Hectic doesn't begin to describe the past few days. As an independent businessman (that is what EVERY full time pro magician SHOULD be), you get to wear many hats. Marketing manager. Administrator. Bookkeeper. When you're being pulled in a million directions by a million different priorities, it's pretty easy to lose sight of something important...
Like many (or most) of you, I had a day job while doing my magic part time. Weekends. Evenings. Bank Holidays. But the majority of my workweek was spent just like everyone else making the daily commute to the office, trying to avoid office politics, and doing my best to make a few pennies. In my fantasies about working for myself, I imagined that my days would begin with a leisurely breakfast, maybe a brisk morning walk with my dog, hit the computer around 10AM, knock off early for lunch, do a couple of close-up gigs during the course of the week and then maybe an easy wedding reception on Saturday,
Was I dreaming or what!
As anyone who's run their own business realises, it can seem like a continuous mad dash from one project deadline to the next. There's always another confirmation contract to send, a thank you note to write, a bill to pay, marketing materials to create... And I'm not even going to go into the time you need to spend developing commercial routines and bespoke performances. (You do think about marketability BEFORE you develop a show, or purchase a trick don't you? Of course you do...)
The one thing that's easy to forget about, or to put off in all of this -- is your customer. You have to always think about them. You have to make sure, even amidst all the chaos of daily business operations, that you're continually striving to develop products and services that offer great benefits in their eyes. Even the little things count. Here's an example. Yesterday, I spent about an hour and a half writing thank you cards for the previous couple weeks worth of bookings. Now, normally I do this right after the fact. But I got busy and ... admittedly ... a bit lazy. I let them slide and pile up. Hey, it's a pain to write a thank you card, even if you have a system for what you say in it.
Nevertheless, it's really, really important.Not only for the results it produces, but also for the attitude that it demonstrates.
One of the keys to my system is to include three business cards and let them know that I really appreciate their business and their referrals. In addition, I also include a pre-paid envelope with a short satisfaction survey card that asks some questions on what they thought of my show. Nearly everyone returns the card. And by and large, the feedback is almost 100% positive. And I've used many of the comments as testimonials in my marketing materials.
Do I enjoy writing out the thank you notes? Of course not, like I said, it's a pain. But is it worth the effort? Absolutely.
It's a small thing, but sending a thank you note to EVERY customer positions yourself just a notch higher than the guy who just took the money and ran. It's a class thing. And class always pays off. Maybe not immediately, but over time you create a reputation that people will respect and appreciate.
Yesterday I booked a gig from a lady who said she had seen me at a little corporate event I did a few years ago. I didn't have to do any selling at all. 'Are you available?' and that was that.
Now, I do a pretty good job in front of an audience. But that alone would not create any where near the income that I want. To make the different I am meticulous about following up with a thank you and satisfaction survey. Did a thank you card get me my last referral? I don't know. But I do know the type of professionalism that causes you to write out thank you cards is the key to letting customers know how much you care about them and the way to out perform your competition.
And that is the bottom line: the professionalism that you show BEFORE and AFTER the event is what will really differentiate you from the other magicians in the book.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Friday, April 13, 2007
"storm" worm
The 'Storm' worm that affected many Internet users in January has
reappeared in a new variant through a widespread spam campaign on starting
on Thursday 12th April; the Internet Storm Center reported detecting at
least 20,000 infections today.
In the Spam email, the Worm pretends to be a "Patch for the 'New worm' that
is going around....". The subjects of the email are shown in the references
shown below.
The malware is hidden in an encrypted zip file which means that it's much
more difficult for antivirus software to detect the malicious code. If a
user activates the file, the machine is then infected with the malware and
it tries to connect to a peer-to-peer network where it can upload data,
including personal information from the infected computer. It also can
download additional malware onto the infected system. As a result, the
infected computer may then become a 'zombie' machine on a botnet, which can
be used to send spam and launch other attacks. The malware also searches
the computer's hard drive for e-mail addresses and replicates itself by
sending e-mails to them.
A Firewall that monitors outgoing traffic may detect abnormal activity if
your machine is compromised (the Windows built-in Firewall only detects and
manages incoming traffic, but packages like Zone Alarm detect malicious
traffic in both directions) and some anti-virus systems may be able to
detect the signature of the attack before it can be activated.
Be vigilant and avoid activating any incoming email containing an
attachment you are not expecting or which offers to 'fix' a Worm problem on
your computer.
reappeared in a new variant through a widespread spam campaign on starting
on Thursday 12th April; the Internet Storm Center reported detecting at
least 20,000 infections today.
In the Spam email, the Worm pretends to be a "Patch for the 'New worm' that
is going around....". The subjects of the email are shown in the references
shown below.
The malware is hidden in an encrypted zip file which means that it's much
more difficult for antivirus software to detect the malicious code. If a
user activates the file, the machine is then infected with the malware and
it tries to connect to a peer-to-peer network where it can upload data,
including personal information from the infected computer. It also can
download additional malware onto the infected system. As a result, the
infected computer may then become a 'zombie' machine on a botnet, which can
be used to send spam and launch other attacks. The malware also searches
the computer's hard drive for e-mail addresses and replicates itself by
sending e-mails to them.
A Firewall that monitors outgoing traffic may detect abnormal activity if
your machine is compromised (the Windows built-in Firewall only detects and
manages incoming traffic, but packages like Zone Alarm detect malicious
traffic in both directions) and some anti-virus systems may be able to
detect the signature of the attack before it can be activated.
