Head Shots / Ideas
I'm sure many of you are taking photos of faces you paint at a gig and then perhaps using it on your brochure or business card. That's great because the people depicted will show it around and you'll get referrals that way... a fan base of distributors. However, this strategy does depend upon you seeing them again so that you can give them the brochures to see and pass around. This may not be practicalo, so here's a different (better?) way, using technology!
It's part of 'Viral Marketing' which is a hot way to have your messages distributed for free. There are dozens of ideas in my Marketing eCourse but here's one for now:
At events where you take lots of photographs, give out business cards that contain the address described below.
Create a sub directory (not a sub domain) on your website, one page for each of these events. Doing this will generate a page that can remain hidden from everyone else (if you like) as you only promote the page URL (address) to those at that event.
This address might be: www.FuntasyFaces.com/JohnsPartyJuly3.html
Then, as you have decided this BEFORE the party, you give out cards with that URL on so that evevryone there can go see and download their photo etc.
The benefits should be obvious. You'll get a large number of visitors after the party and you can build in strategies to capture their email address at that point using Squeeze Pages and Opt-In eMails. You also have an opportunity to upsell other services or products (eBooks, Courses, Workshops, Kits, Newsletters etc) that you choose to promote perhaps with an 'exit' pop-under.
Naturally you can also use the photos for brochures and on main areas of your website too. These 'Party Pages' may only stay up for 3 months or whatever you decide.
John Gordon
The Infotainer
FACE MAGIC
Jul 28, 2006
Jul 26, 2006
Water Magic
On the FacePaintHQ list today the subject of water came up because a member had seen the Movie 'What The Bleep Do We Know!?'. I've found a copy on Amazon and it's now on my To Do List!
On the FacePaintHQ list today the subject of water came up because a member had seen the Movie 'What The Bleep Do We Know!?'. I've found a copy on Amazon and it's now on my To Do List!
My partner, Theresa, has had a particular interest in the healing properties for some while and been reading a couple of books:
'Your Body's Many Cries For Water' and 'Water & Salt' Your Healers From Within both by Dr. F. Batmanghelidj (Dr.Batman).
I only dipped in (pun intended) to these but found the following work much more exciting.
Theresa also purchased the 'Water Crystal Oracle' by Masaru Emoto who is author of 'The Hidden Messages In Water' [Council Oak Books]. Dr Emoto discovered that molecules of water are affected by our thoughts, words and feelings. Frozen water reveals the concentrated thoughts directed towards them. The Oracle is a set of 48 cards with images of these crystals on one side and a word on the other.
Water exposed to loving words has brilliant complex patterns. Exposure to negative words creates incomplete asymmetrical patterns. He believes that the oceans contain memories of the creatures that lived there and that glaciers house our history.
words = vibration = energy = life
To use the cards, a word that has some meaning to you is chosen and you meditate on it for a while. It is placed under a glass of water which you later drink. There are many other instructions with the cards, but this simple exercise alone is extraordinary. It does make a difference to the water, the taste is superior and I believe that the energy has changed.
So, what has this got to do with Face Painters and Face Painting?
Good question. Good answer coming up, too!
The beneficial effects of this positively energised water can be transmitted to 'customers' by using the technique for Face Paint Water! If you fill from your own container, prepare it at home first. If not, then have your water 'pot' standing on a suitable word as you work. Simply write or print on your computer some words onto a square of paper or card. Something like half a postcard or double a business card would be fine. Here's some words you may like, or choose your own. They must be positive and it's better if you resonate with them. Do a selection to suit different moods and events.
Love
Joy
Peace
Confidence
EarthHappiness
Truth
Sun
I'd be interested if anyone tries this and notices any difference. Try drinking a glass of the water (before you start) and perhaps generate some synergy.
John Gordon
The Infotainer
.
Jul 18, 2006
Working For Charity
Working For Charity
It was thought that people would be more likely to spend IF they knew that some of the fee was going to a Charity. So a sign stating that was suggested.
Whilst this may be true, it's not the only way to work:
People are MOST likely to spend if ALL the money is going to Charity.
IF you only take 'expenses' you could then say "ALL profits will go to Xxxxxx Charity"
Another way is to estimate how many faces you might do and what you'd like to make, then have the Charity pay you that reduced fee. Then you'd be able to charge a very LOW fee per face (as you are earning anyway) and state that it ALL, 100% goes to the Charity. That's gotta be better. However it does depend upon your role in the occasion. It may be that they want to make money from you, from your sales and charges. But that may not be the case.
It may just be that they are making tons of money elsewhere and just want to ensure that the kids have some entertainment. If they are happy, families will come and the parents will spend and donate in other ways.
