The urban myth of the slow season

As scary as it sounds, the warm weather is slipping away (for us Northern hemisphere inhabitants) and with it, the open-air festival season. Our sales have been through the roof during the summer and early fall months, so I know you guys must be working your tails off at fairs and festivals. About this time of year though, our sales usually start to slow down a bit.

Last year, I decided that I wasn't going to participate in the "recession" that everyone was talking about and that affirmation has worked brilliantly for me. This year, I have decided that I don't want to participate in the annual slow season either. Fortunately for us, we have our friends in Oz and the other Southern hemisphere folks that are just getting into their warm weather months and are placing their orders.

In addition to pursuing customers in other parts of the world, we have been thinking of ways to market our products to other customer groups within the US. With the beginning of the school year, Cheerleaders and other school fundraising groups are just getting warmed up. Our products are perfect for group fundraising projects. Salons and Spas offer temporary tattoos year-round to people who are going to parties or leaving for cruises. With proper packaging and marketing, our products would make great holiday gifts. You can see that with an open mind and a little effort, we can open ourselves up to a whole new customer base.

So how can you translate this into something useful for you as a professional face and body artist? Now that the street parties and carnivals are tapering off, are you just going to accept that it's time to slow down and start tightening your belt? For those of you whose families don't depend on your income, perhaps this is a great time of year to focus on spending time with your family and taking care of projects around the house. But for some of us, our income is indispensible. You have to start thinking of markets that you hadn't previously pursued.

Birthdays happen every day of the year. If you have always focused on festival work as your primary source for gigs, you may still have a very large potential client base who have never been exposed to your talent. Where do other party professionals in your area advertise? Our area has several local publications (including one specifically for parents) which offer relatively inexpensive advertising. You may even find one that will give you free advertising in exchange for you writing an article for their publication. 

When outdoor events are no longer possible, many events simply move indoors. Check with your local malls and convention centers for events where you might set up a booth or where you could be hired by someone who needs to bring attention to their company. Corporate events and grand openings are also held year-round.

Network with other party professionals in your area, such as DJ's, photographers, and caterers. Many "adult" events will still have children in attendance that will need to be entertained. Also, event organizers may not have even considered that adults would enjoy face & body painting or temporary tattoos.

Grab a piece of paper and start brainstorming. List all of the people and events where you think your services would go over well. Then create publicity packages that are targeted for those potential clients. Start contacting your local fundraising groups at schools and community organizations and show them how you can help them earn money (while you earn money as well, of course). Contact restaurants and talk to them about having a family night with entertainment for the kids.

Just keep a positive attitude and know that there aren't fewer clients and events during the cooler months of the year, there are simply different clients and events. You just have to tweak your marketing plans a bit to reach these other clients and to make them see the benefit in hiring you.

Best wishes for another wonderfully prosperous month.

~Erika

The power of words

It seems as though my monthly newsletters are turning into reviews of the latest books that I've read…so here’s another one. 

As our business grows, we come up against an increasing amount of instances where extreme patience and customer service skills are required. In an effort to improve my communication skills, I recently picked up the book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie.

I was afraid that this book would be about manipulating people, and while in a way I suppose that it is, but it’s more about communicating with people in a way that is effective for your particular audience. There were a few chapters that had me rethinking how I communicate with my kids. There are times that you want something from your children (or from other people) that would equally benefit you and them. But when you make your request incorrectly, all your audience hears is that you want something and that they are going to have to do something. Mr. Carnegie gives examples of how to communicate in a way that makes your audience understand the benefit to them.

Dealing with customer issues is an area where we all could use some help. Let’s face it, 9 times out of 10, the customer is wrong…sort of. They feel that you were supposed to do something that did not get done or that you were responsible for something over which you have no control. For example, you were supposed to show up at their event at 10:00, but there was a traffic incident and you were delayed. All the hostess really cares about is that you were late and messed up her carefully made plans. Rather than blaming the traffic and getting self-righteous about it, you could claim responsibility and say or do what would make her feel better. We have a tendency to be “right fighters” (thanks Dr. Phil) and we only care about proving that we were right, although usually, being happy is better than being right.

Perhaps you were supposed to be paid for your services upon arrival at an event, but the hostess conveniently “can’t find” her checkbook and will pay you later…so as per your contract, you say you can’t start until you get paid. So now the customer thinks you’re a big jerk, even though it was she who was neglecting the terms of your contract. Rather than saying, “The contract, which you signed, states that I am not to begin work until I am paid,” perhaps you could make her understand the benefit to her. Try saying, “We always collect the payment before getting started so you don’t have to worry about abandoning your guests later on to deal with it.” You’re explaining that it’s for her benefit, not particularly your benefit, and she will think that you’re being considerate rather than untrusting.

