Hi guys,

Busked for the second time yesterday. I worked for about an hour, did 5-6 short shows and made $21.
I was hoping to do better, but I was always only performing for 1-4 people - obviously I have a lot of lessons to learn.

Lessons from today
1. I have to start using people names
2. I have to be mindful of other people close by and draw them in
3. I need some more Bally upfront, (besides general conversation)
4. My hat lines were terrible today, nothing like I rehearsed

I bailed early, probably due to only getting a couple of dollars each time I hatted. I have to forget the money at this point - and not expect too much early days.

Success from today
1. My first monte routine is a real winner. People are blown away and its interactive.
2. I changed up my ID routine - it's quite unique (I hope). It was generating better reactions than on my first time round. (One young guy came up to me after a short show say he liked my different presentation of ID).
3. No mistakes today. 😎 But the wind certainly made the monte tricky.

Rich

G'day Rich
Great to hear about your progress and your reflections on your learning process.
I think that $21 for an hour when you only had small audiences is not to bad - it is a bit like being paid for a lesson.
I look forward to the next installment of your busking story - all the best mate....
Troppo Bob.

I came across another Magic busker today in the same spot where I was yesterday. He was all set up with an amp, and obviously very experienced in his craft. He had a large crowd. The amp was great he could be heard from 20 metres away, despite the city noise.

For those that made the switch from non-amp performing to amp performances. Did it make a significant difference in getting a crowd, and your hats?

I'm not thinking of purchasing one yet, as I think I need to spend more time busting my chops before making such a purchase. Just wondering how much impact an amp had for you?

Rich

Rich, if you don't know How to get the crowd. if your don't know How to entertain them. then it does not matter how big your amp is.

first learn how to get them and entertain them. if you can do that THEN switch to an amp. don't think the amp is making bigger hats. it is you.
the amp makes it a bit easier to speak to the people.

in the past actors did a play with no microfones. the had learned how to be understood in the whole theater. a lost art.

so pay your dues, learn the art. make time. have fun.

Good thinking!

Thanks guys,

I mentioned earlier in this thread that I'm not thinking about purchasing one at this point. As per my post - I'm happy to go unamplified. Was just curious on other peoples experiences.

I've set some SMART goals around the busking.

1. Earn $400 from busking - Covering the expenses of a large fine
1 month to hit this target

2. Earn another $600 to cover all money spent over the years on Magic.
1 month to hit this target

Then reassess my goals thereafter.

I don't need to busk, it's only a hobby - and the skills I develop will only aid me in my professional career as a corporate trainer. The SMART goals are required to keep me focused on getting out to the streets on a regular basis for practice.

" The SMART goals are required to keep me focused on getting out to the streets on a regular basis for practice."
Stage time is what matters, not the income.
Why not set a stage-time goal such as, "Be on the street 6 times [or whatever number] a month."
You cant make people pay you to get a monetary goal.
And stage time is dependant on your health, the weather, other commitments etc.
Busking is full of uncertainty, variability.

Yeah I like that suggestion.

Getting out and just doing it is the most important thing for me at this stage. 😀

Hi guys,

3rd time out today. I had a slow and unproductive start - the first hour and 4 hats totalled $2, then 50 cents, then $9, and finally zilch. This was all in front of very small groups.
There was some self doubt after that first hour. Things did turn slightly - I improved my hat lines. At the same time some bigger groups gathered. I tried (somewhat) to organise them and shape them as an audience - however I still have a loooong way to go at that. I know this will come with experience.

I ended up making $127 in 3 hours & 45 mins. Approx $33 an hour. My biggest hat was $24. 😀

I improved the use of names, especially with the final trick and my volunteer. However I still have to use more names of my audience throughout the show. I was able to add in another joke or two as compared to last week. Next week I'll look again to add another joke or two. I only performed two tricks for my show, which was good - the length of the show was 7 - 9 mins in length.

Anyway pretty happy with the day - I'll do it again next weekend. 😀

Wish you success in developing your busking performances.
If you don't mind me saying so, I find the constant mentioning on how much money you're taking a little off-putting. Sure, every busker wants to see some cash in their hats, but when you're new to it there seems a case for for talking about other things far more.
I note also your commendable response to Magicol's post that your objectives were all about money but should be orientated on stage time and getting out there. To be fair, you tended to reflect on other issues in your final paragraph above but the first one was back to the same old minute details about money.
Maybe its just me (it's not just being British, there's plenty here who are very money-orientated!), but I'd prefer posts that deal centrally and certainly start and end with the more important development issues and bury references to money underneath it all - would also suggest being a bit more general without mentioning detailed figures eg 'made hardly anything today' or 'made a bit more than yesterday which wasn't a lot but at least it's an improvement...' etc.

Just find it a bit out of place when you're focussed on stage time, experience and development. An experienced person more focussed on their hats (given they've developed their street act), ironically would be hardly likely to give figures in detail I think.

Anyway, just my opinion. I like to hear people making an effort and having a go - you're doing this. Bit less detail on money is all I'm saying.

Thanks for the feedback, everyone has different perspectives and values. I love magic and it aids me in my career and I love the reactions I receive.

