IAAPA Meet and Greet

Winter Revenue in the Moonwalk Biz

By Scottie Claiborne ©2005

Whether your season comes to a complete stop in the colder months, or it just slows down a little, it pays to plan for some indoor or cold season rentals and add some more flexible items to your inventory as well as looking for indoor venues for your hard-working and always-popular inflatables!

Setting Up Outside in the Winter

General industry guidelines recommend not setting up inflatables at temperatures below 40'F. This is more of a practical consideration, than a likelihood of damage or danger to your equipment. At temps below 40'f, the vinyl becomes very stiff and hard to roll, not to mention a reduced sensitivity in your own hands while working with the moonwalk.

Dedicated bouncers who really want to set up, still can! I've been told of customers who have set up outdoor heaters to melt the snow and ice, or you can provide outdoor radiant heaters for an additional fee. For obvious reasons, avoid open flames and heaters with exposed heating elements that can endanger children and melt the vinyl on your moonwalks.

Setting Up Indoors

Setting up indoors is a much more comforatable(and practical) approach to winter rentals. Where will a traditional inflatable moonwalk fit?

• Gymnasiums- Schools, Churches, Parks
• Church Community Rooms
• Karate and Gymnastics Studios
• Indoor Sport Centers
• Movie Theater Lobbies
• Mall Atriums

You can approach indoor rentals from a birthday party aspect and work out agreements with various schools, churches, and parks to rent their gymnasium (or suggest that the parent handles the rental.) You can also approach it from a pay-for-play standpoint and either set up regularly in high-traffic areas OR promote your own indoor Winter Mini Carnival.

School and Church Fund Raisers

Fire up your mailing list of churches and schools in your area and get creative! Encourage them to sponsor a fund-raising event where you split the profits with the organization in return for them providing attendants and promoting the event. It's a win-win for everyone- they don't have to put up any money upfront, and you have the opportunity to earn some revenue on a quiet evening or weekend.

Be sure to have the organization pre-sell tickets or wristbands to ensure you'll have enough participation to make it worthwhile. Consider offering them a higher percentage for more sales- a typical setup is something like 10% of profits for up to 50 kids, 15% for up to 100 kids, 20% for 200, and so on. That's just an example, be sure to set limits that work for you.

The higher number of presales also means you can provide more equipment! It is another incentive for those pre-even ticket sales.

Non-Inflatables

You've got a reputation as a party professional- maybe now is the time to expand your offerings. There are many party and event services that have year-round demand, even in cold areas. Consider:

• Entertainment: Clowning, Face Painting, Balloon Twisting, Juggling. Magic
• Games
• Bear Stuffing
• Temporary or Spray-on Tattoos
• Tables and Chairs
• Concessions
• Lawn Greetings

Marketing Winter Moonwalk Rentals

It's winter- give people an incentive to book! Put together special winter packages of things that can go inside, offer discounts, and work with local businesses to find opportunities to setup for special events. Don't expect people to be creative- they want you to give them ideas.

Put together a game package, or a tables-chairs-concessions deal for bingo nights. Offer discounted rates or longer rental times. Ask your customers what would make them think of you when they are planning a winter event- often, customers have the best ideas if you just ask them.

Or... Just Rest

You work hard all summer long! Why not get to know your family again, plan a fun winter getaway and plot next year's attack for warm weather? You deserve a little time off. Don't forget to hit the gym and stay in shape... spring will be here before you know it.

Related Topics

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TATs Worth Looking At

By Michael Reigel ©2005
Backyard Bouncin'

Temporary Airbrush Tattoos or "TATs" are becoming increasingly more popular. If you've been looking for a way to diversify your party business, a TAT system might be the answer.

TAT systems vary greatly but most include an air compressor, airbrush, stencils and ink. To do a TAT, a stencil is held against the skin as ink is sprayed through the airbrush. When the stencil is removed, you've got a TAT. With a few hours of practice, you'll be able to do a TAT every few minutes.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Kirk Knapp for this article. Kirk is the owner of TAT International, the industry leader in TAT systems and supplies. TAT International offers the most complete temporary airbrush tattoo systems on the market today. Everything you need, including training and marketing support is included in every system they sell. Kirk said, "The primary benefit to you in dealing with us is our commitment to your success. This is our business, our only business. We only sell The System and related supplies. We can not succeed if our customers fail to prosper. If they prosper, we can not fail."

