From: "Clive \"emazdad\" Hemsley" <emazdad@bigfoot.com>
To: "balloon" <balloon@balloonhq.com>
Subject: Re:  'giving away' your time
Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2000 14:55:13 +0100

My parties always finish with me giving balloon models to the kids, the
magic show is timed to end 5 minutes before the party finish time, if there
is a lot of kids I take the balloon models ready made in a bag, but it's
always done in a way that when Mum and Dad come to pick them up, I'm doing
balloons. It always means I  finish until 5 - 10 minutes  late. This looks
good, the booker thinks they got a good deal, and the parents see the kids
having a great time. The PR value involved is worth more than the extra
money I could charge. Mind you I'm careful not to go to far over, or they'll
expect it next time, and if like me you go from one party to another, you
might not have time to stay next time.

The other side of the coin is the problem of start times. I hate it if I'm
booked for a party 4-6PM and I'm all ready to go at 4:00 and that's when the
kids start to arrive. You can't do anything till they're all here. I get
round it by
1) if the booker just wants the 1-hour show, to have me for the final hour
of the party, after the kids have had their sugar injection.

2) if I'm doing the whole party. I get them to put on the invitations for
the kids to arrive 10 minutes before party start time, in order to get the
hello's and present giving out of the way. I arrive 15 minutes beforehand
and set up, once I'm setup I do a couple of balloons to entertain the kids
while we're waiting.

These work well, and as yet I haven't had to cut short a show, due to having
to leave on time to get to my next booking. My contract does state that it
is their responsibility to ensure the show can start at the time stated, and
I reserve the right to cut short the show if necessary to finish at the
agreed time. just because they made you start late, you must still be ontime
for your next party.

I had one booking last year for a one hour show 6:30 pm - 7:30 PM I arrived
at 6:15 set up, The booker said "What we'd like you to do is half you show
6:30 -7:00 then we'll feed them and you can do the other half 7:30-8:00. She
wasn't happy when I told her she'd booked me for the hour 6:30-7:30. and
that I will be leaving at 7:30 to go to another show. in the end as the kids
didn't start arriving till 6:30, the show didn't start untill 6:45 and I
still left at 7:30. Mind you they must have been impressed as they've booked
me for this year, and at a start time that is 15 minutes after the kids
arrive. The lesson is don't be afraid to stand up to the bookers, you have
more experience of parties than them, and they will listen to you. Just be
Polite.


Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley
Website:- www.emazdad.co.uk