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| This double-heart entryway designed by by Wynn and Lindy Bell for a bridal fair drew many positive comments from future brides. |
If you find yourself inspired to compete (hopefully you will if you keep reading), it's not too late. You never know which competitions still have openings, even if some deadlines have passed. If you find yourself falling back on a rationalization like: 'if you don't win anything, what is there to really gain from competing?' Here are some recent responses to that very question:
Chris Horne, Professional Balloon Decorations in Northampton,
England
I admit I've been fortunate enough to pick up an award or
two from my competition pieces, but none of the competitions were entered
with the sole goal of winning. I entered because I had these ideas in my
head that I wanted to explore, but they were on a grander scale than I was
able to sell to my client base of the time. The competitions gave me the
opportunity to 'build my dream' and to explore all the new techniques and
methods involved. The results have been beyond my wildest dreams. The
benefits of building those competition pieces have been incalculable:
greatly increased business, exposure and respect from both peers and
clients. Those pieces, including the ones that didn't win anything, have
done more to increase my bottom line and my standing in the marketplace and
the industry than any single thing I have done before or since.
Steve Jones, Aeration Decorations in Cincinnati, Ohio
Photos of my entry from the IBAC Large Sculpture competition in March, 2002
have landed me over a dozen new corporate clients and amounted to several
thousand dollars in new business. It has also done wonders in helping me
retain my existing customers. Heck, this year, it's my company Christmas
card! Competing at IBAC has been some of the most fulfilling and rewarding
experiences of my professional career. If you've ever thought about trying
a competition, whether it's decorating or twisting, DO IT!
Jimmy Leo, Cloud 9 Balloons in Long Island NY
A person can make an unbelievable number of contacts and friends when
working on an entry. There is a great deal of help that goes on during
these competitions, as well as sharing between balloon artists. And yes,
you will even see people that are competing AGAINST each other actually
HELPING each other!
Larry Moss, BalloonHQ and FooledYa in Rochester, NY
If you're even considering competing, go for it. It's fun. Think of it as
a showcase that you can participate in, and forget the word
'competition' completely. A showcase brings the industry to the next
level. New ideas are presented and learned. Share your own ideas this
year, and you can expect to learn from other people's new ideas next year.
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Valentine Centerpiece by Jean Cammarata Unique Balloons in Brooklyn, NY |
Jean Cammarata has built an extensive on-line portfolio filled with classy sculptures ideal for balloon decor and special deliveries. Unique ideas for a wide variety of events and special occasions are showcased in this well-constructed portfolio.
Visit Jean Cammarata's Portfolio
Like the Upcoming Events Calendar, posting information in the Classified
Ads gives you interactive control over your content. This is much more
useful than a static, one-time posting to an email list. Keep your entry
active as long as it is relevent, then pull it as soon as you find someone
to purchase your item or share a room. Please do take the time to place
your announcement in the most appropriate category. If you're offering
private lessons (or a special product discount) at a convention, please
classify your listing under 'Conventions' rather than 'Other Offers' or
'For Sale'. For such purposes, it is the limited time frame or specific
geographic region that is the most important filtering factor.
