Thread: First time I've had to respond to a request to dance for free

Go figure...this is the first time I have had to respond to a request to dance for free. Help me with wordsmithing... so I come across as kind and not rude...

Here is the request:
"I coordinate evening "meetings" for the (Name removed) Mother's Club. Each month, we gather to learn something new. Would you be willing to conduct a one session belly dancing workshop for a group of about 20 women in January or March? We don't have a budget to pay speakers, but the workshop would give you exposure to a group of women who may be interested in continuing to learn the art of belly dancing and mention in our newsletter both to advertise the event and recap it afterwards."

Thanks but no thanks?
Quote them my non-profit rate?

I'd also like to respond about the "women may be interested in continuing to learn the art of belly dancing" because I don't actively seek students because I teach at a well-established studio and they sort of just come to me.

Please post kind response below (and allow me permission to copy it)

I recently had a very nice request like this, and I responded by thanking them for the inquiry put pointing out that I run a business, and if I danced for free everytime I was offered "exposure," I would almost never get paid. I explained that the off-chance that one or two of the people that see me at their event may take a class or two, or book me for a job is not enough "payment" for the time and effort involved in each gig. My time is money!

I'd just tell them that the exposure doesn't have value for me, my non-profit rate is X, and thank you.

Well, actually, I'd probably take the gig, but my situation is different. I earn a living from my classes and on average each new student is worth just over $150 to me (on average, a new student will sign up for 1.5 sessions at $54/session plus brings at least one friend or word of mouth).

I would have charged about $175 in my area (probably less for a non-profit) but I'd have to spend at least that much on advertising to bring in the same number of students.

Since the group has no budget for entertainment, I'm not taking anyone's paying gig. So I take these IF the group is a good target market for me.

Of course, in your situation, where your venue is doing all your promotion for you, there's no reason to do the gig! I'm just putting my reasoning out there for others on the board.

Thank you for your interest, however, as most business', my services as an entertainer and instructor are not free. I do however offer a non-profit discount which I would be happy to offer you. My regular fee is _____, my non-profit is ______. If you are still interested and would like to book a class, please contact me so I can get the contract to you asap.

***Contracts are my best friend! After all - it's Show Business - Not Show Friends! My friend Tori gave me that jewel.

Dear ____,

Your Mother's Club sounds like an interesting group of women!

As a working dancer who depends on my dance income, I'm afraid I'm not in a position to give my services away for free. I need to focus my time and energy on paid engagements. Do you think your attendees would be willing to pay my standard lesson rate, just as if they dropped into one of my classes at the studio where I teach? My rate is $____ per person per class. If each of your attendees were willing to pay this, I'd love to come teach a dance class for them!

Maybe suggest this gig to someone else in your community who is starting to build contacts or a semi-pro who is willing and able to do this sort of gig for the experience.

Now if the club has had other dance instructor's who previously taught them dance, I'd quote them your non-profit rate. IMO.

Sorry, I'm not a good wordsmith.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Since the group has no budget for entertainment, I'm not taking anyone's paying gig. So I take these IF the group is a good target market for me.

Lauren, I don't agree with this point, though. I would not assume that they really don't have a budget for it (in spite of what they say).

I do one-off lessons, one-off lessons with a performance, etc. (with fees varying accordingly) and there is no way I'd do it for free unless it were a charity fundraiser/educational event or some such. Even then I'd try to get an honorarium. The last charity event that contacted me, I got the usual "we've got not budget, but you'll get exposure" schtick, but I quoted my regular rate (because they are a BIG charity), offered them a non-profit discount, and everybody was happy.

This sounds like a ladies' social club, so I highly doubt they can't pool some resources for this. If they don't have a budget for "speakers" or teachers, then they shouldn't try to get them for free.

ALso, I've got to say that in all the one-time lessons/ladies' night sort of things I've done, they have never generated business for my studio (despite ladies seeming to enjoy themselves, taking a bunch of business cards, etc.). So the exposure bit just doesn't fly with me. Show me the money!

Nisaa

Andalee,
I think others have given you great wordsmithing choices. Perhaps you could offer to do the session for $5 per person with a 15 person minimum..or $10 per person with a 10 person minimum or...set any rate you want. You could then offer to put each person's fee toward enrollment in a session with you if they sign up and pay for a session in full within 90 days.

