Tuesday, June 20, 2023

Use CANVA to Personalise Balloons with Silhouette Cameo

Like many of you, I use a Silhouette Cameo to personalise my balloons. However, I often find it challenging to come up with creative designs using the Cameo software, so, I decided to use CANVA instead. I find it more user-friendly, and I already use it for other design projects, so why not for my balloons too!


I have made a quick Step-by-Step video to show you how simple this is to do. It was a bit of a life changer for me, as it makes creative personalisation so much quicker and easier! 

Here are a few extra bits of information that may not be clear from the video.

1. I use the Instagram Square tile for my designs. By using a square, you can contain your design within a printable space.

2. I usually resize my design once I have added it to my Cameo software to approximately an 8" square, as I've found that this is perfect size for an 18" foil balloon.

3. I used two different fonts for my design: "Porcelain" for the script and "Anton" for the number.

4. The font size is approximately 180.

5. I cut out additional daisies in various sizes in white to add to my design.

6. Keep your design templates in a quick access folder in CANVA so that you can easily create new versions by simply changing the name and age!

7. I always add my vinyl when the balloon is flat and not inflated! I find it so much easier with great results every time! 



Here is a copy of the design that I created on CANVA.

I hope that this helps some of you when it comes to designing your personalised balloons! 

Happy Ballooning! 


Sue
Follow me @suebowler



Monday, June 12, 2023

Add Some Glamour to Your Next Event with Confetti-Filled Deco Bubbles

Give your clients something fresh with these sparkly Qualatex Deco Bubbles. These confetti-filled bubbles are the perfect addition to any glitzy and glamorous event! 



I really enjoy adding these gorgeous confetti-filled Bubbles to my designs! The design above was created for a corporate event, and the client absolutely loved them! Standing over two meters tall, these Sculptured Columns were the star of the show and so much fun to design and make! I used the 20" and 24" Deco Bubbles in the centre of the design, and the top balloon was a 3' Qualatex Diamond Clear latex balloon.

To learn how to create the confetti-filled Bubble, watch the video tutorial!



Material List
  • Qualatex Deco Bubble 20" or 24"
  • Metallic Confetti - I prefer 6mm x 6mm square cut (click HERE to see my UK supplier)
  • Plastic Funnel
  • Hi-Float
  • Chopstick or similar
  • 260Q balloon to tie off the Bubble 
  • Pump
Here are more examples of confetti-filled Deco Bubbles:







It is clear from the photographs above that these fantastic balloons can be utilised in so many ways and for all kinds of themed events. Who doesn't love a touch of sparkle?

Happy ballooning! 

Sue
Follow me @suebowler


Friday, May 26, 2023

Tips on how to make your Social Media Posts Engaging and Memorable

Tips for Creating Engaging Social Media Posts

The first thing I always recommend when aiming for more engagement on Social Media is aiming to regularly post on Facebook and Instagram. However, to make your posts memorable and engaging, you must take a unique approach. Nowadays, people tend to keep scrolling and only engage with posts that catch their attention. So, how can you make sure that your potential customers stop, look, and follow your posts? Here are some helpful tips to consider:

Use eye-catching visuals: Incorporate high-quality images, videos, or graphics that grab attention and make your posts visually appealing. Visual content tends to attract more engagement than text-only posts.

These are my top three posts according to the number of impressions and the reach they have achieved over the past two years. All three posts have something in common; they don't just feature balloons, but also include a "human element".

Having a human element in an Instagram post adds a sense of relatability and authenticity, which can make the post more appealing to viewers. Here are a few reasons why:

Emotional connection: Seeing a person in a post allows viewers to connect on an emotional level. It evokes feelings of empathy, relatability, and familiarity. Humans are naturally drawn to other human faces and expressions, so including a person in your post can help establish a deeper connection with your audience.

Authenticity and trust: Incorporating a human element in your post can make it feel more genuine and authentic. It humanises your brand or message, showing that there are real people behind it. This transparency can help build trust with your audience and make them more receptive to your content.

