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Mr. Tyler New user 5 Posts |
I am not new to magic but I am jumping back on board with performing magic as a birthday party magician. My question is does anyone have any advice on getting booked to do shows other then birthday parties? I'm looking to go more full time and I need other avenues of exposure. How do you typically go about getting booked for library shows,school assemblies,city street fairs, I have even noticed that magicians are being hired to teach magic as an elective at our local elementary schools. Any advice on how to market myself beyond birthday parties will be much appreciated.
Thank you |
Zephury Elite user Hollywood, FL 488 Posts |
I'm no seasoned professional, but I'll give you insight on what I have learned about as well as what I currently do to accomplish booking gigs.
First of all, my personal market is more towards private parties and events. So to get my name out there and meet people, I try booking restaurants with the main goal of not only practicing my magic, but offering my card to potential clients. Business owners and wealthy people who throw a lot of parties, and even parents with a child's birthday party coming up is what I aim for. I would get on social media. put a website up, and get your name going. I imagine you could go to your local community center and ask for a list of events coming up, or businesses in a certain category, and you'll just have to become your own telemarketer. Sometimes cities have fairs for business owners and that's a GREAT place to meet business owners.. at least I'd hope (haha!) and you can hand your card out there. When it comes to handing your card out, I would not give it to everyone you see. That's quite costly. Perform for them if you do any close-up magic and just mention that you do magic at parties and events for guests.. Some magicians like to be subliminal and mention in their patter that "a lady hired me to perform on her yacht and THIS happend..." Now they know that they can hire you! If they ask you a question about it or seem to take interest, offer them a card. If you don't do any close-up magic, I recommend you learn a few really good card tricks and other things.. Very few people will hire a magician they've never seen perform before. They may get the wrong idea of how good magic can really be. You need to BLOW THEIR MIND and make them itch to see more. So unless you carry the rabbit out of the hat and the sawing in half illusion with you in your pocket, you need to find some good material to show anyone at any time. You've given the impression that you do stage/parlour like magic, so that's why I mention this. Good luck! I'd love to know what you eventually decide to start doing. -Harley Salas |
Yellowcustard Inner circle New Zealand 1334 Posts |
I am answering this presuming that you have act that you have developed and tested and is ready to go. And you have a product for this audience.
First up you need to get exposure. You need to profile the audience. Your be looking for a audience that has kids and the money to spend on big birthdays. So were do these people live and hang out? I work mainly in education so why would I do a talk at a conference of Butchers? You need to make something that is different from your show that you are selling but showcase you some how. This is something small and quick fits in a small bag or your pocket you walk on do it and go 10- 20min. This is what you do for free to get bookings. Never do the show you are selling for free if people want that they pay the going rate. Have a highlight taster show to use for charity and promo work. I think you should hit up library and and small markets. The library might pay you. Sell your self to the market as entetment. And that if they give you a space near the food or in the hart of the market and you can have a poster up and hand out cards your do them a favor and waver the cost. Social media is great but can be a lot of work for no or little return and dose not beat you going out beating the bricks and pressing the flesh. But here is wht you need to set up and how to use it. Web site- Can be a simple single page with your offering a few good photos of you with a audience and may be a 90 second video. Face Book page- This is were every one that you do a show for say how great you are and post there photos of you. YouTube- Videos of you in action. Also may be a hi you booked thank you when I get to your place I will need and this is how the event will roll out. Twitter- Follow people and organisation that will hire you for example festival orginser, event orginser and early childhood. Find conversation and interact with them. We take part in monthly chats about teacher getting science in to class room which is our thing. In in the past 4 month we have got 12 bookings form this alone and lots of intrest. And a informal learing group want us to talk and do a work shop for there project. Blogs- not most important but if you do do one up date it regularly. I spend 2-3 days a month planning a laying out our soical media for the month and we update as we go. This is just a few thing I feel I know about. But there will be pepole with more info on the birtday market out there to help. I would like to ask why are you targeting Birthday parties? Some people seem to think this is a starting point and were the money is. This migth be the case but I know lot of pepole making a living and have never do a birthday party in there life. But if it is your thing good go for it.
