It can take a very long time to learn and build up knowledge in any area. Experiencing those "light-bulb" moments is very much part of the learning curve, I know well from my own personal experiences; like when I was decorating for an event and the 5" balloons inside a 3' helium-filled balloon unexplainably started popping... I had to find out why! Today, I would like to share some "tips & tricks" that will help you when working with balloons!
Let's start with the popping 5" balloon story!
Mixing Gases
I am not sure is this is a tip or trick, but it is certainly something that we all need to know!
Helium, or Balloon Gas is lighter than air, and air molecules are much bigger than helium molecules. Each of these gases react differently inside balloons.
Helium inside a latex balloon moves around and gradually escapes (diffuses) over a period of time through the natural pore of the balloon. That is why the average floating time of an 11" helium-filled latex balloon ranges from 18-24 hours, as the helium escapes, the balloon will start to get smaller and eventually fall down.
Air inside a latex balloon lasts much longer, as air molecules are big and it takes a longer period of time to escape from a latex balloon - weeks and months, rather than hours. The balloons will gradually get softer but they stay inflated for a much longer period than a helium-filled balloon.
So when you put 5" balloons inside a larger balloon, it is essential that you use the same gas in both balloons!
When you put helium-filled balloons inside an air-filled balloon, the helium escapes (diffuses) from the helium-filled balloons and the balloons will go down, the same as they would if they were outside of the larger balloon. Have you ever tried putting helium inside a 5" balloon? It will float for around 2-3 hours before it gently drops down.
When you put air-filled balloons inside a larger helium-filled balloon, a process called 'diffusion' occurs. This is when the helium naturally moves and filters through and into the latex of the smaller balloons, which causes the smaller balloons to expand and eventually pop! This is exactly what happened to me!
Static - friend or foe?
Static can definitely be a problem when it comes to balloons! I have heard of balloons randomly popping due to high levels of static in a room.
Static does not like moisture or humidity, and therefore water can be used to reduce the amount of static in a room, a humidifier works well, and a fine water mister spray will help when working on site. Dryer sheets can also reduce static on balloons. Some decorators carry Static Guard with them on balloon jobs, as this can eliminate static and help prevent it from building!
To prevent static on your balloon ribbon, wet your scissors before using them to curl the ribbon. (Dip the tip of your scissors in water).
Static is definitely a friend when making confetti-filled balloons. To make confetti stick to the inside of a balloon you will need to build a little static within the balloon. With air-filled balloons it's easy; simply rub the side of the balloon with your hand, a cloth, or even better, bubble-wrap packaging - this works every time for me! I have also heard that placing balloons inside a plastic bag will help to build the static. When making helium-filled, confetti-filled balloons, you will need to ensure that you add a small amount of air into the balloon, as static cannot build in pure helium! Simply use a hand-pump and add a few pumps of air - not too many as it can make the balloon too heavy and it won't float!
If you would like to learn how to make a confetti-filled Deco Bubble, check out the great video below.
What should you do if the valve on a foil balloon does not open easily?
When the valve of a foil balloon does not easily open, first be ultra-careful not to damage it. Sometimes these appear to be stuck closed, but with a little help, we can usually open them. The temptation is to try and open the valve using a pencil or straw, but be aware that the valves in foil balloons are very delicate and can be easily damaged. For best results, use something thin and flat such as a folded floristry wire. Hold the valve between two fingers and gently slide in the wire with the folded side. This should go very smoothly without ruining the valve. If you don't have any floristry wire, try a flat beverage stirrer, like the wooden ones supplied in coffee houses.
Using a floristry wire, bend in half and carefully insert it into the valve of the foil balloon.
Cold Latex Balloons
Latex balloons last longer when they are stored in a cool and dark environment, as this helps to preserve the balloons shelf life for longer. However, if balloons get too cold, they can become hard to the touch and almost impossible to inflate, like the three balloons on the left. You can easily resolve this by warming up them up! Either put the balloons somewhere warm, like on a radiator, or place them into a tumble dryer for a few minutes - et volia, your balloons will be back to normal and as good as new!