The majority of the time customer problems stem from a perceived error. Somewhere there was a communication breakdown where they expected one thing and you expected another. If you seem to be having a similar problem with several customers, perhaps you are not effectively communicating with your customers. Look over your contract, and determine if the wording is easy to understand for someone who is not in our industry. Have some friends look it over as well. Practice your phone dialogue with a friend until you’re positive that all of the pertinent information is being given by phone as well as in writing. Follow up a day or two before the event with a friendly phone call or an email to verify what you expect and what the customer expects.

Another thing that I really liked about this book is that it discusses getting to know people and getting them to like you, simply by being a good listener. We naturally want people to listen to us, but forget to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes. We want to be around people who make us feel good about ourselves. Showing that you are interested in someone’s life is a great way to make someone feel important and appreciated. And that feeling will make them want to be around you more, which is how you get people to hire you and re-hire you. In this book, you’ll also learn the difference between compliments and appreciation.

Most of us are aware of the power of words…how a single phrase from someone else can make our day great or make us want to crawl back into bed. By learning to communicate effectively, we can make people see our point of view, while still allowing them to feel like winners.

How to Start a Face Painting and Body Art Business by Erika Harrison - A Review by Katie Hunt

I picked up Erika's book at the Face and Body Art International Convention in Orlando, in May this year. I finally got a chance to read it this week. Erika's book is very easy to read and to understand. It's a nice size, clearly laid out in logical order with chapters packed with useful information. 

This is a book whose time has come! 

This isn't a designs book, or a how to face paint, or do tattoos, or henna book, although there is that information in there too. It's definitely a business book. It's how to run a business, things to consider, various avenues to take to make money, and so much more. 

Erika also goes over and explains business terms, she talks about insurance, record keeping, taxes, marketing, expanding your business. Erika has the simplest, and most comprehensive way of developing a 'business plan' that I've seen in long time. Her version is not scary like some concepts I've seen delivered. 

She has a massive resource list at the back of the book and a CD. 

The CD is amazing! 

Here is a partial list of the files found on the CD: 

· Airbrush Information.doc

· Contractor agreement.doc

· Face and Body Art Examples by Erika Harrison

· Chinese Character Sign.pdf

· Freehand Glitter tattoo instructions.pdf

· Example of Client Invoice.xls

· Glitter tattoo stencil instructions.pdf

· Henna Body Art Curriculum.doc

· Henna Kit Instructions.pdf

· Henna Workshop outline condensed.doc

· Intro to henna booklet.pdf

· Read Me First.doc

· Real Henna Issue 3 resize.pdf

· Real Henna Issue 4 PDF.pdf

· Small Airbrush (setup)

So many useful tools and references in one handy package! 

Personally, and as a person in this business, I love information that is ready to use immediately and adapt to my own uses. This book and CD have that and more. 

If you know Erika, you'll get to know her better with her examples and stories from her own personal experiences. Erika is direct and logical in her lessons. It's simple and easy to understand. 

If I had one criticism initially, it was that there are no photos or pictures in the book. However, the CD more than makes up for that. And I suspect, because there are no pictures in the book, she kept printing costs down, making this extremely affordable.

If you are just venturing into the Face and Body Art business, or want to know how to do it right, or how to take it to the next level, this is a great resource for you.

Respectfully,

Katie Hunt 

This book is available at Erika's Amerikan Body Art website and I'm sure a few other places. 

-- Katie Hunt

www.KatieTheGreat.com
www.DougTheGreat.com

The Economics of Free

I recently picked up a book by Chris Anderson called, Free: The Future of a Radical Price. I was hoping to get some examples of how companies gave away stuff for free, and reaped more benefit than their cost. While there were some very positive stories and I did get some ideas for my own business, this book delved much deeper into economic theory than I had anticipated. It got me thinking about some of the issues that we have with "Free" in our own industry. 

Nothing is more disappointing than showing up at a pay-per-design event (particularly where you've paid a booth fee to participate) and finding that you have to compete with a "Free" face painter. Even when I've shown up to do henna tattoos or glitter tattoos, I've had trouble selling them when free face painting was available as an alternative.

I've known many face painters who have chosen to donate their time and talent to an organization in order to hopefully gain some exposure in their community. Most of these artists find that they continue to receive calls from this organization and others asking if they will come and work for free at their next event....not exactly the exposure they were hoping for. Not to mention, it doesn't help to create positive relationships with other artists in the area. 

So what are you to do when you are asked to work at an event that you know does not have an entertainment budget, such as a fundraising organization? I've had these organizations ask me to work for free and I've had to try to make them see a different point of view. If I go to their event and work for free, they gain nothing. If I go to the event and charge attendees per design, and then split my income with the organization, I can actually help them to earn money. The only reason to not charge attendees would be if they were counting on "Free Face Painting" or "Free Temporary Tattoos" to be a draw to their event. In that case, it would be a good idea to ask event organizers if they know of a local company that might be interested in sponsoring a face painter in exchange for advertising.

