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Landmark Creations creates big balloons but stays grounded
by Elizabeth Martin Tom Meacham had no experience in the giant inflatables business when he purchased Burnsville-based Landmark Creations in 1993.
But he had two things going for him: his mechanical background, and staff members who knew what they were doing.
“I had a background in manufacturing and people, basically, and the rest took care of itself,” he says. “I also knew that there were talented people that worked here that certainly could do their job already.”
If the last 11 years have been a learning experience for Meacham, president of Landmark, the lessons seem to have sunk in. Today Landmark is a 12-employee company with revenue of more than $1 million last year. The company has grown to a comfortable, manageable size, says Meacham.
The inflatables industry is not well documented and it’s tough to say who industry leaders are, or even the size, says Meacham. Rod Hursh, owner of Chicago-based Balloons Unlimited, agrees. Balloons Unlimited provides rental sales and service of giant advertising balloons, searchlights and other exterior point-of-purchase items. The company purchases balloons from manufacturers such as Landmark and has worked with Landmark for the past eight years. Hursh estimates industry size at about $100 million.
Although that’s relatively small, Meacham says that Landmark has no ambitions to become the leader of the pack.
“Landmark has never really put ourselves out there to say, ‘We want to be No. 1,’ “ he says. “We’re not trying any gimmicks that say, ‘We must reach 50 percent growth here or we’ve failed.’ ”
Although many people may associate giant inflatables with balloon gorillas on the tops of car dealerships, Landmark also creates unique items for high-profile clients.
Some of Landmark’s more well-known clients include: Old Dutch (a giant windmill for the Minnesota State Fair), the Chicago Bears (the entrance tunnel for the re-opening of Soldier Field), 3M (a giant tube of caulk), and Paul McCartney’s tour (giant Chinese lanterns that were used in shows only outside the United States). Landmark also has international clients in Bosnia, Russia, China, the Middle East and Finland.
‘Amazing’ creations
“Some of the things I’ve seen those guys create, it’s amazing,” says Pat Arling, executive vice president with Provincial Bank in Lakeville. Arling has been working with Landmark for the past 10 years.
“I’ve known Tom for years,” he adds. “He knows where he wants to go, he knows how to get there, he’s always upbeat.”
Arling says that Landmark’s relationship with Provincial has been a good one since Meacham arrived.
“I think the one thing that says a lot for Tom is he always kept the bank informed of where they were, where they were going,” says Arling.
Arling is also impressed by Landmark’s increasing use of technology. He recalls visit to the company’s facility 10 years ago in which he saw fabric pieces scattered around the facility while employees were fitting them together to make a customer’s order.
But these days, he says, Landmark employees enter data into a computer program and the pieces are cut to size. In the end, if the data has been properly entered, all of the separate pieces of fabric fit together.
And Landmark has been able to retain much of its staff over the past 11 years because, let’s face it, building giant balloons is pretty fun. “I pretty much let them do their job,” Meacham says.
Today Meacham handles all of the company’s sales himself. While a large percentage of the company’s sales come through the Internet, referrals and repeat customers are a significant source of business as well.
Dig deeper
Referrals and repeat customers come easier when your product is an attention-getter by design, notes Arling.
“Every time they design something somebody sees it and it’s like, ‘OK, who did that for you?’ and Landmark has another customer,” says Arling. “You’re almost self-advertising when you put something like that together.”
The company’s products also make great Web site content.
“We’re able to demonstrate through an effective Web site, things we’ve done for other people,” says Meacham. New content is added to the site on a regular basis.
“Landmark is very consistent with their product and quality as well as their service and delivery,” says Hursh.
“They are probably one of the best in the industry at on-time delivery and response time,” he says. “As far as Landmark’s commitment to service and meeting deadlines and getting drawings and quotes and things like that that are all important for me to resell their products, they’re right there, they’re top of the list.”
But Meacham takes customer service beyond being prompt and responsive. He also feels a responsibility to dig deeper and learn about the customer’s true purpose in purchasing a balloon before trying to close a sale.
As an example, Meacham says he works to make sure that clients don’t get in over their heads when placing their orders.
“What we try to do is learn more about an event and what their purpose actually is,” says Meacham. “If you’ve never had an experience with an inflatable and you want a 35-footer, I think you’re in over your head, automatically.”
A big part of Landmark’s customer service is making sure that clients order the product that is right for them. That’s not always easy when it comes to inflatables, where people’s imaginations can get carried away.
“I try to find out more specifically how they’re going to use it and often times that will tell us what they should be using,” he says. “I don’t want to give somebody a product that won’t work for them.
“I don’t expect my customers to be an expert in inflatables. That’s my job.”
Meacham also believes that his employees share his passion for matching the right product to the right customer.
“There isn’t any employee here that wouldn’t give a customer the honest truth about what they should be using,” he says.
Landmark warranties its balloons for two years, which means that they are a product that customers can use multiple times. That kind of durability can’t be taken for granted in the industry, says Hursh. He believes many of the balloons made overseas, while inexpensive, are of inferior quality.
“My perception of those is they’re low quality, not rental quality,” he says. “They’re okay for their artwork and their design, but nothing I would ever use in my rental fleets.
“We look at those as disposable products,” he adds.
These days Meacham says he is happy with the pace of Landmark’s growth, and its position in the marketplace.
“The company’s controllable,” says Meacham. “It’s not running us, we’re running it. And I feel like Landmark as finally arrived.”
[contact] Pat Arling, Provincial Bank: 952.469.2265; www.provincialbank.com. Rod Hursh, Balloons Unlimited: 800.598.7446; ba***************@*sn.com; www.balloonsandsearchlights.com. Tom Meacham, Landmark Creations: 952.895.0947; to*@***************ns.com; www.landmarkcreations.com
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