Stretched Balloons
Here is another great tip about warming up balloons: when you pre-inflate latex balloons, they becomes stretched and lose their original balloon shape (see below left.) These balloons are still perfectly good, and can be used for your decor and balloon design. However, if you want the balloons to return to their original balloon shape, simply warm them up using either of the techniques above.
Making a balloon round rather than traditional balloon shape.
Some balloon decor styles, such as Balloon Columns and organic décor, look better when made with a rounder shape rather than the traditional balloon 'teardrop' shape. This can be easily achieved by how you inflate the balloons. Check out the video below to see how you can achieve this. If you do not have an electric pump, you can achieve the same results using a hand-pump, following the same principle.
Did you find this post useful? I would love to get some feedback!
Happy Ballooning Everyone and thank you for reading the Very Best Balloon Blog!
Are you ready for Mother's Day? Contrary to popular belief, Mother's Day is celebrated on various dates around the world. However, with less than two weeks until we celebrate Mother's Day in the UK, it's important that we spend this time ramping up our social media activity to ensure maximum sales!
Firstly, have you updated your Business Facebook Page cover? A Facebook cover is the equivalent to a shop window for a business page. Online shoppers look at it for a second and make a decision whether to stay on the page or not. Moreover, it can also work as a small landing page, a call-to-action visual and an event announcement. You can easily make your own Facebook covers using Canva: I made the one above and it took me about 5 minutes. If you would like to learn how, watch the 7 minute video below.
If you don't feel confident enough to create your own, Qualatex has impressive ready-made covers available for anyone to use! Simply visit the Marketing Materials section on the Qualatex website. They are free, and quick and easy to download! There are many different covers to choose from, for all occasions!
Social media posts are really important to remind everyone that Mother's Day is on the way!
Here is a selection of different styles of posts. It's important to keep them varied and interesting!
Make sure your visual content is appealing. With all the content that you share with your audience, you always want share your best. Make sure your visual quote looks attractive and nice.
I made this visual quote once again using Canva, I found the quote that I wanted to use and then framed it using one of the pretty borders in ELEMENTS.
Qualatex has even more applicable ready-made marketing materials that you can download. The great things about these materials is that once you have downloaded them, you can personalise them any way that you want! You could add your company name and details, or maybe quickly draft a message and a reminder that Mother's Day is coming! To find all the social media posts click HERE or visit https://us.qualatex.com/en-us/inspiration/marketing-materials/
Don't forget to use creative #hashtags to get your posts noticed! Here is a selection of #hashtags that you could use:
#mothersday
#mothersdaygift
#mothersdaygiftideas
#mothersdaygifts
#mothersdayballoons
#balloondelivery
#balloondeliveries
#balloondeliveries(mytownname)
#balloons(mytownname)
Remember that Mother's Day is a celebration for women in all walks of life, so maybe create a posts that celebrates;
Mother's
Mum's to Be
Stepmother's
Wive's
Daughter's
Sister's
Grandmother's
Godmother's
I hope that has helped you even just a little and I wish you every success with Mother's Day!
Mother's Day comes early for many of us this year! In the UK, the date is linked to Easter, which is different each year as it is determined by the lunar calendar. Many Eastern European countries celebrate Mother's Day on the 8th March, the same day as International Woman's Day! The majority of countries celebrates Mother's Day on the 8th May.
This was a variation on a design that I created for my Expression of Love on-line webinar, and made a Mother's Day version using exactly the same techniques! Click HERE for a link to the class.
Cam Woody and Eve Antonello share balloon idea's, designs, and inspiration on their bi-weekly live show on Tuesdays at 1:00pm CST on Mr Q's Facebook page or over on Instagram at @eveantonellocba!
Just in case you missed these two fantastic classes with Cam and Eve, I'll share them with you here so that you can catch up!
Happy Hour with Cam & Eve: Mother's Day Designs (Part 1)
Say "I Love You, Mom!" with these sweet Mother's Day designs that are perfect for any day of the year!
Happy Hour with Cam & Eve: Mother's Day Designs (Part 2)
Say "I Love You, Mom!" with these sweet Mother's Day designs that are perfect foray of the year!
