How Often Do You(On Average) Get Mer-Gigs?

[Princess Kae-Leah]

Once a week, a month, more, less? I'm thinking more along the lines as to how busy pro mermaiding makes you then how much money you make, so charity/volunteer/free gigs do count here.

[Odette]

this month alone is going to be 3 gigs. prices change depending on location and time. two are for advertising which cost me money but sometimes i get money back with random tips.lol
prices vary depending on what they want and the quality i can bring to the event ($100-$1000). a certain event that i want to do for advertising cost $400 to rent space.
there is no general industry overview for mermaiding yet, tho i would like to encourage it as it can lead to getting business loans. i have wanted to ask all the performers to do this but most professional performers are not willing to share.
i should seriously get some photos of me performing.i have no good ones.

[AniaR]

it all depends on the mer, where they are, and what they do. Last month I did 4 paid, 2 volunteer. This month I've only done 1- but I'll be on my trip. Keep in mind, Im currently busy during the weekdays, and there's a transit strike, and it's winter. In the summer I expect to work sat and sunday of every weekend, all the long weekends, and some weekdays. I dont like to disclose my rates online because I have a base rate to cover my costs and from there I work to make it flexible for the client as well as make it worth my while. Starting out though- it's important to do as many freebies as you can to get your name out there and establish yourself.

[New York Mermaid]

Man i wish i could help you Odette, I love photography and im pretty decent with a camera. Wish you were closer to me cause i would love to help a fellow mermaid out while getting much more photography experience (considering that i work more with photographing marine animals, nature and birds)

[Odette]

Man i wish i could help you Odette, I love photography and im pretty decent with a camera. Wish you were closer to me cause i would love to help a fellow mermaid out while getting much more photography experience (considering that i work more with photographing marine animals, nature and birds)

i would love that too!thank you =)

[Princess Kae-Leah]

How many of you gals' gigs are dry?

[Odette]

i had a dry gig at a bar(worst idea ever.i gotta great story but ill save it for another thread)where i just sat on a table and passed out cards. sometimes when its too cold, i stay on the side of the pool. the parade i was in was freezing but dry.
so there is a good chance for a dry mermaid. definitely.

[AniaR]

currently about 3/4 but once the summer hits it'll be the other way around

[Artisankatie]

Last month Mermaidens did about 3 or 4 media spots and two volunteer gigs (I think). If you want to get your name out there, make sure all your friends know you're a mermaid! It helps to have older friends with young children, too :P
Contact local organisations to see if they'd like you to volunteer to hand out flyers or something for them. Don't pass up a volunteering opportunity if you think it might be too small an organisation! You can't wait for them to come to you - if they haven't contacted you, it's probably not because they don't want you, but because they don't know about you! Then, when people see you in public as a mermaid, have your contact details ready for them in case they want to hire you!

EDIT: One of our volunteer gigs, the one at Monash Uni, was completely dry over several days, and would have suited you much better than it suited us! Maybe find out about SCUBA and other underwater clubs in your area and ask if they'd like you to promote them :)
And not everybody has a pool, so I think there's a pretty good chance you'd get lots of dry gigs!

[Aradia]

Another part of the volunteer work that Mermaidens are up to at the moment is the fact i'm an active committee member of a SCUBA club so I do a lot of volunteer work without a tail. Its just a matter of going "yeah... I think i'm going to put my tail on and involve the other Mermaidens", so far its always worked out really well. So I think having a base in other work is the best way to blend mermaiding gigs into it rather than sitting on a beach and hoping for opportunities to come to you :)