***IMO: I wouldn't take this for less than $10pp with a 15 person minimum. I normally charge $25pp with a 10 person minimum for this kind of thing.***

Originally Posted by *Shira*

Dear ____,

Your Mother's Club sounds like an interesting group of women!

As a working dancer who depends on my dance income, I'm afraid I'm not in a position to give my services away for free. I need to focus my time and energy on paid engagements. Do you think your attendees would be willing to pay my standard lesson rate, just as if they dropped into one of my classes at the studio where I teach? My rate is per person per class. If each of your attendees were willing to pay this, I'd love to come teach a dance class for them!

Love this suggestion. But too late, I already sent her a reply.


"__blank___ forwarded me your contact information since she has moved out of town. I wanted to respond and I hope you don't mind that I am contacting you. I am sorry to say that I do not offer workshops or performances for free. I could offer you the nonprofit rate of $___, but that is about all I can do for you. I am trying to build a list of clientele and the more things I give away, the more opportunity it gives others to ask for free things. Don't get me wrong, I love doing good things for the community (I work at a non-profit) but belly dancing is an expensive business to run (costumes, rehearsal, music, training, etc). With these economic times, I simply can't afford to perform or teach for free. I appreciate your willingness to offer free publicity via your newsletter, but because I teach at a studio that does all the marketing and recruiting students for me, I am not sure what the benefit would be for me"...

Then as inappropriate as this may seem I offered her a free folic acid educational session for the mother's group, because it's relevant and it is also what I do for a living.

In case you were confused, this lady asked my friend for information, but my friend moved, so my friend replied to this woman saying that I would be contacting her. I couldn't just leave her hanging, I had to respond one way or another.

Originally Posted by nayastrance

Andalee,
I think others have given you great wordsmithing choices. Perhaps you could offer to do the session for $5 per person with a 15 person minimum..or $10 per person with a 10 person minimum or...set any rate you want. You could then offer to put each person's fee toward enrollment in a session with you if they sign up and pay for a session in full within 90 days.

***IMO: I wouldn't take this for less than $10pp with a 15 person minimum. I normally charge $25pp with a 10 person minimum for this kind of thing.***

Thanks, I like your suggestions.

With the quote I gave her it would be about $10 per person if 10 people came...uh...yeah do the math...I just didn't think to offer it in a per person type of way, which would make a lot of sense.

Also, I can't offer discounts for enrollment because it goes through the studio (their class rate is $10 per student, so it's all about the same around here).

Nisaa, just a quick response -- I do always try for an honorarium/reduced rate first and usually get it.

But if there's no budget, and the group simply never pays for speakers, I'll do it for free (assuming it's a big group and hits my target of women age 25-45 who live within my area).

I do get a big chunk of my business from these things, it's much more effective than any other kind of advertising I can buy.

I have had a number of nice requests like this. And although I like to do community service I cannot perform or dance for free unless it is a hafla/showcase type venue just for fun. There are some nicely worded notes above you should send one of them to mother's club. All I know is every time I give a serious discount or end up doing a gig for practically free I kick myself later cause it is so much work!

When I was a magazine publisher, I was asked to speak to groups ALL THE TIME, and never paid. I spoke to everything from the Mothers of Twins group to the CPI home office (over 200 people). I spoke to groups of entrepreneurs and students. No one ever offered to pay me, I did it as PR for my magazine or sent my marketing director. And when I put together parenting series, I got free speakers (even though it was a for-profit series) from the police department, private therapists, the Credit Counseling Agency, local colleges and banks -- no one ever asked for payment.

I'm not saying that we can't refuse -- of course we can. But I'd keep it really brief, like "Sorry, I'm not able to do that. Good luck finding someone for your meeting!" I also think it's OK to say "I'd love to, but I have to ask if you have the budget to provide an honorarium of $XX to offset my expenses."

Giving too much explanation (when the last 99 professionals they asked were delighted to speak to the group for free) might make us look testy and cranky.

I would respond along the lines of..."At the present, I am concentrating on paid bookings. My normal rate is ___, however, I am more than willing to offer a special non-profit rate of ___ for your organization."