Looking for marketing opportunities as a Home-Based Balloon Business

Happy Halloween everyone! I hope that this has been a successful trading time for you? Do you think Halloween has been busier this year... did you try anything new to stimulate sales? Please let me know, I would love to share your comments and experiences!

In my last blog I wrote about how someone we know captures sales by making up a variety of delivery bouquets and arrangements each day and leaves them 'ready to go' in her shop. Invariably these bouquets stimulate interest with browsing customers and it makes it very easy for them to say "I want that one"! I can totally understand how that can work, we cannot assume that everyone truly understands or can visualize what we mean by a small balloon sculpture or even a balloon bouquet?

This brings me to today's blog, I often hear people say how hard it is working as a balloon artist/decorator from home, with no shop, store front or off the street browsing opportunities.

10 years ago I ran a very successful home-based business in a different town in the UK, I moved area and due to various other employments within the balloon industry I did not re-start my decorating business... until now! My new venture started only a matter of a few weeks ago where I exhibited at a very local Wedding Fair. So I, like many home based business's am now looking for new marketing opportunities to promote my business and services!

Last week a leaflet was posted through my door promoting a Christmas Village Morning, being held later this month in the village that I live in. Just a morning where local people can sell Christmas gifts, cards, toys and bric-a-brac (miscellaneous objects and ornaments of little value), and of course Santa will be in attendance too!
As soon as I saw this I thought what a great opportunity this could be for me to show off what I do  and so I contacted the organiser and asked if there was any space available as an exhibitor... fingers crossed as I knew that this was a very late request!

"We already have all our exhibitors, but what is it that you do"? The very nice lady asked me from the end of the telephone.

Santa design created by Sue Bowler CBA

"I work with balloons, I make small gifts, perfect for Christmas, Birthdays and many other occasions", I responded, realizing that if she had never really seen any balloon 'art' before that she might find it a little hard to picture what I was talking about.

"That sounds very interesting", she responded and with that I quickly replied "yes. it is, maybe I could show you what I do and I will happily fit into any small space that you can find for me". With that she agreed that she would come and visit me later that day and only then would she decide if what I did could be 'fitted in'.

I decided to make up a couple of Christmas designs for her to see, and attached a tag...

"Santa - order me now for Christmas, only £14.50"

plus I added that I would deliver free within the surrounding villages.

My lady duly arrived and was very excited when she saw what I had made, having never seen anything like this before and agreed there and then that me being at the Christmas Village morning would be a great addition to their existing exhibitors and that we would have my balloon designs all around the hall all with labels attached so that people can easily identify the designs and the price, plus a small table where I could have other designs and take orders... a little like the idea that our friend uses in her shop!

There are many advantages and disadvantages working from home, finding good marketing opportunities is always one of the bigger disadvantages, I am hoping that showing off my skills to my neighbours will be a big hit and you never know it might lead to other business opportunities!  I'll keep you posted and let you know how it goes!

OK, it's time for me to get back to preparing for The Qualatex Event in Oxfordshire this coming weekend,  I am really excited and looking forward to seeing everyone, many friends and lots of new friends too! I promise to take lots of photographs and write a blog as soon as I return and post many many pictures! Good luck to all those who are taking their CBA exam and also to those competing, I am really looking forward to seeing all the wonderful sculptures!

Oh, a final note... this weekend in the UK is Bonfire Night, where we celebrate the fact that a man called Guy Fawkes did not manage to burn down our House of Parliament in 1605! So on the night of November 5th throughout Britain, we commemorate the capture of Guy Fawkes with bonfires and fireworks, and by burning an effigy of Guy, so for all our overseas visitors watch out for all the wonderful fireworks this weekend!

Safe travels!

Sue