Well not this one Al

That's a lie!

(Sorry Al, couldn't help myself. OK, that's a lie. I could have helped myself, but it was too fun not to!)

Amakar
Excuse me all magicians but one lie, and I'm not sure if you can believe that because he may have his fingers crossed.

A looong time ago I heard some advice about magicians and prices:

Whatever a magician tells you he makes, cut it in half and take 10%.

I don't care what anyone else charges for the markets I'm in. Hell, Giovanni Livera charges $20,000 a gig! Can I do the magic he does? Probably. Can I charge what he does? No. So who cares?

Now, for my own education I do know what other LOCAL magicians charge (or at least ranges) for kid shows. This is just from hearing what parents tell me. It really holds no weight with me though. I know the kind of clients who hire me and I charge according to their abilities, no Joe Blow Magician down the street.

Aren't some tax returns a big lie? haha

Please don't have me hog tied and run out of town on a rail but I have found that we magicians get all upset when someone talks about what they get for doing a show. I have been on threads that many magicians say call around and see what others are charging in your area. I don't think the survey is asking us to give up trade secrets but are we not on here as, "magicians helping magicians"? I am not going to ask anybody outside of my area what I should charge or how much they charge. But if I ask another magician in my area I will explain why I am asking. I would not try and undercut anyone trying to make a living or just someone trying to make a little extra money on the side. I have been out of performing for a long time and am about to get back in it and I would love the help from others. I am not trying to steal your shows just trying to get along with other performers. I don't do restaurants or stage shows. I don't do close up or strolling, I just do children and family entertainment.
Again please don't have me drawn and quartered for this post. I just want to make some money and have fun doing it. I am not going to ask anyone how they did a certain trick that I watched them do. I have to earn that on my own.
Just a few thoughts from me. Hope no one was offended.

Steven

Oh by the way I could not fill out the survey because I have not started back performing yet.

Steven

So far I've received over 67 responses to the survey! Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far!

I'll be closing the survey on April 15th and summarize the results and send them to the participants.

If you want a copy, please contribute to the survey and we'll keep the knowledge sharing going!

Andy

I would only suggest that, given you're asking magicians about what they get paid, that you take your final data figures and reduce them by at least 70%.

Ouch.

Hi Gang -

It took a while to compile the information but I published the survey results.
The survey had nearly 100 people respond across the 12 markets.

I've sent out the survey results to the contributors but I am also giving it to the Café members

It was interesting seeing how disparate some of the markets were when it came to pricing.

Get your copy here:

http://www.amakar.com/survey/

I'd be interested in your feedback!

Thanks!

Andy

Andy, thanks for making this available to everyone
especially those outside the USA who were interested
but obviously didn't contribute

Well worth downloading

TH

This was a very helpful product. More than anything, it makes me consider pricing as a means to grow income. I do think it is important to keep in mind that we are not all selling the same product (in that not all shows are created equal in content). It might be helpful for those of us who responded to the survey to relook at the survey questions now that we see how you constructed the results. This will allow us to provide feedback so that future surveys provide even more informative responses. Thank you for providing such an informative document that will allow me to better look at pricing across markets.

Very interesting Andy. Thank you for sharing with everyone!

~Nanci

I tried downloading (after I signed up, etc, etc) but my computer jusdt sits there, staring me dumbly in the face. Any way I could get the results emailed to me?

I am going to confess confussion here. What does it matter what another charges? Your show should be based on the value you provide, not an arbitrary average of something someone else says they charge.

Your value to the client is not based upon anything except what you bring to the table. I think this is why many magicians have so much trouble with business.

For example if you live somewhere and the average cost of a show is $900 and you can not do a show that lives up to that, what does it matter what the average is? Concentrate more on providing value for the dollar you charge and worry less about what others charge is not a bad way to think of it.

Danny,

It is because magicians--like ALL humans--want to have a point of comparison. It is our inate curiosity. Why do you think the Forbes "Richest people in the World" issue is one of their most popular?

Mike
I make $600,000 a year. Now you can shoot for that number.

(ALL MAGICIANS LIE)

I was not asking about curiosity. I was asking about those who thought it was a tool. Though I do think the word tool applies, just not in that sense.

LOL.

Lately there seems to be a whole toolbox full of "tools" around here.....