Here are a few more appealing designs perfect for those very special mother's on Mother's Day.
Mother's Day Stylish Stripes - Show Mum's how much we love them with this fabulous chic delivery design. Design by Garlis Bolivar, CBA, of La Gloria, Mexico City, Mexico.
To create this stylish, air-filled design, begin by creating a base of four 5" Gold latex and four 6" Rose Hearts, both ties into a 4-balloon cluster.Tie in a White 350Q to the clusters, then add Gold and Rose clusters on the other end of the 350Q to complement the base. Tie the “Love You M(Heart)M Stripes” Microfoil in to the top. Add value by tying on Onyx Black 160Q stripes and finish with Gold and Rose vinyl dots.
Mother's Day Spring Blossom Centrepiece - Make the most of Mother's Day with this centrepiece featuring a "Mother's Day Pink Peonies" Bubble Balloon® from Qualatex®. Designed by Cam Woody, CBA, Pioneer Balloon Company, Wichita, KS, USA
Queen For A Mother's Day - Treat Mom like the queen she is with this beautiful bouquet.
Designed by Brenda Fink, CBA, Party Magic & Gift, Bethalto, IL, USA
Zahraa Jawad, CBA of Forever Balloons Boutique in Beirut, Lebanon always impresses with her amazing designs! Zahraa loves adding eye-catching details, much like I do! Simply adding a beautiful satin ribbon bow can really add value to a design! I also love how Zahraa creates the word MOM using the Northstar 16" letters and the 16" Jelli Balloon Number 0!
If you would like to learn how to make a Six Petal Balloon Flower, like the flowers used in Zahraa's design above, check out Jackie Ochitwa's video below.
Watch out for my next post when I will be sharing some great marketing ideas for Mother's Day!
I think I can speak for all of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere when I say, we are more than a bit grateful to see the spring flowers poking through the ground, getting ready to burst into magnificent colour! For me, it has felt like a very long winter, I suppose being predominantly in a state of lock down has not helped! However, it is extremely encouraging to see a few countries around the world who appear to be getting back to some sort of normality - it truly does feel like we are coming towards the end of a very long tunnel!
With Spring in mind, how gorgeous is this organic decor by Chris Adamo, I love the freshness of this beautiful colour palette!
Fabulous Spring Decor by Chris Adamo of The Balloon Crew - Balloons.net.au, in Sydney, Australia
With that in mind, I thought it would be fitting to start looking at design ideas that reflect this magical time of year.
I love seeing the arrival of the bee's and butterflies, collecting up nectar from flowers and shrubs as they start to open. What better way to reflect this beautiful season than to create a selection of designs using the NEW Qualatex Bee range of balloons!
How adorable is this 'Sweet as Honey" design by Eve Antonello, CBA, Pioneer Balloon Company, Wichita, KS, USA.
This new 24" "Sweet Bees & Daisies" Deco Bubble is adorably appealing, and can be used for many different occasions!
#: 15733
Here are some great message inspiration when personalising your Bubble Balloons -remember, your customers need a little help sometimes!
Just Bee Awesome
Bee led by your Dreams!
Bee Mine!
Sweet as can Bee...
This "Sweet Bee" is available in two sizes! 38" - #16376/16305 14" "Mini Sweet Bee" - #16212
This NEW 18" - "Mother's Day Bee's & Flowers" Microfoil balloons will be a definite winner this Mother's Day! I know that I am looking forward to working with it for a future post!
#17539/17537
Compliment your design using these fabulous Spring colours!
Caribbean Blue Rose Goldenrod
"Bee" ready for the 2021 Baby Boom! Have a range of new Mother-to-be, Baby Shower and Baby designs ideas ready to inspire your customers - In keeping with the Bee theme, this "Mother to Bee" - 20" Microfoil balloon will wow any new mummies!
20" - "Mother to Bee" #16436/16434
The Pantone Colour of the Year for 2021 has been named as "Ultimate Gray and Illuminating", a soft grey tone and yellow. This colour combination of Grey and Yellow will be perfect to compliment the Bee range of balloons!
