Hello!! When marketing for school shows what is the best way to do it? Do you send a letter? What would you include? To whom would you send it to? Do you go meet the principal? I know that the principal does not do the hiring. Much appreciated thanks

Do you have any experience in the school marketplace? There are many different aspects to the school market, you question needs to be more defined to offer an answer. What is it you are trying to sell them? There are nine major school booking opportunities and most of them work differently than the others. My advice is to decide this first as it will dictate your direction and who and how to proceed. Do not try to be a Jack of all trades, pick an area and establish yourself. Do not even attempt schools until you are seriously ready, they are not kids parties. Also what level of schools are you interested in? Again each are very different.

Hello mindpro . We have performed at two schools before both elementary! For one it was a large show with all the grades and the other was for the end of the year party! We have been performing for 5 years so we do have experiece! Would you like to pm?

No I'd rather discuss here as others usually can benefit as well. It's great that you have performed at two schools, but I do not consider that "experience in the school market". That is not meant as a slam against you as this is a typical mentality among those thinking about wanting to get into the school market. It's similar to the kids party magician that thinks "I need some additional weekday income, so I will start trying to book schools during the day, during the week."

I've always been blown away with this mentality, as the school market is much different than the kids party market. The only similarity is that they both involve kids. It's just like the "comedy" magician that has jokes, gags and bits in his comedy show, but thinks he could also do the comedy club circuit. 99% of the time he gets eaten up and fails misserably in the comedy clubs (often then perpetuating the image of all magicians are terrible in comedy clubs) and can't understand why, and blames the club, venue or management. Again they are two completely different markets.

If the two booking you did do fell into your lap you may not have had to experience the true workings of the school market. Without knowing anything about you, what type of school show you are doing, and seemingly little or no experience in the school market, it may be harder for you to unbderstand. Just because you've been performing for 5 years doesn't mean you have experience in many markets in the big picture. To many, 5 years is still a rookie.

Let me give you an example. April 21st of this month will mark the 37th year of performing in the entertainment business. Between live performances, t.v., radio, and touring I have appeared before over 28 million people worldwide. Many would say that makes me experienced. Yet becuase I work hundreds of schools per year, a few years back I was asked to work a summer doing library performances as part of their summer reading programs. Many might think "well I do schools so that automatically makes me ideal for doing libraries." I also was appeared at the huge national library association event in Chicago, which also boosted interest in libraries intersted in possibly booking me. Now I've learned over the years that one market's success does not make an appearingly similar market a shoe in for the same success. I heard a terrible experience once of a magician that did 2 or 3 summer corporate picnics for several companies. These were light, fun, informal events for exployees and their families. He then thought "I now have experience in the corporate market" and started billing himself and seeking bookings as a "corporate magician". He started claiming "I can do corporate events, sales meetings/trainings, trade shows, conventions & conferences." He happened to get booked by the largest coporation in this town. Something like 55-60% of the people that lived in his town and several nearby communities were all employed by this company. The were a big part of the local economy. He ended up bombing terribly, and it was the talk of the community. Everyone knew about him (and this was before the Internet boom) and the terrible show due to true inexperience in the real corporate world) and he ended up having to move away from there and quit perfoming shortly thereafter. In retrospect he realized that he had no actual corporate experience or actual understanding of the corporate market and that the two picnics he did, although for a company, were not what most poeple mean when they speak of the corporate market or being a corporate entertainer.

I, at the time of the library offers came on here as we have many performers here that specialize in the library market. Several were very helpful, let me pick their brain, I bought a couple of manuals and a course on this market, and had the insight to realize that I truly knew little about this market and it was of no real interest or value to me, so intelligently I declined the offers and refuse to do so to this day. Could I have done well in the market? I'm sure I could have if I would have done my due dilligence, researched, trained, learned, committed and became as skilled and educated as I needed to be. But I chose not to, it wasn't for me, I didn't need to do it, and I didn't want to do it.

I would suggest that if you are considering the school market that you take the time to learn or become "educated" about the education market. In doing this all of the questions you posed will answer themselves, but not only with the answers you are seeking, but with a true understanding of those answers.

I could be wrong but my guess in you are rather new and young, and eager to do more as soon as possible. The school marketed has been tightening up for several years now. The thing they are most aware of and on the look out for is unskilled, inexperienced performers or presenters claiming to be something they are not, claiming to have true experience in the education market.

The events you did seemmed to be extra curiccular school-relatedevents, which are much different that daytime school events done through proper channels. I know your posting the questions here are part of your learning about this market. So is this post, so please don't take it the wrong way, but rather as part of the learning process.

Mindpro you have hit on many great points and agree whole heartily with what you say.

when I first started in the school market Which I mean to be day time school assembly shows NOT evening family fun nights.
I decided to develop a program that was NOT being pushed by others at the time. I tried to create a program that was unique and would interest the schools I wanted to perform in.

1 decided the grade level I wanted to perform for
2 content of the program
3 became an expert on the content needed to share with the kids
4 script the program decide the tricks and illusions and all the movements
5 practice practice practice
6 practice some more
7 develop advertising directed to the market or school level I wanted
8 worked the heck out the show always improving it

I ended up performing this particular show in over 500 school over 3 years

I retired the show as I started getting into bigger illusion shows.

however recently I started working on a NEW assembly show and rolled it out this past year, no real advertising but getting some exposure and working out the details. I have presented it in 14 schools which now gives me some great feed back and quotes and endorsements and still the phone rings with more schools hearing about the show and wanted to book me.

now in full fledged advertising for next year.

the point I am making is that there is so much more to doing a successful school show then just saying I can tell them not to smoke or drink and do a few tricks. schools as mindpro has mentioned are becoming much more picky about who they let in. being an expert or having some great credentials on the subject you are presenting will go along way with the schools

so if you are wanting to present school assembly shows pick a topic become and expert and develop a spectacular show.

good luck

sam

Great advice from someone who obviously knows and understands the school market. I couldn't agree more.

Well said, Mindpro! And you too, Sam! You guys hit the nail right on the head. M&M Magic: read both their posts carefully. This is excellent advice. You need to be very sure of yourself - and throughly understand how to control your audiences - to get into the school show market. Plus, your programs cannot be frivolous. They have to have solid educational substance.

If you don't mind a little more constructive advice: Another thing to consider is the state of the economy. In recent years, school budgets have been cut drastically. Some performers tell me their bookings are down 60% from a couple of years ago! So, convincing schools to use your services is going to be very hard. Especially if you're a newcomer. Schools - if they are booking - will be more likely to stick with tried and true performers they've worked with in the past.

Again, read Mindpro and Sam's posts. They've said all there is to say about preparing yourself for the school show market.

David Ginn made his living performing school shows.

Take a look at his school and sales material at http://www.ginnmagic.com .

What happened to our inquiring mind? Many people were being quite helpful here.

I was just thinking the same thing. finally had some time to check out the Café and came here to see how they took the advice. hmmm wondering

sam

I would like to thank all of you for the advice! It does help a lot! Mindpro: The events we did were payed shows. Sam: How would you approach a school about doing a show after all of the steps are completed?

And sorry about the pause I haven't been on, due to my schedule. You asked about what type of show should I be trying to present? I was just thinking about a fun type of show. Should the show have a message? Would the schools be more willing due to the message show? For doing magic with a message, do I have to relate each and every trick to it? Or, do I do a bunch of effects and speak for like 5 minutes about the topic?

A large obstacle with this right now is that I am 16, and my partner who is my brother is 14. This limits us because of school. I will be getting my License in August, but again with school. Which I should probably wait until after school and college for this, but it is something to think about right now.

Bobby

Yes, I expected they were.