Blissful balloons decor specialists blog

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Lockdown 2.0

18/11/2020

We are still here for your celebrations regardless of how small and memorable they are.
We are back to pre paid contactless collection from our home studio and can make very local deliveries in B43 area for a small charge. Minimum order applies for deliveries.

Keep safe & Keep smiling xx

We are here so lets get together xx

12/7/2020

We are delighted to have more flexibility now shops are open & we can see each other more. We know we are all chomping at the bit to finally celebrate our special days although later than planned. So many of us are enjoying the great weather & popping up the gazebo just incase the weather changes. We have some great designs especially for outdoors on your front garden or in the back garden. Wind wavers are so much fun .. give us a call & lets get together!
Collection orders are contactless via appointment only & deliveries are not a problem. Fee applies.
Lets start to have fun with our loved ones again x

DELIVERY UPDATE

3/6/2020

As we are getting a lot more requests for deliveries we will extend the area where possible depending on local collections & deliveries already booked in the diary.
We have minimum spend limits on all area's and delivery charges apply so please ring/email and ask if we can deliver. Please give us as much notice as possible & we should be able to fit you in no problem.

Collections are running smoothly with allocated time slots for you to collect your pre paid orders contactless from our home & balloons are bagged in professional balloon bags to allow your balloons to breath .. not black bin liners like a lot of places.

We can extend the float time on your latex balloons if you want them to last longer than the day they are collected/delivered, please just request this when you order, for a minimal cost, we can add a treatment inside each latex balloon to increase float time.

Please remember ....when the non essential shops open on June 15th ...we will need you more than ever. Please shop local & independent.

Thank you & stay safe x

We are getting through & we are all amazing!

25/5/2020

Happy Bank holiday everyone ! What glorious weather we are still having, I hope those of you that can, have sat outside or had a steady walk in this beautiful weather we are lucky to have.

The Government have announced today that all non-essential shops can open from 15th June. Well, we are not a shop & have always worked from our home based, purpose built studio for over 12 years. We pride ourselves on providing a professional, experienced and personalised service giving our clients more than simply helium balloons. As you will see from years of hard work, we have travelled around the region & beyond providing thousands of balloons for all kinds of events from small restaurant celebrations to conference centres with thousands of guests. Nothing fazes us, nothing is too much trouble & we are absolute specialists in our industry.

Please support local & micro business so we can survive and be there for your work Christmas parties, Children's Prom's, Gender reveal's, Weddings & corporate events. As you will see, we never shy away from a challenge & this is certainly one at the moment ... we look forward to helping you celebrate in your own homes until pubs, restaurants & hotels are back open.
Stay Safe & we hope to see you soon x

Covid19 Update

30/4/2020

Well, we are 5 weeks into lockdown & things are feeling like the new normal. Not sure about you but I really like the family time, the chance to enjoy cooking & eating home cooked meals with them & quiet roads is a huge bonus!
The downside is, not being able to visit & hug my parents & see my friends. We are using Zoom to stay connected & I am even doing this year's exams in BSL via Zoom! Plenty of time to revise though which again is fantastic.
I have truly missed my job and all the wonderful events I get to work on & the rest of the year will probably be the same maybe with smaller gatherings. The one thing I am sure of is that we all love balloons & they really brighten up your special occasions and of course (at the moment) your houses!
This week, I have decided, after lots of enquiries, to start accepting local only orders on a collection only basis. This is providing the collection is coincided with your shopping trip or other essential travel & it seems to be working well I am delighted to say. Contactless & in keeping with social distancing laws, this has been very easily managed so far.

I hope you all stay safe & come though this unusual historical event we are all part of, we look forward to the future where we can all meet to make great memories together again soon. xx

PIN IT ! BIN IT! DO NOT RELEASE BALLOONS OUTDOORS

24/9/2019

Folks, I find myself repeatedly frustrated with balloon clients all over the country. We all love our parties and balloons are the main decoration to make it so special. The industry is under major threat of being ended in the near future if you ...the consumer keep releasing your balloons outdoors and getting the profession in trouble.
Please be responsible for littering, yes, latex balloons do biodegrade as they are a natural material & they will virtually disintegrate once they hit certain temperatures as they will shatter BUT FOIL (MYLER) balloons are very dangerous electrical conductors when released, the do not biodegrade & will stay around stuck in a power line or a tree until removed. The ribbon is not biodegradable either & can get tangled with wildlife.
As a professional , I love my job but I can see consumers are going to spoil it for everyone if they don't stop releasing balloons outdoors. Please enjoy your fabulous balloons at your parties & at home .....DO NOT RELEASE BALLOONS OUTDOORS FOR ANY REASON.