Be vigilant and avoid activating any incoming email containing an
attachment you are not expecting or which offers to 'fix' a Worm problem on
your computer.
Have you got the goods?
When you go to see a band, a singer, a magician, or any performance, the bigger the name, the more resources they have to apply to the show.
Now, any one can dazzle you with lights and flash and special effects. And boy, some of the big names certainly do that. I've seen many a performance brilliantly choreographed and synchronized with giant monitors, fog effects, and strobe lights. (And FYI, I've seen a lot of bands and other live performers!) But I have to say; the level of stagecraft that I see now days ever from smaller acts is quite outstanding.
I know I am not the only person that walks away totally impressed. You just have to listen to people in the interval.
So how does this apply to us?
I talk a lot about the power of great marketing. In the "90 Day Market for Business System For Magicians" I cover a huge variety of strategies to help you clarify and effectively deliver our own unique marketing messages. Without a doubt, the skill most often overlooked by magicians is becoming a strong marketer and proficient businessperson.
Without those skills, you are wasting your time completely. The hours that you have spent perfecting your technical skills will be completely irrelevant as nobody but you and your family will ever see them.
But as you grow in your skills as a marketer, also strive to continuously grow in your skills as a professional performer and not just a technician. Make sure that you truly do make good on the promises you make in your sales letters and telephone calls. If you promise to make the kids laugh during little Johnny's birthday party, you'd better go the extra mile necessary to keep those kids falling over and convulsing with laughter! If you have said, “people will talk about your performance” make sure that every guest at the wedding comments on your brilliance to the bride and groom.
Over-promise and then OVER-DELIVER!
When you've got ALL the goods -- the ability to deliver an outstanding marketing message, the business skills to run your affairs along with the ability to blow away your audience with a great act and amazing magic – then you've laid the foundation for unstoppable success.
Anything less is just preparing to accept defeat!
Saturday, March 31, 2007
The masked magician is back
Nash Entertainment is resurrecting the Masked Magician, the star of Nash's five Breaking the Magician's Code: Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed specials, which scored big ratings for Fox in the late 1990s.
The specials caused a fuss with somel magicians, who were upset that some of the industries best tricks and illusions were being dissected on primetime TV. In the fourth special, the magician removed his mask; turns out it was Val Valentino, a figure well-known on the illusion circuit.
More experienced professional magicians however realised that TV exposure amounts to nothing. If you are a competent performer then your audience will have enjoyed the experience so much that they really would not want to know how it was done. Also, the method and the trick are so "buried" in the overall entertainment that the audience would not generally know if they had seen the method exposed an hour ago - let alone a day or a week.
Exposure is not great for magic. It reinforces the idea that magic is a puzzle to be worked out. However unless you are a rather new magician or an incompetent club hobbyist, both of whom have an irritating habit of demonstrating tricks rather than performing magic, exposure is not likely to be a big issue for you. In fact the incompetent club hobbyist will always do more damage to magic through rubbish performances than the odd exposure show will ever do.
The specials caused a fuss with somel magicians, who were upset that some of the industries best tricks and illusions were being dissected on primetime TV. In the fourth special, the magician removed his mask; turns out it was Val Valentino, a figure well-known on the illusion circuit.
More experienced professional magicians however realised that TV exposure amounts to nothing. If you are a competent performer then your audience will have enjoyed the experience so much that they really would not want to know how it was done. Also, the method and the trick are so "buried" in the overall entertainment that the audience would not generally know if they had seen the method exposed an hour ago - let alone a day or a week.
Exposure is not great for magic. It reinforces the idea that magic is a puzzle to be worked out. However unless you are a rather new magician or an incompetent club hobbyist, both of whom have an irritating habit of demonstrating tricks rather than performing magic, exposure is not likely to be a big issue for you. In fact the incompetent club hobbyist will always do more damage to magic through rubbish performances than the odd exposure show will ever do.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Marketing your magic business - part 3
So this is the third and final post about the absolute basics of making more money as a magician - part 3. There are of course a myriad of other ideas that you can use to make more money and I will be exploring those on this blog of the next few weeks and months.
If you have read part 1 and part 2, then buy now you should have a pretty good idea that the key question you need to answer (and believe the answer you give ) is : "What are you selling?"
If your answer still is 'I sell a magic show' then you are missing the point. As a magician you are not in the business of selling magic shows.
If you answer, 'Myself' then you're a bit closer. Yes, you are selling yourself. You already know that during your performance, if your audience doesn't connect with you as a person, as someone they respect, like, and admire, then you're going to have a much more difficult time entertaining them and making the act appear to be a success. The same is true before they book you, if you fail to sell yourself as the kind of person that they would like to have at their event you have made it very hard for yourself to get the booking. It doesn't matter what your fee is or how many competitions you have won - if they don't like you then you are not going to get booked..
But the real answer is not "a memory" or "a solution" these concepts are far too abstract to be helpful to you in selling the act. The real answer is you are selling security. Think about this for a moment and put yourself in the buyers shoes (always a good plan!): they may well have never booked a magician before, they may not have seem a magician before, they are organising an event for their friends, family or clients (all groups of people that they care about). The magician is just one element of the MANY things that need to be organised for the event. What does the buyer want? (a) the guests will be really entertained by the magician and it will add to the guests over all enjoyment of the evening (b) booking you will be a low stress process.