Innovations in Spray on Tattoos

TAT International will be exhibiting at IAAPA and introducing two new innovations which will undoubtedly put them farther ahead of the competition. The first innovation is the Power Palette. The Power Palette allows you to connect seven paint colors to your airbrush with only one hose. This quick color changer has fingertip controls, is easy to operate and simple to clean. The second innovation that will be unveiled at IAAPA is Duratat ink. The Duratat ink will be guaranteed to last twice as long as any other ink on the market. Depending on skin conditions and TAT care, the TAT could last up to two weeks!

You can expect some IAAPA specials also. Each system sold will have a free upgrade to the new Power Palette and Duratat ink and they'll even give you a free holiday stencil set. As an extra bonus, if you mention the AIRCO newsletter, TAT International will give you another $50 value bonus.

Earning Potential

I'm sure you're wondering how much money you could make with a TAT system, right? Each TAT should be sold for anywhere between $5 and $15. Your cost per TAT is about $.10 each. For parties or other functions you could charge $60-$100 per hour. The Starter System from TAT International sells for only $1695 and includes enough paint for up to $15,000 in TAT sales, so the return on your investment could be very quick. TAT International is so confidant in their TAT Systems that they offer a 30 unconditional money back guarantee. Use the system for 30 days and if you are not completely satisfied, return it for a full refund minus a small fee.

For more information stop by booth 6523 at IAAPA or visit their website at www.tatstore.com

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Big or Small Games for Rentals?

By Event Master ©2005

What kind of games should you have? Well, there are many kinds of games out there! Let's walk through some of the options.

Stackable Games vs Large Games

What is better, stackable games or the bigger games? I would have to say it all depends on how you plan on making money with them. I used to say the bigger games are better but I should explain. If you have a party rental company and all you want to do is rent games, then stackable games are the best choice. Stackable games are used a lot at church and school events.

Huffer Amusements makes some good stackable games. I really like their table games; they are small and easy to handle but have a big look.

Pay for Play Games

Myself, I do a lot of pay per play events. I set up games and operate them. Last 4th of July, I grossed over $2,000 with one ten by ten game. With most stackable games, only one person can play on each one, so stackable games can only gross so much.

Just take my fish game for example: I can have six kids fishing at one time and it takes them about 30 seconds to catch a fish. Thats $12.00 in 30 seconds. Not every kid is going to catch a fish that fast but just say it takes them a whole minute. Thats $12.00 every minute. You just can't make the same money with stackable games.

I'll do an event with 200,000 people and I'll set up some games with my inflatables. I have games that cost me $100 to make and I have games that cost me $5,000 to buy. They all do well. I've been working on ten full size games and after I'm done with the big games I'll work on smaller games.

Event Master's Go Fish Game

This big fish game shown in the picture really kicks butt at events, but there is an easy version that does very good for smaller ones too. It is easy to put this game together in very little time.

Go to any gift store and buy the nice-looking gift bags. You will need enough bags to fill a table in the center of a tent. The gift bags will have a clip to keep them close and the clip has a coat hanger hook on it. I like tables that have as many as 100 bags each with a 50 cent toy inside. If your doing a event you can charge $2.00 and they take a fishing pole and pick up a bag and what ever is in the bag they win. You can put special chips in the bags for bigger prizes. The main thing is that it's a hit with the kids. They pay the $2.00 and they know they will take home a prize.

The Best Prize Strategy- Size Matters

What I like to do is find the biggest toys that will fit in the bag. My fish game is a winner every time, giving away inflatable balls and hammers. A-winner-every-time games give out anywhere from 15% to 25% in prizes. In my fish game, there are three colors that determine which prize they get. If they get a blue, they win a inflatable ball. If they really wanted a bat, they spend another $2.00 to try and win the bat. Some fail and win another ball. I allow trade ups- when they trade up your percentage gets better. So, I have a sign that reads "two balls = one bat". The game is set up for a 25% prize expense but if they trade up, it can be as low as 15%.

