The world of balloon entertainment, by Dale Obrochta
You’re proud of your work and want to show it off to the world. “You’re spamming the group,” flames a post. Another post reads, “I’ve seen this already – STOP posting the same thing in every group.” Is it spamming or marketing? For now, ponder over this question. I’ll ask for feedback after you’ve read … Read more
Balloon colors have exploded over the years. What originally started as nine colors has now escalated to forty-seven colors. This is not counting the offbeat imprints and seasonal balloon colors. Instructional books dwindle as fewer are being produced. Yet YouTube is fueled by thousands of individuals teaching balloon techniques once only taught in books and … Read more
In the blink of an eye, another day passes, and with each passing day, so does another day spent marketing my business. The countless hours spent making new connections, networking with old clients, interacting with entertainers, and developing new websites are never-ending tasks. With the holidays quickly approaching, I am already looking past them to … Read more
$1,000 for a birthday party – sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? A colleague of mine, Andrew Smith, wrote a book explaining his technique for earning $1,000 for a birthday party. I was a skeptic at first. $1,000 dollars for a party! That is, until I was actually paid $1,000 for a birthday … Read more
I am constantly thinking about how to improve my entertainment business, and land that big paying gig. Too often, prospective customers are concerned about price, not the skills I could bring to their event. My dad always told me, “Son, people buy from people they like and are willing to pay more just because they … Read more
Place your hand in a bucket of water and quickly remove it. The water ripples as you extract your hand, but notice how quickly the water settles down, restoring calm. That’s what it is like when you’re replaced. I was working with a colleague and reminiscing about the Chicago White Sox. We both worked with … Read more
It’s not easy, but it is possible. Gaining a spot on an agent’s website isn’t an easy feat. Over three decades, I’ve learned that securing a place on their prime real estate website requires offering something they truly want or need. Getting on a list is a breeze; every agent maintains one. You’ll know you’re … Read more
This past week I was working on adding new material to my show. Like many people, the muse speaks to me just before the sandman douses me with sand. The next day, I brainstormed on new material, and several hours later, the feeling of failure slowly started to creep into my mind. The day was … Read more
In my mind, one second later… Sir, if you get your lazy butt out of the house earlier you would not be sitting at the fringe of the audience. Have you not noticed this is not the Civic Opera House, but a free music festival at an outdoor shopping mall? The convenient seating that you … Read more
In the midst of entertaining, a balloon explodes, allowing the outstretched remains to hurl itself back at light speed and striking with military precision the open eye of the entertainer. I have had this happen and it is an amusement ride of terror that you just cannot wait to get off. Being a professional entertainer, … Read more