Hello I am Belinda, I have just joined Balloon Chat, it is wicked!, thanks to Graham Lee :-)
THIS IS MY FIRST POST

I have for a while been thinking of doing a Balloon School.

Where I could teach people-children or adults how to do balloon modelling.
I would do it where I would start the first session at a fee say £20/£25 which would include a bag of 100 assorted balloons and a good pump!

My questions are ;

1) How much should I charge an hour?
2) How long do you think would be long enough for each session?
3) Should I do 1 2 1 tutition or in small groups?
4) Do you think it is a good idea if I sold sharpie pens and other bags of ballons?

I was thinking possibly charging £10/£15 an hour and do a session for 2 hours?

I have before taught teenagers and it went well, I did do it in a group-as they were odler they understood more what to do and didn't need me to help them.

Hi Belinda.

Best of luck with your idea. Here's a couple of thoughts from me, for what they're worth. I'm a relative beginner and a possible candidate for this kind of thing so my thoughts might be of some value to you.

I don't like the idea of having to buy a pump from you. I might not like it! :-) Don't include the cost of pump and ballons in the lesson. Let them buy those from you if they wish when they leave. Same with other bits. Sharpies, Paint Markers, stickers, etc.


Two hour sessions for £20 if your customers are coming to you.

Small groups is the way to go. 3 to 5 sounds good if you can manage that.

Extras thrown in might be a good idea. For example 'cue cards' consisting of a photograph of the finished model and a reminder of important construction points.

Just my thoughts, I hope that helps.

Henry

Hello Thanks for getting back to me.

Well I would of supplied a decent pump, one I have is a 2 way where it blows the balloons quicker and it costs £4.50p that is what I would include??

Well the cue cards are a very good idea!!    

The idea of supplying the ballons was so that they could pratice during the time when I don't see them?

I guess when they ring up I could say would you like a session of..... that would cost .... and be one where I don't include props-they can see how into the art they want to get, and then ask if they were serious amd wanted to do have a ...hour session for .... which would include balloons and pump.    

B

I understand where you're coming from regarding the  pump and balloons but I think you should offer them as an optional sale, not a compulsory one. What if they already have pump and balloons?

Also, the pump which you call good is not good for everyone. Certainly not me. If I ever meet you in person, I'll explain why, until then take my word for it; its a bad pump for me. It would be money down the drain and I would resent taking lessons from someone who 'included it in the price. Same with balloons, I have thousands of them!

Let us know how you go on.

Henry

Hi Belinda

I dont want to upset you, but I would seriously look at the rates you are thinking of charging and as mentioned offer the pumps and balloons for sale if they wish to purchase them as an addition.

We have just gone down the route of becoming Nabas approved teachers to teach balloon art which included a Ptlls level 4 course at our local college as wll as the assessments etc..

The approved courses are mainly Balloon decor for Nabas but we also have a day course we created a while back teaching the basics of Balloon twisting and do less involved, shorter twisting training/fun workshops in youth clubs, schools etc. and even Cororate Team building events and our rates are far more than you are suggesting.

I know we all love what we do and want to share with everyone and openly embrace anyone that wants to get involved but you have to remember this is your art form and experience you are teaching others to do and that has a value that should be included in the fee.  

Also if you walk away from any event and have spent all the money you have received with none left over for you (which means you have given your time for free) it will not be worth your while.

Pam

hi belinda,
pumps and some balloons would be a good idea for a beginner, but not for a more advanced student.
i would advise you to offer additional balloons and other accessories for sale, of course at a mark up( you need to eat you know..)
this way you can earn not only from imparting your skills but from 'consumables'.
i would suggest that you peg your fees to the skill level that you're teaching, the higher the level the higher the fees.
Happy twisting and God bless,
gabe

Hiya

Yeah I see what you mean about selling pumps and balloons etc as extra's, it makes sesne in the way of, if they don't like it at least they won't have a balloon pump and balloons lying wately round the hosue that could be used wisely by someone who is interested in the balloon art.

I was thinknng of doing the balloon teaching as a hobbie and extra way to earn money. The reason why I suggested free pump and balloons was as a way of attracting people.

Do you think I could just teach how to make balloons from memory of books/dvd that taught me? Is there Copyright to teaching balloon modelling from memory?
DO I need to go on a course?

 B

Yes you should go on a balloon school teaching school
just so happens I have just started one its a 2 day thing you learn how to teach what to teach how to make your own pdf to sell where to get stuff wholesale all this for ONLY 1,000 pound
I know you are thinking 1,000 is a lot BUT you will get it back in a week if you flow my easy step by step*



















*please note this is not going to happen you are going to find it hard to make 100 pound from this the only why you could get 1,000 back was to find some one silly to book you for 1,000

I'm sorry but I'm afraid I'm going to play devils advocate on this one.

Personally I wouldn't do it, I'm a full time Children's entertainer and the one problem I could see from teaching loads of people balloons is that you risk flooding your area with Cheap twisters who will undercut everyone as it's just for a bit of pocket money, and take work from the normal working guys.

Why should a school book you for their fete, if little Jonny's mum can now do it for free, or £10.

I've had it myself when I've had an enquiry from a school for a fete and I was trying to sell them a magic and twisting package.... they only wanted the magic show because one of the Mums was going to be doing Balloon Models. They were'n't bothered about the standard of balloons she was doing, She was Free.

A brilliant face painter down here, started a Face Painting School, and taught loads of people how to do it, she now regrets it as some of them have gone out and taken work from her by undercutting her prices..

If you do decide to do it, £10-£15 an hour for something that they can potentially make money out of themselves is simply a give away.

Once again sorry for playing devils advocate,

It's a fair point though Clive and has to be given serious consideration