Tips & Tricks

Sailboard tips

When using sailboards outside on grass put a bit of plastic sheeting or bin bag underneath the sailboards (obviously so you can't see it). This will stop the wood soaking up any moisture from the ground, which will lead to your sailboards bowing.

Always weigh down your sailboards to stop any chance of them falling over.

If they are your own sailboards put some screws in the back for attachment points for neon signs and wooden signs.

Heres the link: https://amzn.eu/d/03BTQtQm

All in the details 

Find out all the details of the venue you are doing a display in.

Do you need to go up and down stairs?

If so how many?

Is there lifts?

Can you park near by?

Will it be open to the public during setup? (if so try and inflate as many balloons as possible beforehand so the pump doesn't disturb people)

If you don't want to or can't have access to look round the venue beforehand, get a photo of where you will be setting up. So you can work out how you can do it all.

The point of this post is don't go into a job blind! I learnt this valuable lesson one weekend. I had to go up 3 flights of stairs, couldn't park my van near the venue and had to walk miles back and forth from my van with all my stuff. Took 45 mins just to get everything into the venue. I didn't account for all of this in my quote. Next time I will 100% be checking every detail and quoting to suit those details.

Balloon transport

The biggest tip i can give you is dont waste money on balloon bags to transport clusters to a venue. Use a duvet cover to transport prepped inflated balloons. Saves you paying out for balloon bags, its obviously reuseable and you can fit so many clusters in them.

Attaching acrylic or wooden signs to props

If you use fishing line or craft line to tie on all wooden signs and acrylic discs to your displays.... Put a bit of spit or lick your fingers and rub it on the knot of your tied craft line. This stops it sliding and undoing (disgusting, I know, but trust me it works a treat. Learnt it from my hubby as he loves fishing )

Carpet tape

Carpet tape is your best friend when it comes to balloon towers and sticking foil balloons on your displays. It's super strong and doesn't cost much at all. You don't need to spend a fortune on uglu dashes or balloon tape. I go through crazy amounts of carpet tape.

If the carpet tape doesn't stick to your foil balloons wipe over the foil with a bit of antibacterial gel, dry it and then stick the carpet tape on it works amazingly.

Heres the link: https://amzn.eu/d/0aG2rBA8

Saggy wrinkly balloons?

If you are using balloons to practice with and are going to reuse them then try this tip.

When you have finished your display and undo the balloons they become really saggy..... To return them to normal put them on a warm radiator then voila.... they return to normal state! Only use these balloons to practice with, dont use them for a customer.

Cluster tying tip

Struggling to tie your clusters together in the position you want them to be?

Pull your cluster forward that you are tying on and then once tied on push it back into the correct place so much easier.

Some necks of the balloons don't stretch enough to tie it in the correct position. So by bringing the cluster forward you are giving yourself more neck to play with

Photos

Take a photo of your setup when you've finished it. Then look at your work in that photo before you leave. I guarantee that you'll see stuff you want to change in the setup, that you haven't noticed by actually looking at it with your naked eye!!

If you don't you'll get home and pull your work apart when you look at your photos. That's what I used to always do. Now I do the above and I actually get home and never want to change anything with the display.

Going the extra mile

Do that little something extra for your customers. Lasting impressions count and word of mouth is your best advertisement. So invest more into that. Add the florals if they originally wanted them but didn't want to pay extra for them. Little things like that mean the world to customers and theyll remember that and will highly recommend you to everyone.