Does anyone have any experience of David Dee's magic marketing course?

As I am currently looking for new ways to market myself, this course has caught my attention.

I have it, and I found it useful. It's a lot of material, and will pay for itself if you use it to book one or two extra gigs.
A lot of it is directed toward kid's shows, but can be easily adapted to any other kind of performer.

If you've read any other general marketing books, you might recognize some of the concepts. It's not that he stole them--they are just good ideas that anyone with a knowledge of marketing would know of. He has synthesized a lot of information and focused it for magicians. He also has many original ideas, tips and advice.

You will not agree with everything. For example, he talks a lot how he made extra money selling little magic goody bags for his children show parties. They don't cost much and he offers them as a bonus package, which gives him an extra profit of $20-$30 bucks. On the video (which I don't know if he still offers) the bags he talks about are plastic Baggies with a few cheap magic tricks. The cheap magic tricks I didn't mind--they are meant to be party favor magic tricks--but that he felt OK about dumping them in plastic bags with no decoration at all. No ribbon, no confetti, nothing to dress it up. He even talks about not spending more money on a fancy bag. In a profession where presentation is important, I thought this was tacky. The same went for the bigger gift box for the birthday child. A half dozen better quality tricks in a box with no presentation. However, he has been successful with this, and perhaps the kids don't mind, so I guess it comes down to a matter of style.

There are also some marketing strategies that I wouldn't do simply because I find them a tad overly aggressive. That being said, I think most people in business for themselves are not aggressive enough, and he outlines clearly many, many ways to hustle gigs without being obnoxious.

Bottom line: get it. It will be a great investment.

Thanks for that post. The course is most likely not for me. I'm really interested in the corporate market specifically, and with Mentalism. Kids shows have no interest to me.

I have noticed in some of his sales literature he has stolen phrases and language from a well known NLP and motivational speaker.

Hi Shrink,

I don't know if you already know this link:
http://www.chuckhickok.com/book.html

Maybe it's what yourlooking for.

I have the Chuckhickock book. It's ok --nothing great, no revelations or new material, and no marketing whatsoever. Although I did get one or two bits of information, it wasn't really that helpful.

Thanks for the post, Magic4all

Thanks Shrink,

I was thinking of buying it but now I know enough.

So, thanks for you post.

About David Dees' Ultimate Insider Secrets Marketing Program for Magicians

This binder of marketing information comes with several cassette tapes related to the material in the book.

Although David Dee uses a kid show as an example of how he markets his shows, it is easy to adjust to fit any show including mentalism.

• 1. First Things First
  David takes you step by step through self analysis, goal setting, and business planning
  
  
• 2. Marketing
  David describes how to focus on your skills and get the most out of marketing based on your skills
  
  
• 3. Direct Mail Campaign
  David focuses on sales letters and promotional letters with examples
  
  
• 4. Telephone Sales and Scripts
  David explains how to use your phone and write scripts with examples to close sales.
  
  
• 5. Selling Yourself
  David goes on explaining how you sell yourself because if you don't you won't work.
  
  
• 6. Finding Prospects
  David explains about advertising, and getting your name known, how to make your business card work for you and a lot of other techniques such as pricing, confirmations etc.
  
  
• 7. Getting Referrals and References
  This says it all how to get referrals and references
  
  
• 8. Brochures, Flyers, & Business Cards
  More infortion on ways to get your name out into the public.
  
  
• 9. Forms and Bookkeeping
  David supplies more forms and bookkeeping methods
  
  
• 10. Other Secret Strategies
  Other successful methods of getting leads and how to generate more business.
  

Having dealt with the corporate word and president of two corporations, marketing is the only way one can get business. If you do not have these skills or are very weak in this area, then this book is for you. If you have studied other marketing techniques and want to know how to use those skills in the selling of your entertainment shows, then this book is for you.

