FOR APPEARANCE SAKE

A networking group I belong to holds a meeting for new members. This orientation is to inform them on the benefits of the group, the networking opportunities and the ways to benefit the member’s company by attending meetings. Because I’ve been an active member for many years, I am asked to speak to the new members about networking.

Before the orientation began, I was introducing myself to new faces in the crowd. The makeup of the group was typical; insurance rep, remodeling guy, banking woman, etc. A wide variety of business types. And a variety of business dress. The main presenter is a financial advisor and always wears a suit. The banking woman wore a jacket and skirt. I typically wear nice pants and a logo-embroidered polo shirt.

As I was talking to a couple of people, a woman walked in the room. She approached our group and made her introductions. She is the area representative for a well-known cosmetics company, (I don’t mention the name of the company for good reason). The woman was dressed in baggy gym shorts, a wrinkled and stained T-shirt and cheap flip-flops. Here she was, attending a networking meeting full of potential customers wearing clothes suitable for hanging around the house.

More importantly, we didn’t just represent potential customers; we are her referral agents. The number one marketing use of networking groups is the “I know someone” aspect. The people you meet may be your future clients. But they talk to their customers and when the topic of your business comes up, you should be their first thought.

I know this works. I am the only balloon entertainer in my networking group. I am the BALLOON GUY! All other ballooners in my market are compared to me for people in my group. When the topics of “balloons” or “entertainment” or “balloon dress emails” are mentioned, my fellow members (over 450 of them) think of me first. That’s 450 business people talking to thousands of their customers with me on their mind. Now that’s marketing power.

But that’s not the topic of the day.

The first impression of the cosmetics lady was: gym shorts and T-shirt. It was difficult to listen to anything she had to say after that. She was very knowledgeable about the long history of her company. She was enthusiastic about her involvement with the company. She was proud to be a representative. My attention was drawn to that wrinkled, stained shirt.

No, I don’t wear a suit and tie when I attend networking events. I’m not in a “suit and tie” business. (I only own a couple of jackets and a few ties!) And I can usually be found in lounge-wear while I’m writing or practicing my stage acts. That’s in my home-office. But we were in a room a business people. I don’t wear my “entertainer outfits” when I attend business meetings. Those clothes are for performances. The remolding guy didn’t wear his tool belt. The doctor didn’t bring is sphygmomanometer. And the karate guy wasn’t wearing his Gi and Obi.

I have worked very hard to be known as “The Balloon Guy” in my networking groups. I am educated about balloon events, trends, conventions. I can build the most amazing balloon sculptures. And yes, I know most of the artists in those balloon-dress emails.

More importantly, I am a business person. I dress professionally when I’m at meetings. I can speak to issues affecting small companies. I address micro-business marketing ideas. I discuss articles from the recent business magazine. That gives me the respect of being a serious business person.

The cosmetics lady may attend other meetings and she may wear more appropriate clothes. It will take a long time before people forget her shorts and shirt first appearance.

So how do you present yourself? Is your appearance appropriate to the event? Do you wear a tuxedo to a bar-b-que pool party? Do you wear a tropical print shirt to a funeral? (I got to do this for a parrot-head friend as his last request. He would have smiled at the entire crowd in outrageous attire.)

We in the entertainment industry need to advance the idea that we are fun. Just make sure you dress the part.


Thad James
SAMMY J Balloon Creations
www.sammyjballoons.com
“Balloon entertainment with a twist”

A great day at the fair!

I had a wonderful time at the Jefferson County Fair today. This is the fourth year that SAMMY J Balloon Creations has been invited to entertain on Kid's Day at the fair. While the entertainment budget was cut, the organizer was determined to keep balloon twisting on the schedule. For the last three years, a national touring magician did two 1-hour shows. This year, a local magician was hired for one 45-minute show. Previously, all the kid games included prizes for all participants. This year the games were just for fun. The only constant is the balloon twister.

