Balloon Training: How to Select the Best Fit for You

The Balloon Industry is BOOMING, thanks to social media sharing the amazing photographs of balloon decor around the globe!

If you are looking to start a new balloon business or have an existing balloon company and in search of training, it can sometimes be tough to find what’s available in your part of the world. I am often asked, “How do I decide which balloon training is best for me to invest in?” Some may think I would automatically say, BalloonCoach.com, “we are the best”. Instead, I like to get to know more about you, your business, and what your desires are in the future to give you an array of places to locate training so you can make the best decision for you. So start with the following questions – get out a notebook and right down the answers.

How do do you pick which is best for You?

Write down – what your goals are for you balloon business:

• Do you want to build a full time business with full time income?
• Do balloons for church at no cost or for fun?
• Entertainment focused or decor focused?

What are your Pain points, the areas you need the most help with?

• Do you have obstacles that make it hard to travel so that online courses are currently a better fit?
• Are you able to take time away from home to learn hands on?

Ways to FIND the support you need:

• BalloonCoach.com
• Check with your local distributor about classes
• Check out your manufacturers for a distributors list and upcoming classes or conventions

Click here to see the replay from a free webinar on How to Locate In person and Online training.

We take you on a tour of great places to find the information you are looking for.

Guest include Liz Romani, Johnathon Gerber, Jan Iiams, Eddie Heyland, Caity Byrne, Gary Ledbetter and Cody Williams.

I’m Joette Giardina, CBA (Certified Balloon Artist) I bought my balloon decor business in Lakeland, Florida in 2003, grew my company and sold it in 2015. I now serve as the Marketing Director for Party People Events as our company has grown to a team delivering over $500,000 of decor a year! Serving as the part-time Marketing director allowed me to create my full time passion of serving as a catalyst for new resources in the balloon industry. Now serving as a business coach, cheerleader and creating online webinars, master mind support groups, one to one coaching and dynamic hands on training. Working with a team of balloon professionals around the world to serve more as an Online Balloon Training University allowing you to learn from the successes and mistakes of balloon owners around the world, rather than just relying on hearing my story in balloons.

I enjoy working daily with balloon professionals around the world to help them increase their knowledge and confidence.

Bottom line is, “we don’t know, what we don’t know”

When I started in the industry I had no idea what I was getting into and we did not have all the amazing online tools that are now available.

I now have over 3 years of monthly webinars from our Passport to Success Program with the replays that are HERE waiting for YOU to take the step to listen to them and follow the steps to success given by amazing instructors from around the world.

For just $97 a month investment you can be a member of our Premier Program which gains you access to:

• All the Webinar Replays
• Balloon Boss Mastermind Group
• Weekly Steps to Success
• Encouragement and support
• Access to our Decor 101 program

For more support and ongoing training go to BalloonCoach.com

If you would like to schedule a time to see if this is the right fit for you email Joette@ballooncoach.com

Looking for a dynamic in person hands on experience focusing on sellable balloon decor and leaving with a marketing plan and professional photography to use in your business to sell it? Join us in Orlando

Promotions & Profits Retreat Orlando 2018

Click the link above to see the details of our 9 person teaching team, schedule and guest hotel, Disney Springs Holiday Inn Orlando.

As you review different websites and trainings and select the right fit for you. The next step is preparing for the training.

Picking your Class Schedule at a Live event with class options

• If 2 or more people from the same company are attending the convention, it is best to divide and conquer. Learn as much as you can. You may take 1 or 2 key classes together, but splitting up gets you the most information.
• Write down what you are wanting from your training before selecting your classes: What is your current top pain point or difficulty in your business? What is a technique you would like to learn? Who have you always wanted to learn from? What are your top $$ customers requesting that you do not feel confident providing?
• Print the schedule
• Put a Star next to the class that solves a pain point – problem for you
• Put a smile face next to the people you want to learn from
• Pick one class that you want to take JUST FOR FUN and put an ! by it
• Put a $ next to the business classes
• You can use more than one symbol per class.
• If a class has more than one of you labels it’s probably a class you should go to
• Then take the rest and see how they fit in the schedule and think – How will I make my investment back if I take this class?

After you choose an event to attend

# 1 Reserve your hotel room

#2 Set up to have a room-mate if you need someone to share expenses with

Things to ask potential room mate – I have heard many horror stories from conventions past when people room with people they have never met. I know people who ended up sleeping in the tub or on the floor in someone else’s room to escape some crazy stuff!

• Sleep habits
• Smoker or non smoker
• Likes to turn room into a bar or likes to go to bed early
• Snore?
• Light sleeper?
• Allergies to perfume or foods you love?
• Shower Morning or night – how much time do they take?

#3 Schedule travel early to get best rates. Check on shuttles, Uber, Lyft, to the airport etc.

#4 If driving, note if there is a daily parking fee at the hotel

#5 Visit the website for the convention and take time to review the information!

• Print the Event Schedule
• Print the Class Descriptions
• Print the Class Schedule
• Look and see who the staff are, find out a bit about them
• Check out the competitions and deadlines to enter
• Review the classes and make your tentative schedule

#6 Take time to fill out the registration forms and get them back to the producers to make their life a little easier (and save you time on site). Putting on a convention is a HUGE undertaking, help them help you by doing things in a timely manner.

