Calculating Prizes, Super Sucking, an Expo for Us!

Inflatable Expo 2006

By Scottie Claiborne ©2006   

The Sales and Education Show for Party Rental Companies

I am a huge fan of the IAAPA show. It's an amazing venue and it always gives me some great ideas on expanding the items that a rental company can carry. But, it's sometimes hard to hook up with other rental companies in that vast show and some of the vendors I've enjoyed working with or am interested in getting to know better don't exhibit... they've been priced out of the game.

I talked to quite a few vendors and attendees last year about an inflatable trade show and the reaction was uniformly mixed... everyone wanted one but very few company owners felt they could justify the expense of two trips a year. For vendors, they needed to know they'd have enough traffic to justify the expense of another show.

The Idea Wouldn't Die

I kept turning over in my mind the possibility of show catering to the educational, networking and product needs of inflatable companies. We aren't amusement parks and the typical educational opportunities at the big shows just weren't targeted to our kind of business.

Although it seemed impractical and unlikely to work, I couldn't stop playing with the idea of an inflatables show. How would we convince people to attend?

Two Shows for the Price of One

Why not host a 1-day event in Atlanta the same week as IAAPA? It makes perfect sense! The Inflatable Expo will complement the big show, giving rental company owners who were on the fence about attending the show that extra incentive to come and see it all! Ever since that realization, the details have been coming together.

Inflatable Expo 2006

Inflatable Expo 2006 will be the first inflatable show designed just for rental company owners! It will be your chance to attend one or all of the 6 seminar sessions from safety to marketing to employees, get a chance to work one-on-one with not only the big manufacturers but also distributors, game makers, software creators and other complementary services, get to know other rental company owners and make some powerful connections in the industry.

The Show Details

The Inflatable Expo 2006 will be held in the 16,400 sq ft Ford Pavilion at Zoo Atlanta. We'll be running complimentary shuttle service to and from the Georgia World Congress Center throughout the day to transport attendees to the show.

We've selected Thursday, November 16 as the show date because we know November is still active rental season for many members who need to get home before Saturday! The Expo will start at 11AM and conclude at 5PM with a live auction of show inflatables. Educational courses will run from 12PM to 4:30PM

Zoo Atlanta? What's up with that?

Besides simply being a great exhibit venue, many people bring their families to IAAPA... they can incorporate some family fun into their day at the Expo. Enjoy not only the Zoo, but lovely Grant Park which surrounds the Zoo or check out the Cyclorama, a fascinating (and huge) portrait of the Battle of Atlanta in the Civil War.

Also, the Zoo is two short exits away from the World Congress Center while being out of the downtown traffic. Drive-ins will appreciate the free parking at Zoo Atlanta- a rare thing in the city!

How Much Will it Cost?

Being in the Zoo, all attendees must purchase Zoo admission. Pre-registrants can buy Zoo admission tickets for $12 (admission is $17 at the gate).

Expo admission will be free for AIRCO members, $10 for non- members who pre-register and $20 for walk-ins the day of the show.

Class pricing will be announced as we finalize the speakers and determine costs, but will range from $15-$50.

Make Plans to Attend Now!

We will be opening up registration for attendees in mid-summer, but be sure to mark your calendars now to attend and plan your travel!

THIS PRODUCT REALLY SUCKS-
And That's a Good Thing!

By Michael Reigel ©2006

When dealing with inflatables, time is money and so is space. So when a product comes along that can help you save both, you better get excited! The Super Deflator is just that product! The Super Deflator aids in removing the air from inflatables so you won't need to spend time walking the air out. Since all of the air is removed, your rolls will be much tighter, thus taking up less space.

The Super Deflator is made to attach to either the B-Air 1.0 or 1.5HP blowers. Installation is simple and takes less than 5 minutes. Simply remove the 6 screws around the yellow screen, remove screen and attach Super Deflator using the newly supplied screws.

The Super Deflator is also simple to use. Since it is attached to your blower, all you need to do when deflating a unit is to turn your blower around and insert the Super Deflator into the blower tube. When you turn your blower on, it sucks the air out with the same motor that was used to inflate your unit. A detachable Multi-directional vacuum head is used so the vinyl does not collapse around the deflator and stop air flow.

I purchased a Super Deflator at IAAPA and have had the opportunity to use it on standard bouncers, a combo unit and an Accelerator slide. I was amazed at how well it worked. After using the Super Deflator, I did not need to walk the air out of any of the units. It was much easier to roll each unit and the rolls were smaller than when I didn't use the Super Deflator.

The Super Deflator sells for $129.00. Currently there is a buy 4 get 1 free sale going on, just mention AIRCO when ordering. To order visit www.superdeflator.com

Super Deflator gets my highest rating, 5 rentfuns!

Let Me Get Back to You On That…

By David Ebner, General Manager of Savage Entertainment, Inc.

These are words you never want to say to your client when they ask you, "How many prizes do I need for these six games? And how much will they cost?" Many companies offer games as add-ons to their inflatable rentals. Here at Savage Entertainment we offer game packages to our corporate clients as well as many fund-raising clients. Once the games are decided on and how many game booths are needed for the games, our next question to our client is always, "What type of prizes would you like to offer?" We never ask if they will offer them. What is the point of playing a game if there is no prize?

The question you have to know how to answer is, "Well, how many do I need?" This question is easy to answer quickly if you have the proper knowledge. Over our more than twenty years of business we have come up with a formula that all game renting companies should have. At the basic level it is quite easy… an average game can be played twice in one minute. Sure a Duck Pond can be played very quickly, but compare that with Bozo Buckets. Recommend both of them to a client and two plays a minute is a pretty good estimate.

