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RideorDie99 New user 80 Posts |
How many of you magicians out there booked a lot of gigs ( 10 Plus shows) by putting a 3 month ad out in a Parent Magazine?
Any ideas in which to do some active marketing? Is direct mail and cold calling the only way to start booking more gigs?
STOP DROP SHUT THEM DOWN AND OPEN UP SHOP
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Creative Coach Loyal user Anderson, SC 294 Posts |
When I was doing private parties I found the local parent magazine to be a BIG waste of money! I tracked results for months and found parent magazines and phone books to be a BIG money pit! My fan club and certificates to helpers at my daycare presentations always pulled better results. It's always better to be the ONLY one in their mailbox instead of one of twenty in the magazine. Make yourself a brand! For yrs I was Mr. Fun - Children's Variety Entertainer. Kids wanted "Mr. Fun" to appear at their party. Branding yeilded GREAT results. Kept me busy for yrs doing private parties!
Hope this helps! John |
RideorDie99 New user 80 Posts |
Thank you.. I'm looking at some marketing ideas so I can do more parties. I do a passive marketing where I post my ad on Craigslist but other than that it's just the books and coloring pages that I hand out after every show. But I have yet to book more shows from my previous shows. I'm starting to wonder if my show is good enough to get more bookings. Maybe not...
STOP DROP SHUT THEM DOWN AND OPEN UP SHOP
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sperris Special user http://www.Anti-Conjuror.com 881 Posts |
Yellow pages are a pretty unwise investiment, I feel they are dying and internet is taking over. you want a good presentable web site these days. direct mail marketing is still a powerful marketing tool if you use say a full color double sided post card to direct clients to a web site and have other contact info on there. you can invest in having them designed and get say, 2,000 printed up for less than the cost of a full color half page yellow page ad in one month!
I feel that the parenting magazines can still work as long as you have something different to offer than the same old dave dee mumbo jumbo all the other magicians have in their ads. it also helps a lot to be one of the larger ads in there with full color. I have one of the larger ads in the chicago Parenting magazine and it keeps me booked with numerious shows a week and pays for itself. When I used to have a smaller black and white ad with some simple graphics in it I was barely scraping by in the parenting magazine. Now keep in mind that those ads will only get you the call...not necessairly the booking...you want a good web site and professional phone message ready incase you're not there to answer the phone. I do all my own graphic/web/advertisint ad design because its what I went to school for, so it helps a lot with saving time and money because I know EXACTLY how I want it to look and EXACTLY what I want it to say and know how to do it. if you have any other questions feel free to drop me a PM or email, good luck!
DANSPERRY.COM
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Dennis Michael Inner circle Southern, NJ 5821 Posts |
If you are the same in a bunch of same ads and don't stand ou, you might not do well, I got more than I could handle from a parent's mag. advertisement. Nothing fancy excet I was the only one in that magazine, so it was good for me!
Dennis Michael
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Michael Messing Inner circle Knoxville, TN 1817 Posts |
I have advertised in three different parenting magazines in my area (they keep folding!) The most successful ad was in the most recent one. By no coincidence, it's because that magazine was being distributed better than the others.
For me, they don't bring a huge amount of business but they always paid for themselves. I keep the ad to a quarter page and it usually runs about a $100 per month. I get 3-4 calls per month, which isn't much, but I do convert at least 50% of them. Is it the greatest marketing vehicle in the world? No, it isn't, but it certainly is worth doing because I make more from it than it costs. Once the ad is set up, there's no work to it so it's a constant without effort. If it was the only marketing I did, I'd be in real trouble. Since it's just part of the mix, it's worth it. Michael |
kenscott Inner circle 1869 Posts |
Parents mags have been great for me. I book a lot from them. Yellow pages really sucked for me did not pay for itself. Dan is right the internet is really the way to go.
As for only tring it 3 months I don';t think is long enough. My ad really never changes it stay the same yet the moms know every month that my ad is there. So when it comes time to booking the party they know they can find my ad everytime. If you do plan on using the parents mag bind out where it is distrubted, does it get mailed to people, is it is Dr's offices? Toy stores, party stores. If not then stay away from them. Ken Ken |
RideorDie99 New user 80 Posts |
Thanks for the advice. WOW I got a response from some heavy hitters here on the Café! All I need now is a response from magic204u and I'm set... Ken Scott, Spiked sperris, and even Dennis Michael.. WOW! All magicians I admire because you've all pretty much have made it and are where I want to be....
Hey Dennis- do you book a lot of that Thrill-usions Hallooween show in October? I'm thinking how I can stay more active after summer time. Spiked- how's your tour coming along? Ken scott - I hope you're library shows are going good too. Thanks guys
STOP DROP SHUT THEM DOWN AND OPEN UP SHOP
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Creative Coach Loyal user Anderson, SC 294 Posts |
A very effective ad campain I used in daycares for yrs was giving away honorary certificates with a detachable $10.00 off Your Next Party coupon up the side. Take for example a dinosaur show I did called Dino-Magic. All the kids got honorary Dinohunters certificates. These were 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" with some cute graphics. Down the left side was a coupon a parent could cut off the left side about 1 1/2" wide that was a $10 Off Your Next Party! This drew LOTS of responces. Mom's love to save money! All the kids want the guy they saw at the daycare to their party! Each theme daycare show had it's own certificate.
Hope this makes sense! John Cooper |
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