You are probably thinking that you have this covered - you tell them, at length, about your credentials your professionalism and show them a bunch of testimonials. Well, that is a start, but how do you present this to the prospect? My guess is that you think like a magician so you speak like a magician and use words that magicians use. If you really rip apart your sales materials (brochure. website and so on) does it help the buyer identify with you or have you put yourself up on a pedestal? Do you present your case for (a) and (b) above in a way that someone that has never seen a magician would grasp?
If your marketing materials claim that you will rock the world and change the guests lives and create indelible memories you are deluding yourself and in my experience that is not what buyers are looking to buy. The bride at a wedding would quite like to be the centre of attention and it would be nice for the guests to remember the wedding - do you really think you are going to shine brighter than that? At a corporate dinner in the 7 minutes 30 seconds you spend at a table do really believe that your ring flight is going to be a bigger hit than the complimentary drinks running freely all night? Of course not! If you believe that you are the main attraction you are not selling the service that the buyer is looking for and you are just being a muppet with your marketing!
So don't get sucked into believing you are selling "lasting memories" - your job as a magician is to ADD to the event in a professional way that will HELP with the guests having a great time, when COMBINED with all of the other things that are happening at the event.
You are part of a supply chain and understanding that one fact will enable you to be 100% more effective in your sales and marketing.
However don't think for a minute that I am trying to suggest that you should devalue or dumb down what you offer. Far from it! I am just suggesting to you that you need to focus on the right messages and those need to be what is important to the buyer rather than what is important to you.
Now - go and take this idea and see how it applies to your specific magic business and then take action. No action = No improvement, in which case you have just wasted 5 minutes reading this article. Well Done
(Comments and feedback always welcome)
If you have read part 1 and part 2, then buy now you should have a pretty good idea that the key question you need to answer (and believe the answer you give ) is : "What are you selling?"
If your answer still is 'I sell a magic show' then you are missing the point. As a magician you are not in the business of selling magic shows.
If you answer, 'Myself' then you're a bit closer. Yes, you are selling yourself. You already know that during your performance, if your audience doesn't connect with you as a person, as someone they respect, like, and admire, then you're going to have a much more difficult time entertaining them and making the act appear to be a success. The same is true before they book you, if you fail to sell yourself as the kind of person that they would like to have at their event you have made it very hard for yourself to get the booking. It doesn't matter what your fee is or how many competitions you have won - if they don't like you then you are not going to get booked..
But the real answer is not "a memory" or "a solution" these concepts are far too abstract to be helpful to you in selling the act. The real answer is you are selling security. Think about this for a moment and put yourself in the buyers shoes (always a good plan!): they may well have never booked a magician before, they may not have seem a magician before, they are organising an event for their friends, family or clients (all groups of people that they care about). The magician is just one element of the MANY things that need to be organised for the event. What does the buyer want? (a) the guests will be really entertained by the magician and it will add to the guests over all enjoyment of the evening (b) booking you will be a low stress process.
You are probably thinking that you have this covered - you tell them, at length, about your credentials your professionalism and show them a bunch of testimonials. Well, that is a start, but how do you present this to the prospect? My guess is that you think like a magician so you speak like a magician and use words that magicians use. If you really rip apart your sales materials (brochure. website and so on) does it help the buyer identify with you or have you put yourself up on a pedestal? Do you present your case for (a) and (b) above in a way that someone that has never seen a magician would grasp?
If your marketing materials claim that you will rock the world and change the guests lives and create indelible memories you are deluding yourself and in my experience that is not what buyers are looking to buy. The bride at a wedding would quite like to be the centre of attention and it would be nice for the guests to remember the wedding - do you really think you are going to shine brighter than that? At a corporate dinner in the 7 minutes 30 seconds you spend at a table do really believe that your ring flight is going to be a bigger hit than the complimentary drinks running freely all night? Of course not! If you believe that you are the main attraction you are not selling the service that the buyer is looking for and you are just being a muppet with your marketing!
So don't get sucked into believing you are selling "lasting memories" - your job as a magician is to ADD to the event in a professional way that will HELP with the guests having a great time, when COMBINED with all of the other things that are happening at the event.
You are part of a supply chain and understanding that one fact will enable you to be 100% more effective in your sales and marketing.
However don't think for a minute that I am trying to suggest that you should devalue or dumb down what you offer. Far from it! I am just suggesting to you that you need to focus on the right messages and those need to be what is important to the buyer rather than what is important to you.
Now - go and take this idea and see how it applies to your specific magic business and then take action. No action = No improvement, in which case you have just wasted 5 minutes reading this article. Well Done
(Comments and feedback always welcome)
Thursday, March 22, 2007
How unfair can you get!!
Today I am taking a short (one day) break from writing about my normal topics of the business of magic and how magicians make more profit from improved sales and business process.
Browsing a few postings on ecademy (I must be bored), amongst the usual dire and uninteresting rubbish that most ecademists usually post I found one item that was interesting....
The article pointed to a short news piece about life coaches and a very valuable use for them (at last) : the Americans are planning to parachute them into Iraq. Here is a brief snippet from the original article:
"President Bush yesterday unveiled his government’s bold new strategy to alleviate the plight of ordinary Iraqis; deploying thousands of American life-coaches. ‘With Iraqi people feeling more pessimistic now than they did a year ago, the obvious solution is to turn them into get-up-and-go optimists from within’ said Mike Finkelman of the Chicago Institute for Neuro Linguistic Programming. ‘Change is GOOD, get used to it Iraq!’
Now don't misunderstand me - I ridicule and dislike life coaches as much as the next sane human being. And of course dropping them into a war zone on the face of it sounds like a great plan. After all the few that aren't shot in the air will surely be captured on hitting the ground and taken to a torture camp somewhere?
