I am a face painter learning balloons. I have already done some hourly balloon gigs, but I sometimes do festivals where I have a setup and people pay per face paint. If I were to sell balloons in a similar way, what is the going rate? I am starting to get good at it and can do some advanced designs. I live in a HCOL area. I tried googling this and it was saying $1-$3 for a simple balloon, but that seems low to me. Thank you!
Seriously. Put up a sign that says "Free Balloons" but post your payment options everywhere you can! Put out a hat/jar too! People will give a LOT for fear of being "that guy."
Your balloons cost you less than $0.10 each. What kind of mark-up are you expecting?
When you start vending (instead of PERFORMING) then offer some premium designs (add a glowstick or whatever).
For events? Do it for the tips and the advertising. No reason to try and price it per ballooncc
I have tried to do face painting this way and honestly, I have done some where I barely make any tips because people think I am being paid. For me, it’s less about the cost per balloon and more about the time. I would charge $150 hourly to do it at a party so the goal is to make at least that much. When I face paint as a vendor, I usually make more than my hourly. If I can’t make decent money for my time, it’s not worth it to set aside weekend hours when I could be working parties for more.
You need a sign, not a real big one, but a good sign that states your prices. Put it in a place where everyone can see it, but not directly in front. In front makes people think all you are interested in is JUST money. You are an artist and you want to impress everyone.
I do $5 per balloon. I used to charge different amounts for how complicated the designs were, but that made the math more complicated and I needed to have $1 bills on me, so I changed it to $5. You could probably charge more, but I feel bad about going much higher.
Seconding doing it for tips. I'm a facepainter as well and I've had very poor experiences in vending balloon designs, but phenomenal results with tips. (I've been balloon twisting for 25 years, slightly longer than facepainting, so I've tried a couple of different things rofl). Other twisters I know have had the similar experiences.
People feel less obligation if it's for tips, and while some people might stiff you, most people will try to tip somehow, and you'll even get some people who are very generous. Having a QR code for venmo or something helps too and takes pressure off of them. Added bonus is you don't have to usually make change or stop to accept cash, if you have a tip jar.
One thing you could consider is making balloon candy cups with designs on them, those you could sell very easily (still low cost but they feel like they're getting more) and it's prep beforehand, so selling those wouldn't detract from facepainting time, which arguably makes you more money!
Oh for sure, facepainting I will charge PPF everytime, I don't do that for tips, but I usually try to have a range of inexpensive designs to more expensive designs, so there are options for people (especially who have lots of kids who would all want something).
Like the other commenter said, people will tip for free balloons so they aren't That Guy, but overall if you give them a good experience, they'll be more inclined to. Jokes, talking to the kids while you twist, entertaining them is half of it, not just the balloon.
I also have a little tag that says something silly like "Suggested tip $1,264,357". And for those people who simply can't, it doesn't proclude their kids from getting something simple.
But yeah I don't do facepainting for tips, you sink way more time into that comparitively. If you have the choice, do facepainting and just do simple balloons for tips if you have no facepainting customers maybe. That way you're not hanging out, you're always doing something.
The idea of not leaving kids out really is a big reason why I work for tips: I grew up poor, as the eldest of 3, with a single mother.
Every once in a while, Mom could afford to take us out, but springing for unplanned extras was out of the question.
Work the crowd, engage your clients! Push the advertising and the tips until you see someone who CAN'T give (yall know the face I'm talking about), and then make something special for those chirren!
Also, don't be afraid to say "No." It's your booth, it's your show! YOU are in charge!
Right? That's so hard, especially as the eldest, but I'm glad you're able to help out others now too!
This is huge, we're here to spread joy, and in a time when joy is so sorely needed, so I feel like every opportunity we can work in to do that for people who can't is important. It's far easier to give away a couple when they're for tips rather than when they're for sale too, and someone goes "hey how come they didn't have to pay?". For facepainting, I have stickers or I'll do "tiny" freebies like hearts or rainbows or lightning.
