Re: Need advice

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Posted by Erika on August 28, 2003 at 19:30:21:

In reply to: Need advice posted by Jeanie on August 28, 2003 at 16:46:20:

I worked at an India Fest this past year as a volunteer. I did it
thinking that it would lead to business, but it did not and I won't
make that mistake again. I did not want to set up a booth because
the booth fee was $300 for the day and there were probably 10 henna
artists. I know I would have made back my $300 on henna alone (even
at very low prices). I worked non-stop throughout the day and
turned people away at the end of the day. I brought my own henna in
j-bottles. The other ladies that were doing henna were not
professionals, just nice Indian ladies that volunteered their time.
They used cones or ziplock bags with a corner cut open. Their skill
level was extremely low. An anglo guy sat down next to me to do
henna. I thanked him for making it look like I wasn't the one
sticking out as unusual;~) He used my j-bottles. We, being
professionals and using better tools, had a much higher skill
level. The Indian ladies had no line at times where we never saw
the end of our lines.

You will have to lower your prices though. We were only able to
charge $3 for a simple design, $5 for a central hand design and one
finger, and $10 for a full hand. I would choose several hand deigns
that you like to do and can do quickly. Even if you are more
skilled, you won't be able to compete if you're charging $10 for a
small design. The most popular designs seem to be the hand designs
that go from the wrist and up one finger. The arabic style...bolder
stuff. Watch your henna and j-bottles. I had ladies keep grabbing
them to "borrow" and I ended up losing 5 j-bottles by the end of the
day.

Personally, I would go for it.

Best of luck,
Erika

Follow Ups

Re: Need advice Jeanie 19:55:46 8/28/2003 (4)
- Re: Need advice Natasha 13:21:23 8/29/2003 (1)
  - you're a poet and you didn't know it! Raina 15:09:34 8/29/2003 (0)
- Re: Need advice Ilithiya 21:07:27 8/28/2003 (0)
- Re: Need advice Erika 20:35:26 8/28/2003 (0)

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: I worked at an India Fest this past year as a volunteer. I did it : thinking that it would lead to business, but it did not and I won't : make that mistake again. I did not want to set up a booth because : the booth fee was $300 for the day and there were probably 10 henna : artists. I know I would have made back my $300 on henna alone (even : at very low prices). I worked non-stop throughout the day and : turned people away at the end of the day. I brought my own henna in : j-bottles. The other ladies that were doing henna were not : professionals, just nice Indian ladies that volunteered their time. : They used cones or ziplock bags with a corner cut open. Their skill : level was extremely low. An anglo guy sat down next to me to do : henna. I thanked him for making it look like I wasn't the one : sticking out as unusual;~) He used my j-bottles. We, being : professionals and using better tools, had a much higher skill : level. The Indian ladies had no line at times where we never saw : the end of our lines. : : You will have to lower your prices though. We were only able to : charge $3 for a simple design, $5 for a central hand design and one : finger, and $10 for a full hand. I would choose several hand deigns : that you like to do and can do quickly. Even if you are more : skilled, you won't be able to compete if you're charging $10 for a : small design. The most popular designs seem to be the hand designs : that go from the wrist and up one finger. The arabic style...bolder : stuff. Watch your henna and j-bottles. I had ladies keep grabbing : them to "borrow" and I ended up losing 5 j-bottles by the end of the : day. : : Personally, I would go for it. : : Best of luck, : Erika
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