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International Online Trade Newsletter Copyright © 2000 Balloons @ WorkTM********************************************************************************************************************************* Balloons@Work is produced by Business of Balloons Pty Ltd (ABN 16-076-582-119) in Sydney Australia and published at approved web sites. Hard copies are not mailed outside of Australia. Readers may print content to use only as trade reference material. Email:[email protected] Web Site http://www.bizballoons.com.au Phone: 61- 02 – 98981544 Fax: 61 – 02 – 98981963 Post; Balloons@Work PO Box 6868 Parramatta Business Centre NSW 2150 – AUSTRALIA.Print Publication No PC250R500054 ********************************************************************************************************************************* In The January 2001 Issue * Editorial – (business) New Year’s Resolutions * Pro Tips #33 and #74 * Letters To The Editor (great feedback) * Did You Know? (who, what & where) * Rent Pro Equipment & Save * The Balloons@Work Year 2000 Award Winners (for industry contribution) * Sign on for FREE (overseas) membership with eballoons delivery network * Wholesale + Retail …. A Conflict of Interest?
me, as a businessman. It’s the time that I look forward to as the month of evaluation of last year’s actions …. and planning for further growth in the new year ahead. Doing the rounds of Christmas drinks with suppliers, customers, associations and old friends in December, many of us exchange opinions on whether it was a good year for business or a bad year. If it was a good year, it was due to clever management. If it was a bad year, the Government of the day usually gets the blame. After all the season’s festivities, it’s January! The computer spits out your annual pie charts, graphs and spreadsheets. You spend a day or two studying the truth. Did the new competitor in the neighbouring town effect your turnover? Was the targeted x% growth over last year achieved? Your decision to focus on the niche markets ….. was it correct? Have you reduced or increased your overhead expenditure from 1999? OK …. now you know what went right and went wrong (and why) ….. what are you going to do about it? It’s time for your business to make some new year’s resolutions! The “unwritten” wish list! To get you thinking in the right vein, I’m going to list a few that are sure to apply to your business in 2001. 1] Buy a Conwin Digital Dual Sizer. The DDS allows you to cut your labour time dramatically…. which allows you to take on additional jobs. Gives you the edge when bidding against a competitor without a DDS. 2] Join a business-to-business (B2B) network! Your balloon business will no longer survive on “local” business alone. B2B networks deliver out of town customers to you when they need balloons in your town. Join the Qualatex Balloon Network – the “eballoons” network – or a balloon decorating franchise group. 3] Become proficient in special effects such as balloon drops, exploding balloons, confetti cannons and banner drops. Consumers are now regularly demanding special effects for their domestic celebrations. 4] Attend at least one balloon education seminar in ‘01. IBAC – the ASR – the ABC or even a local class. 5] Get all of your business online! Online business is bonus business now …. but it’ll be part of the core business to many by the end of this year. 6] Resolve not to be pesimistic about the future. Without a positive attitude, you might just as well be asking your customers and your competitors to tattoo “Loser” on your forehead! My #1 business resolution for 2001??? It’s considered bad luck to tell! Don Dixon CBA Don Dixon CBA email:-[email protected] PRO TIP #33 THE BALLOONS@WORK YEAR 2000 AWARDS The best quality balloon manufacturer Our congratulations and much kudos VALENTINES DAY – 2001 |
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Preparation:- * Inflate all your air filled balloons on Sunday 12th. Bag them to reduce oxidising. You can also helium fill all your foil balloons on this day and watch for leaks through till they are dispatched. Sales Tips:- * In your advertising, target both male and female deliveries, …. AND …. spread your workload with a line such as;“ Hey girls, drop a big hint by sending him Valentine’s balloons a day early.” DID YOU KNOW? Whilst on the topic of conventions ….. I can report that the bi-annual Australian Balloon Convention (ABC) PRO TIP #74 As distinct to your job which is; “To serve them so that they will want to come back again and again.” Either “simply defined” management roles entail an enormous scope of tasks. Both are very hard work! I believe you say GDay I don’t know if you remember me or not, but I wrote you regarding an article you had in your newsletter. It was about the Bowmaster machine. Thanks, Sue Grzybowski – AHhhh Balloons and Bows Arizona – USA
Laura Lasaki Miami Florida USA Editor’s reply:- Easiest way is to go to www.balloonhq.com/column. They’re all there. I just wanted to let you know that —much to my dismay—–I have not been able to access your newsletter. My husbnd has tried several ways to no avail. I am dissappointed becase I feel it is a great idea and always love the info you are so willing to share. If there is a secret as to how to access this please let me know. I haven’t been able to receive even one yet and we try every month!!!! Carol New Jersey – USA Dear Don, I am sorry, but I didn’t received anything the last two months. It’s right that I am already on your mailing list (I took a subscription in September) but till now I just received the September issue of your outstanding magazine. So please put me again on your mailing list, I just love your “Balloons@Work”. Karel, who is mainly a balloon entertainer in Belgium but also do occasional balloon decorations. Karel Ost – Belgium P.S. I like to thank you also for your valuable contribute to the BalloonHQ mailing list “balloondeco”. Hi there, Congratulations on the newsletter. Just for feedback however I have not been able to use the compressed zip file on the past two occasions and have had to go to the site in order to view the file in HTML form. It is not a big problem but others may be having trouble too. I am using Winzip 7.0 Steve S Wales – UK Thank you for the December issue of Balloons@Work. Keep the great ideas and information coming. Unfortunately I am one of the unlucky ones that cannot open the zipped file and have to go to another site to read it. I have to change the text font colours that you use because, while they look great on screen, they do not print out at all well. Thanks Don. Jan Geelong, Victoria – Australia Editor’s Note:- Thank heavens readers take the time to provide feedback! Because I have received a few complaints that the compressed files can not be opened by those without the current software, we have addressed that problem starting with this issue. Balloons@Work can now be accessed by all readers by simply clicking on the hyperlink emailed to each subsciber to view the newsletter in HTML at our web site. I have also stopped using yellow and orange colour text to improve reading and printing. Should you still have trouble reading the printed text, try setting your print command to B&W only. The variation in colours throughout the newsletter helps distinguish a change in topic and also alleviates the perception of some readers getting bored with page after page of B@W text. If I receive more negative feedback on the text colour, I will change it. |
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FREE MEMBERSHIP TO “eballoons” NETWORK The single biggest balloon delivery |
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| RENT PRO EQUIPMENT & $AVE! Sometimes it’s pretty tough starting out in the balloon business! There aren’t too many with unlimited capital to buy stock, vehicles, framing materials and every modern convenience in balloon pro equipment.The Business of Balloons group of companies understands that dilemma. We look after our loyal customers who may need to call on our CBAs with years of experience and we also have a wide range of rental equipment on hand.* For that one-off job when it isn’t viable to purchase big dollar equipment * When your own gear is in disrepair or being serviced * When you just don’t quite have enough panels or regulators for that BIG job * When your accountant advises you to “rent – don’t buy” – for tax advantages Email Business of Balloons on; [email protected] for; SDS QuikFrame Panels Walk Thru Heart Arch Frame Split Second Digital Dual Sizer 7.5kg (20lb) Steel Base Plates Triple Outlet Regulator Twin Outlet RegulatorPick Machine Four Person Inflation Station SDS FlexiFrame panels CoolAire Elect Inflators Confetti Cannons Trade Videos Walk Thru Horseshoe Arch Frame Economy Regulators Adjust-A-Length Ribbon Wheel ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Will your current wholesale supplier RENT pro equipment to you until such time as you decide to buy your own? Do they really know how to use the products they sell? Will they teach and advise you? Will they split designs and allow you to “Pick-The-Mix” in latex balloons? And which one of your wholesale suppliers can take your order 24 / 7 online …. and be open on Saturdays for those emergency supplies?Will they ship interstate and allow you to pay for your goods by credit card over the phone or online with guaranteed security? Who will repair your leaking regulator? Stop and think about the REAL VALUE in choosing your suppliers. When did your current supplier last refer business your way? Isn’t there more to business than 25 cents a bag saving here and $1.50 a cylinder there? Are you watching the pennies …. and yet blind to the pounds you could be saving every year?Just one design tip, a technique, a job lead, or even trouble shooting knowhow from a balloon industry veteran could mean many THOUSANDS of dollars to your balloon business every year! It’s like having a silent partner or small business guardian angel. At “Business of Balloons”, our philosophy is simple! “We’ll go the extra mile to support those who support us.”To our occasional trade customers we are happy to be just another (optional) wholesale supplier. To our regular and loyal trade customers we strive to be their supplier, hands-on instructor, mentor, an associate, a business and education resource, inspiration, troubleshooters, estimating and pricing guidance, partners in marketing, their access to industry experts world wide. Think about it!