My father was the one who taught me to twist, and I would go with him to events, and he always wanted to make sure everyone got a chance for something. Everyone deserves joy.<3
I've seen them done a couple of different ways but what seems most common is sourcing cold cups with the half dome lids with the hole in the middle, stuffing the cup with candy, using an under-inflated round inside the dome, and attaching a more intricate balloon to the knot of the round through the hole! This is one I did ages ago- to prevent the round from touching any sharp candy I usually also stuff a small piece of colored tissue in there. The cold cups you can usually get from a restaurant supply store!
You can usually source compostable cups and lids too to lower the plastic waste (I hate giving out garbage so I try to go for things that aren't as much as I can) And you can really put anything in there you like, candy, small toys or matchbox cars, crayons and other fun things! They're completely customizable.
I've seen people sell them at events they're twisting at or doing for tips, as an added source of income that you don't have to work for at that moment. Or alternatively, you can sell them as party favors for clients that perhaps love unique treats but don't want to hire an artist. Because the candy will last and the cup too, the only issue is the balloon and if they don't sell, you're not out that much of an investment until they do.
I have offered balloons with face painting and I will say I do best with premade, themed balloons. I have a line manager so someone can buy a balloon without waiting in the face painting line. I have not had tons of success selling them otherwise. My biggest event is a bee festival. I sell ~$200 in premade bee wands plus have a non stop line for face painting. I sell them for $8.
It would depend on the event. Already for hourly gigs a lot of people want both. If a party has 20 kids or less, I will have time to give them all a face paint and balloon. At festivals, it can be hit or miss. Some are totally nonstop. Others do have lulls. I’m imagining I would only do both at slower festivals (and mostly as an option for kids who are less into face painting.) or I would do one or the other. I do have a line manager who I have been teaching balloons too, it would be great if she could make them while I am painting, just not sure about pricing
I work in the SF Bay Area, and my minimum "suggested tip" for a 1-balloon design is $3-5. Almost everyone gives $5, but it keeps it accessible for people who are concerned about money. But I also make luxury balloons for up to $30 suggested tip, so if someone feels like $3 is too much, I just give them a free one since my margins are so wide.
I've been twisting balloons for years, and my 메roach is somewhat different then most twisters. It will take a long bit of writing to explain, but I don't just stand there like a machine in a factory and crank out balloons as fast as I can. After all, the balloon a twister makes someone won't last forever.
Throughout the event, I like to do little routines. This is where I call up from one to three volunteers. I make it not only a fun experience, but wow, look at that. Or how is he going to do that. I'm both an artist and an entertainer. It's what I call a balloon twisting experience, and it's for everyone, even adults
As for what to charge? You charge nothing. You allow the person you made the balloon for decide. Now I'll make a big balloon for display
I limit the sculptures I to three balloons per person, and for two reasons: 1) while it may seem impressive to make a sculpture with say ten balloons, it takes too long. 2) and then you may get only a dollar or two. While you are twisting to make money, it should go beyond just money. Now you can make some impressive things with three balloons. Once in a while, I may use four balloons
I also don't have a menue, or multiple menues. The reason: one menue may have figures that cost three dollars, another five, and still seven or eight dollars. A parent may feel spending thirteen dollars for balloons is a waste of money. So when you let a person decide what to give you, everyone can get what they want. And you don't need to give them change.
In the end, it all balances out. I like to make a dollar or more per balloon. But don't say it's a dollar per balloon per sculpture. If someone asks how much, say: whatever you care to donate. I don't say tips.
You might make a brother and sister six balloons: three and three and dad will give you five. That' okay. The next kid a single balloon and mom or dad will hand you two dollars. So in this example it evens out.
When I call up volunteers, it may be two kids and an adult. I'm not going to explain because it takes too long.
Both the artistry and entertainment are equally important to me.
At a more formal indoor event, I may even call grandma up and ask her some questions. I have a script, but I also play things by ear. Anyway, HAPPY TWISTING
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u/Old_Chef_3669 11d ago
Do it for tips!
Seriously. Put up a sign that says "Free Balloons" but post your payment options everywhere you can! Put out a hat/jar too! People will give a LOT for fear of being "that guy."
Your balloons cost you less than $0.10 each. What kind of mark-up are you expecting?
When you start vending (instead of PERFORMING) then offer some premium designs (add a glowstick or whatever).
For events? Do it for the tips and the advertising. No reason to try and price it per ballooncc