But just for once I don't want to think about myself first. After all the people of Iraq have suffered enough haven't they? It seems inhumane to now send the life coaches in - the Americans need to show some compassion here.
Imagine you are employed as a torturer. You are just off to work minding your own business, hardly a care in the world as you ponder how much electricity you might use today.... when you are confronted by your next victim. But this time the tables are turned - it's a life coach! Your day, week.... no month is shattered. Every day this person continues to ask you questions and smiles in the vacant way that only a life coach can. No matter what you do to them, they still smile back, nod their head in a wise and condescending fashion and say "I can really see where you are coming from, but it is important for you to look within and see the hope. Why did you just put 240 volts into my left nipple?" It would be enough to make even the most experienced professional torturer kill themselves.
So have a heart. Yes, of course I agree the problem of life coaches needs to be dealt with, but lets find a better solution than just making our problem into someone else problem.
Browsing a few postings on ecademy (I must be bored), amongst the usual dire and uninteresting rubbish that most ecademists usually post I found one item that was interesting....
The article pointed to a short news piece about life coaches and a very valuable use for them (at last) : the Americans are planning to parachute them into Iraq. Here is a brief snippet from the original article:
"President Bush yesterday unveiled his government’s bold new strategy to alleviate the plight of ordinary Iraqis; deploying thousands of American life-coaches. ‘With Iraqi people feeling more pessimistic now than they did a year ago, the obvious solution is to turn them into get-up-and-go optimists from within’ said Mike Finkelman of the Chicago Institute for Neuro Linguistic Programming. ‘Change is GOOD, get used to it Iraq!’
Now don't misunderstand me - I ridicule and dislike life coaches as much as the next sane human being. And of course dropping them into a war zone on the face of it sounds like a great plan. After all the few that aren't shot in the air will surely be captured on hitting the ground and taken to a torture camp somewhere?
But just for once I don't want to think about myself first. After all the people of Iraq have suffered enough haven't they? It seems inhumane to now send the life coaches in - the Americans need to show some compassion here.
Imagine you are employed as a torturer. You are just off to work minding your own business, hardly a care in the world as you ponder how much electricity you might use today.... when you are confronted by your next victim. But this time the tables are turned - it's a life coach! Your day, week.... no month is shattered. Every day this person continues to ask you questions and smiles in the vacant way that only a life coach can. No matter what you do to them, they still smile back, nod their head in a wise and condescending fashion and say "I can really see where you are coming from, but it is important for you to look within and see the hope. Why did you just put 240 volts into my left nipple?" It would be enough to make even the most experienced professional torturer kill themselves.
So have a heart. Yes, of course I agree the problem of life coaches needs to be dealt with, but lets find a better solution than just making our problem into someone else problem.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Your website may be killing your business
You have just "taken delivery" of your shiny new website. It is not only an icon of modern graphic design but also a technical wonder that is set to be on the front page of EVERY search engine. Of course this level of sophistication has cost you dearly, but never mind you will soon get your money back because of additional gigs that the site will generate.
In fact you are so proud of your website you drive everyone to it. No - you heard them, every last one of them. Any time someone even thinks of hiring you ( you do a mind reading act don't you?) then you immediately force them across to the trusty money machine - the website.
But just stop and think for a minute.
Do they need to go and see the site? Are you just creating an unnecessary obstacle in the sales process?
If they emailed you then sending them a reply that says "yes I'm free go see the website it will tell you everything you need to know" is not going to be helpful.
If they phoned you then telling them to go and see the website it has your show reel on it is not going to be helpful.
Think about your sales process and if you are unclear about it, get a piece of paper and draw it all out.
I will write a blog later in the week telling you how to map and optimise your sales process if you need some input on this.
In the mean time if you want to make more money from your magic then book mark this site, subscribe or pick up the RSS feed.
In fact you are so proud of your website you drive everyone to it. No - you heard them, every last one of them. Any time someone even thinks of hiring you ( you do a mind reading act don't you?) then you immediately force them across to the trusty money machine - the website.
But just stop and think for a minute.
Do they need to go and see the site? Are you just creating an unnecessary obstacle in the sales process?
If they emailed you then sending them a reply that says "yes I'm free go see the website it will tell you everything you need to know" is not going to be helpful.
If they phoned you then telling them to go and see the website it has your show reel on it is not going to be helpful.
Think about your sales process and if you are unclear about it, get a piece of paper and draw it all out.
I will write a blog later in the week telling you how to map and optimise your sales process if you need some input on this.
In the mean time if you want to make more money from your magic then book mark this site, subscribe or pick up the RSS feed.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Marketing your magic business pt 2
Most magicians seem to believe that they are the "same" as the other magicians in their genre of magic - ie close-up or kids shows ect. The good news for you is that you can not possibly be the same as any other magician! Because in the world of magic YOU are the product NOT the tricks or the SHOW.
Now this is a double edged sword because it means that from a business growth perspective we have some real issues (but I will address these in a future blog). But from a marketing perspective this uniqueness is fabulous news.
Marketing is all about positioning and your confidence in your message. So step one is stop believing that you are the same as everyone else - even if your material is identical (lets face it we all do largely the same tricks).
Step two you need to position yourself as a busy and in demand performer. A real success. There is a common expression in business which is that "you should dress for the job you want to have not the one that you currently have". It's strange psychology, but people want what they can't have. The harder it is to get something, the more people want it.
