Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 20:43:23 -0700
To: balloon@balloonhq.com
From: Mike <mikekenyon@balloonhq.com>
Subject: Sparklet Information from TK Innovations

Howdy all!

The following is posted at the request of TK Innovations, the great 
people who provide us with Sparklets. TK Innovation heard that us 
twisters were talking about Sparklets, and they wanted to give some 
'official' information. Here it is!

*****

Dear Twister List,

I just saw the post on vending helium balloons at fairs, and thought this a
perfect time to mention Sparklets.  Unfortunately, I saw it on the deco list,
and then Bruce Walden told me all the talk was on the twister side. 
This is what I
posted earlier today...

Sparklets are perfectly durable for the hot summer days, do NOT conduct
electricity, stay very clear and will never lose their shine.  They were
always our best seller when we vended balloons at festivals in Japan, and I
have heard they were amazing at a fair in California.  Because they look so
unique and magical they can be sold at a faster rate with higher profits.
Because they float so long (up to 4 weeks), you can inflate them in advance
and not when you are busy selling.  Because they are refillable, you do not
have to worry about waste.  Because they stretch, you do not need to worry
about contraction/expansion and them popping in the sun.  Sparklets are easy
to do once you have practiced 10 or 20 in a row.  "Doubles" are extremely
quick to produce, but "Insiders" may bring you more profits.  Once you get
used to inflating Sparklets, you should be able to inflate at least one per
minute - of course 18" and doubles are much faster.

A few suggestions for productive production would be to (#1)  have all
materials near by;  (#2)  Always try to insert at least one 11" latex balloon
inside to make the Sparklet look full of balloons; use smaller balloons
sparingly to save on labor time;  (#3) precut all your ribbons (and pre-tied
in a bunch to a heavy weight if you are outdoors);  (#4) use a flex tilt
valve so that it is easy to control the flow of gas and the tapered tip
allows you to inflate smaller balloons too (push valve with thin extension is
another option);  (#5)  an inflator with a ribbon cutter attached to it comes
in handy when creating "insiders";  (#6) use a thin stick to insert latex
balloons, especially for "Insiders" (the Premium balloon stem works great);
(#7) use durable ribbon curling that doesn't break when you tug hard on it.

For greater sales, we suggest making a large bunch of them for visual impact
(stay away from sharp objects such as trees).  Use bright colors and
beautiful printed latex balloons inside as well as special shapes such as
350's and hearts - smiley's are always a great seller.  Make a large sign
that tells people how long Sparklets last so they realize they aren't buying
an ordinary balloon that pops, fades, and droops.  If you use both 18" & 22"
Sparklets, we suggest putting a few 18"-doubles in the back.  Reserve the 18"
for the customers on a budget and only introduce it to them after you are
sure they aren't going to spend on a 22".

Lastly, if you are interested in making money at fairs, I suggest attending
the "What's New, Bruce" tour where you will get a hands-on opportunity to
learn how to inflate and tie Sparklets correctly.  If you need more info
before then, you can always contact us or go to our web site at
www.tkinnovationsinc.com.

Good luck at those summer fairs!
Emily Sugiura-Hill
TK Innovations Inc.
1-866-Tk-today
1-904-808-0678
St. Augustine, FL

*****

Posted on behalf of TK Innovations, by Maryland's biggest fan of the Sparklet!

Mike

-- 
Success comes to those who become success conscious. Failure comes to 
those who indifferently allow themselves to become failure conscious.
-Napoleon Hill