Friends and competitors: playing nice

thefacepaintlady wrote:I have a related question. For example I had a situation where another painter who lives a couple towns away contacted the church a block from my house to paint at their festival. I had already contacted the church about the festival and was awaiting a call back. I told the other painter this, that they probably thought SHE was ME calling back, and that the church was a block from my house and I was really planning on doing that festival, but she didn't offer to give me my gig back. Was it all is fair in love and war? Or did she cross a line? How should a situation like this be handled?

I think what you have is a sticky situation, but not necessarily a malicious one. If you didn't mention the gig to the other painter then she was just casting her net...thought why she'd cast it so far I don't know. I've had area painters painting right down the street from me and sometimes I've even helped...this chaffes some painters, but as far as I'm concerned, if they want to drive that far, so be it...I can't fill all of the gigs. If you DID mention it to the painter and she jumped on it...consider yourself poached. This is another reason why contracts and promotional material are a big help here. You COULD call the church to follow up and remind them that you contacted them but haven't heard anything back, but if they've already chosen the other painter and if she has all of her ducklings lined up with contracts and retainers, it'll have to be a lessoned learned for you.

I've had a similar situation where an organizer contacted me, and then lost my contact info and started cold calling area painters trying to find me. He left messages on a lot of phones and when he told me so when he finally found me, I knew there'd be trouble. Sure enough another painter decided that she wanted the gig and even called me asking for advice on how to charge for body painting. I explained the pricing and when she mentioned the organizer had left a message, I told her that he'd been looking for me because I'd already started sending him mockups of the desigs. Well, she decided to go for it anyway and I took the position that I'd let the client decide what he wants...I'm not going to get into an ethics debate with hungry painters...not during this busy season. She'll probably get the gig, I'm sure she priced herself low since she's never done a body painting before and if the client wants a painter to cut his/her teeth on his corporate event, so be it...again...I'm a busy woman and I don't fight for scraps. I just know better next time how much to trust this particular painter.

All we can do when faced with these situations is try to learn from them and lick out wounds. You're going to run into painters who want to be a jack of all trades and try to dip their fingers into all aspects of the industry. That's their choice, I'd rather be good at a couple of things that so-so at all of them, kwim?

I guess just tread lightly. I have heard too many horror stories about face painters becoming friends and one showing the other the ropes, for the other to go to all the resturants in town and paint for free and undercut the other painter like crazy. It is great to have friends, but I guess try and keep your distance.

I had a painter take all the jobs I gave, but never bothered to recipricate so I just stopped giving the extra jobs and just said I was booked like crazy and encourage them to book earlier next year. If the relationship is mutually beneficial, nuture it, but if its one-sided, abandon it.

After I have now taken the time to read all the posts, I want to share another opinion. We can't blame another painter for doing more work to get jobs as well. I get miffed when a chick from another town over is painting in my area, but then I remind myself that she does a lot of marketing and I don't. If you aren't making follow-up calls, sending out post cards, sending emails and doing all the networking, someone could still get the job. Just because you've always been in the area, doesn't mean its your job and if your new to the area, it doesn't mean they are all their jobs.

Be professional, market yourself and yes, the client ultimately makes the decision.

What goes around comes around.....

On occasion, this business makes you find out who your friends are.

I have lots of over flow parties. I work tons but still get tons of requests for other parties... I used to give them to face painter A but she really miffed me when she basically copied my facebook page. I asked her to change it and she didn't so now I won't refer her anymore... plain and simple.

Just remember the golden rule and everything should be fine in the world

i agree with Suzy...I sent a few suzy's way as the people were closer to her..i hope she got the business.... I under stand that sometime people try to steal business..and thats not right, but if we don't market ourselves and do our homework it happens...someone will alway come and try to undercut and undermind us.....I don't mind helping out fellow artist, but not if its just to get info from me after I did all my homework and research. they need to do there own work..

I just have to ask- how do you copy a facebook page? Don't they all pretty much look the same and serve the same purpose?

oops, NAME of my facebook page. She changed the name of hers to copy mine. Perhaps she will think people will see it and think it is me... either way, completely rude especially when in the same exact area.

So that would be another don't that should be stated. Making your Buisness name very similar to another painter. If there is already "Fabulous Fairy faces" near you, then you shouldn't name yourself "Fantasy Fairy Faces." Of course, there are certain aspects of nameing that we can expect to be similar. For instance, the addition of Face painting and Body art or the city that you work in- but that's not the same as being malicious. I don't have a buisness facebook- so I don't know how else to make the pages stand apart. It brings up an interesting side-wind to this thread: What are the buisness rules for facebook?

I disagree.... For instance mine is...

"suzy sparkles face painting in the milwaukee and waukesha area"

she changed hers to:
(her biz name) face painting in the milwaukee and waukesha area"

It was just (her business name)

and then she changed hers to copy mine....

which is wrong in my eyes.

I agree, Suzy, but I also know that adding the end of your business name means that google search will find you easier.
I'm sure she just realized that you had a good idea. Imitation is the best form of flattery, and all that rot.
Unfortunately, it is still not okay, IMHO.