll be adding another in a couple months on a part time basis.

I was never a "tracker" but between performing, writing and this- plus it looks like I'm going to be opening a new business this fall, I had to start keeping track. Luckily my hub is a hyper-tech-geek so he helps me soooo much. I highly recommend it. Not to mention computers make it so easy...thanks be to the science gods for computers!

True that! My first love is my husband, but I am seriously crushing on my new iPad2!!