I recently was asked a question about taking painting classes into people's homes. I think this is a great business model for your wine and paint business for two BIG reason's I'll explain below.
Q: Thank you for providing so much helpful information about starting a wine and paint business. I am a retired art teacher, who also worked part time at a Muse Paintbar so I am already at ease with the instructional part of the business. I purchased materials, easels, aprons, canvases, paint, brushes, etc. I thought I might like to do this in private homes (I come to you), but I am not sure if people are comfortable with painting in their homes. I could do small groups in my house but I have crazy dogs that jump. So, I am not exactly sure how to go about it.
A: Yes, teaching in homes is totally doable and a great business model for two reasons that I love.
- There is no overhead to pay for the space, which saves you money.
- The Host does recruitment of students for you which saves you both the time and expense of promoting the class.
Here are a few things to consider when teaching in people's homes:
Space:
Hosts need to know what to expect as far as space considerations, tables, chairs and flooring concerns (you don't want to get paint on a pretty white carpet for example.) I typically set up in people's dining rooms and that works out well using the table top easels and plastic table cloths. Hosts will need to know what YOU provide and what THEY need to provide, so make sure this is clear. (A written agreement is always good for this.)
Pricing and Supplies:
I charge a per person rate for home parties, the same as if I'm hosting them in a public venue. My rate is $35.00 per person and I provide all of the art supplies needed including easels and aprons. I also have two 6-foot tables that can be used for seating or art supplies.
You may want to charge more if you have to travel longer distances, to account for the extra time and mileage expenses.
You may want to consider a deposit to secure the date, especially if you're booked solid and rely on the income from each party. Be clear about what happens to the deposit if the class is cancelled by either party.
I require a minimum number of guests to run the class and insure I cover my costs. As far as maximums go, the host needs enough space to comfortably seat all of the guests so that can vary based on the house you're teaching in.
Getting started:
A good place to start is by having a friend host your first party and then work to build more parties from that first class. Once people attend one and have a great time, they are more likely to book a class. That's how I started.
If you ever attended a Pampered Chef Party or Lia Sophia or Tupperware even, you can take some cues from them as far as marketing goes. You want to give incentives to people in your first class to book the next class. Bring a calendar with you and if they sign up for a party in the next 2 months, they will get a special gift on the night of their party, as well as getting a free class themselves.
I also do a giveaway to sign up for my mailing list. This can be a small prize, like wine charms, a wine stopper or a bottle of wine, but the idea is to get all of the students onto your mailing list so you can contact them again in the future.
I take photos during the party and send out an email to the group following the event to keep the excitement going. You can also ask for permission to use the photos on social media or your website to promote your home parties.
I teach in-home parties for both painting and jewelry making and in 2017 these were one of my biggest money-makers. I would definitely encourage you to give it a try.
If you're not interested in hosting classes in people's homes and need more ideas about where you set up shop, visit this post.
I hope this gets you thinking about the possibilities of hosting your own in-home events. As always, if you have questions, just reply to this email and ask away!
Happy Creating!
Kelly
ps: if you're ready to start teaching your own sip and paint classes, you can get your parties started ASAP using my quick-start guide. Grab it below and join our group of merry art makers.