If you are a steady worker and booked sufficiently, then you are already doing something right to market yourself and you might find this book a refesher. As with all my magic related books, I find something in each worthy of that purchase.

Do not let the fact that David uses Kids Shows as an example stop you from purchasing this book. If you know nothing about marketing then seriously give this book some consideration.

Den: I agree with a lot of what you say, however there is a world of difference between booking corporate gigs and childrens parties. I can't imagine two events more polarised.

Im looking for material that covers the actual types of events and occasions where mentalism would be be booked. I am looking at specific ways to sell into a specific market. Tried and tested examples.

I recognise some of his marketing strategies from the tonnes of get quick rich schemes and mail order business opportunities that used to come through my letterbox like avalanche. I recognise stock phrases and patterns throughout various points on his website. I imagine corporate event planners would recognise them to.

Chuck Hickocks book "Corporate Mentalism" seems to give you that promise along with all the testimonials/endorsements, but completely fails to deliver. The only useful part of the book was breaking down various effects into three catagories. Claims x number of pages being devoted to specific instruction in handling corporate audiences doesn't really ring true either. The typeface used is so big that a page is approximately a third of information you woul would find in a normal book. And most of the info is banal and is obviuos to anyone who has performed a few shows.

Ok I got one or two good points out of the book. But it wasn't worth anywhere near the price I paid.

For some reason Magic is the one subject that can promise anything in the litrature get their mates to endorse it then fail to deliver. Not only that but we are supposed to be greatful if we get a tiny fraction of what were supposedly being sold.

Shrink,

Marketing, in your case, may be best done at a book store. One thing I found about marketing books for magicians is that they are pricey and don't tell all, however, they do give sufficient information to most novices in this area.

Related to David Dee's book, he discuses corporate marketing, direct mail, advertising, lead generation, using your show to sell, the how to sell your show whether it be corporate or a birthday party.

I enjoyed the book, and found the stuff I do in teaching leadership and management skills refreshing to see how David uses these same skills to sell a show.

When I buy a book like this I do more than just read it, I tear it apart, make tons of notes in the margins, make comments on areas I disagree and comments on areas I find as absolute fact. After I'm done with a book it is so marked up that I doubt it would sell as a used book.

There is nothing new and "earth shattering" about what he teaches related to marketing. What is new is how he has done it and that what he has done works.

I find no difference in booking shows for corporate gigs or birthday parties. In each, you need to speak to the person who does the booking, (moms or secretaries?) you still need to sell yourself or the show. You still need to advertise and in that advertisement you must appeal to the benefits you offer the prospective client. Confirmations, scheduling, etc. all remains the same. The major difference is in a corporate show you may need to present or demonstrate that you can bring in the business for the corporation, which is not necessary for birthday parties. (Except for references) David discusses this.

If you are not doing shows and you are sitting and waiting for the phone to ring, then you are not properly marketing. (Not meant to be specifically directed toward you Shrink) Then there is a need for this book.

Also it my understanding, there are several different books written by David Dee.

Since you want to focus on doing mentalism for the corporate world, then David's principles still apply. What is it that sets you apart from other mentalist? What benefits would I receive if I hire you? What is it that you can do for me? These and many more questions and similar scripsts are important to answer for any type of show.

If you know of someone in your local SAM/IBM club who has this book look it over and then make up your mind. All it takes is one more booking the the book is paid for. David says you will go from 30 shows a year to 30 shows a month if you apply his principles.

As in any magic and books, this is just my opinion. It is a good (not excellent) overall general marketing book for magicians. I do not regret the purchase.

By the way, I bought the book and cassette tapes at a magic auction (Kidabra) for $40 which to me is an excellent investment for this book! Well worth that price.

Marketing is marketing is marketing. Yes, the events are different, but the basics of getting the gigs is the same.

As a Dave Dee student, I give his course a very high recommendation. You should know, if you didn't already, that Dave now performs principally as a corporate mentalist, which only means that the stratgies he teaches will work in just about any market.

