One day last week or maybe the week before that, I was viewing my Twitter timeline and I saw a couple of "Artists" promoting their business. I have no issue with that, because that's how a lot of Artists are getting jobs and I believe it's a great avenue when done correctly. What startled me, was the what they were advertising. Some were advertising their Makeup services for $30-$40 per face, some included lashes within that price. The MAC counter charges $50 and that's not including lashes. If you are a freelancer, your prices should be above that. Don't get me wrong, yes we all had to start off somewhere but times are different and so many things have evolved. You should know the market that you are in and what other Artists are charging and keep in mind your experience, when you are setting down a rate for your services.
There will be Artists that won't have a problem telling you what their rate is and others may not be comfortable but it's worth the effort to do the work. You do not want to be the one Artist in your market that is viewed as a bringing the market down because of your pricing. If you want to have specials, awesome but do not bring the rate so far down. You should at least be factoring in your gas and a tip for yourself within your rate. If they're coming to you factor in electricity, lol but you get the point. If you feel that your work is not where it should be in order for you to charge around the rate of what others in your market are charging, then try to work on your craft by volunteering to do those jobs that may not be paying but you are getting experience or assist other Make-up Artists. You can learn so much just by assisting but I have to say that nothing really compares when you are working alone and you're in a situation where you don't have help and you just have to make it "work."
This post isn't to be malicious but it was done to bring awareness. When you are aware of something, you are able to change it. So ask yourself: Am I driving down my Market?
