Would you pay for this Vendor Fair?

I've been asked to participate in a local vendor fair. It's run by a party planning website, and all of the vendors are party or event service companies. They say they get over 400 families thru the event each year, and this will be the 17th annual event. They advertise the fair in the local Jewish newspapers and it sounds like they cater mainly towards the Jewish community. I've been told by a few other area performers that getting into the Bar/bat mitzvah scene is very good for business, so I think the exposure would be good. BUT - the table fee is $325! I asked about getting an end table so I have room to set up a chair to paint and they said no problem. I asked if I could get a discount since I will be providing entertainment and they politely restated the table fee. I just don't think I can justify spending so much money to work for 5 hours to hopefully get several gigs out of it. Do you think it would be worth it?

Wouldn't....

No way. This might be a good deal for a large entertainment company, but that is way too steep for a one-person self-employed face painter. Save your money, and post your OWN ad in the Jewish newspapers advertizing party entertainment for bar and bat mitzvahs.

By the way, I am always wary when an organizer contacts ME to be a paying vendor in their event. Typically this is a clue that they need you (and your money) more than you need them. Not always the case - sometimes it's mutually beneficial - but more often it's just them wanting your booth fee.

I would only do it if they'd agree to a percentage of what you make that day.... if they are so confident in their event, then it shouldn't be risky for them.

400 families isn't a huge pile of people. Not enough to justify that kind of booth fee IMO. Thats almost like paying 80 cents a piece for flyers. Pretty steep....especially if you're going to be shoulder to shoulder with all kinds of other party entertainers. You'd have to fight that much harder to be remembered.

I second what Angie said. There's better, and likely cheaper ways to reach that market.

I would not do this one...that is the same thing I pay to do PPF at an event with 20 000 people...and it is the MOST I pay for any of my vendor fees. You'd be better off to arrive painted and then walk around looking at other booths, and if anyone HAPPENS to ask you where you got it done..."Why, I did it myself, I run a facepainting/party business, oh yes, actually I DO have a card with me here somewhere"

Thanks ladies... your pretty much justifying my thoughts. I paid $500 last year to get on tv 3 times and that I felt was worth the money. This one I don't think will be worth the time and expense. You should see the prices they are charging if you want to gat add space in their printed materials! It's outrageous!!! Too much for a 1 man show for sure.

Thanks!!

No way. But, what I would do is attend and give my business card to all the vendors and ask them to keep you on file for any events that require face painting.

I would.... but don't think of it as an event to paint through, think of it as any business would do a trade show - showing what you would do at their party as a "demo", but it's all about signing the contracts for upcoming events - and getting in with other entertainment companies that you can cross sell with. It's not about being PPP - it's about selling yourself for the future... if you get thirteen good leads/parties from this, then each one only "cost" you $25 to get.... and each one might lead to more.

Where I'm coming from with this (wow I didn't realize I'd be the one completely in left field) is that my experiences with Bar/Bat Mitzvahs is that they will call me to book me painting, and a temp tattoo from our team etc, not bat an eyelash at 4 hours booking and we are one of 15 different entertainers there. Oh and there are 50-100 other children the same/similar age there - who's parents are planning *their* Bar/Bat Mitzvah. One easily leads to a dozen.

Noella, I agree that the scene is a good one to be in on, but I for one have NEVER had an event/trade show work out to get me jobs. I never pay for advertising now, every job or lead I get is directly from word of mouth or seeing me or my work. That's awesome if this kind of thing works for you!! I just know that in my first year...NO WAY I had that much cash to throw away, I needed every event to bring back a minimum of what it cost me to be there! LOL

It is really crazy some of the fees people try an solicit. I recently did an event that moves aound to different ares of the state. The town I worked the event wanted $150.00 non food vendor for 3 days. The same event in another locale wanted $275.00 non food vendor for 1 day!!!!! The only difference was the event organizer promoting and handling the event.

That is just a ridiculous amount to want for a table fee for a 1 day event

Yeah, I told them no... the fee is just too steep for me to justify. I'll find other ways to advertise myself. So far I've been busy, and am getting calls for November gigs already, so maybe winter won't be too bad.... fingers crossed! Thanks ladies!!

Changing Faces - I've got a doozy for you...

