Question:
I have asked to have a table at a local primary school fundraising fair but am having cold feet! I have read a couple of old threads about this being successful, but my concern is that there will be kids running around madly everywhere and the parents will not want to sit down - partly because the kids will run offbut also cos people will be staring at them. I was wondering if instead I should have something to attract the kids (e.g sell lollipops so I can make my donation to the fundraising), have some leaflets and info on the table then just do demonstrations on a couple of friends.
Am I being daft? I just keep thinking that maybe this is not a good setting for me, but I really need to get my face and name known locally (for my business). I have also applied to be at the pre-school group pamper evening but I have no problems with this.
Thankyou all as ever,
Florence
You could always ask the school if they have anything you can use to section yourself off abit, and give your clients some privacy. It really does depend on what you are going to be doing. I have done back massages, where I have used partioning, and another time, hand and foot massages, where I placed the chairs behind a table. On the table all I had was leaflets and pricelists.
Personnally, I wouldnt sell lollipops. This may detract from what you are doing! Also, talk to the staff, or people organising the event, and tell them of you worry about children rushing around. I'm sure it wont be too bad!! Just be organised, and prepared, and it'll be fine. Mine have always been quite successfull.
I assume you will only be giving 'taster' sessions. You could tell your clients how much more relaxing it is when done in the correct environment!
Good luck!
Tj:)
Hi there
I've just been to a fundraiser for my daughter's school and from what I seen most people were there either there with partners/husbands and children or with friends/family and children so maybe while you are giving someone a taster session, the children can most probably be looked after by another adult? I also do Indian Head Massages and whenI attended a recent fair and had a go of being a recipient for a change, i wasn't bothered that people might be looking at me, it was so nice just to be chilled out for a change. It might be a good thing anyway for people looking, this way they see what you are doing and may encourage them to have a treatment too. On another note, without being too nosey or personal, do you do the treatments and all proceeds to the fundraiser or are you able to make some money for yourself as well as promoting your business? I too have thought about this but am unsure how to approach the schools. My hubby says I should ask for a percentage of the proceeds but I'mnot sure if all proceeds should go to the school. Very undecisive so input on other therapists experiences would be nice.
Good luck with this venture - it will turn out great I'm sure. Oh and instead of selling lollipops, if you really want something to distract the children, what about providing some colouring pencils and colouring in sheets, that way they could be kept busy if there was no one to watch over them, you could maybe offer a sweet at the end of the session?
Good luck.
Tracey
Thankyou TJ and Tracey. I feel much better now!
I was planning on 10 or 15 mins, charging £2 and £3 respectively and donating all of it to the school. I live in a village where I don't know many people and this is the local school. I thought by donating everything to the school they would be more willing to let me have a pitch and people will think I am so generous they will be queuing to make an appointment (ha, ha!).
I have always donated the money too. I have always charged £5, for 15 mins. I have always been busy at these events, so thought I had pitched myself about right. I guess you know how much people in your area will pay, but you have to think what you would charge for a treatment, and then work from that.
Again, good luck!!
Tj:D
I just thought I'd let you know how I got on at the school fair! I was on a table at the end and ended up doing 10min sessions for £1 minimum donation, of which all proceeds went to the school. I had 11 people in about 2 hrs and 20 mins, cos 2 people came up at the end of the fair and asked if I could squeeze them in. It went really well - even when one of the local kids was making a racket by constantly leaning on the horn of the display tractor. I asked the woman I was treating at the time to imagine herself in a nice quiet room!A couple of them went away andrecommended me to their friends who then came and had a session.
Apart from a bit of sunburn, it was well worth doing. And I didn't need anything to distract the kids either.
Thanks for the support!
Flo x
Hi Florence
Well done at the school fair. That was a good amount of people you treated. Did you get any business out of it afterwards? Was that the first one you did and how did you feel before it? I bet you felt chuffed afterwards, especially being recommended and others asking for a treatment. Hopefully people were quite generous with their donations and you'll be asked again in the future. It's something I've thought about asking to do for my daughters school. Well done!
