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magicjoe Special user 758 Posts |
Hello all,
Im sorry if there is a post about this already I looked but didn't find one. My question is what is the best way to get to the next level in magic. Right now I'm perfomring kid shows, stage shows, and strolling magic but I would like to get to the next level. I would like to do tours maby even cruise ships. Any help would be great thanks alot. Magicjoe |
Bill Nuvo Inner circle 3094 Posts or 2742 Posts |
Well, to start, here are some good articles that you need to read.
http://www.performers.net/library/me-promo.html http://www.performers.net/library/rc-sales-letter.html http://www.performers.net/library/rc-targeted-promo.html http://www.online-visions.com/other/0309some.html Both sites also have other great articles. Also there are threads about touring here in the Tricky Business forums. They can give you a lot of input. |
Jim Snack Inner circle 1338 Posts |
That's a great question Magicjoe, one that I talked about last year at the Kidabra Convention (see the Little Darlings section for more information about Kidabra) in my lecture "Smart Business for Family Entertainers." In that lecture I spoke about 5 levels in the business. The five levels are primarily differentiated by fees, however, they are also differentiated by type of clients you serve.
From your post, it sounds like you are working as a generalist at the first level, doing shows for both children and adults, probably earning fees on average that range from $100 - $300 per show. If you perform approximately 150 dates per year, your maximum gross potential would be around $45,000 per year. Subtract your expenses and you are not left with much. These shows are, for the most part, best left to the part-time professionals who have another source of income, or beginners who are trying to polish their act. The next level is doing shows that command fees in the $300 - $1000 range, and would include schools, fairs and festivals, and entry level corporate and association work. If you can book 150 dates at the top end of this range, you will gross something in the range of $100,000-$150,000 per year. Subtract your expenses and you have a viable full time business and can be comfortable a this level for many years. For you to move to the next level, you should identify a market that you would like to work in AND where you think your show would sell. If you have a show with an educational message, schools would be a next logical step. Fairs and festivals are an important venue for family entertainers. If you don't want to do family shows, perhaps it is time to develop your adult club act and start focusing on association and corporate events. If close-up is your thing, then trade shows are a good market to approach. Touring theaters is another thing entirely, and you can get started with schools, colleges and small theaters in your geographic area. It all depends upon your act and your goals. Good luck. Jim |
ThePartyMagician Loyal user Bristol, UK 216 Posts |
Just as a quick plug, Jim's 'Success In Magic' course will show you the right way to proceed.
(I'm not paid by Jim, I just own the course and think it's pretty darned good!) Mike |
Jim Snack Inner circle 1338 Posts |
Thanks Mike, that was my intention in putting together the course, to help magicians move to the next level. You can't stay at the first level and ever hope to build a decent business as a professional. The first step is getting clear about where you can go in the world of professional magic. Then it's simply a matter of having sound strategies and taking the necessary action steps.
Jim |
Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
Jims course and his advice should be read, re read and then memorized. He really has a lot of good points.
Nobody thinks about the different levels much. It is very important to decide if you want to advance to not only see your goals, but set and achieve them. To go to the next level, no matter what it is, needs to be taken quite seriously. You need a plan. Now keep in mind you there is nothing wrong with any of the levels. To jump straight to theater shows is a tough leap. It takes not only enough money to put the show together, it takes enough to market it correctly. This usually costs more than putting it together. It really is tough to make money. It is kind of like the old joke arround here in Branson. "wanna know how to make a million dollars with a Branson show? Start with 3 million." It is true of all theater shows to a point. As Jim says find your market, go for it with a definite plan and let nothing stand in your way.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
NJJ Inner circle 6437 Posts |
http://www.online-visions.com/other/0309some.html
this link is a wake up call for me. The example is pretty much my schedule! (with different prices) |
Jim Snack Inner circle 1338 Posts |
Nicholas, thanks for posting that link. It should be required reading for anyone making a business plan.
