Indoor shot of little girl with braids wearing casual clothing posing isolated over gray background with balloons, holding air ballons animal figures, playing on party.

How to Make Money From Balloon Animals

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Making money with balloon animals is easier than you think. You can make a lot of money from this little hobby if you know the right ways to make it work for you.

In this post, we will discuss some of the best methods for making money with balloon animals and how to make them work in your favor!

Have you ever wanted a second income opportunity that’s fun and pays well for your time? Making balloon animals at parties or local businesses that cater to young children might just be the idea you’re seeking. Making balloon animals can be both fun and lucrative. It’s also a great business you can do alone or with a partner.

The cost to get started is minimal. You’ll need less than $30 worth of supplies to get up and running with your first gig!

Making money with balloon animals: Learn Your Craft

Learn how to twist a balloon like a pro:

1. Get balloons and a pump.

The simplest option is to head over to Amazon and start shopping! What will you need?

✓ 100 suitable balloons that cost around $9. We love these that are also non-toxic: non-toxic balloons for kids. They also come with a pump – but you will want a more durable one for the long haul.

After you have practiced and are on a roll – you will want a larger set of balloons that you can just buy on Amazon.

✓ Purchase a quality pump and a backup! A good pump may cost you $9 or $10. A balloon pump catches our eye as it is a double-action hand balloon pump, meaning it pumps as you push and pull, not just as you push. While that might not seem like a huge deal, you will totally feel the difference after a 1-2 hour event of crafting for the kiddos.

You can get a kit that has both to start – they often come with an instruction book or DVD. I find that the books are almost impossible to follow and that you don’t really need that DVD as you can get a ton of FREE training right off of Youtube!

2. Watch instructional videos on YouTube.

You can purchase a book, but it’s easier to learn how to create balloon animals from a video. It’s also free. Here are a few examples to get you started:

✓ https://www.youtube.com/user/balloonanimals

✓ https://www.youtube.com/user/TrulyTwistedBalloon

Even the most complex animals are easy to create with a little practice.

3. Making money with balloon animals: Practice! Practice! Practice!

When you’re performing for an audience, you won’t be able to look at an instructional video. You need to be able to create at least 15-20 animals from memory.

Before you panic about possible wasted balloons, you can reuse the balloons you have practiced with several times.

Here are some tips to make the practice go better:

✓ Make flashcards for each type of animal you wish to learn. Randomly go through the cards and practice making each one. When you’re able to create each animal five times from memory, you’re ready for action!

✓ Stay sharp. Make at least a couple of balloon animals each day. You want the simple practice of this to become muscle memory – that allows for fewer errors when at a live event.

✓ Continuously add to your repertoire. I suggest making a master list of the different animals you are eager to learn and then focusing on just adding a couple of new animals each week. You’ll be amazed at how much you can learn in a few months.

✓ Just. Do. It. Avoid getting stuck in practice mode. If you want to boost your income, you need to get out there. You don’t have to be the world’s leading expert at twisting a balloon before you start making money!

Find Companion Skills for More Opportunities

At many venues, it will benefit you to have a partner with a related skill with which to further entertain the kids. Or, learn another fun skill yourself! Multiple talents give you more options and add to what you can offer.

Consider these complimenting skills:

Being able to offer your potential clients a 2-fer or 3-fer saves them a lot of phone calls to find more talent to entrain the littles at their event! Here are a few ideas that would complement your balloon animal business nicely:

1. Kids love magic.

You don’t need an elaborate set with the ability to saw a person in half. Children love magic that they can view up close.

✓ Card tricks

✓ Make a coin or other object disappear.

✓ Any sleight of hand trick is popular.

✓ Again, YouTube can be a great source for instructional material and it is FREE! There are also websites dedicated to magic tricks.

2. Paint faces.

There are a plethora of face painting kits available online. Be safe!

Be sure to use paint designated for face painting…it is a little more expensive but you do not want to be putting a toxic product on little faces – not to mention seeing a bunch of kids with a horrible skin reaction. We will talk more about this particular side hustle at another time.

✓ Again, it will be necessary to practice. Find a few willing volunteers and get all the practice you need.

