I have noticed in Joel Bauer's Hustle Intensive, he mentions in his notes that one market for magicians is Car Dealerships. I have also noticed that in the TV program King of Cars, they have a Blue Genie character that is at their dealership for novelty and entertainment. I was wondering if anyone would care to share any stories of success they have had in the car dealership market.

Countage,

If you don't mind working with children, dealers who are aimed at a certain market love to have someone "take care of" the children for a while, so they can focus on selling to just the parents. If the kids are happy watching a show or your routines, the parents are going to be more relaxed and stay at the site for a longer time. That is one of the benefits that you can pitch to them.

Likewise, a lot of more upmarket dealerships will have customer/client events where they show off new models to previous buyers. Drinks, nibbles, and a classy guy like you, showing a few customised effects.

Saturn hosts Saturn Owner Events throughout the year. Our local dealers host these events roughly every six months. The events are family oriented with inflatables, entertainment, food, and family-service activities. Our local Ford and Mercury/Mazda Dealers have just recently started similar events. Definitely worth a phone call and courtesy visit.

While I've never done it, I can imagine a car dealer using a magician a few times a year for a special family day promotion as described by Skip.

I have been featured in a television commercial for a regional consortium of Buick Dealers. That came through their advertising agency.

Another possibility is for entertainment at their annual employee holiday party or other social gathering. I have done that type of event.

A friend of mine, Jan Potter, aka Cranberry the Clown, convinced a local car dealer to give her the use of a new mini van for two years in exchange for promotional consideration. To see the photo go to: http://www.4edutainment.com/ and click on the "Marketing" button.

Understanding the possibilities may allow a creative magician to pitch a "package" proposal. Be prepared to negotiate when you start discussing fees, however...remember, these are car salesman!

Jim

A couple of years ago, Chrysler came out with a series of Clown-bashing commercials. I don't remember the focus of the commercials now...but a few clown buddies and I got up with the local dealer's GM and staged a weekend faux "Unfair to Clowns" protest in front of the dealership. It was all in good fun (and good pay). We and the dealer received TV, radio, and newspaper coverage (we made it look like a real protest to make it newsworthy), and we had a great time.

Keep a marketing eye open for opportunities to hitch a ride on national promotions. Look at what the Copperfield parodies did for Hummer! Offering to duplicate these jests (or create fresh, new ones) for a local dealer could have led to strong local exposure. Sometimes, you can pitch an idea to the local GM that they hadn't considered. You are your own best advocate!

At one of the larger events, you could vanish a junker and replace it with a new car.

I think Jaxon has a method for doing that.


Jim

Car dealers LOVE contra - I have been doing their corporate X-mas parties for at least 3 years. Didn't have to pay for repairs on my car at all in those 3 years, and I am a busy guy who drives a lot, about 40000 Km per year, so it's like working for cash for me.

BondJamesBond

I have done a blindfold drive for a buddy's dealership. It got us a ton of publicity and business. He ended up getting a lot of foot traffic to see the idiot driving blindfolded.

I have done Christmas parties where I first did a magic show, then changed into a Santa costume to passed out gifts. I have done promotions where I both juggled on the lot and did magic tricks in the show room. I dressed as a Pilgrim on the day before thanksgiving one year, and that time they paid me just to wave to people.
Al Angello

Yes, Al, but you actually "look" like Santa Claus and a Pilgrim (lol).

Come to think of it, you could also pass for an "honest" car salesman as well!

In all seriousness, Al... Thanks for pointing out the value of versatility and the ability for the entertainer to offer a range of characters and personas.

Best regards,

Jonathan

Andrew Mayne actually suggests working for car dealerships in one of his books (50 Ways to Make Money with Magic, or something like that). I've been hired at a couple of dealerships. I usually try to get them to sign off on a package deal in which I do some publicity stunts, have a family day (for the children to come down and be entertained), handing out flyers or cards (with street magic), parlour show, walk-around, and commercials. Just a little of everything to get people to come down. The last time I did work at a car dealership, I ended up doing a mock seance, which got people to go to the dealership.

Once you're in with the dealership, if it's a big one, you may be able to represent them at an industry-related auto show. Or work for the association that organizes the auto show, strolling the aisles with your magic/entertainment --then make sure to collect cards from the exhibitors to follow-up on, entertaining the guests during in-house showroom celebrations (new car launches, dealer anniversaries, customer sale events, etc.).


Perhaps negotiate your contract by putting a new car for yourself into the mix. It may not pay the full amount of the car, but could offer you a few less payments --or no down payment, etc.


Showroom celebrations, especially dealership anniversaries, are great opportunities to sell the client on purchasing (from you, of course) 1,000+ sets of Three Card Monte give-aways to commemorate the event and ensure that the prospects walk away with an item that will promote the dealership's business, long after the event is over. The salesmen can also use them in pre-event and post-event mailings.

Jonathan

My car sometimes acts haunted. I wonder if you could work together.

John Kaplan has a program for Car Dealers. Making a Car Disappear.
http://www.fundraisingmagic.com/upgrade/......ance.htm

... the competition's car is the one that vanishes (I hope!).

Or..."poof!"..."Out with the old, in with the new!"

Hey, my Toyota Highlander just vanished? What the heck? OK, who is messing with the magic? hehehehe Actually, the only cars I want to vanish are the ones in my apt. complex that insists on parking in the handicapped parking spot when the only handicap they have is in the head. (stupidity) lol What burns me up is that they do this when they know there is an older lady in the same building who really is handicapped. Dumb lazy people. Make their car vanish, OK? hehehe

Kyle

I was a salesman at a Toyota Dealership here in Redding, CA around two years ago. I used magic to build relationships with my customers; however, other salesmen saw that this was working well for me and would ask me to entertain their customers as they waited to go into the finance and insurance process of the deal... It took time away from me trying to get sales. It was great because I booked several shows off people buying cars; however, in retrospect...I was cutting my own throat.


Good luck with this, though...
-Bryan

I am in Powerboat sales (along with magic). I use magic toward the end of my time with a customer. It leaves them with a good taste in their mouth. I don't think it's a good idea to do it right out of the gate because they came to look at boats(cars), not watch your card trick. However, if they have their kids with them, then I will use it much earlier for obvious reasons.

One of the main reasons for doing magic in sales is so the customers remember YOU. If they come back to the lot and they DON'T ask for you, you are SOL. Many people will forget your name, but they will not forget your magic. "Yeah, we were here the other day...we talked to the magic guy." Where I work this means the sale is mine, even if I was off that day. If someone asks for you, then they are YOUR customer.

Doesn't NASCAR?

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

I kind of have trouble imagining most dealerships justifying the cost of a magician. We aren't cheap. Every year, I do a Texas Renaissance Festival promotional at a local dealership. I have become quite popular there. This last year, the GM approached me and asked me about making regular appearances there. As politely as I could, I told him that I doubted he would be able to justify the expense. He asked what I charged, and when I told him, he completely agreed with me.

I know what I did wasn't the way one gets work, but I'm at a stage in my life where I have other priorities that really cause me to dodge work more than seek it. Could I have talked him into hiring me at my regular price? Maybe, but it sure was easy to talk him out of it.