Was out having dinner with 2 very close friends that work for the restaurant of a high end private yacht club in Miami, one of them is the Master chef, obviously they both have a misconception of magic as at one point I asked the chef friend “what if I were to bring a magician that does table walk around magic and will help you increase business in the restaurant – His answers was this are rich people magic does not work here! Then I said – of course but trust there will be some that enjoy it, it’s pretty fun to see cool things some will like it, again his response was “This are rich people they don’t want to be bothered” my other friend was of course agreeing with the chef as they both work there and they both where drinking just bit. I don’t drink – at least no more. But I kept trying to find an angle to reach the chef, at this point it wasn’t about getting business at that restaurant, because I even offered him a free magician and he laughed at me, of course I laughed right with him and played along but I did realize wow I don’t have a line for people like that. Has anyone came across those scenarios of such people and what do they do?

I have worked selling B2B solutions in the past and had reach out to huge companies CEO’s – trust me rich people are just people –some like magic some may not, same for all adults – think that rule does not apply to kids, LOL
My main question is does anyone have a – one liner or funny respond when you are talking to a friend about bringing in a magician to his restaurant or as he likes to call it - high end private yacht club and his response is “This are rich people they don’t want to be bothered ???? Definitely looking for a funny one liner but at the same time a business closer.

MagicJac

Jac = Jaime Arana Cardenas.

Believe it or not, there are people that do not enjoy magic, and others who do not believe that it's appropriate for all settings. Your friend seems to be one of them. If you know of high end restaurants who have used magicians successfully, you might point that out to him, with a little history of how long they have used them. If you don't know of any, you should do some homework so you are better prepared for your sales pitch.

No lines as people will be people, but I seem to remember David Stone talking about working in the South of France for high end customers including Bono etc. but (from memory) he had someone introduce him to the venue..

If you have delicate feelings and will be insulted please do not continue reading this response. It is not directed at you personally but in general at the topic. It is not meant to be mean and I will take as many of the edges off as possible. But again do not continue if you are easily upset.

First off I have worked in high end restaurants exclusively my entire 30 years in doing this. Of course it works. But often it is a case of what Heba Haba used to preach. "If you have to ask the question you are probably not ready to hear the answer".

High end establishments are not the same as family places. Yes they both have food and it is served, but the atmosphere is different. EVERYTHING from the decor, to the uniforms to the way a table is approached, to how food is purchased and prepared is different. You seem to think "magic" fits in both places. Well sorry but no it absolutely does not. Magicians participate in this fallacy for some reason but it is just not the way things work.

By the way the opposite is true as well. Put me and the way I work at an Applebees family night and I crash and burn.

Now maybe stop reading if your feelings get hurt.

The idea that a magician will "increase business" is ludicrous. I have said this 1,000 times before and it is true. You will have lots of trouble pointing to a line on a spread sheet that you caused an uptick as opposed to the weather. It is a claim that is not easy to back up. Restaurant professionals are VERY number oriented. You are an EXPENSE simply put. It can be WEEKS before people start to come back. It is usually the point at which a SUCCESSFUL establishment quits listening. They no longer take you seriously. Generally speaking that is.

Offering free nights to places like this can backfire. Quality generally costs. That is not a hard fast rule, just an observation. Of course it can work but much less than one may think.

See the odd part is that this is a friend of yours, and HE thinks that what you project will not fit at his place. You don't need a "line" for that situation, you need to learn what it is you are putting out there that gives off this projection. The fact that you immediately started to laugh it off with him probably doesn't help the case. Offering a free magician was apparently what made him laugh.

Again these are 2 very close friends of yours. They know you well, and have seen you work hopefully. No "line" is going to help in the least. (Why oh why do magicians think if they just had the right "line" or "trick" it would all be ok?)

You have done nothing wrong. Often people have preconceived notions and nothing will ever change them. They have strong ideas about what can and will and has worked so they stay with those. No "line" will help that either. Again I can not stress enough it is not necessarily something you did wrong, or could even do differently.

One of the problems these days which makes magic hard to sell is that there are a lot of rubbish youtube magicians out there spoiling the art of magic with their exposure video's, this in turn produces poor magicians who's skill base is usually very bad.

Unfortunately these magicians are out there working and having seen some of the performances that they insist on putting up via facebook etc they must be delusional as in most cases their skill level and presentational skills are really bad to say the least and that's me being kind.

There are pearls in what Danny has written. MagicJac has stated that this establishment is a "High End Private Yacht Club", that should end the discussion right there. I belong to a "High End Country Club" with a membership that includes movers and shakers of the highest order with prices and a yearly minimum that corresponds to the lifestyle. What brings these people in is the fact that they are members and have egos to match. Little Freddie Finger Flinger won't mean squat to them. Stick with establishments that are open to the general public.

JMHO

Cheers!

I agree with Mr. Doyle.
Also...YouTube has nothing to do with the general publics perception of magic. Terrible magicians have been around long before our friend the internet was invented by Al Gore.

The fact that you wont find many magicians performing at high end restaurants...and even most family focused establishments...is that the restaurant business is tough enough to manage without worrying about some guy prancing from table to table doing card tricks. Believe me...as a former restaurant owner...if I knew that a magician was going to benefit my business in any way shape or form, I would have hired a dozen of 'em. So would the hundreds of thousands of other restaurants across the country.