Storytelling: Humans are natural storytellers, and featuring people in your posts allows you to tell stories visually. Whether it is showcasing a behind-the-scenes moment, sharing a customer's experience, or highlighting your team members, storytelling through a human element can be compelling and engaging.

Relatability and social proof: When people see others like themselves using or benefiting from a product or service, it creates a sense of relatability and social proof. It can help potential customers envision themselves in that situation and increase their trust in your brand.

Increased engagement: Posts with human faces often attract more attention and engagement. Studies have shown that photos with faces tend to receive more likes, comments, and shares compared to those without. Including a human element can capture viewers' attention as they naturally gravitate towards human faces.

While having a human element in your Instagram posts can be beneficial, it is still essential to ensure that it aligns with your brand and the message you want to convey. It should feel authentic and relevant to your content strategy and target audience. 


This post has achieved:
5297 Likes
42 Comments
2134 Saves
207,302 Reach
2,246 Profile Visits
1,802 Follows


This post has achieved:
2417 Likes
12 Comments
1180 Saves
107,737 Reach
3,209 Profile Visits
1,697 Follows

This post has achieved:
1855 Likes
11 Comments
573 Saves
66,842 Reach
1,747 Profile Visits
964 Follows


If you have an Instagram Business account, you can access Instagram Insights, which provides analytics and data about your posts' performance. Insights will show you metrics such as reach, impressions, engagement rate, and the number of likes, comments, and shares for each post. Use this data to identify your most successful posts.

Write captivating headlines or captions: using concise and attention-grabbing headlines or captions will make people want to click, read, or engage with your post. Use creativity, humour, or curiosity to pique their interest!



Tell stories: Stories have a powerful impact on engagement. Share personal anecdotes, customer success stories, or behind-the-scenes glimpses to captivate your audience and make your posts more relatable.


Here is a great example of a balloon business sharing more than just a photograph of a balloon wall; they go into detail and talk about how big the wall is, about how they love to create new colours and how they think the design will look fabulous in Pink! Their post is colourful, exciting and charming, everything a customer wants to see! 

Be authentic and genuine: Show your personality and let your brands authentic voice shine through your posts. Avoid being overly promotional and focus on building genuine connections with your audience. Use engaging visuals that showcase your unique style and personality.

Here are some great ideas:

  • Share your design inspiration and how you incorporate it into your work.
  • If you pre-design your decor either by hand-drawing or by using a design program such as BalloonPro.co, why not show the before and after? 

    Below is a balloon wall that I designed for a training course some years ago in Israel. The three images show the wall design, the wall made from balloons and finally a design image showing how the wall could be incorporated with other decorations. 



  • Don't be afraid to share your mistakes or failures, as they can be valuable learning experiences or relatable moments for others.
  • Show your appreciation for your audience and the support they give you. 
  • Use language that is authentic and easy to understand, and avoid jargon or technical terms that may alienate your audience.
  • Be consistent in your messaging and tone across all of your design content.
  • Remember to have fun and enjoy the creative process, as passion and enthusiasm can be contagious.
Encourage interaction: Pose questions, ask for opinions, or invite people to share their experiences in the comments. Encourage your audience to engage with your posts and create a sense of community.

Use hashtags strategically: Research relevant and trending hashtags and incorporate them into your posts. This can help increase the discoverability of your content and attract a broader audience.

Provide valuable content: Share informative, educational, or entertaining content that your audience will find valuable. Offer tips, tutorials, industry insights, or exclusive deals to establish yourself as a trusted resource.

Utilise storytelling formats: Experiment with formats like Instagram Stories, Facebook Live, or TikTok to deliver content in a more interactive and engaging manner. These formats allow for behind-the-scenes glimpses, Q&A sessions, or interactive polls.

Be consistent and frequent: Regularly posting fresh and engaging content keeps your audience interested and coming back for more. Find a posting schedule that works for you and consistently deliver valuable content.

Analyse and learn from your data: Monitor your social media analytics to understand what type of content resonates with your audience. Pay attention to metrics like engagement rate, reach, and click-through rate to optimise your future posts.

Remember, creating engaging and memorable social media posts requires experimentation and adaptation. Continuously monitor and analyse your results, listen to your audience, and refine your content strategy accordingly.

