Balloon Basics Guide

Balloon Drops

BS10 Deluxe Balloon Net

Balloon drops are not just for New Year’s Eve galas anymore! The days of isolating such an extravagant event to celebrate another year’s end are long gone. Today’s balloon professionals are suggesting drops at wedding receptions, milestone anniversaries, graduations, political rallies, and of course surprise birthday parties. Successful balloon drops are time consuming, labor intensive, and tend to be costly. When quoting these jobs, be certain that you and your team possess the necessary skills and equipment to make the industry proud. Hold a practice run prior to the actual event if necessary. Be sure to visit the venue before promising to deliver a drop. BE PREPARED A job cost sheet is critical in preplanning and executing large jobs. When pricing/bidding on a job, consider the following: theme, location, date and time of the event, set-up and tear down time needed, room limitations or challenges, and individual overhead and margin requirements. One way to determine your pricing is based on the number of balloons involved. Take a constant and multiply by the cost of supplies, or supplies plus labor multiplied by the constant. If there is a rigging fee for setup or any union labor involved, factor that into your quote and be sure to add a reasonable mark-up. w As a guide, a beginner can inflate 75–100 (non-sized) balloons per hour, whereas an experienced artist can inflate 300 balloons per hour. w Always, always, always, carry insurance! And honor and obey the rules of the venue so you are sure to be welcome again.

TIPS OF THE TRADE A common oversight when promising a balloon drop is overlooking the necessary ample ceiling clearance and work space. Most inflation is done on-site as the number of balloons can vary from 150–150,000.

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