You must make people believe that your diary is so full and so many people want to book you that they'll be lucky if you can squeeze them in. (Of course, it should go without saying that you need to do this without sounding like a plumber or used car sales man - you must sound authentic and professional, like you really do want to help to fit them in somehow.)
What do most magicians do when someone calls to inquire about booking them? They practically fall all over themselves to try and get the booking. Putting the customer first is one thing but sounding desperate is not appealing to the customer. Remember professional, polite - but BUSY!
When someone calls you, you need to put the basis of the discussion into terms that work for you. Turn the whole focus of the call from 'I'm calling to decide whether I want to hire him or her' to 'I hope this person is available to entertain at my event.'
Here is an example of what I mean:
'Mrs. Smith, I'm not quite sure that I'm the right entertainer for you. I may not be the magician that you need to book but let me ask you some questions and see if I can help you.'
Do you see how this works? Every other magician that she calls is going to be telling her how great their act is and will either be desperate to send her a promo DVD (you do have one don't you?) or else will be trying to close the gig. You do just the opposite, you put yourself into the position of deciding if this gig is for you NOT the prospect.
Then a later in the conversation, you can say; 'Before we go any further, let me check to see if that date is even still available.' Again, this implies that you are a busy, in demand professional.
When people perceive that you are very busy, they will also assume that you must be good and starts to condition them for the big fee you will be quoting. This may or may not be true but perception is reality in the world of sales and marketing. Ries and Trout point out that, 'Marketing is not a battle of products or services. Marketing is a battle of perceptions.'
Start developing the clients perception of you by developing the positioning that you are amongst the busiest and highest paid entertainers in the country. If you follow the advice of some others and try and be THE highest paid and busiest - you will fail. Why? You will not sound authentic!
So the second part to marketing your magic business is all about creating the illusion of success and that starts with understanding and believing that you are the product and you are UNIQUE!
Now this is a double edged sword because it means that from a business growth perspective we have some real issues (but I will address these in a future blog). But from a marketing perspective this uniqueness is fabulous news.
Marketing is all about positioning and your confidence in your message. So step one is stop believing that you are the same as everyone else - even if your material is identical (lets face it we all do largely the same tricks).
Step two you need to position yourself as a busy and in demand performer. A real success. There is a common expression in business which is that "you should dress for the job you want to have not the one that you currently have". It's strange psychology, but people want what they can't have. The harder it is to get something, the more people want it.
You must make people believe that your diary is so full and so many people want to book you that they'll be lucky if you can squeeze them in. (Of course, it should go without saying that you need to do this without sounding like a plumber or used car sales man - you must sound authentic and professional, like you really do want to help to fit them in somehow.)
What do most magicians do when someone calls to inquire about booking them? They practically fall all over themselves to try and get the booking. Putting the customer first is one thing but sounding desperate is not appealing to the customer. Remember professional, polite - but BUSY!
When someone calls you, you need to put the basis of the discussion into terms that work for you. Turn the whole focus of the call from 'I'm calling to decide whether I want to hire him or her' to 'I hope this person is available to entertain at my event.'
Here is an example of what I mean:
'Mrs. Smith, I'm not quite sure that I'm the right entertainer for you. I may not be the magician that you need to book but let me ask you some questions and see if I can help you.'
Do you see how this works? Every other magician that she calls is going to be telling her how great their act is and will either be desperate to send her a promo DVD (you do have one don't you?) or else will be trying to close the gig. You do just the opposite, you put yourself into the position of deciding if this gig is for you NOT the prospect.
Then a later in the conversation, you can say; 'Before we go any further, let me check to see if that date is even still available.' Again, this implies that you are a busy, in demand professional.
When people perceive that you are very busy, they will also assume that you must be good and starts to condition them for the big fee you will be quoting. This may or may not be true but perception is reality in the world of sales and marketing. Ries and Trout point out that, 'Marketing is not a battle of products or services. Marketing is a battle of perceptions.'
Start developing the clients perception of you by developing the positioning that you are amongst the busiest and highest paid entertainers in the country. If you follow the advice of some others and try and be THE highest paid and busiest - you will fail. Why? You will not sound authentic!
So the second part to marketing your magic business is all about creating the illusion of success and that starts with understanding and believing that you are the product and you are UNIQUE!
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
The Prestige and marketing your magic business
Have you watched: 'The Prestige'
In case you haven't seen it, it's set in Victorian England about two competing magicians, both of whom seem willing to do just about anything to one up the other. It's a great film. Not only does it treat the art of magic with respect, it weaves an extremely complex and gripping tale
that blends the classic magical themes of life, death, and resurrection with obsession and revenge.And what a kick of an ending! I can't wait to watch it again. (In case you haven't seen the movie, I won't reveal its secrets. That would betray the code... and we magicians have to keep our promises. ;-)
The title, 'The Prestige,' comes from the three-act drama inherent in every magical effect, labeled thusly:
THE PLEDGE
When we position ourselves in the minds of our potential customers, we are -- in effect -- making a promise of the benefits we can deliver.
Our pledge -- our promise -- is the guarantee that we can make to our customers, should they decide to employ our services.
If you haven't guessed, the Pledge is roughly equivalent to our USP (Unique Selling Proposition). I go through the concept of the U.S.P. in great detail in the '90 Day Market Mastery System for Magicians,' however, in short form it's simply a clearly stated promise of benefits that you can GUARANTEE to deliver your customers.