And on the other side of the fence, how do you successfully charge for your work when someone else is giving it away? Instead of selling "face painting" or "temporary tattoos," create an interactive experience. Become a performer. Turn your workspace into a stage. Most people realize that you get what you pay for, and will see the value of what you provide. When comparing your work with that of someone giving it away for free, who do you think they'll turn to when they want to book a party?

Reconnecting with Prosperity

I started writing a second business book (after How to Start your own Henna Body Art Business) in 2005. This new book is called, How to Start a Face Painting and Body Art Business. I meant for it to be a guide for those wanting to expand their businesses, but I really included enough information even for those who haven't started their businesses yet.

I got the outline together, wrote the introduction, and that was about as far as it went until late 2007. I wrote the bulk of it at that time, thinking I'd be able to pull it together in time for the 2008 Face Painting and Body Art convention in Orlando. It didn't happen. I finally got it together (without a moment to spare) in time for the 2009 Face Painting and Body Art International Convention this past month.

As artists, we have a tendency to look at the parts that make up the whole, and we forget to step back and look at the big picture. I was so consumed with the technical aspects of writing and publishing this book on my own, that I had forgotten my original purpose...which was to help others to find prosperity and peace in their lives. In these complicated times, I have the luxury of doing what I love as a means for supporting my family. This is a joy that I would wish for everyone in the world. It wasn't until I had the whole book in my hands that I remembered this and stopped worrying that there might be spelling and grammatical errors in the book, and started worrying that people might not get the inspiration that I was hoping to impart. Happily for me, several of those who bought the book at FABAIC came up to me and said that they were really enjoying the book and were excited to go home and get started on their business plan.

As I started feeling a sense of accomplishment and relief...that I was helping others to achieve prosperity, I started focusing on my own connection to prosperity. I can get seriously wrapped up in financial worries, like credit card debt and student loans, and even start feeling like I'll never dig myself out of this hole. Fortunately, I have some enlightened friends who remind me that focusing on debt and lack will not bring me any closer to prosperity. Focusing on prosperity and financial goals is what has always helped me to achieve those goals. At every convention, I set a financial goal for sales. Without fail, we come within dollars of that goal. My husband and my business partner can't understand why I don't set those goals higher.

I have habit of setting my goals for what I need in the moment and for what I feel is reasonable. I have a friend, Vashti, with whom I have had many discussions on prosperity and wealth. I chatted with her when I got back from FABAIC about meeting my sales goal and Vashti suggested that maybe I should work on my concept of financial need and just drop the whole idea of reasonable goals. I told her that previously, the number that I had expressed as a goal for paying off credit card debt, my mortgage, and my student loans was around $250,000. Amerikan Body Art had pretty much achieved that in sales in 2008, but that was far from the amount that I had actually been able to take home in paychecks. Vashti said that I needed to be more specific when stating my requirements to the Universe. So I had to visualize that amount of money as paychecks going into my personal bank account. And while I was at it...I might as well throw in some money for fixing up the house, getting a new car, investing in the business, and maybe paying for a few nice vacations that we were hoping for. I've come up with a new number, and it has nothing to do with what others think is reasonable or possible. Five years ago, I would not have thought that where I am now would be possible, so I know that I need not be concerned with limitations. They are only imagined.

I learned from watching The Secret that anything that we focus on will grow. So I choose to focus on my personal prosperity. I just dropped my youngest son off at summer camp this morning. When he said he wanted to go to summer camp again, I just went down to the parks & recreation office, signed him up, and wrote a check. When I wanted to go to summer camp as a child, we literally saved our pennies for a year. My mother walked me down to the recreation center and paid for summer camp with a bag full of coins. I've never felt ashamed for the lack of money that I had growing up. But looking at the ease and comfort which I have now, relative to what I had then, makes me truly appreciate what I have and what I've had to do to get it.

Even daily activities, which many of us take for granted, can remind us of our personal prosperity. I'm sitting here in air-conditioned comfort, typing on my laptop, while my kids watch TV and eat Pop-Tarts. I started a small vegetable garden a few months ago, with the idea of teaching my kids how to take care of themselves and how to save money...and yet there are many in the world who will spend their entire day today, hoping to find even a small amount of food and clean water. Sometimes I walk outside in my bare feet, past the swimming pool and the neighborhood kids' bikes & toys laying all over the yard...feeling the warmth of the sun and the calm of our suburban neighborhood...and I can't help but think that there are places even in our own country where people can't let their kids ride their bikes down the street...where they can't safely walk outside of their own homes...where they may not even be safe inside their homes. This is the prosperity for which I am grateful every day and this is what I focus on in my journey towards financial wealth.

I hope that all of you can get into the habit of taking a moment every day to connect with the prosperity which you have already achieved and to focus on the financial prosperity that you will soon achieve.

Have a wonderful month!

~Erika