Personally, I know that this information will really benefit my own social media posts. When I look at my Instagram posts, I can see that with a little bit more thought and a few more words, I can transform my posts into something that my potential and current followers want to see.

Happy Ballooning!



Sue

www.suebowler.com
#suebowler



Friday, May 19, 2023

Creative Father's Day Ballooning Ideas!

With Father's Day just around the corner, it's the ideal opportunity for us to cater to this market and assist our customers in finding the ideal gift. Below are some fantastic ballooning ideas to consider!


Father's Day Balloon Bouquets: Create unique balloon bouquets specifically designed for Father's Day. Use balloons in masculine colours, such as blues, greens, or metallic shades, and add themed balloons like "Happy Father's Day" or ones shaped like tools, sports equipment, or hobbies your customers' fathers enjoy.

Balloon Decor and Delivery: Provide balloon decor services for Father's Day celebrations. This can include balloon arches, columns, centerpieces, or balloon walls customised to fit the event's theme. Offer delivery and setup options to make it convenient for customers to have the decorations in place.

Personalisation remains a top trend


Personalised Balloons: Offer personalised balloons with custom messages. Customers can have their father's name or a heartfelt message printed on the balloons.
Qualatex Deco Bubbles are perfect for personalisation, especially when using a die-cutting machine such as the Silhouette Cameo. 

I absolutely love this design by Cam Woody, CBA, of Pioneer Balloon Company in Wichita, KS, USA. What could be more appealing than giving this to a Daddy for his first Father's Day! 





Don't forget, Qualatex has prepared some great ready-made social media posts that you can freely download - click HERE for a direct link or visit https://us.qualatex.com/en-us/inspiration/marketing-materials/



Microfoil balloons can be personalised too! How about taking this 'Adorable Astronaut' Qualatex balloon and adding a special 'cosmic' Father's Day message! 

37" 'Adorable Astronaut' 
#87966

Cheers to Dad on his Special Day!


Design by Eve Antonello, CBA, of Pioneer Balloon Company.

Balloon Gift Packages: Create Father's Day gift packages that include balloons along with other items. For example, you could offer a package that includes a balloon bouquet, a personalised card, and a small gift like a mug, or a grooming kit. Provide different package options to cater to varying preferences and budgets. Remember that you cannot sell alcohol in certain countries without a licence.

Balloon Workshop or DIY Kits: Organise balloon workshops or offer DIY balloon kits for customers who want to create their own Father's Day decorations. Provide instructions, materials, and tools needed to make balloon arrangements, allowing customers to unleash their creativity while celebrating their fathers.


Message ideas!

Choosing the perfect message to illustrate on a balloon is never easy, so here are a few examples that should hopefully help! 

To the world’s best Dad, happy Father’s day!



Thanks Dad for everything you do for us.
Happy Father’s day to the coolest Dad ever!
Happy Father’s day to my wonderful Daddy. 
Thanks for always being there for us/me
Out of all the dads in the world I think we got the best one! 
Happy Father’s day to my superhero Dad!
Sending you all my love and I wish I could be there to give you a big bear hug. 
I am so lucky to have you as my dad. 
Thanks for being so wonderful!
You truly are the best Daddy! Happy Father’s day.
Thanks for being the coolest dad on the block! Happy Father’s day!
Happy Father’s Day to the greatest Dad in the whole world!


If you would like to learn how to re-create some of the designs featured in this post, check out these fabulous video tutorials by Cam Woody and Eve Antonello! 




Once you have decided which designs you are going to offer for Father's Day, it is time to start promoting them on your social media channels. Remember that using the right hashtags is the key to success of your campaign! 

#fathersday #fathersdaygifts #dad #happyfathersday #love #father #family #mothersday #fathersdaygiftideas #daddy #gift #giftideas #birthday #fathers #fathersdaygift #gifts #handmade #diadelpadre #fatherandson #dadlife #shoplocal #fatherhood #papa #instagood #anniversary #giftsforhim #dads #smallbusiness #fatherdaughter #personalised #bhfyp (best hashtag for your post) it is also important to include at least one hashtag with your location, town or city, unless you are offering a national balloon delivery service.

