about ready to give up

I'm pretty new also, I do my local flea market. It's been wonderful and I am starting get get regulars. There is one little girl who comes every week and gets the same design. Her mom said she talks about it all week long.

There are sometimes other painters. I started by charging 5.00 because that's what the other painters were charging then on the days they didn't show I would up my price 1.00 at a time. Mostly to give myself confidence. Now I charge 5.00 for half and 8.00 for anything with two eyes (masks or full face). I usually get the 2.00 left of the 8.00 as a tip. There was one painter who charged 2.00. So I got a painting on my arm. When someone needed something cheaper I recommend them, it was easy to point them out they were 50 feet away (it still did not affect my daily result). Now even if we have 3 painters at a time I just charge what I charge and I get just as much business as usual, in fact I'm grateful when others come, because I can manage a potty break.


Because of the forum any painter is a potential friend. I just don't feel like they are competition. We have so much to learn from each other.

The forum has helped me see things differently.

Keep going we need more happy children in the world. We also need to feed our addictions.

Never, Never, Never, Give up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the best job in the world and remember it does take 2-3 years for any new business to start showing a profit. Hang in there, be professional and things will start to happen!

Yahoo!! I finally have a party booked. They found me through one of my flyers. Praise God! I'm very excited and nervous all at the same time. I'll keep you posted on how I do.
Oh, my website is www.kingdomcreationsil.webs.com
It really needs a lot of work. I need to find out how to resize the picture even smaller. I already resized it once. And my wording is terrible. It's a start for now. Ugh.
Have a wonderful day - and again, thank you all for your advice. It was a help

YAY!! PTL! So happy for you and you'll have to let us know how the party goes!

I just made a free website using wix.com (thanks to Bumblebee on this forum who has the cutest site also made w/wix) and it was pretty WYSIWYG easy. It's all flash-generated so makes quite an impressive site and photo gallery as well. I decided to upgrade my site to get ad-free (they send you a $50-off coupon via email a few days after you register ) but even the free versions don't have obnoxious ads that I have seen. Here's mine if you want to check it out: www.blingafling.com

Congrats again, celebrating with you today! (((hugs)))

hang in there! I made a website and worked hard to get it ranking highly on google - I've only done one school fair (which was requested from a party customer), the rest have been birthday parties and corporate stuff off my site.

How's it ranking on google?

Congratulations on your first booking (of many!)
Tell us how it goes

To SEZnz - how did you get a good google rating? When I google "face painters in Collingwood, Ontario" or similar, I still can't find me - even though I have a paid domain and free website...

I have two paid domains - www.fabfaces.co.nz and facepaintingauckland.co.nz (Fab Faces is my main one and Face Painting Auckland just picks us randoms.) Having face painting auckland really helped to start with as that's what people were searching me under, but now that Fab Faces ranks highly I don't think it makes a difference - will see when the domain expires though.

I also listed back to my site as much as possible by commenting on blogs and the like (only relevant ones, eg. face painting, kids birthday entries etc.) and got myself on all of the free listings and directories, changing the wording a little each time so google didn't think I was spamming (which apparently works against you.) I used local ones, international painting ones, party sites etc. Don't know if you'll get the same results as I do, but if you google search Fab Faces Auckland you'll probably see some of the sites I'm listed on.

Also, I used my key words in the description for google (have you registered it with google? http://www.google.com/addurl/?continue=/addurl ) and the site title (Fab Faces | Face Painting, Glitter Tattoos & Balloon Twisting in Auckland) I also made sure I had a decent number of words on my first page, reusing my keywords as much as possible without ruining what I was writing (or at least tried to haha.) I renamed my 'home' page from 'home' to 'face painting'

I claimed my 'google place' http://www.google.com/support/places/bin/static.py?page=guide.cs&guide=28247

I have a h1 heading to help rank me with my keywords.

and I think that was most of it I did have a blog on the site which helped to get my keywords up but don't need it anymore to keep my ranking so got rid of it and just update quickly via Facebook as it's easier for me.

phew!

Are you with Google Analytics and Webmaster? If not, they're both free and give you a better insight into the keywords google is picking up etc. You should also submit sitemaps if you don't already - they'll also help pick you up in the search engines. PM me if you'd like a hand setting anything up Happy to talk you or anyone else through it or do some stuff for guy guys.

I'm far from a pro but manged to luck out with mine I think - I ended up paying a friend who was doing SEO and she ended up having to refund me as she actually took me off the front page lol.

I get most of my business through google so well worth it!

I think I really need to work on my google rating! I really know nothing about it, and have always wondered what I need to do to be higher up the list!
I may have to borrow some of your tips

No worries I made mine using weebly too so can definitely help!

WOW! Thank you so much for all that information!!!

I hadn't done half of what you suggested and will take each item a step at a time - just registered with google! - I guess that was kinda important, eh?

Yay! I might finally see some response from having a website now!

Thanks again!

Word of mouth has been the best business for us.

Please show us your work or perhaps a video clip of you....perhaps we can give you some constructive criticism.

Do you talk to people randomly? (I find that works for me personally). You never know who they are or who they might know or....bottom line network, network, network.
For example: while standing in line at the supermarket I started chit-chatting with the people around me (because the lines were very long and we were all just standing there).....from that conversation I booked an event which led to their party guests liking me and booking me (I'm like the fun "Aunt" at pratically every family event LOL! except I get paid to do it).

Good Luck and don't give up (if you really do enjoy what you do)!

half of the time I paint my face or arm before I go out. A few people have taken my card but that's it. I'm not giving up. This first party will get things rolling hopefully. I'm thinking positive

Well my first pary was postponed by two weeks. But I was able to do a four day festival. tomorrow I will post what I learned while there.

Love, Love, Love the video idea!!!

Have you thought about using sites like daily deal, cudo etc to offer discounted parties in your local area?

I am going to be working on a video for my web site of face painting youtube will help you with your google ranking.

I started out by working for an agent until I cut my chops have you tried that?

How would anyone know that your working for free. It shows that your not despirate for money and you do have a heart. People are willing to pay in this case. Just my experience:) Im new at this myself and it does take time to find events. You have to search for area events and call them wayyyyyy ahead of time. You may have to call now to book for next year events.

I only have a moment to write. I did not use a sign because I didn't have the money to buy one. The event was a last minute thing and was for a fundraiser. I made three posterboards with pictures - 2 for face painting and one for our disaster response team that we were raising money for. To get attention, I painted my face up as swirls and twirls as I call it. I can't remember what it was another day. Then as spider man (I was totally not prepared for that as I was wearing spaghetti strap halter with pastel floral print and sequins - ha!). It brought people in here and there. My friend made a sign and that really helped out a lot.
Have to go. Will write more later.