If this was your new business what would you do?

[trinityhope]

Really seem to be struggling here. Just wondered if anyone would give this some thought.

If this was your business how would you go about promoting it?

Childrens makeup parties aimed at 4-9. Glittery makeovers, nails, footspas, dresing up assessories, tattoos, ..............


I have tried lots of things really....... I still have alot to do.
Just curious as to what others might do to get things moving.

[Tinkabell]

Do you have a website that we can have a look at?

[MerrilyMe]

I guess i'm perhaps in a minority but i've got 4 girls of 2 to nearly 9 and i have to be honest, i just wouldn't book something like this for them; the glamourising of childhood horrifies me. I don't mean to do down your idea but i wonder if it is just that a lot of mums might wonder if it is opening as can of worms they'd rather not indulge their little girls in so early?

If that is possibly so, i wonder if upping your target age range, or "wholesoming" your idea somehow - maybe Princess Glitter Parties or something that teaches them to do something less adult-esque might be good as an alternative option?

Please don't take this the worng way, just a thought from a slightly too prim and proper mummy :)

[Al1x]

i kind of think the same thing as Merrily about that... princess or pirate parties sound better than makeup and tattoo parties!

i'd have thought that flyers in places where mums are likely to be would be a good place to start!

[sadierhianne]

There's an hairdressers local to me called girls world, they are always booked up months and months in advance - they do a princess party where all the little girls get a princess dress to wear with the birthday girl getting the biggest sparkliest dress.

For an extortionate amount of dosh they do their hair and apply very sparingly glittery play make up - the hair includes twisted bits, it looks quite nice.

I agree with what Merry said but i think that around the age of 9 little girls start to like this sort of stuff - i know my three year old will do anything to get into my make up - she doesn't see me applying makeup but she loves it - last week she put on my super dooper lancom (sp?) mascara, it took me 4 days to get her to not look like a panda. I keep hiding makeup yet she always finds it.

So whilst i think that some parents would not like their kids to be slapped in make up there are some who really don't have an issue and i think that there is a market for it.

I'd ask dance schools in your area to hand out a leaflet - my eldest girl appears in theatre in dance shows - i can't do her hair and i am terrible with stage makeup - i'd have loved to have been able to find someone to do all that for me - i can't plait hair for my life.

Word of mouth with these things are often the best way - do you do the whole party plan? If i was thinking about allowing my dd to have a makeup party i'd be impressed if someone came and did the make up bit then played a few games with them - not sure what mind - more of an all round entertainer - i know at girls word they just do a dancing competiton and a few other bits.

I'd say that you are targetting a particular area ond so thompson local might help - local newspaper and lots and lots of posters - stick em outside schools or as head tachers if they would be willing to hand out the leaflets to their older school pupils - 9 onwards. It's up to parents if they chose to have a party or not.

I'd have one for my dd as long as there was no nail varnish and the makeup was not real makeup - she loves all things sparkly so it would be right up her street - i think that once a year treats are ok and as long as she didn't look like an adult i'd be ok - i was going mad when she had to have her stage makeup on - i just didn't think it was suitable until i saw her on stage and realised that you couldn't actually see it.

good luck

[knotjustjigs]

I guess i'm perhaps in a minority but i've got 4 girls of 2 to nearly 9 and i have to be honest, i just wouldn't book something like this for them; the glamourising of childhood horrifies me. I don't mean to do down your idea but i wonder if it is just that a lot of mums might wonder if it is opening as can of worms they'd rather not indulge their little girls in so early?

If that is possibly so, i wonder if upping your target age range, or "wholesoming" your idea somehow - maybe Princess Glitter Parties or something that teaches them to do something less adult-esque might be good as an alternative option?

Please don't take this the worng way, just a thought from a slightly too prim and proper mummy :)

I am sorry but i have to agree, although my girls are now older 11 and 15 (on saturday)
I have always been against making my children growing up too fast but would possibly look at something more natural like teenage facial, show them how to do it, properly cleanse tone moisturise and how to look after their skin etc..

If this is the age market you want to target how about handing out flyers etc at dance classes,brownie groups or ask at local schools if you can send the children home with a leaflet in their book bag? not sure if any of this helps.

Toniann x
www.knotjustjigs.co.uk

[sadierhianne]

Tonianne - we just posted at the same time - two minds thinking the same stuff at the same time - we must be twins ;-)

Anne x

[wokkies]

wow saiderheine probabley spelt wrong said it all, its a brill idea though you will probably get lots of business if you are local to the peeps itms

[trinityhope]

I possible think most of you have got the wrong idea here! My business is called Little Miss Princess Parties. It is glitter cheeks, face jewel, sparkley hair, tiaras and wands, foot spas. Yes it is nails....... It seems I must be the minority on this board as I really dont have a problem with glittery makeup and glittery nails, beads,jewels and dressing up accessories for the children to wear.