During the 70's and 80's a handful of professional magicians cashed in on the restaurant magician theme to sell products to the rest of us eager to find a place to perform besides the once a month magic club meeting,or for relatives at a family reunion. Michael Ammar, Doc Eason, Dan Fleishman, Scotty York, along with other performing magicians at the time realized that offering the consumer a product which encompassed not only a magic effect, but an environment where it would be most appropriately performed could add to the allure of the product.This gave magicians hope in that their skills would finally find a place to be shared...the neighborhood restaurant! What they didn't include in their products or VHS tapes was how very, very few restaurants are dialed in to the idea of having a restaurant magician working for them.

Thanks. appreciate all the feedback, I feel rich people are just people-read a good book once "The Millionaire next door"

I was in no shape or form going to bring in a free magician. was just trying to get somewhere with the conversation.

So no one has ever had a person look away while you are trying to show them something "a sign that tells you the other person is not interested or has this notion that thinks the magician is trying to fool them, reason why some bring the art down because we have this notion that we are better than the other person, we are there to have fun just as kids have fun when they are playing a game or laughing.

a lot of people have a misconception about money, money does not make you rich. You can have a rich man be extremely poor and a poor man extremely rich.

Magic can be done to a person that is rich or poor no difference- its not really about the magic is about comedy and entertainment, or if you like you can be serious and mysterious if you want it to as well. To each is own. True performers understand that magic is just a tool to entertain. Most people enjoy entertainment.

Maybe should have stressed this more, my apologies - at this point it wasn’t about getting business at that restaurant.

Once again was just looking for a funny come back to my 2 drunk so called friends <-------------------- <------------------- <--------------------------

Thank you Jakeg,Pugoo and the others

If anyone else read this - curios to see if anyone does have a funny line to this situation - please forget the whole getting business at restaurant part and rich people poor people or High end Private Yatch Club in Miami part - this is irrelevant to those who understand. I am just trying to learn more scripting and have some fun while I do.

Why does everything have to be a line?

Jac, why try to be 'funny' with a forced line. Let your natural sense of humour come in in situations like this if you really feel it necessary. It'll come across much more natural.

Old line: "I was in my dressing room rehearsing my ad libs ....... "

Are you trying to prove her point?

Think about what she wrote. It is absolute GOLD.

It is the most succinct, on point and relevant post I have seen in this section in a while.

Awesome Danny Doyle, appreciate all feedback once again. Comedians use lines and have them prepared. Good point on improvising but definately looking for a few backpocket scripts for a similar scenerio.

Some words of wisdom someone shared with me: You can't say the right thing to the wrong person. You can't say the wrong thing to the right person.

Your friend is likely the wrong person nothing you can say would change his mind. You will need to achieve two things with your friend: Firstly that he needs a magician. Secondly that magician is you.

Most of the time when I take a booking it's from someone looking for my service.(by the way I am a mobile DJ.I am not yet working as magician) When someone calls looking for a mobile DJ I only have to sell them on me.That's the easy part. I don't need convince them they need a DJ.

So how can you make the wrong person the right person? You can't! Well maybe you can

Selling is all about solutions. Providing your customers with their wants, needs, and desires. The best tool anyone selling has is not their mouth but their Ears.

Listen to your prospect. Do they have any problems you can solve?

I was talking to a pub/bar owner. He told me that many of his customers would come in for one drink and move on to another bar. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with his Bar, it is just what many people do.I suggested a music quiz. I told him that people would stay to the end of the quiz to find out the answers. Believe or not even the people not taking part would stay. Just by listening and finding out what his problems I could offer a solution.

I know this sounds crazy, maybe your friend is happy with the takings. Telling him you can increase his takings isn't going to push his button. Instead listen, is there anything he is worried about. Maybe customers have to wait too long to be seated on a busy night? As a magician could you offer a solution. You can't get them seated any sooner. You could make the wait more entertaining.

Your friend could be happy with the way things are and doesn't need a magician. He knows you are there. One day he may need a magician or know someone that does. Hopefully you will be the first person he thinks of

In my opinion it's not about have some clever line. It's about ceasing an opportunity. Asking the right question(s) can help. People like to talk about their lives. Listen carefully to what they say

Garys!

You could sell refrigerators to Eskimos!

You remind me of Elmer Wheeler! --He wrote a book on salesmanship about 75 years ago! His "idea" ("Sell the sizzle, not the steak") kept me booked all my life.

EARS! YES!!!!!!!!!

Gary's! Fantastic!

When I got out of the navy and got my first real job, that was the first book I read. Over the years, I reread it several times. The title says it all.

This is good, now lets try this part - forgetting the whole booking a restaurant part, lets say this are close friends and I could joke with them, does anyone have a line or comeback to such silly remark "This are rich people, they don't like to be bothered?" what will be a funny response here?

If anyone knows, lets see if anyone can respond there - leaving all else behind.

So once again "These are rich people, they don't want to be bothered" ____________________________________________________________________ ? ? ? ?

Once again Gary this is definitely wisdom, You can't say the right thing to the wrong person. You can't say the wrong thing to the right person.

But trying to see if what any funny magician will respond - to that conversation with friends or drunk friends, lol.

This are rich people they don't want to be bothered" _______________________________??

sorry for being annoying.....

Yes it is annoying.

But by the way you can say the wrong thing to the right person. Happens all the time. If it were true sales pithces would consist of nothing but looking for the right people. So make no mistake you can indeed say the wrong thing to the right person.