I want to post a simple Top 10 tip guide for parents on my website on the key ingredients for a succesful party. Any thoughts on what to include?

Thanks

Mark

Well, number 10 HAS to be "Hire Mark for your party!"

The other items should be practical, useful, and ... in my opinion, point to you and what you can provide.

Here are a couple:

-- Make sure to start the entertainment at least a half-hour into the actual event. Families straggle in and you don't want anyone to miss out on the fun!

-- Put balloons on the outside of your house on your mailbox, car, a chair in the driveway, whatever to make it easier for your guests (and the entertainer) to find your home.

Good luck!

--Jack Turk

Mark:

I bet if you visit a few other magician's websites you'll find plenty of Party Planning Tips there. It will be enough to give you ideas so you can create your own.

Years ago I used to offer this but it has become so commonplace today, much like floating the birthday child, that I dropped it completely. Remember, it's harder to sell your act when your show and marketing efforts resembles your competition.

Enjoy,

Gerry

Mark,

I googled a couple of sites that have some pretty good ideas. Personally I like the third link the best.

Good luck,

Jered

http://www.easy-party-ideas-and-games.co......eas.html

http://entertaining.about.com/od/general......vice.htm

http://www.party-ideas-galore.com/party-planning-list.html

See a page on exactly this topic on my (former) kids' magic website:

http://www.goodmagic.com/magician/planner.htm

Do you mean the list that helps them? Or the list that helps you?

Here's the real list:
10. don't yell "come on in kids, the magician's here" right when he arrives.
9. have the show in a room big enough for a magic show.
8. don't give the kids handouts right before the show, e.g. magic wands, hats, etc.
7. don't make snacks available to kids during the magic show
6. keep toddlers from wandering thru the show.
5. arrange the furniture in the room that makes a show possible before I get there.
4. don't tell the kids to be quiet and polite. My show thrives on hecklers, show-offs, know-it-alls. Nothing more entertaining for all than to see a know-it-all eat his words in front of all his kiddie friends.
3. don't expect a rabbit. there won't be a rabbit. there will never be a rabbit.
2. don't make me chase you around to get my check after the show. find me. pay me.
1. be prepared to give a nice cash tip if you really enjoyed the show

Go Frank!
I would actually include these, phrased in a way that's about the customer getting the best show you can provide. "I can provide a memorable and very entertaining show for your child and guests, and here's what YOU can do to help me make it the best birthday party show your child has ever seen!" Seriously, I think it would be a good idea to tell birthday moms how the little things can make a big difference. Oh, number one.. deflate the bounce castle during the show. Number 2: Parents, shut-UP and enjoy the show! You are so much louder than you think you are.

1. If your already comparing me to someone else you've already seen, then I'm not the entertainer you want.

2. If I'm the last option on your list, after your child wanted a party in the local bowling alley, jungle gym, wacky warehouse, laser-quest or ice-rink, but you've discovered they have already been booked up. So you call me because I'm your last resort, then I don't want your work. (I should have been your first choice, and I would much rather work for a child that wants to see me).

3. If your about to heckle me on my fee, then again, I'm not the entertainer you want. The price I quote will not be changed just because you think its a game to try and get me to beg for work with you.

4. If you want me to dress like a clown and yet keep 30+ children perfectly quiet for a full hour or two, then I'm not the entertainer you want. In my show, the kids laugh and scream and join in constantly. I have never met a child that can be quiet for that long, so expecting me to perform a miracle is your first mistake. Its about controlling the children while having fun, not putting them into state of paralysed fear so that they keep perfectly still and silent just because that's what the parents want. This is a child's birthday party and they want to have fun.

5. If you invite over 100 children, and then hire me to perform a 25 minute show, expecting every child to get a free balloon animals as well, then again, I'm, not the person you want for your show.

6. If you have the show in a farmhouse on top of a hill, which is down a dirt-track and requires a 4x4 to get there, in the snow. With several farm-gates to open to even get close, and still have to walk 200 metres with all my equipment to perform a 5th birthday party show when the only child there is 5, and the only other guests are the parents and grandparents. Then I'm not the entertainer you want (this happened to me last Christmas).

7. If you want me for a charity show, with no money involved. Don't even think about calling me. (Yet they still do, almost daily).

8. If you want to book me for the 1 hour show on a boat, yet the boat ride lasts 2 hours, thinking you can get a free hour out of me. When instead all your doing is making me very late to my next booking (again, this happened to me).

9. If you book a children's entertainer for a party of adults who are dressed as 'babies', in giant diapers. Because this is the theme of the party and they thought having a kids entertainer put on a child's birthday show for a room full of adults would be funny (again, this has happened to me).

10. If none of the above situations seen abnormal to you, then don't book me either.

Wow!