I think i painted a picture of dolling these girls up like American Beauty Pagiants (dont know if I have spelt this right or used the right terms). This is not how my parties are.

We have pass the parcel, the girls use the footspas and play with girls worlds, doing their hair etc.........

I always, always use consent forms so the parents know what is going to happen at these 'Little Miss Princess Parties'

[knotjustjigs]

I think people did perphaps get the wrong impression but now you have put it like that, it sounds better!
i think it was the tattoo and makeover thing that did it for me! not really 2 words i associate with little girls?(just my opinion)
Although i have to say it still never appealed to me for my girls but then again my daughters aren't girly girls.If they were then it may be a different story.

As i said before i think dance classes may be a good place to advertise (if you haven't alredy tried?)

Anne, they say you have a twin somewhere in the world perphaps your mine!

Good Luck Trinity Hope x

[sadierhianne]

I used to go to the same school as a girl called Charlotte, she was beatiful, tall, slim and very pretty. I was out one day years later and someone came up to me and called me Charlotte, i put them right - at least half a dozen people mistook me for Charlotte when i lived in that area yet i could never see any resemblance between us - she'd have probably been gutted if folk had thought she was me ;-)

Hmmm i'm brunette, 5 ft7, 40 in 2 days (am told i look 10 years younger mind ;-) ) any similarities? I always wanted a sister.

xxx

[Al1x]

ah i think it was the way you worded it ... your second description of your parties sounds much better... i guess that is something to be careful with when making posters/flyers so people don't get the wrong impression!

[knotjustjigs]

I used to go to the same school as a girl called Charlotte, she was beatiful, tall, slim and very pretty. I was out one day years later and someone came up to me and called me Charlotte, i put them right - at least half a dozen people mistook me for Charlotte when i lived in that area yet i could never see any resemblance between us - she'd have probably been gutted if folk had thought she was me ;-)

Hmmm i'm brunette, 5 ft7, 40 in 2 days (am told i look 10 years younger mind ;-) ) any similarities? I always wanted a sister.

xxx

I'll be your cyber sister!

I am 5 ft 6 and have shoulder length blonde straight hair, blue eyes and am also neally 40 (july) and told i look younger (although not 10 years! i was at my prime then ;)

My "real" sister is 4 ft 11 and has black short curly hair green eyes and looks nothing like me! hahaha....she is 3 years youger but is always asked if she's the older one ! lol


Take care sis

Toniann x
www.knotjustjigs.co.uk

p.s my daughter is 15!!! on saturday, i get on well with Capricorns :happy72:

[trinityhope]

Thanks for that Al1x. I think your probably right about the wording. I will think about that. I always send out consent forms to parents that they have to fill in and sign. So the girls never have anything that the parents dont approve of. However, I feel if the parents didnt like the idea, they would not surley allow their little girls to attend.

Just shows fromt he comments on this thread that we all have very different ideas. Its been a real eye opener I must say!

After all we are all entitled to them. Life would be boring if we were all the same wouldnt it?

[Al1x]

Exactly :) Its always useful getting other people views of your business as well ... thats why I really like MZ - people here can tell you what they think without sounding harsh... not like on some business forums i use at all where comments can come across in the wrong way!

I think that a good thing to try would be to make up say 2 or 3 different sets of posters/flyers (different wording etc) then try them out either in different places or different weeks then see which posters bring in the most enquiries ... good luck :)

[trinityhope]

Good luck with the baby. I guess your due about the same time I was with my 1st. He was born 16th January 1998. I was greedy, I had 2 more!!!
Best of Luck
Trin x

[Al1x]

Thanks Trin :D 16th Jan is my birthday too

[trogette]

scary thread! not cos of the party stuff (though the genderising bothers me too...) but cos my dd2 is 10 tomorrow and 16/1 is my dh's birthday!!!

[trinityhope]

A great big happy birthday then to all the 16th of January Babies!

[Chell]

If you are worried about wording then have you thought of paying a copywriter to write some text for you?

[trinityhope]

Thanks chell, but I am not worried about wording. Infact I dont really have a problem with the posters and flyers I use at moment. Its what to do and how to promote my business.

It just seems this thread has been taken completely off track. Some People just seem to have raised objections rather than helped in answering the thread I originally posted.

Thanks for the comments anyway.

[Al1x]

Trinity do you have a website? if not that would be a good way of promoting your parties. You could add your web address to posters and have pictures from parties on your site.

Kerry

[trinityhope]

I have just started to build one with Mrsite. Feeling abit down though. I just spoke to a competitor in another part of country for advise. She has really knocked my confidence, and I dont know whether I can do this now!

[Al1x]

Don't give up too easily trinity ... take any advice she gave you as constructive critism.