Another way I do a lot is to get sponsored. You or the Charity (together) find a company who'd like to donate for a credit. They pay your fee and expenses. Then you are able to do faces for nothing or very low fees to raise more for them. The sponsor gets their name on a larg sign by you, in the brochure, on their website etc as having provided the Face Painting. I find that organisations like Banks, printers, caterers, taxi firms, large are all willing to do this if approached correctly and given appropriate coverage. It's potential for a real win / win situation.
So, next time you are asked if you would participate in a fundraising event, don't automatically think that you'll have to work free or cheap, and also be armed with other options so you can negotiate the best for all concerned.
John Gordon
The Infotainer
FACE MAGIC
It was thought that people would be more likely to spend IF they knew that some of the fee was going to a Charity. So a sign stating that was suggested.
Whilst this may be true, it's not the only way to work:
People are MOST likely to spend if ALL the money is going to Charity.
IF you only take 'expenses' you could then say "ALL profits will go to Xxxxxx Charity"
Another way is to estimate how many faces you might do and what you'd like to make, then have the Charity pay you that reduced fee. Then you'd be able to charge a very LOW fee per face (as you are earning anyway) and state that it ALL, 100% goes to the Charity. That's gotta be better. However it does depend upon your role in the occasion. It may be that they want to make money from you, from your sales and charges. But that may not be the case.
It may just be that they are making tons of money elsewhere and just want to ensure that the kids have some entertainment. If they are happy, families will come and the parents will spend and donate in other ways.
Another way I do a lot is to get sponsored. You or the Charity (together) find a company who'd like to donate for a credit. They pay your fee and expenses. Then you are able to do faces for nothing or very low fees to raise more for them. The sponsor gets their name on a larg sign by you, in the brochure, on their website etc as having provided the Face Painting. I find that organisations like Banks, printers, caterers, taxi firms, large are all willing to do this if approached correctly and given appropriate coverage. It's potential for a real win / win situation.
So, next time you are asked if you would participate in a fundraising event, don't automatically think that you'll have to work free or cheap, and also be armed with other options so you can negotiate the best for all concerned.
John Gordon
The Infotainer
FACE MAGIC
Jul 17, 2006
In The News? Use It For Leverage
If you 'manage' to get a mention or an article about you in the media ... certainly celebrate and enjoy it but treat that as the start of a campaign and not the end!
Getting Media space (newspapers, local radio, consumer magazines, business journals, specialist publications, eZines, Blogs, national media) isn't SO difficult but does mean you have to must a clear strategy to greatly increase your 'prospects' rather than leave it to chance. I have a course on Self Promotion which covers this in detail, as well as other strategies fro getting a full date book with little or no budget! The ideas below are just a few of the strategies I deal with there.
Someone wrote and said that she had and "I hope it helps drag in new business"!
Don't "hope" but take action so that it does!!!!!!
There are dozens of ways to capitalise on this. That's how PR and Promotion companies do it for their clients and services and products. Some people will have seen it, most will not have. Even those who saw it will forget about it.
So what can you do?
If the article is available online, putting the link on your website would be great. It's a valuable part of 'outgoing link' strategy (but don't show the wording of the link ie http://www.xyznews.com/townsville/living/15032305.htm as it sounds really dull but have 'anchor text' keyword that is beneficial (and the link itself in the code).
Be Proactive
Getting Press and Publicity attention does mean being proactive. It can take a while so building a 'relationship' with your local editors and reporters is key. You have to find out who they are and nurture them over time. There are many do's and don'ts here ... so be careful. Perhaps more on that another time. Use what you have to give the Media what they want
Look at their 'readership' and their goals and offer something worth the time and space. One great strategy is to relate it to other stuff in the news. Keep your eyes open fro any way at all to link your products and services to a news item. Once you start this you'll find it gets easier and easier.
Don't expect immediate results
Don't expect too much but take what you can get and leverage it massively to leap to the next step. If you got NO enquiries as a direct result, it would still be worth it! At the very least awareness of you has risen. Many, if not most, advertisments you see are not about selling a specific product. It's part of an ongoing campaign to inform, reinforce their brand and their position. When you later market to them, they will better recall your existence from the publicity.
It also greatly adds to your credibility. One barrier that must be overcome when yopu trade online, (getting booked from a website), is trust. And right here is one of they key ways to build trust and credibility. The words and time and space of others devoted to you is priceless. People know you can say whatever you like about yourself but that the opinions of others are 'real. (See my articles on Testimonials). Use it to do that and your 'conversion rate' will multiply.
