Presentation is everything. It doesn't matter what kind of balloons you're
doing. You could be making single-balloon creations, or large multi-balloon
characters, but if you make your customer believe that the balloon you just
made is the most amazing thing in the world, you have succeeded.
I think us twisters have become focused on being better than each other, but
that doesn't matter. You don't need to worry about your skill level
compared to that of other twisters. True, being better can get you
recognition within the industry, but mainly you are selling to your clients.
If you can give the perception that your balloons are better than anyone
else's, you've got it.
Presentation is key. If you're going to make a one-balloon something, make
it the best one-balloon something you can. Jazz up your balloons with a
little something to make them appear more spectacular than they may be. I
did a craft fair back in August, and I made a lot of teddy bears and cats.
They could be single balloon creations, but I added a scrap of another
balloon for a different colored nose. Now, some people may have seen a
teddy bear before, but I doubt they've seen a teddy bear with a different
colored nose. Things like this can earn you more money. I was getting paid
double what I was asking for just for small details like this.
Another tip I picked up from Jimmy Leo was to keep things simple. You could
create giant, woven sculptures that look impressive, but you could also
simplify those by cutting out balloons and saving you money. They look just
as good and the customers don't know the difference. An example? You might
make big woven top hats to wear while twisting. I myself now do a simpler
version that uses only six balloons but looks just as good. It gives the
idea of a top hat, and people don't complain about it not being woven.
You can be simple and still present your balloons well. When I have the
time, I like to make Don Caldwell's monkey, seen at right. It's great, but
not ideal for situations where you need to pump out balloons. In some
situations when I'm asked for a monkey, I will make a simple one-balloon
money, but add it onto a one-balloon tree. Sometimes I'll even make a two
balloon tree. By adding that little extra, the tree, you could make double
or triple what you would normally make by just giving out that monkey by
itself.
A great place to go for presentation ideas is your fellow twisters. Feel
free to borrow ideas from other people. The customers won't care if you
took the idea from another balloon artist, because they don't know. I made
a number of Don Caldwell's monkeys at the craft fair, and not once did
someone come up to me and say, "You sir are an inferior human being because
you aren't using your own designs!" The Balloon HQ photo gallery has some
amazing ideas in there. I've certainly gotten inspiration from it. You
should too.