Now just use that basic formula with the game package you are recommending to figure out your answer. I always find it easier to picture it than to just say it, so lets use an example: six games rented for three hours… how many prizes? Here is the formula you should use: (six games) x (three hours) x (sixty minutes per hour) x (two plays per minute) = (number of prizes needed)… 6 x 3 x 60 x 2 = 2,160 prizes. In order to make sure you will not run out of prizes add 5 - 10% to this number depending on the length of your event.

This number can be used two different ways. If your client has a budget for prizes you can determine the quality of the prizes. Or you can recommend various quality of prizes and calculate the cost of the prizes based on the quality your client desires. Once you have several contracts for your games with prizes you will be able to offer prizes, with a markup, that is still cheaper than your client can purchase them for, based on case pricing instead of partial case pricing.

This past week I just quoted a three-weekend job of 10 games to one of our clients with over 120,000 prizes. After I received how many games and how many hours they were running for, I was able to calculate three different prize packages for my client to choose from within two minutes. Now if I have a 20% markup on my prize cost for providing the prizes… well… you do the math!

David Ebner has been the General Manager of Savage Entertainment, Inc. for the past eight years, and has been involved in the Chicagoland entertainment rental industry for a total of twelve years. Prior to this he has been a video game designer and programmer starting back in with the Commodore 64 computer.

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Making it Big with Bette's Bounces' Jim Scala

By Harold Fisher ©2006

While in Atlanta at the IAAPA convention I had the pleasure of meeting Jim from Bette's Bounces. Bette's Bounces is probably one of the biggest party rental companies that is not part of a franchise in PA. Jim is very successful and very outgoing and willing to lend a hand. While talking to him at a couple of the get togethers I was inspired. I wanted to go the same direction he has.

He has been very helpful not only to me but to other companies. So take a few minutes and read over a quick interview with Jim who took his business to the next level!

Airco: Your business is massive now, but how did you start out?
Jim: I started working out of my house then I moved to a storage unit, then 3 storage units and now a 4000 square foot warehouse.

Airco: How many bouncers did you start out with?
Jim: Just 1

Airco: How many units do you have now?
Jim: 78 give or take a few.

Airco: Wow, that's amazing! What was the biggest challenge you faced when you decided to go big?
Jim: Employees, Employees, Employees!

Airco: How many employees did you start off with?
Jim: 1

Airco: And how many employees do you currently have?
Jim: 19

Airco: Are your delivery guys independent contractors or are they employees?
Jim: The majority are independent contractors.

Airco: Do you pay your delivery people by the hour or by the job?
Jim: I pay by the job

Airco: Do you see one as better than the other?
Jim: I think paying by the job is a more controlled way to track expenses.

Airco: Do you have a high turnover rate?
Jim: Yes. As in any business, it is very hard to get employees especially during the weekend.

Airco: What do you feel is the key to keeping someone for a long period of time?
Jim: Flexibility and mostly compensating them well.

Airco: What was the turning point that made you decide to go big, or take things to the next level?
Jim: It was something I had a passion for and believed in.

Airco: Has your business grown steadily over the years? Have you reached a plateau?
Jim: It's grown every year and I don't believe in plateaus. I've only just begun!

Airco: Do you have many competitors? Is your market saturated with rental companies?
Jim: We have more rental companies in our area than any other in PA. There is enough work for all who want it.

Airco: Do you feel that the stringent PA regulations help keep rental companies on the same page?
Jim: Yes, it is good for the industry and the consumer. I just wish they would enforce it a little better. It seems every year 5 new uninsured companies open.

Airco: Do you do this year round? What do you do in the off season?
Jim: Yes, I do this year round full time. In the off season I rest, vacation and get ready for next season. I also own a couple of related businesses that help keep things busy.

Airco: For someone just starting out what would be a great add on, sno- kones etc.
Jim: Cotton Candy is my number one add on. All of the food machines are great add on's. For as little as they cost, you can make your investment back in no time.

Airco: For the rental company who is intimidated by the thought of going big what kind of advice can you give them?
Jim: Think big, think out of the box, and find your niche.

Airco: What would you say made your biz as successful as it is?
Jim: Passion, promotion, honesty and hard work!

Thanks to Jim for speaking with us, and for the inspiration.

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Wrap Up

Last Chance for the AIRCO Prize Drawing!!

If you haven't joined AIRCO yet, what are you waiting for? We will be drawing for prizes on Tuesday, April 18 so don't wait if you want to qualify for one of these great prizes! Magic Jump and Ninja Jump have donated inflatables, Huffer Games and Partyzone Sales have both donated games and we've got a free lifetime listing in the Moonwalk Rental Directory!

If we've accepted your application and sent a welcome packet, all we need from you is a copy of your insurance certificate. We have over 130 memberships approved, but only about 40 have completed the process of verifying their insurance. If your company is not listed in the AIRCO Member Directory, then you are not a verified member yet.

Submit your AIRCO Membership Application today and join the fastest-growing inflatable organization in the industry.

Moonwalk Magazine

We are getting closer to our first issue of Moonwalk Magazine! Verified AIRCO members will recieve a free years' subscription as part of their membership but anyone can subscribe. Our first issue of Moonwalk Magazine is scheduled for late May/June. Subscriptions will be $26 a year but you can get the first issue for free by sending an email with your name and full mailing address to freesubscription@moonwalkmagazine.com. Try it before you buy it! The subscription system will be set up shortly for those who are ready to subscribe.

As always, if you've got a great idea for an article, send it to us at scottieclaiborne@a-irco.org. Your ideas are more than welcome.

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!

From sunny Atlanta, Hoppy Easter everyone!! Don't eat too many of those icky hard marshmallow eggs... food that color can't be good for you!