Thread: How to get people to tip.

How do you encourage people to tip?
I'm not even sure that people in my area even know that their supposed to tip.
I mean, I don't expect everyone to tip, nor do i expect tips to be big. It just really bothers me when people take pictures and then don't tip.
So how can I let people know they should be tipping?

I've used friends and family "planted" in the room and instructed to show people how to tip, and that they can in fact tip. Most People don't know it's appreciated to tip the BDancers. I've seen a dancer friend of mine print ou these nice triangle cards with one side her dance bio and the other a tipping guide. She put one on each table. I've also done that myself a few times and although it works people will take them. I also have tried a large tipping jar near the register with a card telling folks to tip if they were entertained. Oh, another dancer friend uses a basket dance at the end of her sets. She puts a dollar in the basket and dances with it showing peeps that it has money in it.
I've seen alot of dancer come out with money already placed in the costumes.

Forgot to mention, be aware of the laws in your area about tipping.

a lot of people just don't know if they're supposed to tip. usually i have a friend with me, or i go with my friend to our shows and one or the other will do a money shower in the beginning of the set to start it off. sometimes it works, and other times not. it really depends on the crowd.

I use a plant in the audience, or the Owner starts out the tipping, and I have post cards I put on the tables with a picture of me on one side and a little information on the back about the history of the dance as well as info on tipping. Good luck!

lol zorba. yes, have a friend in the audience or a staff member demonstrate the appropriate method of tipping for the venue. if you accept tips in your belt or glove, try seeding it with a "tip" after the 2nd song. people will usually understand this means you accept tips.

but remember, tipping a dancer during her/his performance is not common in western arts, so it might be a foreign concept, depending on who is in your audience. a little education can go a long way ;)

I have the staff tip me, but whether it works or not also depends on the audience. In one restaurant the staff always tips me, and it's like light bulbs turning on in people's head: "aw, that's how you do it", or "oh ok, she accepts tips", or " I guess we're supposed to tip her", etc. It works.
Another place, which is a hookah lounge, and the average person is a 20 year old American, it doesn't matter if the management or guests tip me, they just don't get it. Or don't want to give up a penny, because they're so broke. Or so cheap. Either way, it doesn't work.

So try different things, and whatever works best, keep that going. I personally don't like the tipping jar / basket at the end of the dance, and I wouldn't use a jar next to the register either, but that might actually work, because non-ME places do use that already, so it's not a strange concept for Western audiences.

I've always known to tip a dancer, singer, musician but for the life of me I can't think why. Maybe a childhood where there were always buskers trying to make a penny or two.
This Christmas I went with students and friends to see a new restaurant dancer..we collected as handful of notes and coins ( quite a pile) and gave it to the young woman.
"Oh no, what are you doing?" she said as we put it in her hands at the end of the night.
In other words the restauranteur hadn't told her what to expect and no one in the preceedings 2 weeks had tipped her!
We told her this was normal and she seemed amazed. Oh the advantage of having an agency behind you.
One rule though as far as I am concerned..be worthy of tipping..I have a choice

i use a seed tip in my costume. i sew a little pocket into all my belts so i have a place to put business cards and don't have to pull them out of my sweaty cleavage when i want to give them to someone, i put a 5 in there.
on a couple of nights when i forgot the seed i ended up with no tips, but it can be a good thing: once someone was getting money out to tip me and his friend said "dude that's disgusting!" another time a customer stopped their friend from tipping by saying "dude, she's not a stripper!". i'd rather have people not tip because they think im too classy than make the extra 10 bucks. them not tipping doesn't ness. mean they're not enjoying the show.
last time i pulled out the seed tip and i heard someone say to their date who was taking out money "can you do that" "well she has some..." and i chimed in and said "you just have to put it in the right spot" and framed the side of my hip. so don't be afraid to speak up about it

Originally Posted by raqFariha

i use a seed tip in my costume. i sew a little pocket into all my belts so i have a place to put business cards and don't have to pull them out of my sweaty cleavage when i want to give them to someone, i put a 5 in there.

That is positively BRILLIANT! That way you can control when you want the "seed" to appear, and then it won't look like a seed tip!

i can't take credit for it, the idea is from secrets of the stage vol2, i just added the pocket ^_^

best tips I ever got, I used my kids- sending small kids with a basket to collect seems to open even the stingiest of pockets. Only works in certain situations (not taking the kiddos to certain events or late nights at the restaurant!)

Originally Posted by raqFariha

i use a seed tip in my costume. i sew a little pocket into all my belts so i have a place to put business cards and don't have to pull them out of my sweaty cleavage when i want to give them to someone, i put a 5 in there.

I've been thinking of sewing in a pocket!! Glad I'm not the only one thinking ahead, plus putting business cards in there, is rather brilliant. I use a seed tip, and some might call it tacky or non verbally asking for money, but it somehow makes it ok for the prude Americans to open up their wallets (thank you Shiraz for that tip!). On occasions more recently where i forget, it just challenges me more to connect with my audience: I smile more, perform a little better and do all i can to entertain at the highest quality (gotta work for that money!).

Honestly, you have to entertain, thats the biggest way i get the most money. I usually stop for tables, dance smile, move on, tip or no tip. If the crowd is feeling it, i encourage them to dance with me, clap, get into it. When i get photographed, I slow down and smile so they get a great picture, not just a whirl of color, and then offer to pose with them.