Your 'Pledge' or USP should be specific and -- just like a great magical effect -- unforgettable. The classic example of a USP comes from Dominos Pizza, 'Hot, Fresh, Pizza Delivered to Your Door in 30 Minutes or Less - Guaranteed!'
It's clear from just this example, that a great PLEDGE or USP can form the basis of an entire business strategy. When you start off any marketing piece with a clear promise of benefits you will deliver -- guaranteed -- you immediately set yourself above the competition that stumbles
along with the boring and trite, 'magic for all occasions.'
So... What kind of Pledge can you make to your customers?
In case you haven't seen it, it's set in Victorian England about two competing magicians, both of whom seem willing to do just about anything to one up the other. It's a great film. Not only does it treat the art of magic with respect, it weaves an extremely complex and gripping tale
that blends the classic magical themes of life, death, and resurrection with obsession and revenge.And what a kick of an ending! I can't wait to watch it again. (In case you haven't seen the movie, I won't reveal its secrets. That would betray the code... and we magicians have to keep our promises. ;-)
The title, 'The Prestige,' comes from the three-act drama inherent in every magical effect, labeled thusly:
- The Pledge: Where the ordinary object is unveiled.
- The Turn: The object vanishes, levitates, transforms, etc.
- The Prestige: The object reappears, becomes new, whatever.
THE PLEDGE
When we position ourselves in the minds of our potential customers, we are -- in effect -- making a promise of the benefits we can deliver.
Our pledge -- our promise -- is the guarantee that we can make to our customers, should they decide to employ our services.
If you haven't guessed, the Pledge is roughly equivalent to our USP (Unique Selling Proposition). I go through the concept of the U.S.P. in great detail in the '90 Day Market Mastery System for Magicians,' however, in short form it's simply a clearly stated promise of benefits that you can GUARANTEE to deliver your customers.
Your 'Pledge' or USP should be specific and -- just like a great magical effect -- unforgettable. The classic example of a USP comes from Dominos Pizza, 'Hot, Fresh, Pizza Delivered to Your Door in 30 Minutes or Less - Guaranteed!'
It's clear from just this example, that a great PLEDGE or USP can form the basis of an entire business strategy. When you start off any marketing piece with a clear promise of benefits you will deliver -- guaranteed -- you immediately set yourself above the competition that stumbles
along with the boring and trite, 'magic for all occasions.'
So... What kind of Pledge can you make to your customers?
Booking a Wedding Magician
"Subject: Wedding Magician
Dear Mr Magic,
My wife and I are greatly looking forward to your providing magic at our daughter's wedding.My wife and I are huge magic enthusiasts and have got together to work out a list of the tricks we would like you to perform. Obviously don't worry if you can't do all of them. Firstly any David Blaine items would be great but I especially want you to throw a card through the Bride and Groom's Limousine window when they arrive at reception, I think this would get the entertainment off to a fine start..... " Now read the full article (it is brilliant) at MagicWeek.
Dear Mr Magic,
My wife and I are greatly looking forward to your providing magic at our daughter's wedding.My wife and I are huge magic enthusiasts and have got together to work out a list of the tricks we would like you to perform. Obviously don't worry if you can't do all of them. Firstly any David Blaine items would be great but I especially want you to throw a card through the Bride and Groom's Limousine window when they arrive at reception, I think this would get the entertainment off to a fine start..... " Now read the full article (it is brilliant) at MagicWeek.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Overcoming Performance fear for new magicians
It is perfectly normal to be nervous about performing in front of an audience. But remember your brain only does what it is told to do. If you "think" that you're nervous or if you tell yourself you might make a technical mistake, forget your patter, or if you allow your conscience mind to worry that the audience might not appreciate your magic, guess what is going to happen?
You will be even more nervous, you will forget your patter and start to stammer and then you will make a clumsy mistake with that one really important move! So banish those thoughts right now! Don't let your "inner voice" convince you that you are going to have a bad time!
As you approach the last five minutes before you perform, repeat your this over and over in your mind so that it becomes your dominating thought:
I am well prepared for this show!
The audience are going to smile and love my show, the magic will be just amazing for them!
I am going to enjoy this too, the applause will be fantastic!
Say it slowly at first, then build to an energetic chant in your head. You can do it! Focusing on the positive, will help you drown out any doubts or concerns as you approach the audience.
This really does work and has helped me overcome stage freight many times! However, make sure that you ARE well prepared and that your magic is well rehearsed and the best magic that you could possibly perform for this group.
You will be even more nervous, you will forget your patter and start to stammer and then you will make a clumsy mistake with that one really important move! So banish those thoughts right now! Don't let your "inner voice" convince you that you are going to have a bad time!
As you approach the last five minutes before you perform, repeat your this over and over in your mind so that it becomes your dominating thought:
I am well prepared for this show!
The audience are going to smile and love my show, the magic will be just amazing for them!
I am going to enjoy this too, the applause will be fantastic!
Say it slowly at first, then build to an energetic chant in your head. You can do it! Focusing on the positive, will help you drown out any doubts or concerns as you approach the audience.
This really does work and has helped me overcome stage freight many times! However, make sure that you ARE well prepared and that your magic is well rehearsed and the best magic that you could possibly perform for this group.
Magic can be such a drag!
Some magicians have particularly scary pictures on their websites. You wouldn't even want them in the same street as your children let alone entertaining them in your house. I was just considering the absolute lack of half decent looking female magicians (I think the UK has three - email me for the list!) when I came across a very frightening picture of a female magician.
Well I thought I had until I read the whole article!