I was contacted a few weeks ago about doing a 9/11 concert as a vendor, they promised it would be HUGE with 15k people there, told me I would need 12-15 painters working, and wanted an $800 booth fee for 6 hours of crowd time.

He came down to $200 for me, and in a moment of weakness I accepted. Turns out that MAYBE 1500 people were there, few of them were kids, people were leaving an hour before it even ended, and my (one) partner and I sat around most of the day and just barely broke even. I made the same amount for this event, spending ALL day setting up, taking down, waiting for our tickets to be counted and to be reimbursed, and sitting out in the heat, as I would have made at a standard birthday party indoors with no tent necessary.

It really served to strengthen my stand on not doing ANY PPF event that hasn't been thoroughly investigated, tested and proven worthy - not just of the investment but of my time and effort, which is worth more to me than $$$.

Just had to share that. I still am amazed at that original $800 booth fee... that was $133 per HOUR to be there (with the first and last hour nearly empty of people). Yikes.

Anyway, I know Amanda was looking at this one from the standpoint of marketing. I agree that the jewish community would be a really great one to get involved in for party entertainment.

Way too much money. I won't pay over $100 for events w/ 10,000+ people. You could try to get them to lower the price since your services are based on the amount of faces you can paint in 1 hour.

Agreed. Too much money. I mostly do BIrthday Parties and those are all word of mouth. The only events I do are ones that I have attended before and know what I am getting into and aren't over $100 for the table/booth. That's just crazy!

glitterfly wrote:No way. But, what I would do is attend and give my business card to all the vendors and ask them to keep you on file for any events that require face painting.

Yup, yup, yup...exactly what I was thinking. Maybe a flyer instead of just a business card. They are the ones that are going to be hired by the Jewish families to plan the Bat Mitzvahs...they are going to hire you.

Now, that being said...if you are really confident there is no better advertisement for the party planners than your faces walking by....soooo. Maybe $325 isn't so bad????

Maybe you could compromise and show up with you and your kids (or borrowed kids) all painted up with a name tag. "Face Painter. Ask me about a party."

How about doing the kids in the parking lot for free???? Save your $325 and paint kids for free if they will wear your business card into the expo.

Okay...I'm done but this situation gets my marketing wheels spinning.

D.

Does anyone think there is a bit of a moral issue with walking around an event that I declined to be a part of advertising myself? I would assume the organizer would get a bit upset if outside people showed up trying to market themselves. I think it's a great idea, but I'm very much an anti-drama queen... IE... I stay as far away from potentially sticky situations as I can! Have you/would you do something like that for business? Specifically the part where you are going to an event you were invited to but turned down... or a competitors venue. I'm interested in the opinions.

I do think there would be a moral/ethical issue with showing up to an event like this, without paying the vendor fee, to promote my business to the attendants. I personally wouldn't do it. Not the best way to build up a solid reputation IMO.

Well then...I guess you set up a booth! One good party would pay for it.

D.

I would go to the event painted myself and hand out cards. Perhaps you could get the same amount of business by doing that - I wouldn't be surprised!

Sorry, I wouldn't do anything in the parking lot but I would show up painted and hand out my card to anyone who asked, specifically the other party planners who look for this kind of thing. I have gone to an event like this and handed out cards to only vendors. It is hard at first but I don't think you are cheating anyone, seriously, they have a HUGE profit margin!

I wouldn't set up for free in the parking lot, that crosses a line IMO, however what is different when wearing your art, than wearing a company T-shirt, or driving a car with a sign or car wrap on it. Just advertising, you aren't hijacking the mic on stage or anything..but I guess we each have our own idea of what is acceptable or not eh? Cheers!

Have you tried explaining to the organiser that you are neither a vendor or an entertainer and that you fall into your own category simply becasue you are limited to how much you can earn by how many you can paint in an hour?

I mean if there is a big rush - you can't all of a sudden make heaps of money like the other vendors now can you?

That amount is very typical for where I am..... but I NEVER pay it... I ALways get them to halve it.
I explain in an email - how much my art will improve their event just by me being there, and how limited I am to how much I can earn, and finish with how much I wanted to work with them to be a part of their event.... oh and I sometimes throw in something about how I was hoping they would be supporting local small business etc etc.
I know I've lost count how many times I have said this on this forum.... I just thought I would throw it in.... you probably have already done and said it all to them.