Remember why you're dancing, if its for the money only, i can guarantee you won't make much and your audience won't connect. If this is your passion, and its all about the dance, then you'll make a good bit of cash :)

Half of the battle when working with mostly American audiences is making them aware that tipping is part of the custom. Arab audiences are aware of the traditions, but many Americans don't even know that there IS a tradition - so you really can't fault them. But you can educate them!

I wrote a fun little how-to article on my website explaining different appropriate ways to tip. And before you poke fun at my "subtle" hinting, most of my customers actually read it and follow the directions! I have had a lot of $100 tip kinda nights (at American parties, no less) after posting this silly blog.

I've danced several times at restaurants and events, never receiving a tip! The feedback on my dancing was excellent.... So imagine my disappointment & I felt like "what am I lacking that makes me not tip worthy". I will try some of the ideas posted here and hopefully my self esteem will improve, as well as cash in my pocket. Thank you!!

No one's said it and it can't be said enough. Your rates should be enough and in line with the region before tips. ..g.:
I've been seeding my belt for years. I think it's tacky to come out with it sticking out though. During the second song or so, during a turn or other inconspicuous moment I unfold it and voila! People know to tip. I'm not dancing at college student hookah places, so I use a $20.
At one venue the staff sometimes starts the tipping.
At another one the owner had printed up cards that they handed out before the belly dance show- it talked about the cultural aspects of the dance and encouraged tipping. It was just business card size- so quite economical to print up even though people walked with them.

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

No one's said it and it can't be said enough. Your rates should be enough and in line with the region before tips. ..g.:

Yes, yes, and YES.

I've discovered the more vigorously a client insists that you'll get tipped, the less likely it is to really happen. "I can't pay you in full, but you'll make tons of tips!" is usually a 100% fool-proof indicator that you'll walk out with half your normal fee and zero tips. Don't fall for it, guys.

Some cool ideas!

I have been dancing out with my seed tip already. I hadn't thought it was tacky but I can see how it would read that way. Generally it works and I start getting tipped during the first song but I might try it your way and see how it goes. At a restaurant that turns tables over pretty quickly I'm not sure if waiting to educate the patrons on tipping will benefit me!

Honestly, its not like I generally can pay some kind of immense bill with the tips so I try not to obsess about whether the lack of tips on any given night is a reflection on my dancing ;P

I'm pretty much going to repeat what was already said:
my Tipping Methods:
1. the 'seeded' tip, come out with a bill planted in my belt. (warning- if you 'plant' a 1$, only expect 1$'s... ;) )
2. If I'm w/ a friend have them tip me to get it started and let meknow its okay and how to do it.
3. The staff or boss will come out and tip me to let everyone know its appreciated
4. One of my bosses (a Turkish place) always asks one of his beloved 'regulars' to 'do the honor' of starting the tipping w/ a big money shower... the customer always feels super excited to have the Honor, hehe it's pretty cute.
I like the method of having little info cards on the dancer/dance/ and tipping... but have never actually done that one myself.

Originally Posted by zorba

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Good one.

Deborah
*considers slinking around the room at the end of a set with dead eyes, basket in hand, and dragging a sword*

Yep, I use a self-seeded tip hidden in my belt or arm band and pulled out on the sly.
I also use a tip jar with a visible bill inside.
I only had two restaurants take time to have staff tip me.

And announcing my newest development as an answer to customers who lament that they only brought a credit card and no cash....online tips or prepaid tips. LOL I still need to make my own button that says "Tip Now" instead of "donate now".

Sacramento Belly Dance Shows ~ Nyla Crystal

Tacky...YES, but Sac restaurants are notorious for low pay...special thanks to a special someone over here in Sacto!
I've had it up for a month and nothing yet, but if anything, it might inspire customers who check out my show page to bring some cash or know to tip me and that it is appreciated!

Originally Posted by Lara L

best tips I ever got, I used my kids- sending small kids with a basket to collect seems to open even the stingiest of pockets. Only works in certain situations (not taking the kiddos to certain events or late nights at the restaurant!)

This could be cute - especially if the child is slightly costumed, maybe with a vest and turban or headpiece.

What can look pitiful, though, is when the dancer herself goes around with a basket after her dance (which I have seen done at Amira in SF's Mission Dist.). Especially if she doesn't get much response.

-Devora

I think it was on 'Secrets of the Stage' where one dancer goes around with a basket or pot balanced on her head and collects tips in it. It's a little more involved than just carrying the basket and it's a nice part of the performance.

I have as yet to dance professionally but I went out and got a brass pot I can balance on my head... just in case.

I also wondered how many tips you would get if you put out a pot or a jar with a sign reading 'Bellydance Costume Fund' on it. 'Bling Addicts Anonymous Donations'?

Originally Posted by shimarella

...Honestly, its not like I generally can pay some kind of immense bill with the tips so I try not to obsess about whether the lack of tips on any given night is a reflection on my dancing ;P

Tipping varies SO much- not just from venue to venue or even to event- but different nights at the same venue and same basic group of people, but different celebration. Some nights are severely lacking, some are AMAZING!
Even if they are generally sparse in your area, they really DO add up over time. :)

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

Tipping varies SO much- not just from venue to venue or even to event- but different nights at the same venue and same basic group of people, but different celebration. Some nights are severely lacking, some are AMAZING!
Even if they are generally sparse in your area, they really DO add up over time. :)

Agreed. Those crumply ones piled up for awhile in a cash box under my bed and then one day I realized I had enough to buy a new costume right there (and so I did)!