I have a very nice live goldfish game that displays the fish along with two racks that hold the small tanks that you sell for $5.00. I have lights under the table that light up each bowl that is filled with food dye. I put lights under the bowls and it really madkes the game look good. This game kids love, and when they win a fish they often buy a $5.00 fish tank so you can make twice the money.

Games like this you can set up next to your inflatables at a event and sometimes do better then your inflatables.

Hard to Win or Easy?

Make it Flashy!

Sign it Well

Games have to have very good signs that have the rules of the game, costs, and prize trade-up rules. Don't overlook the importance of the signs.

The Games Are Great

I just wanted to express what I like about big games and why. I'm looking for games to make thousands. Just because you set up a big game at a event does not mean you are going to make thousands, but you have a very good chance as long as you pick the right event.

I love games more then anything and they make a great partner to inflatables. When my inflatables do well at and event, so do my games. Together, they bring in more money than alone and they help me to land the big events with lots of people.

For everyone that is thinking about having games or already have games just find out what you want to do with the games. Rent or operate and buy what ever you think works best for you. Everyone has there own goals.

Just have fun!

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Pennslyvania Inflatable Safety Training by ROAR

Review of ROAR's Training Seminar
By Harold Fisher

I am doing something a little different for this edition of the Advisor. Instead of interviewing a member I am going to review ROAR'S safety training recently given in Easton, PA.

Pennslyvania Requirements for Inflatable Inspections

To set the backdrop here, as a PA owner, we have to have our inflatables registered with the state. They also have to be inspected monthly if you do rentals or are a family entertainment center. Now if you're doing festivals they have to be inspected every time they are set up for a festival. This could become very costly so PA was nice enough to allow owners and their employees to become inspectors.

In order to become an inspector you have to take a test and attend an approved safety seminar. After all of this, you are a class 1 inflatable restricted inspector. This means you can only inspect your own equipment. The equipment is limited to inflatables and slides with a height no greater than 18'.

Well, it had been three years since my last class and now I had to endure another class since you must refresh every three years. ROAR recently had their training class approved by PA. So, I figured I could kill three birds with one stone; attend the class, renew my certification and do an article for the Advisor!

Training Day

I arrived promptly at 7:00 for registration and met Phil from Mobile Midway Safety Institute. He was very chipper and upbeat, especially for that early hour of the morning. They had all of my paper work and badge ready and waiting. I was impressed- there were about 85 students at the class, not bad for the first time this class had been offered.

We started at about 8:00 AM. Joe (from the Department of Agriculture) spoke for an hour on the regulations and requirements for operating in PA. Anybody who works with Joe knows he is an easygoing guy and will help you to get your company in compliance. For you PA companies, they are going to try and accept faxed inspection reports this year! If you need the number, just shoot me an email or give Joe a buzz (Thank goodness -it will save a bit on postage.)

The next presenters were representatives of an insurance company. They danced around a lot of good questions posed to them by Scott Wiesberg of ROAR. I did learn that most insurance companies want a good loss prevention program in place.

Phil from the Mobile Midway Safety Institute gave an eye opening presentation on ADA compliance. He shed light on a new market niche and how game tents and games are not exempt from ADA.

We then got a lesson on how to recruit and retain volunteers. This was long and I didn't feel it had a place in a safety-training seminar. It might have been best saved for a monthly ROAR meeting. The one thing that I did find interesting was at the end of the presentation the presenter (who is a rental company owner) told us how she trains the people who rent from her from her website. Sounds great in theory, but I know I can't get people to read my contracts and make the checks out to the proper person, much less read and understand training material.

After lunch the class broke into two groups and half stayed with Phil and he covered the new ASTM standards for inflatables. The other half went with the PA inspectors and Ron Moore, Chief Operating Officer for Cutting Edge Creations. Ron is not only a corporate guy, but also a rental company owner. He was an owner before he started sales, so he had some very good info on what to look for when buying inflatable equipment.

After Ron's presentation we had a lesson on customer service; something else that could have been saved for a monthly meeting.