For even more super inspiration for Mother's Day, don't miss out on Federico Onida's upcoming webinar:
Join Federico Onida, CBA on February 17th 2021 for the Mother's Day Gifts She'll Adore webinar! 💐
The webinar will be broadcasted LIVE on Wednesday, February 17th for 2 hours (90-minute class followed by a 30-minute Q&A session) at 3pm GMT, check for your location time. It will be recorded, and the link to the on-demand video will be sent to you within 48hours of the live webinar. If you miss anything during the live webinar, you will be able to go back to it on your own time.
I don't know about you but I am always looking for inspiration for my social media posts, and lifestyle photographs are always ideal for attracting attention on a Facebook or Instagram post. Have you checked out the amazing FREE Social Media resources available on the Qualatex website recently? There are lots of exciting new posts and images available. Click HERE for a direct link. The great thing about many of the images is that you can easily add your own caption or message.
Check out the 2021 Qualatex Spring & Summer Collection, click HERE for a direct link.
Make sure that you check out the 2020 Qualatex Everyday Essentials, it features the Bee range and much more! Click HERE for a direct link.
As you may have gathered, I am really excited that we are heading into this new season, it feels like a whole new energy, and renewed hope is on the horizon. We have many great events over the next few months including Easter and Mother's Day, with many great Qualatex balloons to work with!
How much does a name matter? It has recently reached my notice that the designs that I would call Balloon Columns are being referred to by other artists as Stacks, Pillars and Towers. So to help me to clarify all the different names a little bit more, I asked members of the QBN Facebook group what they called theirs, and if they felt that the name was important?
Almost all those who responded said that they use the term Columns like I do. This isn't surprising, as they have all completed the QBN program and that is the term that they were taught and used within the program, and also it is the name that has been used forever by the balloon industry. However, some of the response from group members explained that all the different names are often used by their customers, and therefore for marketing and promotional purposes they also use them all to ensure that they do not miss out on any opportunities to promote their designs.
I have looked back through all the different resources that I received as part of the QBN program, and it actually clarifies that a Column is a straight, vertical line of balloon garland which to be fair does not represent the vast types and styles of decor that would come under the heading of a column today! Balloon décor styles have changed considerably over the years, and today there are new trends and styles of décor that were not shown or taught when many of us studied the QBN program. So, I decided to delve a little deeper to see if I can relate a name to a style of decor.
Instagram was the perfect go-to resource to assist me with my research, as I was able to see the types and styles of decor that are posted under each of the hashtags.
The designs featured under the hashtags "Balloons Columns" and "Balloon Column" on Instagram are a complete mixture of styles and types of balloon structures, ranging from what I would call a traditional column to smaller air-filled arrangements, that I have now discovered are often called Balloon Stacks - see below!
This was a design that I made for a corporate event, I had a hard time giving it a name, but once I found it, it made total sense - Elegant Sculptured Column
The definition of the word "tower" is a "structure typically higher than its diameter," - therefore it is much the same as a column.
A lot of the designs featured on Instagram are pretty much the same as Balloon Columns, but with a real mix of styles and types of balloon structures.
Design by Dominic Cassidy and Keith Stirman - The Boys of Q Corner
Pillars are often known as "a usually ornamental column", and it too has a close relationship to the term "column" and in fact describes the term well.
The term "Balloon Stack" is a style of design that is predominantly an air-filled balloon arrangement that often features a number as topper, or has a focal balloon that is on the base of maybe 2 or 3 clusters of balloons. This is a style of decor that has grown in popularity over the past few years, and I love all the accent details that are often added to the designs!
I love this design by The Luxe Event Company NW Ltd, in Skelmersdale, England. This is a perfect example of a beautiful Balloon Stack!
From what I've observed, Balloon Columns, Towers and Pillars pretty much describe the same styles of balloon décor and it would be very easy to see why people would use all three names to relate to this style. The only one that stands out as being a little different are Balloon Stacks, as this name is typically applied to smaller air-filled arrangements that are on a cluster-style base.