Here is another great ready-made social media post from Qualatex. Some have messages added while others have been left blank to allow you to add your own messages and company details! 



Remember your Father's Day sales campaign does not need to be 100% about the products that you are selling! To attract attention and followers, you can always add in a few 'off the wall' posts! 



How about a Father's Day fact? 
While the exact date that the word “dad” came into use is unknown, it is estimated that it began around the late fifteenth century. It is believed that it was simply derived from baby talk, as in many languages “dada” or “tata” refers to a baby’s acknowledgement of father.

Good luck with your Father's Day campaign, I hope that this post has given a little bit of inspiration! 

Happy Ballooning!

Sue
Follow me @suebowler

Friday, May 5, 2023

Are you Ready for the Corporate Market? Tips for Building a Corporate Client Base as a Small Business Owner

Many Balloon Business Owners start out by offering balloons for birthdays and parties. Over time, we develop our skills and grow in confidence, and now we want take that next step - the corporate market! 

This stage decor was created by Sue Bowler in collaboration with Ali Welsh of Ali Welsh Events for Christmas corporate event.
Each letter stood over 10' tall and was perfect for this DISCO theme party! The room was also filled with one hundred and thirty 3' Silver Confetti Balloons that represented Disco Balls! 



So what is a corporate client?

The term "corporate client" typically refers to a business or organisation that seeks and purchases goods or services from another business or organisation for the purpose of fulfilling their own business needs. It is easy to think that corporate clients are all huge corporations that typically wouldn't hire a balloon decorator for an event. However, this is untrue, as corporate clients come in all types and sizes and can operate in various industries such as finance, healthcare, retail, and more.


In the context of a small balloon decorating business, a corporate client might be a business that wants to decorate their office or host a corporate event, such as a product launch, trade show, or company party. Building relationships with corporate clients can be beneficial for a small business as they can provide regular and potentially large orders, as well as referrals to other businesses in their network.


My Journey into the Corporate World: When I first dipped my toe into the corporate decor world, my initial projects were designing seasonal window displays for a local jewellery store, and creating wedding displays for a bridal shop. For the latter, I collaborated with the owners and they promoted my services in exchange for the decor I created for their shop displays. This proved to be a successful arrangement, as I received regular bookings from brides. As my confidence and portfolio grew, I secured decorating contracts with the local council, designing for all their events and functions, and even worked for a local brewery who hosted regular events for their pub owners and landlords. My list of corporate clients continued to expand. However, I eventually stopped my decorating business to become an industry instructor. A few years on, an old ballooning friend who had started her own events company offered me many incredible opportunities to create decor for various events for her clients, and these fit perfectly into my teaching schedule. This fruitful partnership lasted for years and once again demonstrated the power of collaboration.



Here are some amazing examples of decor that was created for corporate events.


This stunning entrance arch was created by designers: Alexander Solomatin, CBA, Moscow, Russia, Dmitry Novikov, CBA, Moscow, Russia


This Car Showroom Decor was created by Chris Adamo, CBA of the Balloon Crew, Sydney, Australia.

These Striking Balloon Arches are by Dianna Glandon, CBA, of 
Above the Rest Event Designs,  
Knoxville, TN , USA.

Vodafone Store Decor was created by
Chris Adamo, The Balloon Crew, Sydney, Australia

So how can you find corporate clients to work with?

1. Attend networking events and trade shows to connect with potential clients - Start by searching for "Networking Events near here (your location)" on your preferred search engine. You will be surprised at how many organisations hold these events. The meetings can be held in person or remotely through virtual channels. Choose events that are most relevant to you. The cost is usually minimal, and it's an excellent opportunity to connect with other local businesses while participating in discussions on various topics.




2. Utilise social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, to showcase your work and connect with decision-makers in companies.  Fact - Linkedin is the most effective B2B marketing tool, it is a lot more powerful than Facebook and Instagram for reaching the people who matter!