Every week, TV news items show memorial stories or funerals where family & friends have brought balloons from shops or home workers like myself ...then let them go outdoors.
The media will not attack crisp companies or fizzy pop companies & local pizza/chip shops about their litter which we all see everyday, everywhere ....but we are a "soft target" for the environmentalists as a disposable product. It always boils down to you & your responsibility but it is our livelihood, love & passion that is suffering because of it.
We want to see balloons in every hall, hotel, school & conference centre for many years to come ...it's up to you guys to keep it that way.

VROOOOOOMMM!!!!

24/4/2019

Hear that !? That's time flying !! it comes to something when we are so busy that even our lovely Blog gets left out.
So just a quick update on products for you because things are really getting exciting with new arrivals in the decor industry and we have all the products for you at the mercy of the suppliers as always but wow just doesn't cut it!
Beautiful Clearz, in multiple colours are now available, Aqua balloons with the clarity if glass are now here & look stunning with flowers/confetti, organza inside. We also have the Jellyfish balloons available with the multifunctional LED lights around them!! It's hard keeping up with all the new products & fashions but we'll do it for you. Don't forget to enter our Facebook competition to win a FREE BALLOON ARCH with your 2019 prom decor booking. See you soon x

Celebrating 10 Years!

19/2/2018

It's our turn to celebrate this year as we reach 10 years of trading. Has it gone fast ? You bet! Starting a business in the year the economy crashed was a true test of determination and confidence. Attending various industry courses learning trade techniques and meeting other self employed people really helped to pitch where the business was heading from a very early stage.
It has not been easy, small independents don't have the luxury of big advertising budgets and endless capital to keep ploughing into staff and premises. From day one, it was lots of driving around to shops, hotels, networking events and strategic parking with the business vehicle around busy area's & supermarket car parks to get noticed (with plenty of business cards ready to hand out).
Getting started takes discipline, focus, confidence and of course money! It's not cheap setting up even the smallest of businesses can easily chomp through thousands just buying the basics such as inflation equipment, tools of the trade, suitable vehicle & stock. Becoming a member of a reputable trade organisation, ensures your clients that you are industry trained and committed to a high level of skill aswel as having the correct trade insurance to enable access to many venue's. Over the years, dealing with DIY disasters getting the last minute despair call from the Bride to be or a birthday boy on the day of the party begging for help because they have purchased cheap products off the internet and had a great vision how they would do all the decor themselves on the day & someone promised to help but didn't turn up...and guess what...they burst the balloons, couldn't buy enough high grade helium and no one has turned up to help! Not the memories you had in mind eh?

Also seeing the "part time" decorators....just "week end" basics to earn a bit of money. These individuals are very rarely trained, insured and have professional equipment to produce professional results as they don't want to spend out and they are working out of their front room! They offer "Cheap" decor as there is no value in what they offer and you have no peace of mind if they don't turn up or you sent them a photo off pintrest and they have delivered something that looks nothing like it! The same with some card shops, cheap (basic) balloons, hoping for a high turnover without the care, skill and creative detail.
There is a reason professional balloon decor has a value, it is not just the cost of offering a massive range of professional grade materials you are buying, it is the person who has invested years and years into themselves to ensure you remember your event for all the right reasons.
I always wonder why some people buy the cheapest part of the decor (latex balloons) and then ring up a business to ask if you can decorate a venue with them for pennies?! Would you go to the supermarket and purchase a load of food then ring up a restaurant and ask them to cook you a meal with your ingredients ???

The industry has changed a lot over the last few years, helium shortages caused massive price increases, higher VAT & raised import duties of raw materials continually push up basic running costs, fuel, tax & insurance price hikes...all continue to pressure independent businesses. Well, we are still here and still as enthusiastic as ever about the future in balloon decor for Blissful Balloons.

We have seen our business grow year upon year due to the fact that Melissa Johnson has integrity, determination and pride in everything she does. 100% perfectionist with a sprinkling of OCD is what produces a professional and experienced finished decor plan every time.

