What is my clown worth? An answer posted on Quora, by a clown who’s trying to figure out how much to charge for a performance
Whatever the client is willing to pay 😉 Seriously.
What’s your skill level? Your experience? Do you have a list of testimonials (satisfied customers)? Do you get booked for the same event year after year?
Seriously, ask yourself these questions. If you’re low-skilled, or unskilled, you’re not worth as much as your competitors. As your skills grow, your worth will grow.
The answer will fluctuate by area as well. For example, when Raynbow first started clowning, I did my first few birthday parties for free, simply to get the experience. I then went to Clown Camp (I strongly recommend training). I then started charging $50/hour in central Wisconsin (25 or so years ago). As my skills increased, I charged more. I now charge more than double that — and get tips, repeat gigs, and referrals as well.
Look at what other clowns in your area are making. Don’t undercut their pricing, or you’ll regret it. You’ll be known as the $10 clown. And people will expect you to be cheap … And be offended when don’t do a $100 job for $10 dollars.