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Ken Northridge Inner circle Atlantic City, NJ 2392 Posts |
Quote:
On Jul 5, 2023, simplymagicweb wrote: This is an awesome post! If anyone wants to know what it takes to land a long term restaurant gig, read this post!
"Love is the real magic." -Doug Henning
www.KenNorthridge.com |
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Close.Up.Dave Inner circle Behind you! 2956 Posts |
I was just having a convo about this business model with my assistant.
I actually gave up doing magic in restaurants being paid a wage by the establishment. Being paid is a great business model to get experience. But once you have the experience you have to be smart about how you use your time to make money. And if restaurants are a major pillar of your work, you will be working a lot and making very little money. However, when it comes to making the most money for your time, there is the potential to get much more money by having the customers book you directly. This also eliminates the need to approach table by table and win them over. If they buy in, they're excited and waiting for magic. You would definitely want to find a price point that fits you, the place you're working, and the value the customer gets for booking you for a mini show. Otherwise, there are other ways once could do the same thing with private parties in the banquet rooms. However, the nice thing about strolling is it trains people to want you at the bigger event. So combining the two also has a lot of potential. |
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
Strolling trains people to want at a bigger event? I have never thought this. It is why I have avoided those shows in particular. They know they want you at bigger events when they see you at bigger events.
There is definitely money in doing close up shows. It just has to be done properly.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
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Close.Up.Dave Inner circle Behind you! 2956 Posts |
Quote:
On Jul 18, 2023, Dannydoyle wrote: Both work. |
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
It is a heck of a lot more work to have them jump from seeing you striking to having them think of bigger events than doing bigger events and having them think of bigger events.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
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Close.Up.Dave Inner circle Behind you! 2956 Posts |
Quote:
On Jul 18, 2023, Dannydoyle wrote: It's only as hard as you make it Danny |
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
Not really. Sorry but if they see you at an event doing exactly what you want to sell nothing has to be done. When you are walking around trying to sell a stage show you have to somehow sell the idea.
All the rah rah speeches in the world will not change this absolute fact. Is it possible? Of course it is. It is nowhere near the same. Because even the “oh I do Stage shows too” approach requires you showing them you do Stage shows. Them actually watching the result of you doing Stage shows requires none of that. These little misunderstandings about how the public at large perceive what we do can be expensive. In most circumstances they don’t even think of strolling (Which is an idiotic term in the first place.) magic as a “show”. In most, if not all case’s a performer will charge less to come in and do 2 hours of walk around magic than a hour and a half Stage show. Why? The time is just as valuable isn’t it? The public doesn’t think of all the reasons why they perceive it differently, they just do. Doing card tricks in their mind site not qualify you to do a Stage sue. It isn’t the same to them and quite honestly it isn’t the same at all in reality. Misunderstanding this is what holds many back. And as for making very little money being paid by restaurants, well that is on you. I know guys who make a heck of a living doing exactly this. The Al James book mentioned somewhere in this thread was written by a guy who has done that for 50 years! He makes way more money than 80% off the guys doing what you suggest and has for quite a while. He is smart about it and doesn’t sell himself cheap. He also doesn’t have all the marketing and time expenditures to constantly have to be selling shows. His customer acquisition cost is almost zero in most cases. You have made a blanket statement based on your own inability to be able to accomplish something. I agree that you can not do it. I’d never tell you otherwise. This in no way means many many others can’t.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
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TomBoleware Inner circle Hattiesburg, Ms 3163 Posts |
Danny, I can sort of speak for the public at large, because I am one of them.
LOL. Walking around with a Zig Zag Illusion in your pocket is very hard. I don’t think an audience would question a magician's ability unless it was clear that they were someone who only does card tricks or someone who only does kid shows. Unless it is a talent agent, I can’t see someone in the audience demanding proof of what a Magician could do. After all, he is a ‘Magician’ We hear stories all the time about someone asking the stage magician if they do birthday parties. Or the kid show magician being asked if they were that guy on TV. The perception is that a good ‘magician’ could probably do magic anywhere. Rarely will the average person pigeonhole the performer to having one set act. It’s only magicians that do that. Many magicians that I know, work in restaurants, etc, in order to get bigger shows. However, I would think that the working close-up magician when asked about doing a stage show would answer truthfully and provide a reference, photo, or something, without having to be asked for it. Tom
The Daycare Magician Book
https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/amazekids/the-daycare-magician/ My Blog - https://boleware.blogspot.com/ |
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
Tom that was my point. It is more work to sell the show. (And no you absolutely do not speak for the public at large.)
Being a member of the public is one perspective. I work with thousands of members of the public every week. I have a much larger sample size. They absolutely do not think of close up guys who do card tricks as illusionists. YOU may very well as a single member of the public have a perspective but it is only one point of reference. I interact with tens of thousands a year which is a far different perspective. The huge percentage of them are non magicians and the buying public so I think it is a bit larger perspective. You also are from the viewpoint of being a magician so that doesn’t help much with having one viewpoint. You don’t think people demand proof of what a magician can do? I’m sorry then why all the stuff in guru courses about “social proof”? Plusthe other nonsense to PROVE what you can do. Videos, testimonials and all the other stuff to prove something. Sorry but your zeal to argue with me is showing because YOU have advocated for these things! No a magician is not a magician and all are equal except to MAGICIANS! Not many think you can do a full evening Stage store just because you can do card tricks. The perception is not anything close to what you think. First of all mainly because uncle Fred does a couple coin tricks but nobody thinks he can do a stage show. Second of all when you do walk around not many think of that as a “show” so they don’t automatically connect you being able to do a stage show, which is why you have to do more solving which has been my point all along!
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
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TomBoleware Inner circle Hattiesburg, Ms 3163 Posts |
I agree that if all you do is card tricks nobody would view you as an illusionist.
But it would be so easy to suggest that you do more than close up. Just say, “Here’s a little something I do when I get a volunteer up on stage” - "of course, we have a camera on it so the audience can see it too” Or, "Here's a little card magic I do for the parents at my birthday party shows" It's not rocket science. I believe they call it suggested selling. Tom
The Daycare Magician Book
https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/amazekids/the-daycare-magician/ My Blog - https://boleware.blogspot.com/ |
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
Tom I’ve already said this all you are doing is repeating. You’re saying that it takes more to sell it than if you are already doing a Stage show. Which Dave disagrees with, not me!
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
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Close.Up.Dave Inner circle Behind you! 2956 Posts |
Quote:
On Jul 18, 2023, Dannydoyle wrote: If Tom is saying what you’re saying and he’s saying what I’m saying then it means you’re saying what I’m saying. Let’s not distract from the original post topic just to go in these ridiculous circles |
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
All that is being said is that it takes more to sell the show when you walk around doing card tricks than when you are doing an actual stage show.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
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TomBoleware Inner circle Hattiesburg, Ms 3163 Posts |
The problem is, you can’t do a stage show at a restaurant table. So forget that idea.
Tom
The Daycare Magician Book
https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/amazekids/the-daycare-magician/ My Blog - https://boleware.blogspot.com/ |
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
Who has that idea?
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
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