The little kid, continued.

Today, my 8-year-old friend came back to my table, overjoyed because I’d given him another set of TCM, with the Bicycle as the double back. I also took the advice tendered here and gave him a small book of tricks from Robbins. I’d bought it when I first started with the Svengalis, at the time, thinking I’d be a magician as well as a pitchman. Don straightened me out.

But today, I learned his name (Caylen) and realized that, while I thot he was just hanging around because he little to do at his table, he was actually attempting to memorize my demo. He’d ask a MULTITUDE of questions, pertaining to my handling and reasons I did what I did.

Finally, about 2PM he said, “John, I think I could do the demo.”

“Really? So you can handle the cards and do the DL and every thing you need to do to sell the cards?”

“Yes.”

I was pretty busy doing strippers and really didn’t have time to do the cards anyway, so I said, “OK, when the next guy comes, you can do the demo.” The cards were on a separate table because my usual girl wasn’t there, selling strippers.

He didn’t wait for the ‘next guy’. He called in the 1st kid he saw (“Hey, you seen the magic cards?”) and did a REALLY terrible demo. Truthfully, it was on a par with MY first public demo, maybe a little better. His hands are so small, he really can’t hold the deck without bending it. I was busy with the strippers but when I looked up, he was making change! I could NOT believe it. He’d sold the deck, making HALF a TERRIBLE demo!

Then a few minutes later, he did it again! Terrible ½ demo, left out the TCM until I reminded him, but again, SOLD IT! When the people had left, he asked me, “Am I gonna get paid for this?”

I had to laugh because we’d never talked money but I usually pay my people 30% to start. I asked him, “Do you know what percent is?”

“Nope”

“Well, you ask your father but I’ll tell you…you get $2.40 for each deck you sell unless it’s to vendors or people who already bought strippers. So you’ve already made $4.80.”

“Wow! I think I want a deck of these new (Loftus) cards when I’m done, if I earn $5, OK?”

“Sure.” And, almost immediately, he demo’d the wife of the next guy who bought strippers and SHE bought a deck, so it was $5 to her. This guy just did NOT know when to quit. By that time it was after 4 and I was beat.

I said, “Let’s settle up. You earned $6.20. Here it is.” And paid him. He immediately grabbed the fiver, gave it back to me and grabbed a deck of cards and another TCM. Frankly, didn’t know whether to make him a better deal or just do it that way.

“Man, John, this is great. Can I work here tomorrow?”

“Well, I’ll have another person working with me tomorrow but I WILL bring a copy of my script so you can really learn the demo. That way, next time, if you REALLY want to work, you can.”

“Did you sell your 1st demo, like I did?”

I didn’t wanna tell him that I’d actually sold 2 decks on my 1st demo, so I said, “I gotta tell you I was pretty bad, maybe worse than you, so what do you think?”

“I don’t think you did. So I’ll see you tomorrow.”

HERE is a kid who REALLY loves to demo the cards. In fact, he doesn’t just DEMO, he’s an 8 YO PITCH MAN! And the deal is, he’s so doggone cute, yet a little SHY, he just takes their money! Will he want to in 2-3 weeks or 2-3 months? Who knows? But in the 4 years I’ve done Svengalis, (Has it really been THAT long?) he was the 1st person who TRULY flat took over and worked!

More power to him!

Jon

Jon.
That's a great testimonial OF you and TO him. Thank you for sharing it.
Kim

What a GREAT story Jon...thank you so much for that.

Don

Yay...go get 'em kid! Jon, you better watch out. If you miss a day, you might come back and find your spot taken over!!

Mark.

Goes to show what a little persistence and desire will accomplish!

Jon, next time, don't forget to give him the 10% employee discount, too. SETH

I got your employee discount!!

Jon

Great story Jon - thanks so much for sharing!

./sam