Working an Event for Less Than Normal Rate?

[dnt4get2luvme]

I was forwarded an ad today for a chiro office looking for someone to do chair massage for the grand opening in their new location in the next city over from my home. The rate they are offering is about $5 an hour less than what my current price sheet states for corporate/large group chair work, but obviously more than sitting at home working on purging my storage closet or whatever else I would be doing that day.

I am looking at the event as both a source of some income {which I obviously need, who doesn't?} and a way to make my name & skill known in a city & area I'd love to work in. There is the option of the gig becoming a part time job in the chiro's office according to the person who forwarded it to me {she apparently called and scoped it out, the low pay rate made her suspicious} which I would love if the chiro and I 'click' and she's not looking for medical massage. Complex issues are one thing, doing nothing but those wore me out fast mentally and physically the one time I tried it.

So I guess my question becomes- is there something wrong/demeaning to our craft to accept a job at a small reduction in fee when it has the potential to bring in much needed funds and grow into something making much more?

 

[JaneM]

Working an Event for Less Than Normal Rate?

Nope, not at all. I've done it occasionally, even when there was no possible opportunity of it turning into something else. It still gives me a chance to meet people, talk to them about massage, market myself. I look at each and every chance as 'You never know. They may come in, they may remember me when someone mentions they're looking for massage and refer them, they may buy a gift card for someone else." And, practically speaking, it's money that I wouldn't have otherwise, if I'm not turning away people at the shop to do it.

The two recent ones I did, one was chair at a bachelorette party at a local hotel. Rather than my flat outcall rate ($75/hr), I let them pay me individually. She's given other parties before and always calls me to do chair at them, and it was a Sat. night when I wasn't doing anything else anyway. The other was an employee appreciation day at a local engineering firm last fall, and their rate was $60/hr but a guaranteed 3 hours no matter how many I did. Since they scheduled it way in advance, I was able to mark that day out and schedule anyone else on other days that week at the shop. A couple of the men there ended up coming in before Christmas and buying gcs for their wives. At the party, they asked about our other services and I had cards and brochures to give them. Who knows, one or two may come in at some point, but at least it gets our name out to yet another group of people.

When someone asks about my outcall rate, I give them the regular rate but I'm pretty willing to work with them in cases like these. Or yours!

 

[aredsailjunk]

Working an Event for Less Than Normal Rate?

Incremental revenue is incremental revenue -- and is a good thing at nearly any rate.

When it become substitute revenue -- if you bump any other clients to do this work -- then you get into trouble.

Look at your reduced pay as a "marketing expense."

 

[jvjonster]

Working an Event for Less Than Normal Rate?

Slightly less is still good income. Events like this can be effective marketing to potential clients and a way for a possible source of referrals to become familiar with you. It really comes down to how well you make use of the opportunity, and how the potential of this event stacks up against other work you might do instead during that time frame.

Though I co-own a large multi-therapist practice, I enjoy doing events like this myself because it is a welcome change of pace and a chance for me to market our business. I am particularly good at generating repeat clientele and medical referrals, and I know the strengths of each of our MTs so I can "sell" any or all of them to potential clients. The few hours I spend at an event may become many hours of work for our team as a whole later on. I also volunteer many hours of time doing sports massage events, as the practice and exposure not only generate referrals and clients, but I can use that experience in our marketing.

 

[Karmaman]

Working an Event for Less Than Normal Rate?

I make WAY less than most Mt's do,I work at a Chiro office. But after a much needed break from massage and just getting back into things again it is perfect for me.
5 minutes from my house...4 days a week,perfect hours,awesome boss. Slowly building a decent clientele. Most importantly I am happy with where I work and who I work with,that in itself is worth more to me than monetary rewards.

What I am getting at is sometimes money isn't everything,if it benefits you and still is bringing in an income and you are happy...its worth the so called monetary loss.

 

[. otto.saxo .]

Working an Event for Less Than Normal Rate?

I agree with the others here.

My own philosophy is, if I worked to bring in the client, I get my full rate, minus whatever special or discount may apply, if any.
If someone ELSE passed me the client and I'm working in their space (i.e. took me to a gig, got me in somewhere, etc, like at a chiro-doc's office, or a chair massage gig somewhere, or whatever), I accept a discounted rate. I've even worked out arrangements for other MTs where they had to go on sabbatical from their practice and I agreed to see their clients at my office for their (lower) rate. The reason I accept a lower rate is because someone else did the footwork to gain me access to that business and then basically handed it to me; I didn't have to put my own time, effort, or any advertising dollars into obtaining that client for myself. Also, if I'm working at another indoor facility (i.e. not an outdoor event), there are bills to be paid to keep that place running that should, both in fairness and by necessity, translate into a lower payout to me than the facility brought in. (Of course the same could be said for covering any overhead at an outdoor even, too, like booth/space rental, entrance fees, etc.)

That said, I do have my "floor", though - a set (publicly undisclosed) amount that I will not go below, kind of like a reserve on Ebay. It's good to set this for yourself when you have adequate time to think about it and while not under pressure, before you get put on the spot. I had set mine at like $25/hr, with a 4-hour minimum, or $35/hr with a 2-hour minimum. Of course, I didn't immediately jump to that or name that as my price when someone called me with an opportunity. That's just the minimum it would take to get me to attend.

Hope that made sense LOL. Blood sugar's starting to tank.