To get through the upcoming slow months? I know, it hasn't slowed down just yet, but we all know it will right after Xmas.... so, what's your plan of attack?

I just started a colouring contest on my website, facebook group and to bring to public events. The prize is $50 off one of my top two priced party packages. The goals for this are:
A) To put myself in front of some more families with another party
B) To start building an email list to send out occasional reminders about public appearances, my services being available for seasonal parties they might be helping to organize, etc.
C) To get the birthdays and ages of their kids so that as they come up, I can send them a little reminder email about, "hey! You're planning a party soon!"

Thoughts? What are YOU doing to push yourself out of your comfort zone and into your customers' lines of sight?

Wow, great ideas! I need something to get customers now! I'm still dealing with my back and stuff, but I don't really want to live on disability.

I've compressed my per item a la cart services into packages, so it's less confusing and a little cheaper and offered specials. I'm thinking of starting a free newsletter about party planning and possibly have parents write in with an advice column. I wouldn't give the advice, of course. That would be like a janitor giving advice on rocket building! People who comment on my site (I'm getting traffic, but people aren't ordering...sigh) will be automatically signed up (with their permission.) Also, many upgrades to my site are being considered to increase traffic and appeal.
I would like to have some kind of survey to find out when birthdays are and get email addresses for the mailing list. They wouldn't be anonymous surveys, of course. But I could also use them to get constructive criticism from the public to see what they really want. This forum is great, but I'd also like other people's opinion. Any other ideas? Construction criticism, only, please!

Well, any kind of promotional thing will help you get customers as soon as possible... I"m must bringing it up now because now is the time to push BEFORE the slow months start rather than waiting until things stop then pushing and by the time your push takes effect, you're back into busy season.

I've been advertising on Kijiji and have gotten quite a few hits from there for bookings (it's a free classified website that LOTS of people around here use).... I've also recently had people coming in off of google searches for clowns in my area which has me absolutely ecstatic because that's what I've been really pushing for. Yellow pages costs an absolute fortune around here and I can't afford $90/month to be in there when I don't even look up stuff in there most of the time.

So, any other ideas to promote yourself? Or do you all just coast through it until next spring?

Hey, I'm all for planning. Kind of why I'm working on this email list/birthday list/etc.... for contacts to market TO. I hadn't been collecting this kind of information all the time before and want to start doing it so that I can stay their "regular clown" so when they think, "hey, we need something for entertainment..." they think of ME!

At the same time, since this is the only job I've got other than being mom, I can do that other stuff during the week. Most gigs are on the weekends and I can't afford to have a new year like the last one where I've got 3 months of absolute zero. So, for those of us without 20 years of contacts for repeat business ;) What do you do for NEW contacts?

I feel like I am running in many different directions. I don't currently have a day job, which in theory should mean I have more time...

I have been working on promoting Sir Toony. I went out to one of the local farmers markets last week, did a little juggling, and handed the kids a small version of Sir Toony's coloring page. Hopefully, a few will make it on the fridge where mom and dad will see it and think of Sir Toony when planning a party. I also ran into the organizer for the farmers market and other events (I had exchanged a few emails before going) and she said her boss saw me and was interested in seeing if I could come for their Octoberfest. I am waiting to hear back from her with details.

I am doing some freelance website development for my clown friends and a few local non-profit organizations. I had been doing all as free work, but hope to find paying customers.

I am supposed to work one of the local fall festivals. It doesn't pay as much as clowning, but it is better than nothing. I worked with they last year and hope to pick up some extra weekday hours instead of just the weekends like last year.

I am also looking for the new day job.

Hopefully, between the above efforts, I will continue to be able to pay my bills. But, welcome any suggestions on finding more work.

Hey, I'm all for planning. Kind of why I'm working on this email list/birthday list/etc.... for contacts to market TO. I hadn't been collecting this kind of information all the time before and want to start doing it so that I can stay their "regular clown" so when they think, "hey, we need something for entertainment..." they think of ME!

At the same time, since this is the only job I've got other than being mom, I can do that other stuff during the week. Most gigs are on the weekends and I can't afford to have a new year like the last one where I've got 3 months of absolute zero. So, for those of us without 20 years of contacts for repeat business ;) What do you do for NEW contacts?
That's exactly what I'm planning on doing for the same reasons(except I'm disabled instead of being a parent, unless pets count!)
I tried Kijiji several times. I think I'm doing something wrong because I haven't even gotten one call. I'm kinda new to the whole advertising thing so what looks good to me might not appeal to the general public? I don't have any business so I could really use some. I'd like to avoid getting onto disability if I can. That's why the newsletter. I'd like to advertise to the people who maybe never thought of hiring a clown before. Maybe we could compare campaigns? Just a thought.

I should say I haven't had any calls recently, lol! I've had gigs before just not since my family reunion!

