Finding Off-Season Work – NESS Zoom Workshop – 4/3/2025

General questions about off-season work?

  • Are there opportunities for Mrs. Claus or Elves?
  • What do I wear?
  • Are there special props or accessories I need?
  • What activities are appropriate?
  • How can I find work?
  • Are there any opportunities for off-season work through agents or GigSalad/The Bash?
  • Is it worth doing off-season work without getting paid?
  • Do I need to be more of a performer than for in-season events?

 

 Typical Event Opportunities

Christmas in July/LEON/Halfway to Christmas

  • Campgrounds
  • Youth Camps & Programs
  • Community Recreation Programs
  • Sporting Events
  • Store Sales & Business Promotions

Other Holidays, Festivals, Celebration

  • 4th of July
  • Old Home Days
  • Community Events
  • Ren Faire
  • May Day, Patriots Day, Labor Day, Halloween
  • Business Expo
  • Flea Markets

Graduation/End of Program Celebrations

  • Daycares & Kindergarten
  • Elementary Schools
  • Private Schools
  • PTA/PTO
  • Dance Studio
  • Martial Arts Program
  • Youth Sports Teams
  • Art, Educational, Music Programs

Birthday Party

Wedding

Company Employee Picnics or Customer Parties

Storytime, Cooking, Crafts with Santa and/or Mrs. Claus or Elf

Meet Santa & Mrs. Claus event for charity

Post-Wedding breakfast

Corporate promotions

Farmers Markets booth of her own games and etc.

Chamber of Commerce Halloween trunk or treat

 

 Create Your Own Events (Can partner with others)

Help the client find a reason to use Claus in their regular activities.

Personal Appearances

Summer Santa Photos Sessions (Beach, Lake, Pool)

Pet Photos or Activities

Fun & Games with Clauses

Theme (Reindeer, Elf, North Pole) Presentations

Amusement Parks or Other Attractions Activities

Elf School

Tea Party with Mrs. Claus

Tag a Tree with Santa at Tree Farms

Music, Story, Magic Performances

Face-painting, Crafts, etc. Activities

Pirate, Wizard, Mother Goose, Tooth Fairy, Princess, Super Hero

Snowball Fight

Fundraising

Ribbon Cutting

Car Show

Porchfest

Airport show

Take back the Night

Chamber Business

Holiday Fair Crafts

Neighborhood Block Parties

 

Other Activities

Media Work

  • Commercials (Ad Agencies)
  • Photo Modeling (Ad Agencies, Commercial Photographers)
  • Short Video Promos for Companies and Organizations
  • Film Work
  • Local Television Appearance
  • Podcast Guest
  • Social Media Promo Photos, Memes, Videos (Do for others & self)

Digital Programming (Storytelling, Singalongs, How to Stay on Nice List)

  • Live or Recorded
  • Facebook Live, Zoom
  • Tik-Tok
  • Reels

Personalized Virtual Home Visits or Videos (Cameo)

  • Birthday Wishes
  • Anniversary Reminder with Gift Suggestions
  • Valentine Day Hugs
  • Marriage Congratulations
  • Graduation Well Done Message
  • Off to College
  • Starting a New Job

Services to Parent, Teachers, Coaches, Managers, Employers

  • Personal Virtual Visit
  • Video Messages
  • Reminder to Be Good
  • Offer Live Contact with Clauses (Phone, Facetime, Zoom, etc.)
  • Set Up a Monthly Nice List Report Card

Other ideas?

 

Pricing Your Services

It’s up to you.

  • Work from in-season rate and discount a percentage (15-20%?)
  • Set a price for the entire project.
  • Bundle off-season activity at discount with an in-season project at full price.
  • Give discounted rate or donate your time to gain exposure, encourage in-season bookings, or just cause you want to do the event.

Other ideas?

Do event for free 1st year – pay my rate next year.

 

Marketing Your Services

Create a Plan

  1. Overall Goals (blue sky)
  • Why do you want to do off-season work?
    • Financial goal?
    • Skills to develop?
    • Attract clients for in-season work?
    • Other?
  • What types of events or activities do you want to do most?
  • Which clients are you most interested in working with?
  • Are there certain months or time you want to focus the activities?
  1. Focus on 2-3 primary activities to develop and promote.
  2. Then decide on 2-3 primary target audiences at which to aim your marketing activities.
  3. Set a few specific objectives for each target audience and timetable.
  • Attainable
  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Deadline
  1. What marketing activities, tools, strategies will you use to reach your target audience?
  • Select the most direct and focused activities to reach the people who make the decisions.
  • What methods do you have for contacting and persuading your targets?

       6. Evaluate the results of your efforts and make changes as needed.

 

 Once you get the booking:

  • Clarify and confirm details for the service
  • Contract showing the specifics and conditions
  • Invoice with amounts and dates of payments
  • Retainer to secure the date and time
  • Balance Payment due before or at event
  • Communicate by email with the client so you have a written record
  • On the day of the event, give client an ETA when on your way and update them promptly if it changes.