If like me, you do not really use Linkedin, here are some tips for using LinkedIn to connect with other businesses:

  • Optimise your profile: Before you start connecting with other businesses, make sure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and professional. This will help establish your credibility and make others more likely to accept your connection request.
  • Identify relevant businesses: Use LinkedIn's search function to find businesses that are relevant to your industry or niche. You can search for companies using keywords, industry, location, and other criteria.
  • Personalise your connection request: When sending a connection request, make sure to personalise it and explain why you want to connect. This can help increase the likelihood of your request being accepted.
  • Engage with their content: Once you've connected with other businesses, engage with their content by liking, commenting, and sharing. This can help establish a relationship and increase the chances of them engaging with your content in return.
  • Offer value: If you want to establish a deeper connection with other businesses, offer them something of value. This could be sharing an article or resource that you think would be helpful, or offering to introduce them to someone in your network.
  • Attend industry events: LinkedIn can also be a great tool for finding industry events. This can be a great way to meet other businesses in person and establish a deeper connection.

3. Offer special promotions or discounts to businesses to entice them to try your services. For example you could approach your local car dealership and recommend decor for their showroom for a seasonal event such as Valentine’s Day or Christmas, and you could give them an introductory discount for using your service. Fact - Always think outside of the box when it comes to ‘finding’ your leads, car dealers often use decor to create interest in their showrooms, think of what other businesses could use your decor to enhance their business and products! 



This car showroom St Patrick's Day Decor was created by
Colin & Jeannie Stewart of STEWART's Baskets & Balloons,
 in Ontario, Canada



This car showroom St Patrick's Day Decor was created by 
Colin & Jeannie Stewart of STEWART's Baskets & Balloons,
 in Ontario, Canada

4. Partner with event planners or other businesses in the event industry to expand your network. Building a good relationship with an Event Planner was probably my greatest tool when growing my corporate work. Event planners and other businesses won’t necessarily find you, you will need to find them! Search on Instagram and Linkedin, follow them, like and share their posts. It could be a local hotel or events venue, not necessarily a person, your aim is to make contact without being a stalker! 


5. Create a professional website that highlights your portfolio and services, and make sure it is optimised for search engines.


Here are some tips for creating a professional website that showcases your portfolio and services and is optimised for search engines:


  • Choose a clean and modern design that reflects your style and brand.
  • Use high-quality images and graphics to showcase your work.
  • Clearly list your services and pricing.
  • Include client testimonials to build trust and credibility.
  • Optimise your website for search engines by using keywords that are relevant to your business and industry.
  • Ensure that your website is mobile-friendly and easy to navigate.
  • Make it easy for potential clients to contact you through a contact form or clear call-to-action buttons.
  • Regularly update your website with new content to keep it fresh and engaging.
  • Integrate your social media profiles to increase your online presence.
  • Consider hiring a professional web designer or developer to ensure that your website is of the highest quality.


6. Attend local business events and seminars to meet potential clients and learn about their needs.  - check out and join your local Chamber of Commerce.


7. Send out email newsletters to past clients and potential clients to keep them informed about your business and services. Make sure that you adhere to GDPR rules, you cannot just send out emails to past clients unless you have agreed to be ale to do this. This is generally done through a tick box system in your previous marketing with them.


8. Build relationships with local hotels and event venues to become their go-to balloon decorating business.


9. Collect testimonials and reviews from satisfied clients to use as social proof and to help build your credibility with potential clients - Don’t feel afraid to ask for a testimonial or review from a satisfied customer. If you have a Google profile for your business (Google My Business https://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/business/) then you can send a direct link to your customer, making it easy for them to do there and then! 


https://www.google.com/business/

Remember to tailor your approach to each potential client, taking into consideration their specific needs, budget, and industry. With a little bit of effort and persistence, you can find and attract corporate clients for your small balloon decorating business. Develop good research skills, create a strong professional image and a good network, which is essential for growing your corporate market.


And finally...

  • Growing a corporate client base can be a time-consuming process, unless you have strong connections from the beginning.
  • Remember that every interaction counts, from the way you present yourself to how you communicate with customers.
  • Taking steps in the right direction, no matter how small, can help you achieve your goal.
Good Luck! 

Happy ballooning! 

Sue
Follow me: @suebowler