This added a little more pressure on me to be the main attraction. There were even more people sitting in the shade of the tent watching the balloon guy have fun with the kids and adults. What a great time! Many fair-goers were happy to see the balloon guy again this year. And I was happy that the organizer understands the positive attraction of my balloon sculptures and entertainment.

Thanks to the staff of the Jefferson County Fairgrounds and the organizers of the Jefferson County Fair. See you next year!


Thad James
SAMMY J Balloon Creations

Giving It Away for Free

A recent discussion about "freebies" allowed me to examine my own policies. Of course, my thinking has changed over the years. Influenced by my experiences and by many wise sages of the balloon world. There seem to be two extreme schools of thought.

On one side: Those that never give away any balloons. Don't work for free for any reason. This would diminish the artist's value, destroy the chance to get paid for future events and plant a seed in people's mind that "balloons are just free".

On the other side: Balloons bring joy to everyone, so everyone should get a balloon. Take balloons with you wherever you go and make something for everyone you meet. This spreads the joy of balloons, expands your potential customer base and is a lot of fun.

I believe most ballooners are somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. But finding a comfortable compromise can be tricky. I have always run my ballooning as a business. Whether, as I first started, I was a part-timer or later when I became a full-time company. I learned from those that came before me to handle the business as a professional. While I don't always have a bag of balloons on my shoulder and I don't sit at the park just making balloons for fun, I have discovered some very strategic ways to promote my business providing "free samples".

When I first joined my Chamber of Commerce, I didn't have a lot of money for advertisements or sponsorships. But each meeting/luncheon/event offered the opportunity for promotion. The Chamber had a table that allowed members to display business cards, flyers or coupons. I brought a balloon sculpture with a stack of business cards. I spent the entire meeting talking about balloons, twisting, entertaining and the services I offered. At the end of the meeting, I offered the sculpture to be given away as an attendance prize. To this day, my sculptures are highly sought after prizes, discussed for months afterward and have brought be a significant amount of business.
I have created a buzz about my business with a unique "freebie". Nobody is discussing the coupons from the local pizzeria. They make take one, but people are not pointing at the pizza guy and saying "That's the guy who makes pizza". The insurance agent gives away an umbrella at every monthly membership luncheon. It may be a good way to promote the agency but next month nobody will talk about who won the umbrella. Many people will discuss who took home the giant balloon penguin family sculpture.

Connie Iden-Monds, one of the smartest business minds period, offered an excellent promotional idea a few years ago at Twist & Shout. She talked about using her non-balloon corporate friends as marketing tools. She would call several contacts at large offices and told them she would be delivering large balloons sculptures to their offices on a certain day. She asked her friends to leave the sculpture at the reception desk for as long a possible. A stack of business cards accompanied each sculpture. Once the friend picked up the sculpture, they were asked to place it somewhere very conspicuous: lunchroom, meeting room, coffee machine or just leave it at the front desk. Somewhere that a lot of co-workers and customers would see it. Of course, the business cards stayed with the sculpture. The deliveries were made early in the morning for the most impact.

I will always support organizations that are important to me. Some people write donations. My donation is one of time and talent. I offer the most unique of support: balloon entertainment. The organization gets extraordinary balloon creations for their event. I get to know that I supported a great non-profit. The added benefit of promoting my business is a bonus. Potential customers get to see me in action and they know I have a heart by supporting the same group that they do.

Of course, I must balance the "non-profit" work with the "profit" work. I get two or three calls a week asking for my "support" or a "donation of time" for a "really good cause". I don't doubt they have a good cause, I can't donate to all of them. Even if it would mean "excellent exposure" and an "opportunity to give away my cards". (These are commonly used words used by non-profit event organizers) I don't blame them for trying. Their job is to call anybody and everybody who will help make their event a success.

This is a business and the bills can't be paid with balloon sculptures. Or can they? Maybe I should try to send the electric company a woven bucket truck next to a utility pole....



Thad James
SAMMY J Balloon Creations