Do I D.I.Y. or Book the Professionals for My Balloons?

I can inflate my own balloons - but should I?

Not An Uncommon Story

Recently, a lovely customer collected her box of goodies along with uninflated balloons for their special occasion. They were heading off with a whole day set aside to decorate, and had chosen air-filled balloons, accessories and a fun balloon table centrepiece that we had prepared for her.

As always, I let her know that we are on the end of the phone if she needed any help.

By late that day, I received a phone call to say that their air compressor was working, but incompatible for balloon inflation (it was for cars), they had given up on their cheapie balloon pumps they had bought at the local import store, so they were mouth-blowing their 180 balloons ... and nearly passing out.

"What should we do now?" she asked. 

I directed them to their nearest specialty balloon store to purchase several quality balloon pumps as they were now running out of time, with many other items yet to tackle on their 'to-do' list.

This wasn't a particularly ambitious project for a novice. Our customers had put great effort into their planning, booked off a whole day for 3 people to decorate, had organised the equipment they expected they would need, and we had provided as much guidance as possible (at a considerable time cost to us).

However, it does highlight a golden rule we live by in our business. 

It's too late to get it right after the event. 

ALWAYS RELY ON THE EXPERTS FOR THE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS of your function.

The customer spent hundreds of dollars on balloons and decorations, which told me it was a really special occasion, and the decorations were important. Our team are always here to help stretch your event or party budget with clever decoration choices and designs. Sometimes one bold feature is better than a room full of poorly executed decorations.

We appreciate that it is not possible, or necessary, to bring in the professionals. It is important to know when to ask for help. In our next tip sheet, I have prepared our Pros and Cons Guide to D.I.Y. vs Full Service Balloon Inflation Services for you. Click here

This example shows a local liquor store balloons for Mother's Day. If budget was the issue here, they would have been better off just having the streamers and a few printed signs. The balloon messages were upside down, hidden by the streamers, and the streamers flapped around in people's faces.