My wife got a call the other night that opened up a new avenue.
The caller asked if she offered gift certificates good for a tarot reading, as she wanted to give them to her friends as Xmas gifts.
My wife immediately told her yes, and the caller is now buying three.
I am now using my desktop publishing skills to create tarot reading gift certificates, with recorded serial numbers to foil 'copy & re-use.'

We plan to advertize this every year.

Happy Holidays.

Steve

Stephen,

Brilliant marketing idea!

How can we as magicians apply this same concept to our services?

Hmmmmm.... Something to think about!

Lyndel

Whenever I contact a business these days besides giving my regular spiel I also mention that they can give me away (ie - To employee/customer/non-profit).
I have gotten several bookings recently from it.
Yours,
AragornTM
aka: I used to be BOB (it's Cellini's fault)

Try something like 25% off, at their next show coupons!

What we are talking about here is what is referred often as a Call To Action. A Call To Action is anything you can offer to a prospect that will get them to want to take action upon your marketing materials and to make the next step to contact you for more information.

Call to actions can vary a lot but the idea is to give them a reason and incentive to want to take that next step. Some ideas are:

- a coupon for a percentage off if they call to book within a set time

- offer a free magic trick if they call for your info. packet

- If they respond to your e-mail or letter then you can mail them a FREE report on how to make the best party or a report on how to find the best entertainer

All these are ideas that can get the prospect to make and take the next step.

Kyle

Kyle,

I feel like a gift certificate is not quite the same as a coupon for a discount on your show. It (your show) is being paid for in advance in full by someone to use at a later date.

I do however fully agree with you that a certificate provides a potential client (or family/friend of a client) a unique opportunity and incentive to make the purchase.

Perhaps what you meant was that the correct incentive is to offer a discount on the certificate itself. In effect they - for example - might spend $250.00 for the certificate worth $300.00 (the full purchase amount you normally charge for a specific type of show). People love to feel like they are being treated fairly but additionally, they love to save money!

Lyndel

Lyndel:

Exactly. Now you got the right idea. Give them an incentive to want to use the certificate and maybe give them a percentage off if they buy a certificate of a certain value or a discount if the certificate is used by a certain date.

Kyle