Hello everybody!

My name is Alex, I am a 26-year-old mind reader from germany.

Just to let you know where I am at, I will be honest about my experience:

I just recently started doing paid gigs, I have performed at a wedding, two corporate events and one private party.
Other than that, I mostly do open mics, variety shows, comedy clubs and charity events to practice my act and gain experience.
Also, I perform a two-person mindreading/hypnosis theatre show with a partner; we have done two shows so far, and four more are coming up.


I have a 20-minute act, a 30-minute act and a 45 minute-act as well as a walkaround-set ready.

My goal is to start doing more paid gigs, preferably at corporate events and weddings.

Before I start cold calling and otherwise selling my services, I want to have my promotional material ready.
So far, I only have a website, social media sites and a business / calling card.


What do you guys think I should add to my promotional material to send out to potential clients?

Also, what should be my next steps in general to reach my goal?

By the way, I am still a student and my budget is quite limited. But I try to do one thing at a time and slowly get there.
I just need a bit of guidance, I guess!




Any tips and pieces of advice are very much appreciated.


Greetings,
Alex

Hey Alex, welcome! After two days and 100 views I’m not sure why others haven’t chimed in to offer you some assistance, so I will be happy to try to offer you some insight.

I’m not sure if we’ve corresponded by PM or not as I have several students and clients in Germany.

A couple of questions:

Is your performance truly market-ready? Is it polished, rehearsed and presented to the point where it offers value to these markets at your current point? Not just in your eyes but in the eyes of these markets?

When you say you want to do corporate gigs and weddings, do you have any experience or market knowledge about either of these markets? Also I have found many newer or younger performers have their own perceptions of these markets, so would you mind clarifying these? Do you see yourself doing stage performances or walkaround for these events? The term “corporate market” has many different connotations and perceptions to performers, what do you mean or think of when you say “corporate”?

Do you understand what a corporate performer is? Corporate-appropriate content and expectations?

I always suggest learning and knowing as much info as you can about a market before beginning to market to them. Market research is a topic that should be of great interest to you. I personally have never understood how some performers think they can start marketing to a specific performance market without having any true knowledge of the market, they’re interests, needs, expectations, concerns, etc.

As far as promotional materials I think having a website is a great first step. Also I would suggest a very decent one-sheet, bio and promotional video as well. These cover most requests and lead gen responses when prospecting. You may want a proper and effective business card for in-person marketing and opportunities, especially if doing walkaround. Learn as much about these as you can. Again, knowing if you are targeting consumer or professional markets will make a difference in the materials you will need and the marketing process and procedures you will utilize. This again, is why clarification is required. Just like your show should be created and appropriate for the markets you service, so should your promotional materials.

Out of curiosity how are you currently planning on marketing to these two markets? Just wondering what ideas you currently have in mind?

Also do you know how to properly present and sell your services if you do get responses or inquiries to your marketing efforts? There’s nothing worse and more frustrating to a beginning performer than getting your show to the point of being market-ready, putting in the effort to get all of your marketing materials and website up and ready, then start putting in the time, effort and money to do some marketing, only completely drop the ball when it comes to fielding inquires by not being prepared and properly ready to present your services and convert the sale.

I understand you limited budget but you must invest in yourself and your success.

You are at a very exciting time and place, I wish you the best as you approach this. I am sure you can find some very helpful and useful information and resources here in Tricky Business.

Thank you very much for taking the time to write such an elaborate post, Mindpro!

Yes, I do believe that my act is market-ready. Of course, I am still performing bits of it at every chance I get, and still improve on it, but I am quite happy with it right now.

I would like to only do stage shows one day, and not do any walkaround.
However, I want to try walkaround performances for the moment as well:
1. for additional income
2. because there definitely are potential clients looking for this type of performance
3. I hope it helps me connect with important people and market my stage act.

When I think about corporate, I think about well-paying gigs at corporate events (christmas partys, anniversarys, etc.).
I am sure there are many different types of events in this market, but I do not really know much about it.
I do know that other entertainers in my area perform at these events and have quite some success with it.
How do I find out more about this? How do I research about it? How do I find out how to sell myself in these markets?



My perception of what a corporate show entails is: polished, fast-paced, clean, and customizable to a company and their slogan or message.
Please correct me if I'm off-track!


What do you mean by one-sheet and bio?
What should be on my one-sheet, and what shouldn't?


Regarding selling my services / closing deals:
I am in the process of learning all this. I plan on writing phone-scripts /bullet point lists for outbound calls and booking inquiries.
Also I try to think about ways to express that my show is fulfilling needs and what my potential clients can gain from booking me.
Not only telling people that I have amazing mind reading abilities...
Any advice on where I can learn more about selling my kind of services?


Sorry, I have a lot of questions.
Thank you again for taking the time!

Greetings,
Alex

There are currently very healthy corporate and wedding markets in Germany. And yes, the walkaround is actually currently quite popular there at such events, more so than here in the states.

I work with several that work the European wedding market and it is a strong market for mentalists.

