|
|
johnra Elite user oklahoma 450 Posts |
I'm trying to get into paying magic shows. Right now I'm a Street magician and I want to do resturant magic and Birthday parties and the alike. I'm horrible at advertising myself So I have no clue except business cards about advertising I have business cards and do tricks when I give them. I know I'm good becuase they say that's good they say they would pay to see me they rave about me. But still I'm only doing street I try to advertise by giving my business cards but still no paying jobs. I have no clue how to advertise myself or what to price myself at. If anyone at all can give me tips and pointers on advertising and pricing myself and any other business tips you want to give me it would be much appreciated.
Thanks many times over in advance, John
John Shackelford LIVE!!!
|
mc_magi Special user Vancouver, BC 949 Posts |
There are a lot of mega-experts so I would leave the advertising tips to them... since I am nowhere as experienced as they are,
But straight out, busking and restaurant work are COMPELTELY different venues. You said you know you are good because passerbys rave about you, well you maybe made for the streets but who knos how good you are close up and personal? Restaurants are very intimate working areas where you have to socialize and make their visits special. Working at restaurants would also be very different from the streetz (at least in the beginning.. or even after you are well known at a restaurant) because people are out there in the restaurant to eat - and the restaurants' setting are very different from the street setting. For details of restaurant work I suggst that you get Jim Pace's Restaurant Worker's Handbook or the Magic Menu by Jim Sisti. You do not need "advertising" for restauants. Its not like you are goin to go in and start a show there. There are few known methods that I can recount "learning" about. 1) Cold selling - you find out when the manager (for large chains if you want to try ask for regional/district supervisor.. I think, but I have only tried at smal famiyl run places and talked to the owne) take it like an audition although there will be many different circumstances. Make sure you are professional. 2) Going in few times and then dining there, become a regular. Then familarize yourself with the manager, then open up talks. 3) This is an advice from Bill Malone - Go into a restaurant, and sit at a bar. Make friends with bartender, show him few stuff then (apparently,) he is bound to call couple of waitreses (go in the afternoons before there are a lot of customers to serve, so they have time to watch you) If you are good enoguh, make a "commotion" then the manager is "bound" to notice. Then open up talks. When having "talks" with the manager, it might be helpful to have few restaurant business vocabs lying around and have a reason why they should hire you. Remember that they are concerned with the restaurnta's profits, but don't say thing like "oh I will make your profit grow" as there are several factors that are involved in the profit. Mind you though, although this depends on the restaurant as well, there isn't going to be you standin there doing magic for 20-30 minutes unless somethin goes wrong with the fod and you ahve to cover for it; and have a "routines" worked otu before. The general advice is have 3-5 routines consisting of three seguement - opening, middle and closing; and make sure its entertaining, but I don't think you will ahve any trouble with that. You kno what, all of these can be searched up in the "Table hoppin section" and the explanations are there are few milion times better than the one I just rambled on about. But at least I hope this helps a bit wth restaurtnts.. Cheers |
Chad C. Inner circle 1522 Posts |
I am assuming that when you say street magic, that you are referring to walking up to people and showing them a trick or two, aka David Blaine style. If you are busking then please correct me. With that said, I have gotten restaurant jobs a few different ways.
1) The first way was doing some tricks at the restaurant for some folks that I knew. There was, as mentioned above, a loud commotion, and the waitress of that table said, "Come on, you are going to make me some tips!" She then led me around to other tables, then introduced me to the manager and walla!, I landed my first restaurant gig at a Golden Corral! 2) While working at the Golden Corral, I decided one day to call other restaurants and ask to talk to the manager. Once on the phone, I asked a very simple question-Do you have a kids/family night? If they said yes, I followed with , "Do you have any type of entertainment?" If they said no-I told them what I do. If they said yes, I told them to have a great day and thanks for their time. However, when I called a local Pizza Hut, the manager said, "No, we don't have any entertainment, but we are looking for someone." Bingo-I met with them the next day and started the next week. 3) My final job was the same way. Called up the manager, asked about the kids night, scheduled a time in the early morning to meet with him, and got the job. This guy loves magic and I didn't even have to show him a trick-I just showed described what I do and he signed the agreement. A lot of it is being in the right place at the right time or calling and talking to the right person at the right time on the right day. So go out and eat, call on the phone and whatever you do...don't give up. The only way to definitely not get a restaurant gig is to NOT DO ANYTHING! So go out there and get told NO a few times so you can get closer to the YES! Also, go over to the table-hopping forum and read some of the posts there about routines and all the other aspects of restaurant work. Have a good day. |
Chad C. Inner circle 1522 Posts |
I forgot to mention-if you work kids/family night in a restaurant and you are any good, you will get asked to do b-day parties so be prepared with your business card!
