I was recently asked to write a column/blog post on how many ways do entertainers need to market. This came about initially when I was asked a similar question during an interview and the host seemed stunned at my answer. I had explained that while many of us would like to seek out a "magic bullet" in which we find one method that becomes gold and generates all of your bookings/income, I explained that this was rarely the case, if ever, and that too many waste their time chasing after and trying to find that holy grail of marketing.

So I pose the question to you, how many different means or methods of marking, advertising and promotion do you do to get bookings, generate business and sustain your business? If you decided to increase your business by say 20-25% what methods would be your go-to methods you trust to reach this target?

Of course, I know much of this depends on the performance markets you serve, the type of performer you are, and even where you are located (tourist area vs. out in the middle of nowhere, etc.) But as anyone in business or any amount of time knows, there are tried and true methods that are your preferred and best performing, as well as others you choose not to waste your time with. Of course, word of mouth and referrals are the most cost-effective and preferred, that is a given, but other than these, what are your thoughts?

I market to the children’s entertainment market.
A few things that come to mind are:
In person visits
email blasts
Hard copy flyers
Conference displays
Meeting presentations
Website presence
Social media
Post show giveaways

My most often go to method of increasing bookings is emailing a specific flyer to as many relevant recipients as possible. My go to method of increasing bookings when looking a bit further down the time line is to increase in-person interactions with targeted individuals, groups and/or market types.

I'm not the best barometer on how to book (market) shows, but to me nothing beats a direct target market. On the occasions whereby I found a perfect match for my style of show and a particular event, I've hit a homerun just about every time. I've reached these groups by phone call, letter or an email.

To me, nothing beats having a GREAT SHOW. If you do a fantastic job, the odds are in your favor that you'll be called back next year for another command performance. I have to say that most of my work is repeat business. I'm already up to 10 Christmas show bookings, all of which are customers that have me back year after year.

Gerry

Gerry- thanks for the point about phone calls- that is very high on my list as well, often used as a follow up to email blasts for some of the targets as well as past clients.

All of my marketing efforts revolve around getting long term residencies. I never liked the idea that every time you finish a show you are out of work. (That is extreme, but the sentiment is right.) The constant revolving of materials and finding new leads seems absolutely exhausting to me.

That makes a lot of sense Danny. That's a topic that could be explored way more in depth I think!

It certainly could, but so few do it that it wouldn't really matter if we did.

I do one off shows that result from long term gigs but never market for them. I have always just thought that I can spend time and resources to get the long term job and then spend that time and money I'm not spending marketing doing things I actually enjoy doing.

In truth (And Mindpro can tell you this is absolutely the truth.) I do NOT enjoy the business end of this at all. I do not like having to be on the phone or Web or any of the hundreds of tasks necessary to be successful in the one night show markets. As I said it seems exhausting to me and you may as well have a job.

So to me the idea is not to have to do all that work. The disadvantages do come into play. For example odds are pretty good you might have to relocate. I lived in Chicago, Key Largo, Branson, Las Vegas, and usually more than 6 months a year in some Caribbean destination. In other words you may not find a long term residency in your own back yard. If you are not willing to move to chase it then it is meaningless.

In reality that is sort of the only disadvantage of doing it that way. But it a completely different mindset. It isn't for everyone and the approach to doing things this way is vastly different from what you read in all the courses.

When you do long term, do you 100% move to that town, or do you keep your home base and just rent a short term apartment or something where you got the contract?
Obviously that could vary from gig to gig but what is the normal for you?

We do a complete move. I was born in Chicago so that was home. Then Key Largo for 3 years, Branson for 10 and Las Vegas for almost 4 now. We still own the home in Branson where my mom lives so we are Missouri residents. (She also watches our dogs when we are out of the country for long periods of time.)

So we commit to it. Burn the boats if you will. Google Cortez or read this for a reference. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.......net/amp/

I happen to believe that in an unrelated point performers who do not burn their boats have more trouble succeeding than those who do. I'm not encouraging anyone to so. Just pointing out an opinion.

I think you are right. That doesn't only mean moving... if you quit your job and focus 100% on your entertainment business you have to figure out how to make it work. If you keep your job and do magic on the side, it's very easy to fall back into the easy, steady paycheck. I know that from experience! (It's even worse for me, as my fall back job is a lot of fun and pays pretty good.)

I wonder if so few try to get long-term work because they don't think the work is out there? It certainly seems logical to me that if you are going to invest time and moeny into marketing your performances, it's a better ROI if you market to those who would hire you for months at a time.