That's exactly the strategy I have employed annually (starting in 1981) and discussed in Volume One of the Success in Magic course. I even included a chart of my business breakdown in those early years. Show business is a ladder. Everybody goes up and then goes back down. How high you go depends upons upon a combination of vision, talent, planning, luck, determination and a number of other variables. It starts with a careful review of what you did last year. Only then can you look ahead and build upon your successes. Jim |
dlcmagic Special user 887 Posts |
I own Jim's course. It's in one word, GREAT !!. I would say to any one, just buy it! You won't be sorry.
David Lawrence |
Bill Nuvo Inner circle 3094 Posts or 2742 Posts |
Nicholas, I am glad you like the link. There are a lot of great articles at online visions. Take the time to read them. Some very valuable info. This one specifically has aided me in really breaking down my business. I now am performing less buy making the same amount of money, so I now have room to book more higher end gigs.
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Bill Nuvo Inner circle 3094 Posts or 2742 Posts |
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magicjoe Special user 758 Posts |
Hey thanks a lot guys for all your help, those links do help.
thanks |
pikacrd Veteran user Florida 387 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-05-15 09:46, magicjoe wrote: Joe, After reading your post and the responses from some of the very bright café members about your interest in taking your performances to the next level I would like to offer the following. Take the time and do your research, get to know some entertainers that are working at the level that you feel that you want to be at and ask them for advice (I know that is basically what you are doing here). If you have the opportunity to get into one on one situations with these performers all the better. These one on one situations can lead to friendships and professional relationships that will yield more than there weight in gold. I have found through my own career that a mentor situation can and has been very helpful. One of my mentors is a very successful Magician, Speaker, and Educator who I met early on in my magic career and has been vital to me in most of the stages that I have gone through as an entertainer. When it came time to move from a very active hobbyist to a part time pro, and then from a part time pro to a working professional in the trade show market, he offered me advice, expertise, and guidance in more than the “magic” aspect of my career he offered me all of these things and more when it came to the “Business” of magic and that to me that has been the real value of his mentorship (well that plus his friendship, and that has had a huge impact on me as well). Like a lot of the people who have and who will probably respond to this thread I have invested a lot of time and money in different marketing and education programs to expand my career both in magic and non-magic endeavors not all of these programs have offered exactly what I was looking for at the time I was looking but most have offered good advice that I have taken and used in one manner or another and to that I am thankful. I can tell you that I am considering making another investment in my career in the very near future and it is an investment that I am very excited about. It is the course that Troy Milligan is offering in Sacramento coming up in August. You can see his add in Genii Magazine (June 06) it has a link to a lot more info on the course and what is being offered. The reason I am so excited is that I have had the opportunity to speak with Troy about his course and what is being offered and I really think that it is going to be like nothing that I have had the opportunity to attend in the past. So all in all I guess what I am attempting to offer you with this post is make the investment in yourself and your career through relationships that can be built with other working magicians and through the educational resources that are available to you.
“Indubitably, Magic is one of the subtlest and most difficult of the sciences and arts. There is more opportunity for errors of comprehension, judgment and practice than in any other branch of physics”. William S. Burroughs 1914-1997 American Writer
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icentertainment Inner circle 1429 Posts |
The best way to get to the bigger gigs is to really concentrate on your show and your marketing.
I assume you want bigger as in Big Corporate Shows- so I would suggest you target the market you want with a knife not a machette what I mean by this is you say you do kids , stage and roving---for the corporate market---leave out the kids part. As you move into higher paid gigs- Image is image as important |
pikacrd Veteran user Florida 387 Posts |
Ice,
For the most part I think what you are saying has value but I am not so sure that you have to leave the kids shows out all together. Actually I am leaving for DC from Florida in a few weeks to do a kids show, granted it is for 100 kids and not my normal performance type but I would not have captured this show if it were not for my tradeshow contacts. As a matter of fact working in the corporate market can a lot of times involve working for children and families. Not all kids shows only pay $100 a pop but using some methods that I have been able to pick up on and by the way I think will be expanded on in the Sacramento event that I mentioned earlier you can book events paying much greater amounts. By the way if anyone is looking for more info regarding that tradeshow seminar please let me know I have gotten my package on it.
“Indubitably, Magic is one of the subtlest and most difficult of the sciences and arts. There is more opportunity for errors of comprehension, judgment and practice than in any other branch of physics”. William S. Burroughs 1914-1997 American Writer
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