having to turn down bookings

I am curious to know how others handle networking? I am having to turn down lots of bookings lately and am almost filled up through the rest of the year. I know that seems good but, I would like to approach some other painters about subcontracting. I have a few painters that are apprenticing with me. (family) My whole family is a bunch of artists.
I am always getting asked by other entertainers if I do contract out work. So, I have researched it for a while and several people pay out $50 for a contract magician, and face paint seems to really vary. I just am a little nervous about this side of the industry. We do a lot of things besides face painting. We do the magic, we do characters, we do balloons, we do puppets, we do most everything. So, it could really expand my business and also help other local artists to have more work. I just turned down a BIG job that I could have contracted out and made something with. After all, they met me and wanted me to do and then after I sold them on it, I couldn't do it. I got booked in between time. So, then they had already went through all the proper channels to get it approved and so, I just gave them FP information. I was so bummed. Which I don't get reciprocated by others. In fact, I have never had a client to tell me that Oh so and so couldn't book me so they referred you. I usually get, Oh I tried to book and they told me no one else did painting around here I am so glad that I saw your ad/post/ whatever.

Anyway, my concerns are maybe trivial but I don't want to be booking out under my business and other people not be honest and try to push other jobs through my clients. I know that there are some painters that do really great with contracting and offer services that they don't even do. Like air brush or hair or whatever.

I am to the point where I am literally turning down work almost weekly so, any suggestions would be great...what do you guys do? Do you contract or refer or make a deal for % of referrals?

I subcontract a lot. But only with those people that I trust to do a good job. I just ask what their rate is and then charge the client slightly more(though typically, we give each other slight discounts, so that the booking person can make some money as well.) We typically work in this area for $50-$75 an hour for other painters. That way we get work and the painter doesn't have to do paper work, and the agent gets to make a little off of the top for doing all of the paper stuff.

Works out great!

We have a group of about 4 painters who refer jobs to one another. The deal is that whoever ends up taking the job pays the referrer 10% off the top. So if I get a call for a $200 job that I can't take, I will give them the number of another painter. If the other painter ends up booking them, they will send me $20 after being paid.

This works great if you have some good honest people to refer to. The up side is that I don't have to handle any paperwork on jobs I refer away, but still get a referral "bonus" for passing the work on. The down side is that the client is passed completely out of my hands, so I'm not likely to get any repeat work with them.

I'm no where NEAR having this sort of problem .. (yet.. I hope that soon changes.. heh)

But, I wanted to wish you well!


I would think that it would be appropriate to receive a percentage (like what Angie mentioned) of the $$$ made.

Best of luck in resolving this.