Enjoy your magic,
and let others enjoy it as well! |
Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
Mr. T!
About 30 + years ago, I was in Chicago visiting Jay Marshall. I was helping out behind the counter on a Saturday. A young man asked Jay: "How much should I cnarge for a trade show?" Jay smiled, turned to me, and said, "Tell him, Dick!" Jay and I had been discussing this topic, earlier. I turned to the 18 year old young man, and said: "When you are READY to do a trade show, you will KNOW the answer that question." So, when you are ready to do club date, a school show, a corporate banquet, etc. You will have picked up enough experience and knowledge so you wont need to ask the question you ask. I suggest you buy and read, and STUDY, "Maximum Entertainment" (Ken Weber)
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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Yellowcustard Inner circle New Zealand 1334 Posts |
Nail on head Dick.
This could also be usefull posted here http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......forum=41 I put my thoughts up but from someone like your self that knows what there on about from experience is great.
Enjoy your magic,
and let others enjoy it as well! |
Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
Hello Yellow! Hey, that rhymes!
Thanks for your positive comment! I checked out the "link" you provided. Young Mr. Salas, made three posts inside of 15 minutes last week. All three posts asked virtually the same question. I gave him some suggestions, my friend Oliver, and you, did, too. After reading his responses, I think all three of us wasted our time. It is apparent, to me, at least, that he is simply TRICK ORIENTED. I think that he thinks that if he vanishes an automobile, he will win the AGT award next year. I don't have time to ARGUE with a teenager! I have mentored a good number of kids who are now full time successful pro's. --THEY listened! Neil Foster "ran" the CHAVEZ course, (Eastern. Dale Salwak did the Western) Neil charged $1500 for the course. Then, when they graduated, they would call ME, to find out how to get into the business, and they espected THAT information for FREE. Neil taught them all sorts of sleights (MANY of those sleights were outdated. E.G. Working in profile to do a sleight, or doing all sorts of "contrived" moves--not natural). That kind of stuff may have played in the days of "watch me do this clever stuff", but interaction and involvement are necessary when working for the public, today. BTW: One of those kids auditioned for the School Assembly Service (Chicago) about 15 years ago. He did the "standard" 18-20 minutes. He did all the "pretty moves". Setting up that 20 minutes required over 45 minutes. It was obvious to us, the committee, that he wouldn't "last a week" on the road. He was not offered a contract. Mr. Tyler thinks that swallowing a balloon (a side show stunt) is good entertainment for birthday party kids. (See his recent post in another forum. Oh! He also "does" the die box, and I forgot the third item in his repertoire. For Mr. Tyler, and the the teenager from England: I've said it before, and, I'll say it again: "THERE AINT NO SHALLOW END IN THIS POOL! --BEFORE YOU JUMP IN, YOU MUST KNOW HOW TO SWIM!" From the way they write, I seriously doubt that they can "dog paddle"! The "sign" at the "masthead" of this Café: "Magicians helping magicians" is, I fear, a trifle misleading. I am always ready to help a fellow who has done his homework! I am not, however, a babysitter! I always tell those whom I am mentoring: "I cannot TEACH you anything! I can ONLY HELP YOU LEARN, BECAUSE LEARNING IS AN ACTIVE PROCESS." Sophocles said it a few millenia ago: "One learns by doing the thing."
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
P.S. If you don't hear from me again, I may have been banned from this Café. If so: Ave atque vale!
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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vincentmusician Loyal user Toronto 265 Posts |
I agree. One learns by doing. However, I have found there are many ways of learning. For me, one of the best ways is to have someone you respect and know watch you perform. They see and hear what the audience sees and hears. I have got great advice and that person can see how you perform and what you do and also can hear any comments from the audience. Discuss with that person what is good and what could be improved. My Show has benefitted greatly from this. Cheers!
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