When you own your own business, your time is precious. The more time you spend on a job, the less you have for the next one. This can add up to lost revenue or even lost jobs. We asked balloon artists on Facebook to give us their best time-saving tips to help you become more efficient and profitable!

It Pays to Prepare

From assembling weights to pre-cutting ribbon, many balloon artists suggest that thorough planning and preparation save them a lot of time. Teri Stokes takes it one step further. “On Sunday, I make myself a list of my schedule for the week and make a to-do list for each day of the week. It really helps,” she said.

On the twister side, John Justice says he decides what options he’ll offer, then prepares only the balloons he needs to create those figures. He also urges twisters to design a set up where less is more. “Create a kit that only requires you to travel directly from vehicle to event space to save you time, energy and possibly equipment should there be any sticky fingers around,” he said.

Digital Accounting

It pays to take advantage of the many time-saving digital solutions available. Sara Sponagle says she spends a little extra each month to use Quickbooks accounting software instead of free software. “It costs us more per month, but it's a huge time saver with estimates, invoices, and receiving payments,” she said.

Maximize Your Website

Chris Adamo makes his most popular products and their prices easily viewable on his website. His customers can click on these items and order them 24 hours a day. This allows Chris and his team to receive balloon orders without having to take calls and let the visual make the sale for them. “Time saving? Absolutely. We print the order and concentrate on doing what we do best – making beautiful balloon decor,” he said.

Tools of the Trade

Having the right tools makes any job easier. Spending the money for tools can be a pain point in the short term, but Sara Sponagle says that it pays off in the time you save not having to create your own solution. “I'm all for DIY to save some money, but now I make sure I weigh the time commitment versus my sanity before starting,” she said.

QBN Members:

Read more in the Balloon Images article, "Time is Money," from Oct/Nov/Dec 2017.