"Though illusion is a mainstay in drag performance, there are few who have so mastered its principles that they leave their audiences boggled by their visual hoodwinks. A drag magician, on the other hand – the hand that you thought was holding the card -, can go bust sizes beyond her cohorts when it comes to veils of illusion......" read the rest of this story
Well I thought I had until I read the whole article!
"Though illusion is a mainstay in drag performance, there are few who have so mastered its principles that they leave their audiences boggled by their visual hoodwinks. A drag magician, on the other hand – the hand that you thought was holding the card -, can go bust sizes beyond her cohorts when it comes to veils of illusion......" read the rest of this story
Max Maven in the UK
I notice on this weeks MagicWeek (excellent site by Duncan Trillo for the UK magic community) that Max Maven will be lecturing at this years South Tyneside magic convention. I travelled over to Ireland to listen Max lecture a few years ago and it was well worth the trip. If you can possibly make it then don't hesitate to get there!
The convention is running for 3 days March 16th - 18th 2007.
The convention is running for 3 days March 16th - 18th 2007.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Getting Started in Magic
Have been reflecting on whether I had been a bit harsh about the guy trying to show three card Monte (VERY BADLY) on YouTube in a previous post. My thought being that everyone has to start somewhere and magic is a pretty hard thing to get started with...
I decided that I was not being too hard on him - because basically he has screwed up in every possible way and that can't be an accident can it?
First magic is about something that you present to people to entertain them. In my view the nerds that sit in their horrible little bedrooms playing with their newest magic trick are completely missing the point. If all they want to do is collect secrets and unravel the mechanics of magic they have no need to call themselves magicians. Nerd is a perfectly adequate name for them :-)
Of course PRIOR to performing for ANYBODY you do need to spend the requisite amount of time locked in your bedroom learning the mechanics. But this is not the end game just the first step. You then need to formulate natural, entertaining and relevant patter.
Having done that go out and start performing it! Its the only way that you are going to become competent and skilled in the ART of magic. The more you perform a specific trick the more competent you will become and the more your patter will improve. Mainly because you will be getting direct feedback from the audience.
So in my view matey boy on YouTube did not spend enough time learning and honing the moves - his sleight of hand was atrocious. Then he failed to develop any appropriate patter - his words were exactly what the stereo typical naff hobbyist magician would say. Finally he didn't take the BIG step of actually looking real people in the eye and performing, instead he stayed hidden and performed for his web cam.
Hardly magical, and certainly not a magician
So on balance I was not too harsh about his video. All it did was re-enforced the negative perceptions that some audiences have about magic.
Need a trick to start leaning with? Or a book to tell you all you need to know?
I decided that I was not being too hard on him - because basically he has screwed up in every possible way and that can't be an accident can it?
First magic is about something that you present to people to entertain them. In my view the nerds that sit in their horrible little bedrooms playing with their newest magic trick are completely missing the point. If all they want to do is collect secrets and unravel the mechanics of magic they have no need to call themselves magicians. Nerd is a perfectly adequate name for them :-)
Of course PRIOR to performing for ANYBODY you do need to spend the requisite amount of time locked in your bedroom learning the mechanics. But this is not the end game just the first step. You then need to formulate natural, entertaining and relevant patter.
Having done that go out and start performing it! Its the only way that you are going to become competent and skilled in the ART of magic. The more you perform a specific trick the more competent you will become and the more your patter will improve. Mainly because you will be getting direct feedback from the audience.
So in my view matey boy on YouTube did not spend enough time learning and honing the moves - his sleight of hand was atrocious. Then he failed to develop any appropriate patter - his words were exactly what the stereo typical naff hobbyist magician would say. Finally he didn't take the BIG step of actually looking real people in the eye and performing, instead he stayed hidden and performed for his web cam.
Hardly magical, and certainly not a magician
So on balance I was not too harsh about his video. All it did was re-enforced the negative perceptions that some audiences have about magic.
Need a trick to start leaning with? Or a book to tell you all you need to know?
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Turning one trick into a 100 tricks
Magicians sometimes say that if you know 100 ways of getting a card picked and 1 way of telling the audience what that card was then you know just one card trick. BUT if you know 1 way of getting a card picked but 100 ways of telling them what it was then you know 100 tricks.
So the search is always on for new and better ways of revealing the identity of the selected card.
Just read on a the mindtrick blog that Copperfield is using an ultrasound on a pregnant woman to reveal the chosen card (!)
I guess magic must really be in his sperm... But is the baby his or is he using a random fetus?
The mind boggles at what can be done when you have unlimited cash
So the search is always on for new and better ways of revealing the identity of the selected card.
Just read on a the mindtrick blog that Copperfield is using an ultrasound on a pregnant woman to reveal the chosen card (!)
I guess magic must really be in his sperm... But is the baby his or is he using a random fetus?
The mind boggles at what can be done when you have unlimited cash
Saturday, March 03, 2007
What is a corporate magician ?
I am often asked this question - so thought that I would answer it here
Whilst growing up, few if any children ever say they want to be a “corporate magician” when they are adults! Some might want to be wizards, conjurors or straight magicians - but that is a different line of work. In the UK there are VERY few corporate magicians in fact I would say less than 20 - so this is still a very specialised and small niche. However in the US there are many more and really that is where the idea of a corporate magician stems from.