Tracey
Am I being daft? I just keep thinking that maybe this is not a good setting for me, but I really need to get my face and name known locally (for my business). I have also applied to be at the pre-school group pamper evening but I have no problems with this.
Thankyou all as ever,
Florence
Answers:
You could always ask the school if they have anything you can use to section yourself off abit, and give your clients some privacy. It really does depend on what you are going to be doing. I have done back massages, where I have used partioning, and another time, hand and foot massages, where I placed the chairs behind a table. On the table all I had was leaflets and pricelists.
Personnally, I wouldnt sell lollipops. This may detract from what you are doing! Also, talk to the staff, or people organising the event, and tell them of you worry about children rushing around. I'm sure it wont be too bad!! Just be organised, and prepared, and it'll be fine. Mine have always been quite successfull.
I assume you will only be giving 'taster' sessions. You could tell your clients how much more relaxing it is when done in the correct environment!
Good luck!
Tj:)
Answers:
Hi there
I've just been to a fundraiser for my daughter's school and from what I seen most people were there either there with partners/husbands and children or with friends/family and children so maybe while you are giving someone a taster session, the children can most probably be looked after by another adult? I also do Indian Head Massages and whenI attended a recent fair and had a go of being a recipient for a change, i wasn't bothered that people might be looking at me, it was so nice just to be chilled out for a change. It might be a good thing anyway for people looking, this way they see what you are doing and may encourage them to have a treatment too. On another note, without being too nosey or personal, do you do the treatments and all proceeds to the fundraiser or are you able to make some money for yourself as well as promoting your business? I too have thought about this but am unsure how to approach the schools. My hubby says I should ask for a percentage of the proceeds but I'mnot sure if all proceeds should go to the school. Very undecisive so input on other therapists experiences would be nice.
Good luck with this venture - it will turn out great I'm sure. Oh and instead of selling lollipops, if you really want something to distract the children, what about providing some colouring pencils and colouring in sheets, that way they could be kept busy if there was no one to watch over them, you could maybe offer a sweet at the end of the session?
Good luck.
Tracey
Answers:
Thankyou TJ and Tracey. I feel much better now!
I was planning on 10 or 15 mins, charging £2 and £3 respectively and donating all of it to the school. I live in a village where I don't know many people and this is the local school. I thought by donating everything to the school they would be more willing to let me have a pitch and people will think I am so generous they will be queuing to make an appointment (ha, ha!).
Answers:
I have always donated the money too. I have always charged £5, for 15 mins. I have always been busy at these events, so thought I had pitched myself about right. I guess you know how much people in your area will pay, but you have to think what you would charge for a treatment, and then work from that.
Again, good luck!!
Tj:D
Answers:
I just thought I'd let you know how I got on at the school fair! I was on a table at the end and ended up doing 10min sessions for £1 minimum donation, of which all proceeds went to the school. I had 11 people in about 2 hrs and 20 mins, cos 2 people came up at the end of the fair and asked if I could squeeze them in. It went really well - even when one of the local kids was making a racket by constantly leaning on the horn of the display tractor. I asked the woman I was treating at the time to imagine herself in a nice quiet room!A couple of them went away andrecommended me to their friends who then came and had a session.
Apart from a bit of sunburn, it was well worth doing. And I didn't need anything to distract the kids either.
Thanks for the support!
Flo x
Answers:
Hi Florence
Well done at the school fair. That was a good amount of people you treated. Did you get any business out of it afterwards? Was that the first one you did and how did you feel before it? I bet you felt chuffed afterwards, especially being recommended and others asking for a treatment. Hopefully people were quite generous with their donations and you'll be asked again in the future. It's something I've thought about asking to do for my daughters school. Well done!
Tracey
1 2