I was told " ... I’ve discovered that people have actually cut the article out and kept it for future reference"
Of course! And that's exactly why you should be sending the article (in one of many ways) to everybody on your 'list'. Presumably most won't have seen the article and could not clip it out. So ... deliver it to them!
People don't 'need' you now
Remember, they may not (almost certainly not) have a party, celebration, event straight away. And we have to assume that's true of the majority who see us, read about us, discover us. Why should they have a hurt, a pain, a need that needs fixing immediately? And that's precisely why we must have a 'marketing plan' to 'drip feed' these prospects. It's a proven fact that most people don't respond on an initial exposure, first contact. It is thought that about 5 times is the average minimum. So we cannot leave that to chance.
That's why, if you get some media exposure, don't sit on it. It's an event well worth announcing to your list. Show them that you are good and important enough, build their trust further, grow your credibility, nudge their memory so you are 'top of mind' when they need what you solve for them.
Some things to do with your article
Just some of the things that can be done so that, even with something as simple as a mention in an article, you can get full leverage from the possibilities and increase the chances of more enquiries that can be converted to bookings.
John
The Infotainer
FACE MAGIC
If you 'manage' to get a mention or an article about you in the media ... certainly celebrate and enjoy it but treat that as the start of a campaign and not the end!
Getting Media space (newspapers, local radio, consumer magazines, business journals, specialist publications, eZines, Blogs, national media) isn't SO difficult but does mean you have to must a clear strategy to greatly increase your 'prospects' rather than leave it to chance. I have a course on Self Promotion which covers this in detail, as well as other strategies fro getting a full date book with little or no budget! The ideas below are just a few of the strategies I deal with there.
Someone wrote and said that she had and "I hope it helps drag in new business"!
Don't "hope" but take action so that it does!!!!!!
There are dozens of ways to capitalise on this. That's how PR and Promotion companies do it for their clients and services and products. Some people will have seen it, most will not have. Even those who saw it will forget about it.
So what can you do?
If the article is available online, putting the link on your website would be great. It's a valuable part of 'outgoing link' strategy (but don't show the wording of the link ie http://www.xyznews.com/townsville/living/15032305.htm as it sounds really dull but have 'anchor text' keyword that is beneficial (and the link itself in the code).
Be Proactive
Getting Press and Publicity attention does mean being proactive. It can take a while so building a 'relationship' with your local editors and reporters is key. You have to find out who they are and nurture them over time. There are many do's and don'ts here ... so be careful. Perhaps more on that another time. Use what you have to give the Media what they want
Look at their 'readership' and their goals and offer something worth the time and space. One great strategy is to relate it to other stuff in the news. Keep your eyes open fro any way at all to link your products and services to a news item. Once you start this you'll find it gets easier and easier.
Don't expect immediate results
Don't expect too much but take what you can get and leverage it massively to leap to the next step. If you got NO enquiries as a direct result, it would still be worth it! At the very least awareness of you has risen. Many, if not most, advertisments you see are not about selling a specific product. It's part of an ongoing campaign to inform, reinforce their brand and their position. When you later market to them, they will better recall your existence from the publicity.
It also greatly adds to your credibility. One barrier that must be overcome when yopu trade online, (getting booked from a website), is trust. And right here is one of they key ways to build trust and credibility. The words and time and space of others devoted to you is priceless. People know you can say whatever you like about yourself but that the opinions of others are 'real. (See my articles on Testimonials). Use it to do that and your 'conversion rate' will multiply.
I was told " ... I’ve discovered that people have actually cut the article out and kept it for future reference"
Of course! And that's exactly why you should be sending the article (in one of many ways) to everybody on your 'list'. Presumably most won't have seen the article and could not clip it out. So ... deliver it to them!
People don't 'need' you now
Remember, they may not (almost certainly not) have a party, celebration, event straight away. And we have to assume that's true of the majority who see us, read about us, discover us. Why should they have a hurt, a pain, a need that needs fixing immediately? And that's precisely why we must have a 'marketing plan' to 'drip feed' these prospects. It's a proven fact that most people don't respond on an initial exposure, first contact. It is thought that about 5 times is the average minimum. So we cannot leave that to chance.
That's why, if you get some media exposure, don't sit on it. It's an event well worth announcing to your list. Show them that you are good and important enough, build their trust further, grow your credibility, nudge their memory so you are 'top of mind' when they need what you solve for them.
