Alright this might seem a bit funny but what I’m doing right here is outlining some ideas for developing a children’s entertainment business such as the one I’ve developed here.

How do you go from a children’s entertainer perhaps using the internet to market your services as a performer for one off personal bookings to actually building an online brand and business targeted towards children’s entertainment?

So you’re a kids entertainer. You don’t have to be a pirate like me, I’m talking about clowns, magicians, fairy princesses and all varieties of performers for children’s entertainment, perhaps entertaining at children’s birthday parties or performing live for children.

Where do you take it from there? A Great website will already be useful in estalishing your brand as a performer, but there are many ways that a website can earn money in additional ways.

The first step is to really make your website do more for people who visit it. In my case, people will visit the site for pirate stuff. Kids who love pirates are going to be looking for stories, pictures, games, ideas for fun so basically anything you can do to make your site more expansive and entertaining means kids and parents will come back, especially if you can establish something regular, such as a “weekly” episode which provides high value, and being mindful that over time if you aim to become a destination for all things piratical then you may have to really think laterally about the kinds of pirate related problems you exist to solve, as well as provide inspiration and new ideas for pirate loving fans.

1: Advertising on your website

Start with online advertising, placing ads on your website. This means for every 100 visitors to your site it’s not difficult with proper ad placement to start making $1. But it will have implications for how your site is perceived by some visitors, if you’re really trying to develop an online brand.

2: Sell affiliate marketing products for commission.

Move to affiliate marketing links and offers. These only pay if you actually manage to sell the item you’re promoting, so unlike usual ad placements you’re going to have to make an effort to get paid but the range of products is varied and the commissions are very generous – 50-75% commissions are not uncommon, and of course parents are always wiling to part with their money when kids are happy, that’s what makes it such a strong market. Of course if you also build an email list and develop a good relationship with parents and kids it shouldn’t be hard if you continue to offer them very good products and services. Remember you’re trying to generate large amounts of visitors based on the interest in a popular subject so there all manner of products you could sell on commission through your site when you know people will specifically be looking for pirate themed items.

3: Expand your services.

If you have a personal or entertainment brand then there are certainly services you can promote which will be more valuable and could establish new avenues of income. As an entertainer you probably already book performances but what different performances can you provide and how can you offer expanded versions of your current performance or service to cater to different audiences.

Always provide a service for the wealthy that may have very specialized requirements, and charge accordingly. If you don’t offer it, how will they know you are willing to provide such a service?

This is not only appearing personally and performing, but also providing customized items, or video or audio recordings made to certain specifications. Remember when services have this digital element, you can easily access clients around the world.

4 Create Your own product.

The nature of your own product can vary immensely and offer varying levels of specification and customisation for those who are willing to pay for it.

You just still must consider that the product represents true value.

There are two types of product, a digital product and a physical product.

Much like the email list, selling a digital product can be a gateway to selling more to established customers

A physical item has to be shipped to the purchaser so when the fulfillment isn’t provided by affiliate marketign, you have to provide shipment yourself. This is why such a product should be very high value if considered.

5 Endorsement/Sponsorship

This is the big end goal for many childrens entertainers, to establish a profitable entertainment brand through television or other broadcast media

This may start small but if you are able to demonstrate value to sponsors and partners who you could work with to specifically promote certain products, services or brands, then you will have the opportunity to charge more, lift your production values and appeal to larger audiences, expand your brand and therefore improve sales and exposure that leads to profit in other ways.