As someone who has worked with thousands of performers, I can tell you 95% of them have no idea there are even any other entertainment business models other than the get a gig, do a gig and look for more bookings. The closest are probably local-level restaurant workers and those serving the amusement parks industry where the simply view them as "accounts", but not as a different business model.

Danny's business model, while on the surface can be appealing to many, there is much to it that comes into play that does not under the standard "default" business model. There is often a great deal more pressure, higherups to answer to and be accountable to on several levels, higher stakes, and in many ways is an "all your eggs in one basket" type of model. Like 2/4-walling, I have seen guys riding high while all things are good, yet become completely destroyed and devastated when it ends unexpectedly and they are left with nothing.

I spent 10 years in working that business model and it was very fruitful. I actually created a specialty agency to accommodate that model and marketplace, and also a production company to create and produce several of our own shows. There is a lot to learn about that model and part of the industry but for us it lead to other venues, growth to other properties within the portfolio, tours, and more.

But like I said, I don't think most performers have any idea about other business models including this one.

Absolutely right. All the eggs in one basket can be unappealing and I have seen many an example of the ruin losing the basket can cause. We went through it to a point in each transition. Life happens. I actively strive to not have them all in the one basket. Fortunately having a marketable show is never out of style.

In reality the transition is not much worse than having a show patch in marketing day to day. That happens to lots of guys.

Also the longer you do it this was the easier the transition actually is.

I feel like that is true for all areas of entertainment. From birthday parties to headlining in Vegas.

Not the same at all. Huge difference in the amount of pressure, expectations, financial responsibility on the line, reputation, and one mistake, one poor performance, one specific dissatisfied customer could have millions of dollars at stake and extreme ramifications. Nothing like birthday parties or most type of performance markets at all, sorry. Unless I'm misunderstanding you.

I was saying your statement is true across the board in entertainment, not that the pressures were exactly the same.

Is anyone using targeted Facebook ads through their ad manager? Love to visit about what you’ve learned.

Sorry for the delay.. I get busy and forget to come check out the Café...

FB Ads can be epic, or a bust..
It is not industry or market specific but campaign planning specific.

You don't just want to run ads to your website, they has very little success.
A basic setup that I have found works in MANY industries and markets (I currently manage almost 100k in FB adspend across 60 companies, 3 are speakers, none are magicians. I state this for disclosure)

The Ad itself is just 1 part, you need a full marketing FUNNEL and Lead Nurture Plan.. So get out the paper and pencil 1st

Work backwards. Start with what you want to sell and then extract something. That is your "foot in the door"
I used to do a ton of corporate trade shows so I would use things like... "10 point Trade Show Booth Traffic Checklist"
The Ad would be "Don't lose leads at ______, get the 10 point checklist" ... Target specific shows, and businesses who where vendors the year before (yeah I got high conversions and built good marketing lists)

The landing page has a 3 min video explaining the "PAIN" the client has and how the "Checklist" is going to answer it...
Collect enough info, but not more than you need. I normally ask for : Business email, Name, Cell #
Also Add a FB tracking Pixel to the landing page (retarget them with ads to get them back to download the checklist, use Testimonials like "Did you see how X generated 3x more leads just by using tip #3 in the 10 point checklist?")
After the form they get redirected to the thank-you page
- They get a "What to expect from the checklist video"
- A link to get the checklist
- An offer to book a Trade Show Traffic Secrets Session with ME
(have a different FB pixel, so you can target them if they don't book the strategy Session)

Use a Nurture Campaign to follow up to set the meeting
Tag the list properly for industry... Email them Monthly and 90, 60, 30 days before industry specific shows...

I automate everything so All I see is new ppl on my list and get a SMS when someone books an appointment on my schedule
On the strategy session we go over all 10 points and help them set a plan for each, including Entertainment (HINT HINT I get them to book me)

I had about 80% booking rate for the sessions...
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Clients who use a similar process to book appointments and meetings are on average paying $2.50 per meeting and under $10 for closed deal ...


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I hope laying out the process of using FB ads as "Top of Funnel" and not direct sales helps, and keeps you from wasting money..

Mike - Thank you for such a thoughtful response. I am President of our local SAM magic club and am looking into how best to harvest folks interested enough in magic to get involved in a club. You have given me much to ponder. Thank you again for taking the time to post. Dave

My pleasure.. if you have any questions feel free to reach out..