So, being totally new to the clowning world, I am starting to be asked if I do gigs, (birthday parties, parties in general) and how much I charge.... seeing as how I have never done this before, I don't know how much to charge! What is to much? What is to little? Please help!!

Wish i could help but i am new and just do volunteer work now... But i am sure someone will tell you... Good luck

What you need to do is a little "undercover research" ... call your competition and find out what they are charging. You don't have to be offering the exact same services, but something similar is fine. Get a few different prices and stick yourself in the middle. You don't want to be the most expensive (especially when you're just starting out) but you also don't want to be the cheapest (first, you don't want to undercut everyone and make them mad at you, also, there is a perceived value involved when you aren't the cheapest one).

You may find one or two people that are way off the average, don't worry about them, go with the bigger crowd to get the "standard" rate for your area. I could say don't go less than a certain amount, but really the market in your area will have to decide that. All I can say is don't go too cheap... your costume and materials cost a lot and you also need to pay yourself enough to account for the practice that you do outside of the parties.

Some people feel that you need to be careful, also, so that there isn't some sense of "collusion." There's a balloon website where they never discuss real money, but how many "c-shells" they charge.

Around here, most clowns work through a talent agency that gets $300/hr plus travel from Pittsburgh (about an hour away - cha-ching!). You know the clowns aren't getting all of that!

In the San Diego area, it was about $100/hr.

It needs to depend on your area, how big the party is, and what you're planning to do. If you're less experienced, charge a little less and do a shorter party so you don't run out of stuff, and then build up.

There was an old quote about writing that works with clowning, too:
"[Clowning] is like prostitution.
First you do it for fun,
then you do it for a few friends,
and finally, you do it for money."

The way I have tackled this issue:

I have found out the going rate in my area for the "pro's"..(my mentors) When I am asked if I do parties, I say I am a brand new clown and still practising. I would love to come and do a party, but at a lower rate because I really don't have much experience. Then I quote half the price as my superior clown friends....I do also let them know that my rate will be higher as my experience grows but I would love to have the experience.
I hope my friends don't think I'm trying to undercut them....it is simply not the case. They are so much more experienced than me, there is no way I could perform yet on an equal ground and give my client their money's worth if I charged full out right now.

What you may want to consider is what I did when I was just starting... (it makes it easier to raise your rate to the "normal" rate for your area later) is to call it an "Introductory Price!" that way, once you feel comfortable charging more, you can set it to something else without people going crazy that you are suddenly $50 more per hour than you were two months ago.... that was the introductory price, sorry you missed the sale!

When I started, I did a two-hour appearance for $20.00 That was in June 2008. After realizing that with the gas, supplies, etc I had gone in the red by $10.00, I did my next appearance (September) for $50.00, and that was one-hour. I did that for a while, and then from November to December, it was $75.00 an hour.

As of January 2009, I started doing a clown show, AND a magic show. So, I charge $100.00 for one hour, and if you want more time, it's $75.00 per extra hour (Since I'm not going anywhere, I don't have travel expenses to worry about, thus they can't get a bit of a deal). It's a fairly low price compared to the local magicians in my area (theyre about 25 to 50 dollars more than me), but I consider myself a clown first. And I'm really the only party clown in my area (St. Johns). There's Wonderbolt Circus which does shows (Which I'm hoping to involve myself in at some point soon, once I learn enough), but those clowns are show clowns, not party clowns, per se. I guess I have a little bit of a monopoly. :P

Edit: And to add to Perry's post, if you don't go with the Introductory Price ad, simply advertise the price increase (I'm assuming you have a website--if not, my point is moot). Something saying "As of Month X, 20xx, there will be an increase in price to meet changes in costs of running." or something along those lines.

:) When I was doing Magic B'Day Parties I used to get upwards of $100.00 per hour. The hour was divided into about forty minutes of magic and twenty minutes of balloons. Sometimes I ran over the hour because there were too many Children and I didn't charge the extra money.

Now that I am doing MAgic and Clowning along with Balloons. I charge a little more, but do more too. The show is about one and a half hours - divided in half Magic and Balloons. The Clowning is just doing some sight gags and making believe the Balloon smacks me in the face when I stretch it. Of course the Balloons are more sophisticated than the plain Dogs and Cats. This usually gets a wow.
The cost for all of this is $150.00 which including approx. Travel time amounts to $75.00 per hour. This is in line with a Mechanic's, Plumber, Carpenter and Electrician's rates.

I have stopped booking one hour parties. Its almost impossible to just stay one hour. So I now require at minimum 2 hour bookings. I'm finding I'm able to give the kids more attention because I'm not rushed and I'm able to finish within 2 hours or just a little overtime.

Thanks everyone! You are all SO helpful! I will try to figure something out.. I have some time, my first paying gig is not until November! Thanks again!

There is no one answer... It depends upon what the people will pay. I have heard of several clowns who will complain when someone is undercharging (or even working for free) as they feel that is devaluing the work they do. "Why should I pay you $180/hour when so and so only charges $25?" But, when getting started, it isn't easy to charge as much as the higher paid clowns. If you charge less, explain that you are just getting started...

Wow. I just moved to Boston and I am doing a princess party tomorrow in Cambridge. I am earning 400 for a six foot princess balloon sculpture for the birthday girl, 15 minutes of pocket magic, and elaborate balloon twisting for 8 children at the party.

That said, when I did my first paid party it was about three hours long and I charged $50. Charge what you are WORTH, and you won't be under-cutting.

My two cents.

Alexa

Wow 400 for a party with only 8 children. Must be people with to much money. Maybe I should imigrate to Boston.... Nah, I can make about the same, I only have to enjoy more then a 100 children the same time for it.

What to charge also depends so much on the circumstances of the party. Private,school,bussines,how many children, what area, what you are going to do, what day etc. etc. My prices can vary from 70 up to 300 for 1 hour all depending on see above.

You might also want to consider doing a couple of freebies for friends or relatives, just so you can get some experience under your belt and figure out what you're doing. When I did my very first party, I was so clueless that I would have felt guilty accepting any money from anybody. After I did a few parties, I felt much more confident and had no problem grabbing that check with my money-grubbing little clown paw.

Of course, you want to make sure your friends and family members understand why you are doing the party for free so they don't expect such favors in the future when you are more experienced and able to bring in the big bucks.

Something else to consider are your own costs.

How much are you spending on balloons, facepaint, magic tricks? What about gas/car to get to and from a gig? Keeping your costume clean and pressed certainly entails some expenditure. How about continuing development educational concerns? Are there administrative needs (phone, paperwork. computer, advertising, mailings) associated with your clowning? Taxes, licensing, fees?

Initially, one might not be thinking much about this sort of stuff. But if you get rolling a bit you will have to add it all up. For instance, I estimate that it costs me about $25 just to walk out the door in clown. So, that is a base which I must recoup for every gig before I decide upon how much I should be making on top of it. Otherwise, I'll short change myself and not be able to afford doing the work.

Ultimately, the prices you set is all a question of what a market will support. But be sure that you can support yourself or the habit (even if it is just a volunteer endeavor for you) or you could quickly drive yourself dry and out of practicing the art.

Alexa - It is good to see you stopping by the Forum again. I have seen you around FB. Glad to see you caught a decent paying gig I remember reading your post not that long ago about the low rates that seemed to be the norm.

Hi Fitzwilly---

Yeah. I just moved here and already had a month's worth of work booked, starting with that party I mentioned. Please don't think that I priced myself out of the market and wasn't working--I had literally put my name out a few days before I booked that event.

But yes--it is not that Boston is a wealthy area. It is that when people want YOU, no one can undercut you.

Although, you need to work and figure out who you are and what benefits (as opposed to features) only you can bring your client.

My $0.02.

Alexa

This was going to be my questions. But thanks to all of you. I think I have a game plan.