I'm suppossed to plan? I've never had to do that before. No one told me this clowning thing was going to be so hard. Ah! What do I do now?

I have been busy this year, just January to March was completely dead... now I know that it's slow season, it won't be hopping I realize, but I would like to have something going during that time that generates a little income. We've been absolutely ecstatic to be able to pay cash for groceries instead of them going on credit and sinking further and further... the little income I've gotten from clowning has stopped our downward spiral and it has really changed a lot around here.

My ads on kijiji are nothing special, just a brief statement of what I do and they can get more details on my website. So they find me through kijiji and my website gets them to call me or email me. On that front, I think having a clean, organized website is helping as well as simple options for a party (do you want A, B or C?).

I emailed the lady who organized a fall festival last November the other day, but even if that one pans out, I need some winter time prospects and don't have much to draw from. I've been thinking about putting an ad in the local parenting magazine that goes out to all the schools and stuff, but since it's free for parents to take one, it's very expensive to place an ad in it. I don't know that I'm ready to spend $200 on one little ad that might not bring me anything at all.... I already spent too much on advertising on a website that hasn't gotten me anything (not doing that again).

Maybe the website's my prob. I didn't have one at the time. Just a MySpace page (the site's pretty new, so I'm still in the process of upgrading my business cards, too) I'll have to try again. Thanks, Perry!

What about emphasizing on your website/other materials that your entertainment is a good choice for Halloween and Christmas parties? I think it would be fun to have a face painter at a Christmas party for kids!

it is a good idea and I have done a few staff xmas parties... I am trying to push for January and February though too. Staff xmas parties usually hire face painters and twisters but not so much for a show from what I've seen... just FYI for those who are looking into it.

For Valentines Day, I have used the 5 inch heart balloons and made "heart flower balloons." They are easy to make and everyone always likes them a lot.

I am also looking for the new day job.

Hopefully, between the above efforts, I will continue to be able to pay my bills. But, welcome any suggestions on finding more work.Rat Race Rebellion - Screened work at home job leads from Staffcentrix (http://www.ratracerebellion.com/jobs-lists.htm)

Here is a website that has a list of job boards that may help you find some openings:

sorry if I seem like I feel like I've tried everything... I probably already have done most of the things that will work. I just feel like I should be doing more... but my paycheques with this will probably never match my husband's income, so I'll just keep plugging along. Keep the ideas coming though guys. :D

Don't forget the power of a good, interesting professional looking website and making this website to as easily to be find on the web as possible. Doing this by good SEO, linking pages, advertisement pages, general sale sites, addwords etc. etc.

Everywhere you are there can be new customers so be talkative about your work. Let people know what you are doing Always have your busines cards ready to hand out. Network before and after a party. I never leave directly after a party. Stay and talk to as much people as possible.

Always hand out your coloringpages and/or postcards with website and phonenumber on it out to the children.

Have your name,phonenumber and website on your suitcases, props etc. Heve your name,phonenumber and website on your car. Try to use the same colours, pictures, lettertype as a logo in your layout of everything. So you can become a brand as much as possible.

This year january and march were even more hopeless then it was in other years. (creditcrisis??) You can feel frustrated about these months you can save in the good months so you can survive these low months. I believe it is just part of the job. These months are great to develope new acts and to get ready for the months to come.

Last but not least be good in your work and distinquish yourself on the market. It must become to be YOU they want not just a clown they want on their party.

I understand that it is part of the business to have a slow time and I agree about the colouring pages, business cards, website... absolutely.

But you can take the down time or you can try to do something about it. I would love to have at least one or two things a month during those slow months. Of course we save since we know it's coming but wouldn't it be a nice surprise to go into the spring already having started the ball rolling? :D

Absolutely Perry Noia. I do not mean to do nothing. I also believe every gig in you get in January is worth ten times more then one in June. Im so happy that there are also babys born in january, february march and that in february we got 4 days of carnaval here in Holland. Probably Im talking to myself about this frustration. Because in my first years of clowning I found it hard to not feel frustrated about it.

Perry, do you have a regular restaurant gig? If not, that might be something beneficial to work on. Then you'd still be in the public eye, and able to practice your skills regularly?

I have been working like crazy to get one... unfortunately, the restaurants around here won't put out the money for it. There are a couple of local entertainers that have been really working them besides me and only two restaurants in the whole city are doing it. I've approached a few of them and offered to do 2 hours for $75 with up to half in GC's... they still won't go for it.

I read somewhere, about someone offering to do a couple of hours free, just so the restaurant can see what a great benefit you are to their business, and hear from their clientele that they are thrilled to have you there. I don't know if you can do that financially, but it's an idea.

We are blessed that we get to stay busy, but I never quit promotting us. Right now I am doing a mailing to daycares all over the USA I market different areas at different times. And this adds alot to our already busy schedule
Spangle