I just made $1000 at a birthday party and tipped $100 on top of it!

$1,000 for a birthday party – sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? A colleague of mine, Andrew Smith, wrote a book explaining his technique for earning $1,000 for a birthday party. I was a skeptic at first. $1,000 dollars for a party! That is, until I was actually paid $1,000 for a birthday party.

Now, I want to go on the record of saying…. “I did the $1000.00 birthday party before reading Smith’s advanced copy of his book.” However, Smith’s idea of becoming an expert did intrigue me.

The concept of niche marketing is nothing new. People around the world specialize in specific skills. In fact, I tell the story how early in my career I decided I would rather be a master of one form of entertainment, than a jack-of-all-trades. So I became a master balloonist, forgoing magic, juggling, stilt-walking, and face painting.

For years entertainers have had niche websites; one each for schools, libraries, and park districts, each marketing to a particular venue. It was several days after reading Smith’s book that I evaluated my business, and realized that I was a specialist in birthday parties. However, I took it one step further… I became a specialist in 1st birthday parties.

Birthday parties happen every day, are lucrative, and you can specialize in any age group. I imagine you’ve entertained at a ton of 5-year old parties. Why not become the specialist in 5 year old birthday parties? Why care about any other age? Every child will have a 5th birthday; why not hire somebody who is a specialist? Doesn’t that give you an advantage over others who just do birthday parties?

Personally, I like working with new parents and the challenge of working with multiple age groups at the party is fun for me.

For those who are going to say… it is dangerous to give a 1-year-old a balloon. Come on people. It’s not like you are there with fifteen 1-year-olds, in diapers, running around the room shoving balloons in their mouth. If that is what you think a 1-year-old’s birthday party is… you’re no expert on 1st birthdays. Better stick to your age group, since you have a warped view what a 1-year-old party is about; you have no need to market to these parents.

For me, Andrew Smith’s book was not a hard read, many of the concepts were not earth shattering for a thirty year veteran, but after reading it I did come to the realization, and thus created… www.1stBirthdayPartySpecials.com.

I find that it never hurts to give new ideas a try. I may not receive the success that the author accomplished, but if I can take away something that improves my business, career, or self being, then it is worth giving it a try.