|
Al Angello Eternal Order Collegeville, Pa. USA 11045 Posts |
Do you have a charming personality? Do you have a 30 minute show? Do you have props suitable for a living room performance? Do you have any costumes? Kid shows require a certain personality, but all that aside, place an ad in a local kids magazine, the yellow pages, put your business cards at a local party supply store. Street magic requires much skill, but very few parents wound want David Blain, or that spooky Chris guy do their kiddie party. Or what was previously mentioned walk around at a family restaurant.
HAVE FUN Al Angello
Al Angello The Comic Juggler/Magician
http://www.juggleral.com http://home.comcast.net/~juggleral/ "Footprints on your ceiling are almost gone" |
icentertainment Inner circle 1429 Posts |
Well if you work the streets I would say buy a suit and have a bath.
I have seen plenty of street magicians who wear iether the blane outfit or they dress like a circus performer----and this is a mistake for restaurants and please have a bath (not saying that you don't) but it is important. Have a look at 2 books Jim Pace restaurant book and the kirk charles- it will cover how to sell or at least what everyone here will tell you. I use a different tactic- and it is more used at Bars (I am unsure as to how old you are) but I go in to socialise- Pick a slower night - not too busy and when buying a drink - do magic with the change for the bar attendant- this is an ice breaker to get the conversation rolling- hopefully she (and you pick a woman) she will ask are you a magician and then show my friend.- Then you can pull out a trick- Be aware that they have to serve drinks so they may break the effect to serve, then move onto the patrons of the hotel. I always do card on the ceiling as this is great for when I am not there. eventually the bar manager will see you perform and will get talking with you. A Flyer or a cold call really has no comparrison to you performing- |
johnra Elite user oklahoma 450 Posts |
Thank you guys so much for the help so far!!!! I should have told you guys more about myself I'm sorry. I am a street magician not a busker I don't do like David Blaine Or Criss Angel I Do comedy and open up my personallity a bit more than they do. I take showers lol. I dress nice not to fancy just a casually white or black shirt with a nice button up shirt that goes over it and blue jeans. Im a close up magician but just do the streets as my venue but I used to do all kinds of different venues including the streets. Im 14 and I practice an hour to three hours a day. I have 10 or so tricks in my act that I choose and a regular deck so I can do a million and one more tricks. So If you need anymore information let me know I'm happy to share myself
Thanks again, John
John Shackelford LIVE!!!