Besides, I'm pretty sure Dave still offers a money back guarantee, so what have you got to lose?

See ya!
Joe L.

In his last chapter David offer The Ultimate Sectet for Corporate Leads. These "10 secret strategies for getting decision makers to call you" is three pages on lading jobs for Corporate Magicians.

He refers to revising his plan in the previous chapers to be used in the corporate world.

Above all one must have a good show or none of these straties wil work for long.

Shrink,

Lee Earle has a marketing program for mentalist called "Money Making Mentalism".
http://www.lee-earle.com/

-HT

Shrink, I'm curious what the "promise" is you are speaking of with Chuck's book...that he fails to deliver on?

Tim

My perception from the marketing of the book is that it is different from most books on mentalism as it is about corporate shows exclusivley. There is absolutely no marketing or overview of the types of corporate events that would/could use mentalism. Therefore for anyone not familiar with this market it is is useless IMO. I still don't know where mentalists would earn the big pay he supposedly earns.

He gives an overview of the material he uses. The only real inspiration I got from the book was if he is doing well paid corporate gigs with this material then it shouldn't be to difficult to improve on it.

I have to say I didn't like much of it. Starting with a Magic square and ending with a memory feat. There really was nothing new in this book at all and were descriptions of other people's effects.

On one of the effects he didn't have permission to give an overview of his patter so it was left out. Another required three different booktests and was just a presentation putting them together. The cost of the book tests far outweighed the value of the effect IMO. I can think of better ways to spend my budget.

The type face was so big it was like it was designed for people with impaired sight. About one third of information on each page than there would've been with normal sized text.

There were some useful tips on structuring a show which if you ask me would've been more useful putting into a booklet with a brief overview of his show at a fraction of the price.

To answer your question about "the promise". It is implied in the marketing litrature that this book will give you invaluable information that will allow you to get into the corporate market. It fell way short of that.

Here in Scotland there are very few professional mentalists Im not aware of any full time performers or corporate mentalists...perhaps the market is different in the US. In the past the only way to perform paid mentalism gigs was to put in the mentalism as part of a hypnosis show. No one would book a mindreader on its own over here.

I found this book of very little value to me.
And would guess it would be of little value to most people with an overview of the standard mental effects and who have done a few shows.

Sorry Chuck

Shrink, thanks for your clarification. I re-read Chuck's ad and didn't see any mention of "how" to market your act. I can understand your disappointment if THAT is what you were looking for in the book.

For me, the real value of the book is not in the effects, but WHY he chose the effects he did and how he structured them into an act. Most of us have plenty of effects, but the difficult part is knowing how to put those into an act that is entertaining and appealing to the corporate market. Chuck does a very good job at that.

Chuck is a guy who actually performs what he preaches. I was fortunate to see Chuck perform the act he describes in his book. He is definately not an "arm-chair" mentalist. The audience loved it!

I would recommend his book to someone who wants to study a successful act that WORKS in the corporate market. He'll show you how to structure your act and how to present yourself.

Sorry I'm a little off-topic for this thread. For info and resources to actually SELL your act, try http://www.thedean.net. There are some good resources there.

Tim

Tim: thanks for the link...

There were one or two good pieces of info in the book and Im sure Chuck is very good at what he does. Im also sure if i had a chance to ask him questions the info I was looking for would be in the book. I did get some ideas of how to structure a show and agreed with what he says about corporate audiences. I just felt there was a lot of padding in the book and would've made a better booklet.

I also think a section on why a company would book specifically a mentalist. Who would book it and where are the high paying jobs would've bbe a worthwhile section and could've been a real benefit for the reader.


The thing I realise to is.... that the market over here may be different. I don't know of anyone who has seen a mentalist do a corporate show..it sounds like its pretty rare at least in Scotland.

Perhaps If I saw a few shows I may think different of the book..I haveto say it is nicely produced and chuck was very promt at sending it out.