Here's to another 10 years! Thank you to all our clients past, present and future for showing your appreciation and choosing Blissful Balloons, Celebrate in style with peace of mind has been our strap line from the beginning and will stay with us xx

The Life of a small business owner

25/11/2017

A small business owner does not run the same level of business as a huge corporate organisation. It's different on many levels.
Most small businesses are run by just a couple of people with a few staff. Even more small businesses are run by one man bands. The ones who deal with every single aspect of a business. Everything from cleaning the toilet, running to the bank for change, to being front of house and serving you with the very best of their knowledge. Nothing ever gets delegated to other people because there is nobody else.
These one man bands are responsible for submitting their accounts every year, stock taking, social media, constantly thinking of ways to get themselves out of a square box, because they want to be different and exciting.
They are the ones who answer the phone, answer emails and run facebook pages. They are the ones who build up websites for their business from scratch to keep the budget low, but sacrifice hours and hours of down time and family life to get their jobs done.
It's well known that serious small business owners constantly inject money back into the business. To buy stock, redecorate, upgrade furniture and equipment, courses and training.
How many times have you been to a huge hotel with over 200 staff and the carpets are frayed and old, wallpaper is peeling off the walls, tiles are cracked and dirty in the swimming pool, gym equipment is broken and can't be used. Rooms are old and desperately need updated. Simply because money doesn't get invested back into the business.
A small business owner isn't working day in and day out every single day to pay for a 10 bedroom beach house in Florida. Or 5 holidays to the Caribbean every year. They do it because they love what they do, they have a genuine burning desire to be doing what they are doing every single day. They do it to pay their bills and support their families.
When was the last time you actually praised a small business owner rather than complaining?
Small business owners hear more complaints than praise. Not because they are terrible at what they do. It's because we live in a world where people shout when they're not happy with something, but will whisper or say nothing at all when they absolutely loved their experience.
When was the last time you praised that small coffee shop run by a young mum whilst her kids are at school? If she made you the best cup of coffee ever, tell her. You will make her whole week.
When was the last time you went out for a meal to that small family run restaurant and told the owners that the steak was by far the best you've ever had?
When was the last time you got your hair cut and you told the hairdresser or barber, how they cut your hair so well that you were really happy?
When was the last time you went to a beauty salon and got a massage done and told the therapist that your back was literally healed after your treatment?
Moral of the story is to just be nice. If someone has impressed you, tell them. You have no idea what it will do to a small business owners confidence.
Every single business owner on frequent occasions will be so run down, so deflated and so discouraged because they have worked 80-90 hours each week for the last 6 weeks and feel like they have nothing to show for it.
Sometimes its a slow, hard slog. Sometimes they don't know how they are doing. Sometimes they are literally so close to giving up, you don't even realise just how much your praise can lift them up.
If you book a table for 4 at a small family restaurant... make sure you turn up.
If you book a hair appointment... make sure you go.
If you need supplies for something, check out your local businesses first before heading to the City. You never know who you might meet that you've not seen for a while and you never know what you could save. Shopping local does NOT mean that it will be more expensive.
The difference between you turning up to support a small business and not this week is that you could be the last straw. You could be the thing that makes someone throw the towel in on their dream because they are so deflated and tired.
Be the difference. Be the change. Rather than only ever speaking up to complain, speak up when you're impressed or really enjoyed something.
All small businesses get complaints, but remember they are probably doing EVERYTHING! They are only human and are just trying their best. But if you are happy with a small business... TELL THEM! Praise them, lift them up, motivate them and make them feel appreciated. You don't know what that can ever feel like to them.
Please shout about the good stuff too! They need to know they have your support. xx

Happy Christmas & New Year !!

21/11/2017

Just a very quick note to say, (first of all) "How is it nearly Christmas!?" & secondly....WOW what a year again.
We only have a few dates now available for December orders and January is close to full also with Christmas parties, Birthdays and shop openings.
We have had another amazing year here at Blissful Balloons and the opportunities to build some exceptional designs really showing the creative skills of Melissa the creative Director, (She thrives on a design challenge). Again, we have welcomed new clients and return custom year after year. Building a great relationship of trust in our level of service and attention to detail is how we pride ourselves and only continue to keep bringing the latest products in the industry along with the professional techniques needed to ensure your decor is reliable and value for money.

Have a great festive season with your friends and family, be kind & make blissful lasting memories together xx

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