Scratches head....
What is wrong with lowering your fee a bit for a party planner? If a party planner increases your sales what is the big deal you a loose a few bucks?

If you place an ad for 6 months at a cost of $12,000 in an event magazine you are not promised any sales or leads...(been there) Now a party planner phones you that is a $$$$ SALE $$$ and you give them 10-20% off your fee. So consider it well paid advertisment.... After all shouldn't the party planner have the right to make a living... They work as hard as we do!

Find GOOD party/event planners and you will be very PLEASED!!!!!!!! They will increase your sales with very little efford on your part...

Curtis is right!!! Money is Money...just ask the Bank(my wife). The money is there if you are willing to work.
James

I'm not an expert or anything, but wasn't it mentioned that a good planner will add their money ON TOP of what you charge? Taking 20% off my fee is a bit much. There's no guarantee that the gigs will keep rolling in, and after that 20% comes off, I'm still left to pay gas, props, time, etc. Not much in the end. Now if the party planner adds their 20% on top of what I charge, we're both happy and it's a win-win situation.

Just my thoughts...
Steve

Both parties involved have to give a little. You need to knock a few bucks off your fee so that they can add to it to make the offer attractive to their client. Chances are that the client is shopping around so if you and the agent don't negotiate, you run the risk of losing the gig.

Want someone to pitch your show at no upfront-cost to you? What about free ads and you pay when someone actually books you from that ad? Do you desire this? Would you like to have this?

If yes..............

work with a GOOD event planner!!!!!!!!!!!


Magic_steve

A good planner will add their fee... But here is the deal....

If you charge $1,000 for the gig...
The event planner would have to charge a min of $1200 for the gig.
So the client may not have an attractive offer...

Now if you charge $800 for the gig and the event planner charges $1000 for the gig, now the client has a very attractive offer. Plus it makes the event planner feel competitive in price and they will use you when other gigs come up...

Consider it a cost of doing business along with your gas.... OR buy a big ad as they do and you will complain even MORE...

Event planners can bring as much as 20-50% of your gigs...

SOME major corporate events will only work through an event planner....

Oh 100% spot on.
Being flexible to get the gig is one thing, getting riped off is another.

Not to mention that if your fee is too high, the agent might look at other magicians in their database. I'm not saying to low ball, all I am saying that it's a give and take relationship with agents.

Everyone's comments are great food for thought. Thanks again.

Having been an agency owner, there are facts to consider when working with an agent.

1. Agents work on commissions. The higher the ticket, the more they make.

2. Most good agents have more acts available to them than they can ever use.

3. Smart agents put keeping the talent buyer's business ahead of keeping the talent's business.

4. An agent values his reputation more than that of the talent. He will recommend acts that make him look good to the talent buyer.

5. Reality is that agents "bracket" the fee structures of acts. (Don't get yourself into a bracket that doesn't fit you. It may keep you from being considered in "bracket" where you do belong.) Moving from one "bracket" to another is often very difficult.

6. Agency is a free-standing business. Talent is just inventory. Do not expect an agent to do for you what a personal manager does. Developing your career is not the agent's job. An agent's job is to contract talent for talent buyers.


Another label problem: Party Planners are a very small subset of Event Planners. Event Planners can offer a much greater range of booking opportunities for your act. Event Planners typically work with much larger budgets and the more stable talent buyers.

In 2008, I will also be touring my "Business of Magic" lecture. Hope I see you there.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Peter Loughran is a DJ I believe. Al, you are right. Most DJs are talentless and couldn't put together a descent playlist. Most think way too highly of themselves. Most don't even know how to tell what key the music is in. Most don't even know how to mix. Most haven't even touched vinyl or even heard of Al Jarreau.

I can't tell you how often I have to correct festivals (I'm on several committees) about entertainers. Most feel we all have regular jobs and therefore shouldn't charge a lot. Most think buskers are free entertainment. Most will go with local teenage volunteers facepainting with paint sticks than go with professionals. Event planners often think the same way. Some don't (and these are ones that have been in business for over 10 years).

Mr. Bill baby
You know you are my favorite DJ

How much do I owe ya?

Bill, I still find it difficult to take seriously someone who has a "plunger hickey" on his head....

But you are a funny funny man... hopefully we can work some other festivals together....

Instead of all the throwing prices out like monkey feces on a wall, and seeing what sticks... why not ask the planners you wish to work with what kind of money THEY can get YOU?

It's not veyr hard, and is WAAAAAY more effective than you may think. Just asking the simple question of "what kind of budget are we working with here" can take a lot of the guess work out...

Keith

Keith, do you mean have an actual relationship with the guy? Find out a whole bunch of information before even continuing calling back and forth>? How can that possibly work?

Isn't it a lot better to just throw stuff against the wall and see what sticks? Have him call you with prices way too low and you tell him prices that are way to high and waste everyones time?

Come on man where are you from>?????????

Keith,

"why not ask the planners you wish to work with what kind of money THEY can get YOU?"

I find that works most of the time...

But, some larger event planners just want a price to present to their client... Biggger the better if you can bring something cool to the table....

Curtis, what Keith means is this. IF a planner can only get you X dollars from any client in their computer, and you cost XXX then it is pointless to use them.

Rather than just throwing prices around and wasting a bunch of time.

Danny is once again the sage on the subject!

Oh and I read somewhere where time is money.

Spot on Danny . . .