How to Land and Price Bid Day Balloon Installs
Picture 11 sorority houses packed so close together you could toss a rock from one window to the next... and every single one wants to outshine its neighbors' bid day balloon installs.
That’s the world Ashley of The Balloon Lab Oxford works in around Ole Miss. Her team decorated four houses for bid day this year, and she walked me through exactly how she got there. Even if bid day is not a thing in your market (like here in Wisconsin), the way she books, prices and plans big jobs applies to any large install on your calendar.
Start With a Relationship, Then Make Your Own Luck
Ashley’s first bid day came through a friend who advises one of the sororities. After that, she stopped waiting to be found. One February, her team inflated 11 jumbo foil hearts, one for every sorority on campus, and hand delivered each one with a 10% off note. The note was clear: if you already have a balloon artist, we respect that, and we’re here if you need us.
My favorite part? No house got skipped, so nobody felt snubbed.
She also learned who matters on site. House moms run the houses day to day, so they’re worth meeting. And because student leadership turns over every year, Ashley is starting a spreadsheet of contacts so she always knows who to reach next.
Book Early and Grow on Purpose
Three sororities have already booked Ashley for next year with a calendar deposit. If new leadership wants to go a different direction, that deposit can be used toward any other event. She’s also capping how many houses she takes, which creates urgency without overextending her team.
Her growth has been steady: one house, then two, then four. She doesn’t want the whole campus, and honestly, I love that.
Price From Their Budget
The question everyone asks is how to even charge for this. Ashley works from the budget each house gives her and presents options at different price points, sometimes for the exact same section of the house. Then the sorority decides what’s worth it.
When a house starts cutting things without explaining why, she asks directly what number they’re trying to stay under. Two houses can look like the same caliber with very different budgets simply because one house is bigger.
Make Mock-Ups Work for You
Ashley’s mock-ups are so accurate you could hold one up next to the finished photo. A brand new house with revisions can take her around ten hours in Canva.
That’s exactly why she only creates them after a house books. Price shoppers get photos of past work, sample colors and general pricing... not a custom design they can shop around.
She also builds at least one artistic element into every house. When the theme was all about pearls, there was a standalone balloon necklace.
This sums up Part 1 of my conversation with Ashley. Listen to the full episode here! Then come back for Part 2, where she shares the offer letters, travel stipends and systems behind her team.
