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Al Angello Eternal Order Collegeville, Pa. USA 11045 Posts |
Donald & Kay
You guys have some valid points, and my best suggestion is to look at the quality of the entertainers in your local yellow pages, or childrens magazines. If the people who advertise there stink you can draw your own conclusions, and if the people that use those methods of advertisement in your area are high quality entertainers it is worth a shot, but the last thing you want to do is to advertise next to crusty the clown, who will undercut you by $100 every time. Al Angello
Al Angello The Comic Juggler/Magician
http://www.juggleral.com http://home.comcast.net/~juggleral/ "Footprints on your ceiling are almost gone" |
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Donald Dunphy Inner circle Victoria, BC, Canada 7563 Posts |
Although I can try and look at it from the point of a "potential" consumer, what counts is the actual incoming calls from prospects. And even more, which of them book (result in a sale).
I track every lead, and where it came from. (I ask, I don't guess.) And I also pay attention to what sources result in actual paid bookings. Therefor, I know where to spend advertising dollars, and where not to. If it works, I repeat it. If it doesn't work, I adapt to make it work, or eventually drop it. That's how a smart business person runs a business. - Donald
Donald Dunphy is a Victoria Magician, British Columbia, Canada.
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dfield New user 91 Posts |
I find the internet is a great source ... the yellow pages is more like a business card.
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AragorntheMagician Veteran user Metro-Atlanta 304 Posts |
When I started full time 4 years ago 95% of my business was from the local Parent's Magazine. Now it is 30% of my business (still more total then the 95% of years ago).
But, I have always had the smallest ad in the Hard copy magazine. I've always had the largest internet add with them. I've always tracked where every Passive advertising call comes from "ON the initial call" whether they book me or not. 8/9 of 10 calls from the Parent's Magazine are from their WEB SITE. I have fired all my Yellow Pages type adds. They are becoming less relavent. I've also fired my various web magazine adds besides the local parent mag. Most of my gigs are now from Active Marketing & Referrals. Aragorn, one Magi's experience
aka: I used to be BOB (It's Cellini's fault)
"All Right, Who's Volunteering to be Turned into a Frog???" www.aragornthemagician.com |
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Kevin Ridgeway V.I.P. Indianapolis, IN & Phoenix, AZ 1832 Posts |
Also in most city's yellow pages you must have a business phone line. Thus the people that use vonage, cell phone, home phone, etc are out of luck for placing an add in the yellow pages. For many this is a blessing in disguise as it forced them to work other avenues for marketing.
Kevin
Living Illusions
Ridgeway & Johnson Entertainment Inc Kevin Ridgeway & Kristen Johnson aka Lady Houdini The World's Premier Female Escape Artist www.LadyHoudini.com www.livingillusions.com |
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TroyRoark Loyal user Springfield IL 282 Posts |
Yellow page ads are what I consider to be a "passive" marketing approach, as opposed to an "aggressive" approach. Passive means, sit around and wait for the phone to ring. Aggressive is going out, finding people who need your services, and showing them why you are the best person for the job.
You could spend $1000 a year on a passive campaign, or $1000 a year on an aggressive campaign, and I'll guarantee that you're aggressive campaign will net you 10 times more money. I don't even have a web site, because I consider it too "passive." I could spend that money on mailers to past clients, and follow up with a phone call. I'm doing 150+ shows a year (none are b-day parties) and I can guarantee I'm spending less per year on my marketing than someone with an actual ad in the yellow pages. |
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wizardofsorts Special user Chicago, IL 935 Posts |
Kay,
I think your view of a potential customer is the view of a certain generation. I know at my house, and most of my friends houses, the computer is always on and the phone book is still sitting outside the front door where it was left last week. Granted I have a small ad in one yellow pages in town. (we have three different yellow pages directory published in chicago) but 85% or more of gigs come from the net. I have the Yellow Pages ad, just in case. Edd
Edd Fairman, Wizard of Sorts is a corporate magician available for your next trade show, hospitality suite, client luncheon, or company event. http://www.wizardofsorts.com
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Al Angello Eternal Order Collegeville, Pa. USA 11045 Posts |
Edd
Excellent point, most people I know turn their computer on first thing in the morning, and throw their phone book away without opening up the wrapper. I turn my computer on before I answer the call of nature every morning, because quite often I get booking inquiries over night. I don't know about this generational thing Edd I'm old enough to be your father, and we are both on the same page. HA HA HA LOL Al Angello
Al Angello The Comic Juggler/Magician
http://www.juggleral.com http://home.comcast.net/~juggleral/ "Footprints on your ceiling are almost gone" |
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NJJ Inner circle 6437 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-04-26 00:01, TroyRoark wrote: Agressive? Perhaps you mean "assertive" or "active" Agressive marketing would be telemarketers, foot in the door salesmen and other annoying people. |
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Al Angello Eternal Order Collegeville, Pa. USA 11045 Posts |
Nicholas
You are absolutely right, and I just love it when you get technical. Al Angello
Al Angello The Comic Juggler/Magician
http://www.juggleral.com http://home.comcast.net/~juggleral/ "Footprints on your ceiling are almost gone" |
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NJJ Inner circle 6437 Posts |
I have images of magicians kicking down doors screaming HIRE ME OR I'LL PUNCH YOU IN THE HEAD! AGRHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
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Dennis Michael Inner circle Southern, NJ 5821 Posts |
Yellow Pages do work, but not in all places. Within 100 mile radius there is a yellow page book for each county. One needs to advertise in them all to get the best exposure, however, ROI, is not worth it, especially for the bitthday magician who works weekends.