✓ You might think you need to have artistic skills, but face painting is quite simple. Just follow the guide and you’ll be fine.

3. Temporary tattoos.

Depending on the type of tattooing you choose to do, you might need a little artistic ability. There are a variety of kits available for making temporary tattoos. Get the practice you need to ensure your little customers are happy.

Get the entire family involved!

Just think of how you could work with your spouse and kids a few weekends a year and save money for something like an epic vacation or maybe a backyard pool!

One adult can paint faces, one can make balloon animals, and one kid can apply tattoos – be they stamps or even water applied…if you have a 4th family member, it might be their job to assist the other three, floating in between them.

–>If I remember correctly (always check with your tax professional) you can use your business to pay your kids up to $10,000 a year tax-free.

If you don’t have a family behind you – or a sibling that would like in on the action, consider finding a friend to be your partner.

What else can you think of that children would enjoy?

What do your own children love to do? Twisting balloons might not be enough to keep children entertained. Develop a second skill and keep those kids mesmerized.

Making money with balloon animals – Find Clients and Get Paid

Now that you have a few skills that will delight both children and their parents, it’s necessary to find clients.

Build your business with these marketing strategies:

1. Approach restaurant owners.

This can work one of two ways for you – as restaurants have had a challenging time bouncing back after Covid.

Think about the restaurants in your area that cater to families. Parents love it when their kids are happy and occupied!

Some restaurants might hire you for a flat fee to entertain kids on a certain night for a few hours over the family dinner rush.

The other option is that they would let you come in – cross-promote your attendance on their social media, and you work for tips from the tables you visit.

TIP: If you work for tips, you will want an apron that has multiple pockets. They will hold your balloons, pump, and cash that you get from the diners. Have a few singles sticking out of a pocket and maybe wear a button that says “tips welcome”.

If you made $2-3 per table and could hit 15 tables an hour over a 2-hour shift? That is $60-90.

If you did it weekly at two different restaurants (different nights) that would add up to $6,000-9,000 a year.

Regardless of which option you get, you need to keep an eye on the dining room so you try to time your table visits after they place their order and before their meal arrives. Parents appreciate the help during that waiting time.

My kiddo loved the magician that used to go from table to table at a super club we would visit!

✓ If magic is your thing, be prepared to do a few tricks.

✓ Create a flyer with all the necessary information. Canva is great for this! (add link)

✓ HUGE tip: visit restaurants when the owner or manager is least likely to be busy. Avoid arriving during regular meal hours.

✓ Consider using regular mail, email, and the phone, too.

2. Consider other possible clients.

Aside from restaurants, you might also target children’s museums, zoos, toy stores, bookstores, and birthday parties.

✓ Be prepared to show your work. Bring your pump and balloons.

✓ Have photos available of your face painting or tattoo skills.

✓ If magic is your thing, be prepared to do a few tricks.

3. Market your business with a variety of methods.

Be creative and make full use of social media:

✓ Facebook – your personal page and in community groups

✓ Twitter – use hashtags like #balloonartist and #balloonsforhire

✓ LinkedIn – you never know WHO is searching for someone for their church festival or neighborhood carnival

✓ YouTube – if you learn how to make things well – shoot a video and make it better than the other guy’s. Really talk through what you are doing and always use your business name!

✓ Instagram – a picture is worth 1,000 words. Add some hashtags and it becomes a great way for people to find you. Take pictures of you working, of your creations, and even add a few quick videos!

✓ Tik Tok – all about the video here.

4. Let your friends and family know about your new business.

Pass out business cards to everyone you know. Provide a few extras, so they can pass them along to others.

5. Approach party supply businesses.

Ask if you can hang a flyer in their store and give them referral commissions. You’ll never know if you don’t ask.

The toughest part of any small business is marketing.

Fortunately, there’s never been a better time to market your business inexpensively. Use all the resources available to you and you’ll be able to find all the clients you want.

A balloon animal business can be run on a part-time basis and provide a great boost to your income. Making children laugh and smile is certainly a more enjoyable way to make a buck than your typical part-time job.

Originally posted 2021-12-02 20:03:45.

Tags: make money, side hustle, skilled labor

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