what do i charge for all day event?

[Isaac]

i just finished doing a chair massage at a 2 day home expo show. it was hugely popular and i was busy almost the entire time. i was not paid, but i did give out my cards and brochures and made several contacts. it was alot of fun, and everyone loved the short little massages...it was amazing!

several people approached me regarding chair massage at their companies upcoming grand openings, expo's etc... i am excited about these offers, b/cus my goal is to gain table massage clients as i am just begining to build my practice and i need exposure.

i have never done anything like this (the event i just did was arranged through a marketing friend whose client was at the show).

do i need to have a contract? what should it say? anything else i shoud have? i also dont have a clue what to charge...

thanks,

 

[Serendipity2]

Definitely get a contract; decide what your rate is and put it in, as well as the hours you will be there, break times, who will be with you to cover breaks (if anyone), and that you will collect a check at the end of the event (that same day).

Don't sell yourself short on the rate because the saying in the biz is "Chair clients don't become table clients." Not that you will get none, but generally, chair work leads to very little table work, so resist any temptation to work for free or little pay. You will find that companies and event planners love to ask for free chair massage services because they say "it's a great way to promote your business." (In reality what has happened is that the corporate world now thinks that chair massage at events should be free!)

I charge $85/hour for event or onsite chair massage. Generally your chair rate will be around what your table rate is. Some charge less than for table because there are no linen isssues; I charge more because chair is more work for me, physically and psychically (all those people in a short amount of time, very public, doing meet-&-greet and triage while actually working tissue).

Good luck and have fun at the events!

 

[supersetter1989]

As my business coach / client says: take your hourly rate for your high dollar treatment triple or quadruple it, and add $75 minimum to that figure but preferably $100............. the reason for this type of pricing scale she says is to give your preparation time value, your drive time value, your recovery time after the event value, etc. SO, if your highest rate is $80/hr then tripled, that's $240 plus $100 --- for a 4 hour event, in-town, minimal driving, the fee is $340. If there is more driving, more than 1/2 hour prep/packing, etc. then more $$$$ added to the fee you ask. Set the fee higher than you think you should, set it with confidence, and, if necessary let them negotiate you down to what you would set as "more reasonable"

Know how many hours you are being asked to work [more than 4 doing chair work is horrendous on your body]

Know how many individuals you will be asked to potentially work with during the event.

Put a premium value on your skills.... it pays off in the long run.