Just remember when working the wedding market, you are working as part of someone’s very special day, perhaps even a day of a lifetime as it is to many brides and their families, so there is a great responsibility that comes with accepting a booking for such “lifetime" events for the couple. They have great expectations. And the entertainment is one of the most important and remembered aspects of a wedding reception and can play a crucial role in determining a reception’s overall success.

For nearly 30 years one of my companies has specialized in the wedding market and even has been producing Wedding/Bridal Shows for 25 of those years. While it appears on the surface as a consumer market it also is a professional market, which you should know and understand in your approach.

As far as corporate I would suggest you do a bit more market research as I, and most companies, do not consider holiday parties and anniversaries corporate events. That why I said, be sure you have an understanding of what is usually meant or inferred when professionals in corporate circles refer to corporate events.

There are several threads here about consumer and professional markets which have been helpful to several performers in Germany as well as here in the states.

While what you offered a in your definition of the corporate market may be partially included in the true definition, it is missing a great deal. Slogans and messages can come into play in certain aspects of the corporate market, but not generally overall in other areas of corporate work.

Definitely learn more about one sheets and bios. I do cover this topic and offer some samples of both and the different types you should be aware of, as well and demo video storyboards and so much more in my "Entertainer’s Business Toolkit” which could be a great affordable starting point for this and other areas you are soon likely to face (since you asked). PM and I can give you more info on this if you're interested.

Being aware of your posts here on mentalism topics, I’m sure you could eventually do well in these markets there, but just like studying and learning your mentalism, you do have to also learn much about the business side. Remember, success as an entertainer is created in the business side of what we do and your operation, not from your performance. Your performance is only your product (which does have to be polished and up to expectations.)

In just a few months I will be re-releasing (for the first time on many years) my Getting Started In Entertainment Business program and training. While it is designed for new and beginning performers (not just a magician’s course), many current working pros can find benefit of it as well, especially in today's landscape. I’ve spent the last five years updating and revising it. Then my more advance program will follow hopefully later next year.

No problems with the questions, many here are willing to share and help. There are some very valuable threads here on everything from creating a business operational system, to becoming market-ready, to using press and media to gain exposure, credibility and positioning, to marketing insights, to sound systems and much more.

I also have some material from last year’s Mindvention (were you there?) where I was a featured guest and also held my own advanced entertainment business workshop that may also interest you.

Just remember, markets are not as they appear at a glance or on the surface. To be taken seriously in a specific market you have to understand how the market operates, their nuances, their processes and the preferred ways they choose to operate and conduct business. Otherwise you will always be fighting an uphill battle and be a hampster on the wheel always chasing your next booking.

Thank you very much Mindpro.

It is clear to me that I have a lot of learning to do.
I will check out the tricky business section for other business-related themes and work on getting a better understanding of the business side of things.

Thanks again,

Alex

Some questions first...

- WHO is your target audience?
- WHY are you cold calling?

Those two questions will need to be addressed before anything. Why?

Are you trying to be a generalist or a specialist? Having a site that shouts "I'll do ANY gig I can get" versus POSITIONING yourself as an expert in a specific niche market will ultimately allow you to command higher performance fees and build sustained credibility.

Personally, it sounds like no thought went into this before launching your site.

Who is your "dream client"?

That was kind of my thoughts too. There is no real business foundation or structure in pace yet, just the typical default mentality of "I have my show together and ready to go, so now it's time to market." This is how most will approach it without these foundational understandings and guidance.

Has there been proper market research, educataion and understanding, has a Target Customer Profile been identified, and so much more.

It always amazes me that performers will put years of time and effort into their performance, yet not think about, expect or be willing to do the same for their business and operations. I'm not saying Alexxander, but just in general. You must approach performing as a business for anything more than a hobby or for fun. With that comes understanding, education and the tools and resources to make that happen - just like you have for your performance.

Its just like someone who enjoys cooking, that believes they can simply open a restaurant. Just because one can cook well, in no way makes them ready or able to open, and operate a restaurant, yet alone being done successfully. It then becomes about soooo much more than just the food. Performing is the same way. The minute you do this for pay, the minute you go to market the "shift" as I call it begins and it becomes about much more than just the food or the performance.

I have always found the sooner one realizes this the more time, effort and money they save and the sooner they start getting results. Those that realize this early on and work on both the performance AND the business side of the picture together, simultaneously have the best chances of succeeding.

I guess this is why I asked the questions I did above. To identify and create an understanding that many performers just stating out have yet to figure out.


Btw Michael, congratulations on a very well done job on Eric's website. I have a couple of questions for you by PM when possible.

Hello Mindpro. I tried to pm you but your in box is full

Yea, sorry about that. I regularly get many PMs each day and end up having a full PM box much of the week, but this week has been extra crazy because of everything happening here in Las Vegas. I will try to get to some of them today and clear some space.

In the meantime I will send you a PM you can respond to, which allows us to work around the PM maximum limit. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I look forward to hearing from you.

Mindpro,

I am having the same issues. You can always email me or look me up on Facebook

eatonmagic1212@gmail.com

facebook.com/eatonmagic