|
sb Special user 567 Posts |
Johnra,
If there is one subject I feel I can talk about, its resturant magic. Every new resturant I have gotten, I followed one simple path. 1. get your self a phone book, open to the resturants 2. make a list of all the places you would like to work at. by this I mean, find places you would fit. If you are a goofy funny type, maybe a fine upscale steak house that caters to couples, and business people may not be the right fit. Or maybe not. Only you know yourself, and know your market area, and know what kinds of places you want to work. (My first resturant gig, when I was about 18, was at a pretty upscale place. I am in the funny catagory, and it did go over really well. but now I usually go for family places. Someone else mentioned finding an existing family night, I will do that in the future - thanks Chad C! What I have had happen a few times is that a family night will evolve around me. When I made a list for Milwaukee, I had about 30 on my list. after calling one page I had 2 nights booked. (One was the worst place I have ever worked, and the absolute worst gig I have ever had the displeasure of working... The other was the first of a 4 nights/4 resturant deal that lasted about 5 years-this was the gig that allowed me to perform magic full time) 3 write a script. or a least an outline of what you are going to say. I will haul out and hook up my old computer sometime in the near future, and pull a copy of my script and PM it to you. Don't wait for me though, I am all talk, and it will take me a few days to get it. It should go something like: Who you are and a brief background, I am offering table side magic, briefly explain what that is (they will be familiar with it. Almost every manager I have worked with, has seen a magician or heard of one working somewhere. But I still give the brief explaination.) Explain a few benifits to their resturant and customers! (Very important, they don't want to give you a job because you like magic. They want you to provide something interesting and entertaining for their resturant and customers.)Then I simply ask if it sounds like something they would be interested in. If they say yes, I offer them a free night so they can see for themselves how this all works. If they say no, thank them for their time and call the next one on the list. I have never done the free night, and not been hired. I imagine that it could happen, but if it does, so what. You got into magic because you enjoy it. You got to do a few hours of close up, gave out some cards, made some tips, met some new cute waitressess . One call from one of your cards or one call from the waitress and it was worth it. Do not skip the written script! 4. Cold call the resturants. Ask for the manager or owner if its a mom and pop family owned place. Read your script. you will either: a. give em a free show b. get a no and move on c. be told to call back and talk to so and so note: make the call brief, resturant managers are busy. Make the call on the right day (early in the week) the right time, after their lunch rush (if they have one) and before dinner time. DO NOT CALL WHEN THEY ARE BUSY! The manager of my Tuesday night resturant now, is probably the coolest and best manager that I have ever worked with. Very laid back guy. But he has told me that if someone comes in during their dinner rush with an applicaiton, he will not even consider them. They evidentaly do not have enough experience if they do not know that he is very busy at this time. I don't know how many people would do this, but why take the chance! You may be suprised, sometimes managers have it already in thier head that they need something on a certain night, they don't know what it is....It could be you. And if it ain't gonna be you, give em my number! One more little note, I have never gotten a large national chain resturant. (opps, except for that horror story job I eluded to earlier - but that was due to right after I was hired, the GM left, and the new guy really did not like me or like magic or something....I think he was tramatized when he was a kid by a clown or something hope this helps scott |
sb Special user 567 Posts |
Oh yeah, one more thing, and after reading your post johnra, it probably is not aimed at you, but at someone else thinking about getting into resturant work who may be reading this also...
And I should not even have to say this. Make sure you are good enough. I don't mean your double lift and classic force, but your entertainment value. You don't have to be perfect, you will get better very fast working regularly. But please don't go into a place, do a sub-par job, not get the gig, and turn that manager and resturant away from magic forever....We magicians already get a bad rep sometimes, don't contribute to it. Practice until you are ready. (but you can only be so ready, and things will go wrong eventually) Just be as prepared as you can. And only go in when you are ready! thanks Scott |
johnra Elite user oklahoma 450 Posts |
Thank you scott!! Im glad this post is helping most likely not just me but other people there is a lot of good stuff here I cant wait to start getting back out there. I used to do shows a lot when my mom worked but shes a stay at home mom now so she doesn't advertise for me anymore.
Thanks again I hope this post stays alive, John P.S. Im also looking towards busking along with Resturants is this a good idea or should I stay at one venue. Im trying to raise money to go to Conventions and join rings and buy more videos and books but I don't know if I should do both busking and resturants or just pick one.
John Shackelford LIVE!!!
|
Review King Eternal Order 14446 Posts |
If you're young( teens, early 20's, get a busboy job and learn how a restaurant runs. Also, after there a month, start doing magic when it isn't busy. The manager will see what you do and you can approach them about a strictly magic gig.
Yes, they will take advantage and have you bus when you're doing magic, but you're really using it to go to another restaurant strictly as a magician. Then your set!
"Of all words of tongue and pen,
the saddest are, "It might have been" ..........John Greenleaf Whittier |
johnra Elite user oklahoma 450 Posts |
Cool Thanks Chris!!
John
John Shackelford LIVE!!!
|
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Tricky business » » How Do I figure This Out (0 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.06 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |