New bounce houses for sale, Used Bounce houses for sale ...what to buy? And where do you find them?
There are 100's of inflatable manufacturer's on the internet. Just do a search under bounce house manufacturer, moonbounce manufacturer or even carnival game manufacturer.
Make sure you do your homework though. Ask questions. Do some research on the best bounce houses to buy. Where are the units made, what is the warranty, how long have the been in business. Do they offer support after the sale?
You can find used bounces on E-bay...but be careful. Used bounces sometimes are sold for more than the new ones!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Inflatable Sports Tunnels by Sports Central Creations
Are you looking for something unique for your special customers? How about inflatable sports tunnels? Entrance tunnels are a great way to make a football or basketball game even more exciting.
Many times the school won't want to mess with owning their own tunnel....but they'll be thrilled to rent it from you if you have it available. And, of course, area sponsors will LOVE to advertise at all the games...on YOUR inflatable sports tunnel.
In many cases, the money you make for advertising will be more than you actually pay for the tunnel.
Sports Central Creations has sports tunnels and inflatable mascots in all shapes and sizes.
Many times the school won't want to mess with owning their own tunnel....but they'll be thrilled to rent it from you if you have it available. And, of course, area sponsors will LOVE to advertise at all the games...on YOUR inflatable sports tunnel.
In many cases, the money you make for advertising will be more than you actually pay for the tunnel.
Sports Central Creations has sports tunnels and inflatable mascots in all shapes and sizes.
More Water Woes for Your Moonbounce Business
How in the world can you run a Moonbounce Business when it's raining all the time? Surprisingly enough, it's not as hard as it sounds. A moonwalk getting wet isn't the end of the world, although if you don't dry your moonbounce fairly quickly it can be the end of the unit.
Since inflatables are made of vinyl, a little water won't hurt them. Not even a lot of water, BUT you can't let inflatables sit for very long drenched. As soon as the rain dies down and the sun comes out mildew will start working it's way through your inflatable. And mildew is extremely hard to remove!
So...after your inflatable gets drenched, as soon as possible set it up and get up and start the drying process. If you can do it indoors, that's great. Even if your ceilings are low you can open the vents and let it blow partially up. Just the air blowing through it will dry it.
If you don't have indoor space, then just get it up the minute the rain lets up.
And remember, this is a GREAT time to deep clean your inflatable games. They're up, they're wet...why not take advantage of it!
Find out more about take care of inflatables at Moonbounce Business Info
Since inflatables are made of vinyl, a little water won't hurt them. Not even a lot of water, BUT you can't let inflatables sit for very long drenched. As soon as the rain dies down and the sun comes out mildew will start working it's way through your inflatable. And mildew is extremely hard to remove!
So...after your inflatable gets drenched, as soon as possible set it up and get up and start the drying process. If you can do it indoors, that's great. Even if your ceilings are low you can open the vents and let it blow partially up. Just the air blowing through it will dry it.
If you don't have indoor space, then just get it up the minute the rain lets up.
And remember, this is a GREAT time to deep clean your inflatable games. They're up, they're wet...why not take advantage of it!
Find out more about take care of inflatables at Moonbounce Business Info
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Water Water Everywhere.... How Does it Affect Your Moonwalk Business ?
Being in business in the Midwest right now kind of sucks. We're knee in water almost everywhere. Of course, in the whole scheme of things, losing a few rentals isn't much compared to what others are losing, but we still have bills to pay and employees to support so all this rain can really hurt.
What can you do to protect yourself? A lot depends on how you handle your written contract. A few years ago we returned deposits if an event rained out. We were building our business and wanted the good will, but after losing a fortune due to rain one year we changed that policy. Now... we require 50% down BUT if the event cancels due to weather they have a full year to reschedule and use their deposit.
The basic fact is that if you don't take deposits or return them due to weather issues you'll find it hard to stay in business, and most businesses understand this.
Now, even though our contract states no refunds, in some cases we'll refund small deposits for backyard parties. $75.00 here and there isn't much when you realize the good will you can make, but this is a personal preference.