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| Betty Vlamis – Executive Vice President Pioneer Balloon Co, stopped in to visit their Qualatex distributor in Sydney. Rose Davila, Don & Dolly extended some Aussie hospitality. |
Don & Dolly at their Sydney Balloon School with visiting student PJ Goh “Ballooney Creations” – Singapore. |
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BoB & CELEBRATING – A CONFLICT OF INTEREST? At the Business of Balloons Group, we know what it’s like to be a balloon decorator in a dog-eat-dog world. Friendly competitors can be few and far between. However, we do not classify balloon decorators as “the enemy”! We go to great lengths to ensure our retail/decorating division (Celebrating) operates without a “conflict of interest” relative to our wholesale division. This is what separates us from most wholesalers.A little insight into how we run our businesses;* Each of the 3 divisions in the BoB group are registered and trade autonomously. (separate stock holdings)* Celebrating is always reluctant to enter into a tender or competitive bid situation. They DO NOT set out to undercut competitors! Cheap prices are for cheap customers, which is not Celebrating’s target market.* Celebrating staff would be quite foolish to intentionally poach known clients of our wholesale division. The simple fact is that their target customer is the same today as it has been for over 10 years. New balloon business…. not someone else’s balloon business.* Celebrating has NEVER employed a sales rep on the road, or engaged in cold call telemarketing.* As a member of a buying network, Celebrating purchase product from Business of Balloons at the same wholesale price as their fellow network members/competitors. No “special deal” or internal favours!* Management at Celebrating pass on (refer) at least 10 jobs to other Sydney balloon decorators every week? Sometimes 5 or 6 in a single day! Networking (not traveling) makes good business sense.* By having separate wholesale, retail and ecommerce divisions, the Business of Balloons group maintain a daily “finger on the pulse” approach to every facet of the balloon industry. That can greatly benefit our company, our suppliers and our customers too.* BoB will not sell direct to auto dealers, fast food chains, hotels etc. Balloon retailers, decorators and twisters ONLY. Our customers should not have to compete with their wholesaler!* BoB is not interested in entering the custom print balloon marketplace, as our policy is – once again – that our customers should not have to compete with their wholesale supplier. * Celebrating had to buy “eballoons” membership at the same rates as all other Australian members. * Celebrating and Business of Balloons have separate offices, showrooms, entrances and work areas. They are next door neighbours, but on different floor levels. BoB sell to recognised trade customers ONLY! 88% of BoB trade sales are initiated by fax, phone or email orders. So, we’ll let the readers (our peers) be the judge! We invite your feedback. Considering our company policies, your interpretation of our business ethics, our 10 years of industry history, our image and business philosophy as explained above …….. Are our separate wholesale and retail divisions a “conflict of interest” as some have inferred? And if so ….. exactly who’s interest? Footnote: Don Dixon is editor and publisher of this free trade newsletter. He is also the Managing Director of the “Business of Balloons” group of companies. Dolly Dixon is the General Manager of “Celebrating” and Dean Johnson is the Network Manager of “Eballoons”. Visit www.bizballoons.com.au Visit www.eballoons.com.au Visit www.celebrating.com.au CONTRIBUTIONS
Last Updated:Saturday, Dec 30, 2000 |
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