Some things to do with your article
- Put hard copies in your 'pack' if you still send out printed material
- Update the info in your CV or Sales Letter to include extracts etc
- Put a copy on your website in the appropriate area
- Put a copy in the Media section so other media can pick it up
- Put a downloadable pdf on the site so people can save it
- Put a link to it on your Blog
- Put links to it on your other websites
- Put links to it in an email and send to specific niche prospects in your lists
- Establish incoming links from others featured in the article
- Establish outgoing links too using keywords as 'anchor words'.
Just some of the things that can be done so that, even with something as simple as a mention in an article, you can get full leverage from the possibilities and increase the chances of more enquiries that can be converted to bookings.
John
The Infotainer
FACE MAGIC
Jul 8, 2006
A Project For Face & Body Painters
After speaking to a few people who had contacted me to help them be more visible online and get visitors (traffic) and convert these into paying customers ... I've decided to put together a series of 'lessons' and deliver them to subscribers in the form of an eCourse.
However, to make this relevant to Face Painters, I'll create a brand new product and website so I can show you first hand how this is created and nurtured into an active site.
I have a couple of different ideas and will work on thse and make an announcement in the next couple of days.
So ... Watch This Face!
John
The Infotainer
After speaking to a few people who had contacted me to help them be more visible online and get visitors (traffic) and convert these into paying customers ... I've decided to put together a series of 'lessons' and deliver them to subscribers in the form of an eCourse.
However, to make this relevant to Face Painters, I'll create a brand new product and website so I can show you first hand how this is created and nurtured into an active site.
I have a couple of different ideas and will work on thse and make an announcement in the next couple of days.
So ... Watch This Face!
John
The Infotainer
Jul 6, 2006
End Of The Line?
Ending a line seems to be a big problem with face painters and balloon modellers and caricature artists and other entertainers who work with a queue (line) formation. The gig is busy but it's come to an end ... 20 minutes before you are due to stop work and there's eneough people queuing for the next 40 minutes! Keeping a watch on this during the gig helps but there does come a point wyhere you have to guage matters and announce, "that's it, you are the last one".
They are all probably true, it's the nature of the business. That's why it's a poser that is raised every few months and also why there is never a perfect solution. Many ideas are pretty good and I've used most of them. For me, here are the important factors:
Ending a line seems to be a big problem with face painters and balloon modellers and caricature artists and other entertainers who work with a queue (line) formation. The gig is busy but it's come to an end ... 20 minutes before you are due to stop work and there's eneough people queuing for the next 40 minutes! Keeping a watch on this during the gig helps but there does come a point wyhere you have to guage matters and announce, "that's it, you are the last one".
This of course creates disappointment with those already after that point and a problem with those who arive from then on. It needs a continual explanation ... and you are not there to do that. In the many minutes you spend explaining the math to late arrivals you could have painted their face!!!!!
It's self perpetuating: if you are good then a line will form. When you are finished (based on a clock timing / booked period) there will still be some waiting. It stands to reason. Why? Because somebody didn't get the math right? Because you were too slow? Because more numbers than expected turned up?They are all probably true, it's the nature of the business. That's why it's a poser that is raised every few months and also why there is never a perfect solution. Many ideas are pretty good and I've used most of them. For me, here are the important factors:
- If you don't think you will cover them all ... 100% covered ... then this fact must be made clear at the time of taking the booking. Then, once confirmed, you are not obligated to do so.
- Your finishing time must be made clear to those who queue. A large sign, frequent announcements as time draws near etc. Also, how long each face is taking so they are able to make a calculation at the end and work out if it's worth waiting or not.
As long as you do the above, there should be no problem! OK, famous last words. Of course there will be some at the finish who will complain, plead to do "just one more" etc etc. Your job is to please people, not upset them. So, some additional tactics are required! There are many many ideas ranging from ticket systems, rubber stamping wrists, curving the line to join both ends and rejecting the rest........ you'll be familiar with these. But here's a different mind-set that may make a difference for you.
You see, I don't feel it's the face painter's problem. It's easy to end the day, you just STOP! That's it! Well, OK, you could just stop and leave ... but we don't. But it IS a problem for the organisers and I think the best solution is that they should appear, some minutes before the end and personally inform those who you cannot paint and those who arrive last that you have to stop and leave the premises / area. This does three important things:
- They see how popular you are!
- It removes you from that negative action and passes the responsibility to where it belongs: to the organiser. Then you can simply smile and shrug
your shoulders as if to say "I'd have stayed all night, but s/he's the boss!" - They also see that next time perhaps two painter may be more comfortable.
So, that's my solution ... one that works in conjunction with any other numbering elimination tactics and keeps you looking great. So next time, ensure your booker or an appointed 'marshall' moves in and ends the day for you.
John Gordon
The Infotainer
www.WatchThisFace.com
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