In brief terms a corporate magician - uses magic as a communication tool for organisations. It is a blend of the skills of a magician (20%) and the skills of a coach / marketer or other business professional (80%). Therefore it is impossible to become a corporate magician without having developed business acumen in a corporate or public body. As the emphasis is on communication, those that become successful at corporate magic are generally from a marketing / sales or similar discipline. It would be virtually impossible for someone that has grown up in magic and entertainment to make the transition to being a corporate magician. The vital element is the ability to develop communication strategies that are viable for clients. To be honest pretty much anyone can learn the magic skills required. Obviously performing quality magic is important (otherwise you are not really a corporate magician you are a communications consultant!), but the magic can be learned far more easily than the requisite marketing skills. The use of magic is a visual and emotional hook.
Having defined the nature of the skills required to be a corporate magician, where typically will a “corporate magician” be found? Many place; speaking at conferences; presenting at internal company meetings; helping to sell at trade shows or presenting training workshops (usually on communication or presenting skills). There appears to be a huge myth in the world of magic that if you perform close-up magic at a corporate dinner, or you do some clever magic tricks (occasionally mentioning your clients name) at a trade show then you have suddenly “arrived” as a corporate magician. Let me be very clear this is not the case. If you do close-up magic at a corporate diner then you are a close-up magician. If you do magic tricks at a trade show then you are probably still a close-up magician but you have been hired as a “stand attraction”. You might be VERY GOOD at building a crowd, but then a troop of strippers in the middle of the NEC or perhaps a rattle snake in a box would have the exact same effect. The strippers would not call themselves “corporate strippers” and the snake would not (I imagine) consider itself to be actively working with the client on their marketing strategy. So why do magicians believe that simply being employed to build a crowd makes them a “corporate magician” - I don’t really know but I imagine that it is to do with fees.
There are many magicians, there are very few true “corporate magicians” - so if you wanted to hire the genuine article how can you sort the wheat from the chaff? Simple, here is the one ‘golden bullet’ question. Ask them what they did before they learnt about magic and started using it professionally. Even easier, if in their marketing literature (and they will have lots of it) they make a feature of telling you that they have been in magic since the age of two years old, you will know that you have found a fantastic wizard, conjuror or straight magician. Won’t you?
Whilst growing up, few if any children ever say they want to be a “corporate magician” when they are adults! Some might want to be wizards, conjurors or straight magicians - but that is a different line of work. In the UK there are VERY few corporate magicians in fact I would say less than 20 - so this is still a very specialised and small niche. However in the US there are many more and really that is where the idea of a corporate magician stems from.
In brief terms a corporate magician - uses magic as a communication tool for organisations. It is a blend of the skills of a magician (20%) and the skills of a coach / marketer or other business professional (80%). Therefore it is impossible to become a corporate magician without having developed business acumen in a corporate or public body. As the emphasis is on communication, those that become successful at corporate magic are generally from a marketing / sales or similar discipline. It would be virtually impossible for someone that has grown up in magic and entertainment to make the transition to being a corporate magician. The vital element is the ability to develop communication strategies that are viable for clients. To be honest pretty much anyone can learn the magic skills required. Obviously performing quality magic is important (otherwise you are not really a corporate magician you are a communications consultant!), but the magic can be learned far more easily than the requisite marketing skills. The use of magic is a visual and emotional hook.
Having defined the nature of the skills required to be a corporate magician, where typically will a “corporate magician” be found? Many place; speaking at conferences; presenting at internal company meetings; helping to sell at trade shows or presenting training workshops (usually on communication or presenting skills). There appears to be a huge myth in the world of magic that if you perform close-up magic at a corporate dinner, or you do some clever magic tricks (occasionally mentioning your clients name) at a trade show then you have suddenly “arrived” as a corporate magician. Let me be very clear this is not the case. If you do close-up magic at a corporate diner then you are a close-up magician. If you do magic tricks at a trade show then you are probably still a close-up magician but you have been hired as a “stand attraction”. You might be VERY GOOD at building a crowd, but then a troop of strippers in the middle of the NEC or perhaps a rattle snake in a box would have the exact same effect. The strippers would not call themselves “corporate strippers” and the snake would not (I imagine) consider itself to be actively working with the client on their marketing strategy. So why do magicians believe that simply being employed to build a crowd makes them a “corporate magician” - I don’t really know but I imagine that it is to do with fees.
There are many magicians, there are very few true “corporate magicians” - so if you wanted to hire the genuine article how can you sort the wheat from the chaff? Simple, here is the one ‘golden bullet’ question. Ask them what they did before they learnt about magic and started using it professionally. Even easier, if in their marketing literature (and they will have lots of it) they make a feature of telling you that they have been in magic since the age of two years old, you will know that you have found a fantastic wizard, conjuror or straight magician. Won’t you?
Stand Out from the Pack with a Trade Show Magician
And another similar article - but this time not written by a magician!! (so it might be less biased)
Stand Out from the Pack with a Trade Show Magician
Stand Out from the Pack with a Trade Show Magician
Tips on Booking a Trade Show Magician in the UK
This article was fairly interesting, they have missed the point about why a corporate magician is different and they are largely talking about a magician as a stand attraction. The main point however is that at least they are promoting the idea of using a magic at trade shows!
Tips on Booking a Trade Show Magician in the UK
Tips on Booking a Trade Show Magician in the UK
Tips on Booking a Trade Show Magician in the UK
This article was fairly interesting, they have missed the point about why a corporate magician is different and they are largely talking about a magician as a stand attraction. The main point however is that at least they are promoting the idea of using a magic at trade shows!
Tips on Booking a Trade Show Magician in the UK
Tips on Booking a Trade Show Magician in the UK
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