Right on! Love to hear the voice of experience

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Posted by Kenzi on May 30, 2001 at 00:42:25:

In reply to: My Approach - Introducing henna to the masses (slight rant) posted by Anne Beltestad on May 29, 2001 at 18:37:49:

I just finished doing a three-day fair going through all the same
stuff you mention, and even though the aftercare and explanations get
a bit long I wouldn't trade henna in for temporary tatoos or colored
paste or "paste o' death". My fair this weekend was the Dance Africa
Festival and so a lot of the fair-goers were African and African
American, with all different shades of black and brown. I end up
talking some people out of getting henna done. Some very dark
skinned people wanted a design on the back of the neck and sometimes
after explaining that the color doesn't take well on that area
especially on dark skin, the people opted for a design on their
palm. Others walked away. Most people were happy to hear the truth
about black henna and understood my desire to keep my clients healthy.

My aftercare sheet is exhaustive and I give it to the person while i
am working on them so they have something to occupy them. Also, we
pamper our customers, hang out with them, joke with them, keep any
eye on them, carry their bags if they want to change seats etc. We
are there to answer their questions about henna and aftercare. I
feel that some of our efforts to educate people about henna and also
to make the whole experience a wonderful memorable one has made some
inroads. This year, people seem to understand what henna is and more
and more people are opting for hand and feet designs. The booth
right next to mine was offering rub on temporary tattoos and yet, we
still had great business.

Getting rid of my page of $5 designs is the best thing I ever did.
When people see that price they assume that these are temporary
tattoos, but my higher minimum price shows that we are doing
something a little more special...wait, a lot more special! Also,
the higher prices encourages people to make sure their design doesn't
smudge. If we get kids who really want designs then we will pull out
the $5 design page so they can at least get something.

Keep up the good work Anne, I'm paving the way for you in NYC!

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Yay Kenzi! Anne Beltestad 21:28:50 5/30/2001 (0)

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: I just finished doing a three-day fair going through all the same : stuff you mention, and even though the aftercare and explanations get : a bit long I wouldn't trade henna in for temporary tatoos or colored : paste or "paste o' death". My fair this weekend was the Dance Africa : Festival and so a lot of the fair-goers were African and African : American, with all different shades of black and brown. I end up : talking some people out of getting henna done. Some very dark : skinned people wanted a design on the back of the neck and sometimes : after explaining that the color doesn't take well on that area : especially on dark skin, the people opted for a design on their : palm. Others walked away. Most people were happy to hear the truth : about black henna and understood my desire to keep my clients healthy. : : My aftercare sheet is exhaustive and I give it to the person while i : am working on them so they have something to occupy them. Also, we : pamper our customers, hang out with them, joke with them, keep any : eye on them, carry their bags if they want to change seats etc. We : are there to answer their questions about henna and aftercare. I : feel that some of our efforts to educate people about henna and also : to make the whole experience a wonderful memorable one has made some : inroads. This year, people seem to understand what henna is and more : and more people are opting for hand and feet designs. The booth : right next to mine was offering rub on temporary tattoos and yet, we : still had great business. : : Getting rid of my page of $5 designs is the best thing I ever did. : When people see that price they assume that these are temporary : tattoos, but my higher minimum price shows that we are doing : something a little more special...wait, a lot more special! Also, : the higher prices encourages people to make sure their design doesn't : smudge. If we get kids who really want designs then we will pull out : the $5 design page so they can at least get something. : : Keep up the good work Anne, I'm paving the way for you in NYC!
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