Unfortunately it was raining so we did not get to do any hands-on equipment training. We listened to a session on how the PA inspectors are clamping down and how to fill out our paperwork. There was a good debate on generators and grounding rods. PA requires two 8' grounding rods 6' apart in series. Good luck driving them in the ground; I hope you do the PA one-call first!

A Good Start

Overall, I was a little disappointed in the class but I have to give them a break it was only their first. I think that once they get all of the bugs worked out, it will be a great asset to the industry. Once thing that can be improved is the length of the class; we ran right up to 6:00 pm. The seminar was only supposed to be eight hours. The class could have little more meat and a little less filler. Finally, at the end of the course it would have been nice to have a critique sheet. That way, participants can help ROAR find out what to improve on for next time.

Find out more at the ROAR website.

Festival Network Online- Find more Pay for Play Venues!

By Scottie Claiborne ©2005

What is Festival Network Online?

Festival Network Online is a searchable database of North American festivals, fairs, shows, and events and all listings have extensive details that cater to the needs of the festival industry, exhibitors, vendors, service providers, and performers.

FNO has been in business since 1994, first printing show directories, then going strictly online in 2001. Members login and search for shows in their area or anywhere in North America selecting from several search criteria like zip code radius, search by promoter name, by attendance, and other methods. A membership to FNO is $49.00 for 12 months.

How Can I Use FestivalNet to increase my event bookings?

We are confident we will help our member find new shows for their business. FNO guarantees that if a new member does not find at least one new show, after 90 days, we will refund their money. The comprehensive details we publish help our members determine if the show is right for them. Instead of seeking out several directories for several regions, this one database has more shows than any other service. FNO saves you time in researching contact numbers and tracking down events that you unfamiliar with.

How do you recommend I go about contacting festivals and craft shows in my area to see about setting up?

The service we provide offers detailed information on festivals and events through out the country so you know:
~ where and when these events take place
~ what they are about: activities, booths, entertainment...
~ the fees, requirements, what is allowed, deadlines...
~ who to contact to apply to participate, phone, email, web...

You must contact each event individually to find out how to submit your product or service.

Every event is different, but would you say most charge a flat fee for setting up, or a percentage of the sales, or both?

There is no rule of thumb we are aware of and we have never run a study to determine if there is.

How did you get started with FestivalNet?

Before creating Festival Network, the owners, who have 20 years of experience in the business, spent many years on the festival circuit as food vendors. After realizing there were no good guides out there that published the extensive event details they were seeking, they decided to create one.

Where does the event info come from?

The event info either comes from the show promoters and from our team of researchers. We strive for the most accurate detailed show listings online but also advise our members to double check with the show and checking references before committing to any bookings.

There's an event I know of in my area, why aren't they listed?

More often than not, it might be the way you are searching, the event is actually there, but your search method is not finding it. We therefore offer free tech support to our members and teach them how to best use the extensive search functions within our database.

With over 18,000+ North American events, we'd like to say we have them all, but every now and then a member points one out that we have yet to publish. This is particularly true for first-year events. We are diligent about researching and adding new events as soon as we can locate the promoter and verify the details.

Hot Threads at the Forum

Interesting Discussions

Wrap Up

IAAPA, here we come! I think we have the biggest group of inflatable rental company operators attending IAAPA this year that we've ever had- hope to see you there!

If you are planning on attending our AIRCO meet and greet on Friday night, November 18, please add yourself to the poll at the forum. We need an idea of how many to plan for- so far, it's looking like a great crowd!

Because of the size, it's looking like we will be in a hotel either near the World Congress Center or in Buckhead near the MARTA line. I will send out a quick email to the newsletter list on Monday with the final arrangements- when, where, and what!

I can't wait to meet everyone at the show- it's just a week away. We'll have a special AIRCO Advisor edition this month, recapping the fun new items at IAAPA so look for that later this month!

As always, if you've got a great idea for an article, send it to us at scottieclaiborne@a-irco.org. We want to hear from you!

See you next month, or feel free to join us at the AIRCO moonwalk forum anytime, day or night. We'd love to hear from you!