#7 Make an email file folder on your computer for ALL emails about the event to go in. Make it a habit to put all the notes there.

#8 Make sure you are on the group Facebook page for the event and either turn on the notification or check it often to see new info.

#9 Select your classes wisely; take time to really review the information

Click on the link below and print this worksheet to help you with your decisions

Show your support to the event you are attending.

• Post on social media you are attending the event (let your customers know you are continuing your education).
• Purchase items from those folks at the vendor showcase, or if they sell from a class etc. No, you can’t purchase everything. But realize the reason people are selling items is to help make back the money they invested in the event. I do my best to support distributors that attend conventions and that provide education for the industry (something to think of next time you go to look for who to buy your balloons from)
• Post thank you messages, and send a note of thanks to the company or people who organize the event you attend.
• Give your honest feedback on what you liked and what can be improved in the future
• Putting on a convention is a huge undertaking. Take time to thank the producers, staff, instructors and sponsors.
• As you post photos in the future of jobs you land, or increased income from classes you take give a shout out to the teachers and event you learned from.

Packing and Prep List for Convention

• Positive Mental Attitude
• Smile and a good handshake
• Check what the size and weight requirements are for your airline
• Put suit cases out a week in advance so you are not totally rushed at the end.
• Hotel and plane reservation numbers in my calendar
• Deleting photos from phone, tablet, and camera or purchasing additional cards to have room for over 1,000 photos!
• Pack a lot of business cards! You are meeting hundreds of new people it’s great to share cards to network after event
• Portfolio or marketing materials that you may share during conversation to get ideas from others on improvements you can make
• Bring a special baggie or ladies even a cosmetic bag to put all the business cards in of the people you meet.
• Pack your Power Cord for all electronics (WBC 2012 Jani Blocker was nice enough to buy me a universal power cord when I left my laptop cord at home – not cheap!)
• Pack an extension cord they come in handy in your hotel room since we all have so many electronics! Make sure it is 3 prong, 3 plug end or power strip
• If you have a back up power pack or battery for your phone – bring it!
• Chap Stick
• Hand lotion
• Jacket or sweater
• Logo Clothing to show off your brand
• Backpack or day bag to keep your notebook, notes etc in from class to class
• Clothing for the Awards Dinner, and anything within theme or fun for other parties and special events.
• At least 1 Pair of scissors in your checked luggage
• Hand pump for jams
• Vitamins or Emergen-C! Typically you get lack of sleep and you are hanging out with about 800 people so keeping healthy is key!
• Notebook, it’s nice to have extra Pad of paper for notes
• Pens – easy to lose a pen or run out of ink
• Highlighter if you like to highlight notes during class
• Gum/Mints
• Travel cup or money to buy one to have beverages in class and in your room
• Travel Kleenex
• Nail Clippers and file, with all the balloon work you are bound to break a nail!
• Static spray
• Swimsuit
• FILES for the weeks events. If you are running crews while you are away and plan to be in touch with your crew. Email the information to yourself if you wish to review.
• $$$$ You will want to have some cash and credit cards ready for meals and purchasing items from vendors
• IF at all possible plan for a full 8 hours of sleep night before your flight. Once you get to convention it is easy to lose track of time and be up in the lobby talking to a new friend til all hours of the night and morning!

TIPS While at Convention

• Make friends with someone who has a car or split Taxi or Uber cost and run to a store to grab snacks and food for your room to reduce food cost.
• Volunteer to work on the hands on builds, teacher prep, or competition teams to learn new techniques and make new friends.
• Be proud to say “Hey, I helped make that and I know with confidence I can recreate for my client”
• When meeting new people that you do not want to forget take a photo of them with their name tag up by their face, this way when you return home and your memory is mush from meeting hundreds of new people you will easily be able to reference back to who is who!

Brenda Eng and Pearlyn Tam from Singapore

After meeting at WBC they then came back to the USA for FLOAT 2014, and then WBC 2016, I enjoy spending time with people from around the world that share my passion for the Balloon Industry! Lots of fun memories are about to be created!

Eat meals with different people. It’s great to see old friends, but make some new ones too!

IF you are not an outgoing person,and have a hard time meeting new people, relax and say hello!

Networking is one of the main reasons I attend conventions. YES I want to learn from the classes. But the friendships I have made over the years from conventions have been my support system to grow my company and lead to many wonderful travels. *** Remember, lots of business cards!**

For more support and ongoing training go to BalloonCoach.com

Twist & Shout is the premier convention in the US for Balloon Entertainers.

Join us online for our Workshops at BalloonCoach.com, then Get into the Retreat for November!

If you are at FLOAT 2019, register in advance for our Lunch and Learn program you will get a Webinar before FLOAT to Prepare, Lunch and Learn on Tuesday of FLOAT and a follow-up webinar after FLOAT to help you apply what you learned to your business!

If you have more questions on training email Joette@ballooncoach.com and I’ll be glad to point you in the right direction!

Your Partner in Success,

Joette Giardina, CBA
Mentor. Motivator. Speaker.
Take Your Business to New Heights! with Balloon Training by Balloon Coach

 

Join us for Promotions & Profits Retreat at Disney Springs

Elevated.Events