Does the name that we use matter? From a marketing point of view, I would contest that all the terms being used are relevant, especially to a client base. When it comes to hashtags, why not use all three? You might find that customers relate to different names! For me personally, a Balloon Column will always be a column, especially because it's a term that I used when I first started working with balloons and it is a recognised name within the industry! However, I am certainly not opposed to anyone that uses any of the other names, as each of the definitions prove that they are all very relevant!
A big thank you to all the QBN members who helped me with my original question, it all makes perfect sense now 😄
Many of you may have realised that the odds are stacked against balloon companies around the world. We are in the middle of a global pandemic, many of us are in lockdown or are restricted to the types of business that we can operate during this time! To top it all, Valentine's Day is on a Sunday this year! Some might say "let's forget Valentine's Day this year" however, if recent balloon sales are anything to go by, it could be a bumper year!
Being prepared is the key to success:
1. What will you sell?
It is very easy to get carried away and offer many options, but to be honest, it is much better to keep it simple and offer a limited range with varying price ranges. How you deliver your balloons will determine what size of arrangements you will offer; there is little point offering bouquets of twelve Red Hearts, if you don't have a large delivery van! Check to see what you have left over from last year, and be sure to feature some current trends too - check out all the new and exciting Valentine's balloons in the Qualatex Valentine's catalogue.
Think Pink! Is a top tip from Tope Abulude, CBA, of Balloon Inspirations, in Essex U.K. "I use as much pink as I do red, and air-filled Qualatex® Deco Bubbles... Simply so I can immediately convert my designs to Mother's Day as soon as Valentine's Day is done. I guess for me it's being able to create arrangements that I can still sell after Valentine's."
Designed By Kerry Ferguson - Pioneer Europe
2. Use exciting and descriptive words
Make your design sound exciting! Give each design a name, as it's much easier for customers to select by name rather than description. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.
- Amore
- Pink Romance
- Love you More!
- Love is in the Air
- Me to You
For those of you who offering designs with added value, such as putting balloons inside balloons or adding personalisation or little details like bows, remember that these are all "Lovingly Made by Hand or Hand-Crafted with Love by Us!"
3. Adding Extra's
4", 9" and all the lovely air-filled mini shape Microfoil balloons are a great add-on to any design or delivery! They can be prepared now, because once they're inflated and heat-sealed they will last forever! Make sure that you take a good picture of your design with the add-on included so that you customers can see what they are getting... a picture is better than words!
4. Things to be aware of...
Helium does not like the cold weather, so be aware that when you take helium balloons outside they will start to deflate! This is nothing to be worried about, they will re-inflate when they are reintroduced into the warm, but it's always good to know and maybe to make your customers aware of 💕
5. Marketing is key!
Is your Facebook Business Page Valentine's ready? Start by changing your cover banner! If you are not confident enough to make your own, why not use a ready-made cover from Qualatex! I love both of these, and you can find them by visiting Qualatex.com or simply click HERE. If you prefer to make your own, try www.CANVA.com, it's very easy to use and you can get great results!
I love this animated version too... very eye-catching!
Do you have good photographs of the designs that you are selling? It is truly important to have good visual images, as they are the factor that will help you capture the sale!
If possible try and take a photo of your design with a plain background, but again, you can use CANVA to change the background if you want it to be completely white or if you want to include your own background added!
This is a before and after shot of one of my designs that I have used CANVA background remover... it takes seconds!
Another option for those feeling a little more adventurous, is to turn your images into little animated videos!
If you have never used CANVA before and would like to know more, check out this blog post that will hopefully give you all the help that you need;
If you have never used Facebook paid advertising, I strongly recommend that you give it a try. You can make it specifically targeted to your local area, as well as your audience and you can choose exactly how much you want to spend... it's inexpensive, and very effective!
Don't forget those all-important #hashtags
Here are a selection of popular Valentines hashtags that can be used on your Instagram and Facebook posts
I hope these tips are helpful! Valentine's Day this year is a little bit unknown, but as I mentioned at the start of this post, if general balloon orders are anything to go by, it should be a good one! People are not going out to buy cards, flowers or other Valentine's gifts, so if you get your marketing right, there is no reason why the orders should not come through!