Yes, the $100 clowns get a lot of business, and one need to work a lot just to pay for these ads. The real question is what price is the marketing tool worth? The Parent Magazine works in some area and in other it doesn't. Postcards are a get tool. How many postcards can you mail to that target market for that price of the yellow page ad?
Dennis Michael
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Al Angello Eternal Order Collegeville, Pa. USA 11045 Posts |
Dennis
I agree with everything you say----kinda. I understand BOR, TT, C&R, C&B, FYI, DIY, but ROI isn't in my magicians hand book. Al Angello
Al Angello The Comic Juggler/Magician
http://www.juggleral.com http://home.comcast.net/~juggleral/ "Footprints on your ceiling are almost gone" |
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Donald Dunphy Inner circle Victoria, BC, Canada 7563 Posts |
Hi Al, I'm not Dennis, but...
ROI = Return On Investment. - Donald
Donald Dunphy is a Victoria Magician, British Columbia, Canada.
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Al Angello Eternal Order Collegeville, Pa. USA 11045 Posts |
Donald
You really know how to TCB, ASAP. Al
Al Angello The Comic Juggler/Magician
http://www.juggleral.com http://home.comcast.net/~juggleral/ "Footprints on your ceiling are almost gone" |
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abbylondon New user 54 Posts |
For me yellow pages and parenting magazines have had little value. I get more business from word of mouth, which is free. The only ads with good ROI have been on the web.
Abby the Magician http://www.Abbylondon.com
Abby London
http://www.abbylondon.com |
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Potty the Pirate Inner circle 4632 Posts |
I still have the smallest ad available in YP. It returns very little, but is there for those customers who choose to look there. I have an ad in the local parents' magazine which returns very well, and costs about three basic parties a year. It happens to be a very high quality magazine, and is highly sought after by parents, as it has great articles in it. We're very lucky to have them here. But the vast majority of my work is word-of-mouth.
To maximise your word of mouth bookings, you really don't want someone to remember seeing you, and want to book you, but can't find you. So you need a name that is imbedded in the minds of your audience after they've seen you. And a Google search should bring your website up when folks type in that name. I find that many of my clients simply found me through a Google search. But they were SPECIFICALLY looking for me. I don't pay for internet advertising, as I believe it's actually rather pointless, since the most popular sites are the ones that are free. Eg gumtree. |
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Donald Dunphy Inner circle Victoria, BC, Canada 7563 Posts |
I agree with Doug (Potty), in that you want them to remember you specifically, and search your name out on the web. This happens to me a lot.
Better yet, they have some sort of promotional item, flyer, etc. from you, with your website listed right on it. Drive them there directly, if possible. Another key thing to do, is to think about key words that prospects might use in searching for an entertainer like you in your area, and learn to incorporate them into your website text. This helps to make best use of the search engines, but it also takes time for you to climb the ranks. I know little about SEO (search engine optimization), but it seems to work very well for me. - Donald
Donald Dunphy is a Victoria Magician, British Columbia, Canada.
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Dan Paulus Veteran user Utah is isolated from the real world by 343 Posts |
My YP bookings/calls had been steadily declining since 1996. In 2005 my rep screwed up and left my add out. Though I had been considering taking the add out all together, or going to just a one line listing, I acted outraged... hoping to get a free listing the following year.
Well, instead they gave me multiple free listings in some of the smaller books that targeted individual cities instead of one large metropolitan area. The results?... SQUAT! ZORO! NADDA! NOTHING! However, my business has gone up, without a YP presence, every booking in 2006 came by referal, repeat clients, networking, or the internet. This year I'm looking forward to seeing what happens when the money that I've been spending on YP ads is spent in other marketing venues.
There is no great genius without a mixture of madness. - Aristotle
Aristotle www.danscomedymagic.com |
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Dan Paulus Veteran user Utah is isolated from the real world by 343 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-04-26 22:50, Nicholas J. Johnson wrote: I much prefer, "HIRE ME OR THE RABBIT DIES!"
There is no great genius without a mixture of madness. - Aristotle
Aristotle www.danscomedymagic.com |
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