However, I do believe the hats earnt are a barometer of my short and simple show. Its something I can measure against and this motivates me to improve. I'm a novice when it comes to this. If I was getting huge hats, ala the professionals at this caper I wouldn't document it either.

Anyway I thought some people would be interested in reading the exploits of a beginner. Sure some people might find the mention of money off putting, honestly I hadn't considered it. You can't please everyone anyway, and in an Internet forum that's nigh on impossible. 😀

On a side note. I had my first large crowd today, I honestly don't know how I got it. I was certainly ill equipped to handle it. Positioning and managing the audience I would rate my skills, 1.5 out of 10. I was completely surrounded by a ring of people. I don't really know how many people there were (40 maybe). The people behind me - there was no way they could see anything. I was using the ID as my closer.

Hey Mrsmiles,..
I really liked,..
like,
your Post.
Really.
,made me feel good,
on a lonely Sunday morning.
,..my baby's gone,..
visiting her monster,,..
ahhh,.
MOTHER(!).

(without disrupting this Thread:
is your 'name',
Mr. Smiles?,
or
Mrs. Miles??
ahhhh,
a smiling lady,
with miles under her shoes....
what a thought...
Sunday morning coming down...)

Sugar Ray,.. keep going for it buddy!
I appreciate reading your writings.
'Right or Wrong'(?),
the important thing is,..
we write.
"To understand myself,
I wrote others."
gallagher

I enjoy following this as well.

Sugar Ray - thanks for your response, I'm glad it didn't upset or anger you. Your response to my feedback was very good. I'll be following how you get on, hats off to you - and here's wishing you full hats!

Gallagher,

Its Mr Smiles my good fellow
I like to feel good and mellow
In my shows I want to make them smile
I crack a few jokes, I take a mile.

So thanks for your rhymes and taking the time
to spread your joy and join the chime.
I guess for now, I'll return to full prose
'Cos my poetry ain't no rose

So let's give our heart-felt best wishes
To SugarRay and his courage to face the streets
That seem almost filled with deep, dangerous ditches
But with faith in your heart
And talent in your breast
You can make it...
Go on, be be the best!

Thanks everyone,

I appreciate everyones posts. This is one of the main reason I post here - to communicate with like minded people, which helps fuel my motivation.

Another lesson I need to implement. I have to stop asking for volunteers for my closer (the ID). I find young children jump forward, and they don't have enough familiarity with playing cards.

The way I perform the ID it is better suited for an adult participant. I ask them to choose a random playing card, I then provide the participant a mini whiteboard in the shape of a giant playing card. I ask them the colour of their chosen card. If its red, I hand them a red white board marker, black - a black marker. I ask them to draw their chosen selection on the giant playing card (the whiteboard).

Whilst they are drawing their card, I then go into my hat line. At the end of the hatline, the participant reveals their giant playing card to the audience. Afterwhich I follow with the ID reveal. It plays well.

I require participants who can draw/write, and know what a playing card is. Young children I find do not fit this criteria.

I need to take my time and choose the participant who best fits the bill. It will help ensure I keep tighter control of the show.

Use adult for the finale. as you have learned they can help. children can mess up you don't want that for the finale trick. I like the drawing of a big card then hat line then end the show, good thinking.

I'm loving your posts SugarRayRick. It's cool to see you improving so quickly. Trial and error is the only way to get really good at anything so you are doing it right. I would like to add that indeed you always want to be improving, but also pay attention to your area, what time of day it is, what day it is, etc. That's going to be a huge factor in the amount of people you get to stop and how long they stick around. Also make sure you look approachable. I'll see some performers on the street and wonder how they get anyone to approach as they just look almost dangerous. The public doesn't know you so do everything you can to make yourself easy to approach. Also, if you stake out an area and appear there on a regular basis you will get more people to stop because they've seen you a few times and it will feel more safe for them to stop and watch. Just my 2 cents. Good luck and please keep posting your progress.

Thanks guys,

I think I'm been lucky with my pitch thus far as it has a LOT of passing traffic which really helps. People stop every 5-10 mins. I essentially do nothing to attract an audience, apart from shufffling and ribbon spreading. lol

Down the track, when I feel braver (and I feel like I belong) I might break out the Rocky Raccoon to stop people. Stopping people is definitely a weak point for me.

I had one young guy stop last Sunday and immediately dropped $5 on my table. I was a bit taken aback, I wasn't sure what I was meant to do. Was he tipping me from my last show? Was he paying upfront? It turned out he wanted to see some magic - and it was indeed a payment upfront.

Also on two occasions last Sunday someone came up to me and asked...

"Magician?"
"Yes - did you want to see something crazy?" I replied.
"Of course, but I don't have any money!"

In my mind I thought, oh well - I'll just perform one quick trick with minimal patter and send him on his way. Both times a small crowd formed (of 8-15 people), I ended up performing a short 7-9 min show. On both occasions they tipped.

Rich

Yup, the more people join in the better. Just a form of social proof. So don't worry about the first person having money or not. Just make it showy enough that more people join in.
This guy is pretty good with some language to copy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxwujHN0w7s

He also sells tricks. That might be a much better money maker than just tips. You can buy simple tricks really cheaply and sell them, or just create your own.