I will sometimes use a mentalism effect as a lead into genuine hypnosis . . . particularly for walkabout trance (street hypnosis) . . . "cross off a number, now turn the card over" "draw one shape inside another" and the like, stuff that is based upon psychological principles and effects rather than gaffes or tricks tend are my preference as they naturally lead into "imagination games" and hypnosis effects. As to testing hypnosis . . . take a look at the long list of imaginative suggestibility games on my webpage in the free resources areas and use them either within a formal session as deepeners and tests or use them straight from the get-go in waking state as waking hypnosis inductions in and of themselves . . . coincidentally, I do have DVD sets that demonstrate all of them . . . the Walkabout Trance Beach Resort Getaway Two is Aug. 15-16 this year at Redondo Beach, California . . . the info is at http://walkabouttrancebeachresortgetaway.blogspot.com