Just remember, people know you have a business to operate and deposits are taken for a reason. You are under no obligation to return them as long as you've made your policies clear to the customer up front.
If a customers really want to fight this, offer them a rain waiver. For 3-5% of the total cost of the event, they can purchase the ability to get a full refund in case of weather. This can be a win win for everyone. The customer will be more comfortable and in many cases you can make an extra 3-5% for all your events.
Tomorrow we'll talk about the effect of the weather on your moonbounces & interactive inflatable games in the party rental business.
What can you do to protect yourself? A lot depends on how you handle your written contract. A few years ago we returned deposits if an event rained out. We were building our business and wanted the good will, but after losing a fortune due to rain one year we changed that policy. Now... we require 50% down BUT if the event cancels due to weather they have a full year to reschedule and use their deposit.
The basic fact is that if you don't take deposits or return them due to weather issues you'll find it hard to stay in business, and most businesses understand this.
Now, even though our contract states no refunds, in some cases we'll refund small deposits for backyard parties. $75.00 here and there isn't much when you realize the good will you can make, but this is a personal preference.
Just remember, people know you have a business to operate and deposits are taken for a reason. You are under no obligation to return them as long as you've made your policies clear to the customer up front.
If a customers really want to fight this, offer them a rain waiver. For 3-5% of the total cost of the event, they can purchase the ability to get a full refund in case of weather. This can be a win win for everyone. The customer will be more comfortable and in many cases you can make an extra 3-5% for all your events.
Tomorrow we'll talk about the effect of the weather on your moonbounces & interactive inflatable games in the party rental business.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Phone Answering Tips for Your Bounce House Business
One mistake I see people make quite frequently when running their bounce house business is the way they handle their phone calls. This is such a small thing that it amazes me that more people don't put more thought into it.
You can spend all kinds of time and money getting the best equipment and advertising but it's amazing how many people don't take care of their phone calls.
Now...most of us start small and many have other jobs when we're just starting so you can't ALWAYS be at the phones. But, whenever possible you should answer your calls yourself. If you CAN'T answer, then return the calls as soon as possible....check your messages on your break, lunch time etc. The basic fact is that a lost phone call is many times a lost sale.
But, don't get depressed, because those of you who can't answer during the day can still get the jump on competition if you answer your phones in the evening. Many people will plan their parties when they're home after work, and the company that answers is the one who will book their rental.
There are a couple of different products that can help you manage your phones. We use Aptela . It's a voip program and for a small amount of money we get a professional recording and music on hold...but the BEST part is that we can transfer the calls to other phones easily...a cell phone or an assistant's phone, etc. You can set up the system to call you or email you a voice message immediately but the best part? You can check your account daily to see how many calls that did NOT leave a message and the time of the day they arrived.
This is a great way to see how many calls you're missing by not answering during the day and a great way to plan any staffing you need in your office.
We all know how much money you can make with a bounce house business...but you have to wonder....how much more could you make if you answered every phone call?
You can spend all kinds of time and money getting the best equipment and advertising but it's amazing how many people don't take care of their phone calls.
Now...most of us start small and many have other jobs when we're just starting so you can't ALWAYS be at the phones. But, whenever possible you should answer your calls yourself. If you CAN'T answer, then return the calls as soon as possible....check your messages on your break, lunch time etc. The basic fact is that a lost phone call is many times a lost sale.
But, don't get depressed, because those of you who can't answer during the day can still get the jump on competition if you answer your phones in the evening. Many people will plan their parties when they're home after work, and the company that answers is the one who will book their rental.
There are a couple of different products that can help you manage your phones. We use Aptela . It's a voip program and for a small amount of money we get a professional recording and music on hold...but the BEST part is that we can transfer the calls to other phones easily...a cell phone or an assistant's phone, etc. You can set up the system to call you or email you a voice message immediately but the best part? You can check your account daily to see how many calls that did NOT leave a message and the time of the day they arrived.
This is a great way to see how many calls you're missing by not answering during the day and a great way to plan any staffing you need in your office.
We all know how much money you can make with a bounce house business...but you have to wonder....how much more could you make if you answered every phone call?
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