I'd like to hear any suggestions regarding Back of the Room sales, specifically - how many products to offer, price ranges, creating product packages and what products tend to sell the best. This would be for a family-type audience. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

I just finished three family shows today at Streamer No. 10 Theater in Albany, NY, an annual event on my schedule. It's a neat little 120 seat theater that targets children and families. My daughter handles the BOR and today she did about $400 in sales - not bad for a 15 year old.

The main product was a bag of six tricks and a booklet of 102 EZ magic tricks that she bought wholesale for Robbins in NJ ( http://www.ezmagicrobbins.com/drhome.html )and put in a clear 6"x9" zip lock bag ( http://www.clearviewbag.com/) . Here's what's in the bag:

Fortune Telling Fish
Magic Computer Age Cards
Floating Princess
Devil's Hook
Butterfly Puzzle
Two Card Monte
102 EZ Magic Tricks Booklet

The cost, including the bag is under $2.00; she sold them for $7.00. Plus, she had a dozen Svengali Decks that all sold as well as six Haunted Hanks. She even sold one large Magic Set that included a DVD for $35 that cost $15 wholesale. Afterwards, she said she thought that she could have gotten $40 for it. You never know.

The bags are very popular, but she also finds that some people want something a bit more, hence the other items.

We have found that we sell about 25-30 bags for every 100 people in the audience which is good considering that we are talking parents and their children. That should give you a rough idea of how much to bring.

Good luck.
Jim

MK,

I have found that it's best to have items in various price ranges so that any audience member no matter what their socio-economic situation is - can afford at least one thing at the BOR table.

For example, photos can go for $2.00, silk to egg is $5.00, a magic set goes for $10.00 and a learn to do magic video can go for $15.00. Of course and (I think Jim might agree) it's a good idea to offer a package price for ALL items to tempt your customers into parting with a bit more of their money at one time.

No matter what they purchase, I always bag it and include in the bag a one page catalog/order blank with all of my products listed so that even if they don't have the money then, they can always order them from me at a later date! Ahhh, multiple streams of income... It's a beautiful thing!

Hope this info helps.

Regards,

Lyndel

You might want to check out John Kaplan's http://www.fundraisingmagic.com/products/index.asp site, to see the kinds of things he is successfully selling at family-focused shows.

Magic sets, T-shirts, souvenir posters, signed pictures etc. The list of things you can sell is endless! I also recommend authoring a magic book/booklet. Not only can you sell this, it also positions you as an expert ("he wrote a book, he MUST be good!"

There are a few pre-written magic instruction books that you can buy the reprint/re-sale rights to, so that you haven't even got to worry about writing. If that is a route you want to take, check out http://www.moremoneywithmagic.com/cj.htm

(I own this product and it is good, although I have tweaked it around a fair bit to meet my personal requirements. It's certainly a good start though, but at the end of the day you still need to put in some effort!)

Hope that helps! If you need any more info on anything I've said, feel free to PM me.

And ALL THE BEST with your BOR development.

Kind regards
Mike

I have done very well selling a $5.00 kit in a bag like Jim was talking about and magic wands for $2.00. Check out the kits at http://www.fivedollarmagickit.com/

What about corporate BOR sales what would you include

Marvins Magic manufactures an executive magic set that is perfect for the corporate market. I don't know what they wholesale for, but retail, they are a bit pricey... But then again, we're talking about corporate market BOR... They can afford it! You can read their description of it at http://www.marvinsmagic.com/Products/executive-magic-1.html

Lyndel

Hello all just happened upon this thread! all your suggestions are great, but here is the problem I was having.........time! putting together the bags, magic sets etc. talking about going thru a couple hundred bags a weekend then finding the time during the week to put them together on top of all the other things(bookings, marketing etc.) so I would like to share some things that I found that are extremely simple and sell like crazy, plus take up less space etc. I am sharing this because the products are great and have made me a lot of extra income!
the first one is called invisible magic dust(in bulk it would cost you as little as 5 cents and I have sold these for 5 dollars each!)
second is the abra-kid-abra activity book........simply awesome, coloring/activity book much better then the generic ones you can get at some places and totally customizable....(not to mention an awesome source of extra income and Im not talking about just from selling them)
I would suggest that if you guys are serious about having awesome and unique BOR please check these out
http://www.TheDean.net/shop/aka.php this will bring you to the abra-kid-abra
http://www.TheDean.net/shop/imd.php this is for the magic dust

you will have to cut and paste these into your browser, I couldn't figure out how to creat a link, also this is not an affiliate program I just like to share good quality(money making products) with fellow performers!
Greg

Aaron looks pretty good and cheap

You have to check out http://www.magicmasterclass.com this product will outsell the others. Check out the thread on tricks and effects.

Bro OH MY GOD that is really fantastic DVD Offer

Very Nice. Thanks for the link to those folks!

-Ed

Hey guys , We have had many pros who have bought this ask us to raise the price!
(after they bought it of course!)LOL
iceentertainment,
the dvd pays for itself in only 6 sales! the rest is PROFIT for YEARS! cool ,eh? sorry I am canadian.

I am Andrew Gerard (the creator of this idea and product),Paul Romhany is my
partner in crime, he designed the website http://www.magicmasterclass.com
who would have thought this would have become so popular so quick?

Bro Gilbert, I am glad to see the product has been selling for you!

Your Friend in magic,
Andrew Gerard

What an AWESOME idea. Respect to you guys for coming up with such a great product!

Kind regards
Mike

Thanks Mike,

We are currently shooting vol 2&3..
Cheers Andrew