I recently thought that I should give restaurant work a try. But then it occurred to me I need to find a job . So since I haven't seen any "magician wanted" signs in restaurant windows I thought I would ask here. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I suggest you obtain copies of Scott Hollingsworth's book Cashing In On Close-Up Magic; The Magic Menu, Years 1-5 & Years 6-10; Kirk Charles' Manual of Restaurant Magic; Jim Sisti notes; Jim Pace's material. After you have read these, you will have the info necessary.

Regards,

Paul Green

Yeah but if he needs a job he probably can't afford to go out and buy all these. I've never done it, but I have performed a thing here and there casually and have been asked if I wanted to do some stuff at the bar/restaurant/whatever on a regular basis. So I say have a couple of knockout things ready, go to wherever you might want to work at and say you think it would add fun and maybe even more customers to the place if you do some magic, then show the person what you mean. Be prepared though. Very prepared.

Anabelle

Cardsharp,

Restaurants are the best marketing oportunity you can get yourself into. The people who call you from the cards you hand out there are not "shoppers." They've seen your work and come to you specifically for a booking. Name your price. They typically won't blink because they want you at their event.

Now you've asked a very big question!

...But have you asked these?

Are you comitted to perform at the same place every week?
Do you have a back-up magician to fill in for you when you get another booking, get sick or want to take a vacation?

What kind of restaurant do you want to work in? (family, sports bar, high end elegant, etc.)
More specifically what kind of spin off work do you want to get from the gig? Honestly speaking, restaurants are a paid promotional oportunity. Sure you provide a service, but you are also handing out your card. Family restaurants will generate birthday party work, and bars will generate corporate work. It is how you are perceived by the customers.

How do you want to be perceived?
Are you there for the kids, adults, or both?

What service are you providing to the restaurant?
Is is magic, is it balloons too, is it that you promote their specials in your patter. Why should they hire you?

Can the restaurant afford you?
Are you open to negotiate for multiple nights a week, or trade part of your fee for a free meal each night you work?

(Please, please, please, don't do it just for tips!)

Is the restaurant's clientelle your target market? You can't get spin off work from customers who can't afford your rates.

This is just the start of a long list. I could go on and on with it but I won't.

Get the Kirk Charles' book if you can only get one that Paul listed. If you can get more do it.

Ask yourself a ton of questions and know yourself and your motivation before getting into restaurant work.
Some of your motivations will help get you into the gig.

Keep checking this thread I have a feeling you will gleam a ton of good advice from the clan of table hoppers who come here.

Dennis Michael

The best piece of advice I can give you is to take
action.

I know a lot of people that buy every book on the
planet and want to make sure they have all of the
answers before approaching a restaurant. These people
plan and plan and plan and never actually do anything.

If you can't invest in books, that's fine. You don't
need them. Sure, they'll make things easier because
you'll have an idea of what you're getting into. But
I'll tell you a secret; you're much better off getting
out there, approaching restaurants, and learning as
you go than the person that's read everything and is
too scared to ask for the gig.

People are so worried about making mistakes that they
don't do anything. I've made every mistake and I
promise to make more, but I work constantly.

You want to work restaurants? Take action, overcome
any fear of rejection you may have, and be persistent.

Another tip here is to work the odd restaurant for gratis on the understanding that you will need to wine anddine a corporate (for instance) client sometime......

I have recently published a small (62 pages) book detailing my techniques for getting the gig, approaching the tables, repertoire and more, as well as turning the restaurant gig into a springboard for private bookings. It's called "Great Scott! Its's Show BUSINESS!" and sells for only $15. I will cover postage for North American buyers. I have NEVER failed to get the gig using my approach.

How can we order this from you Scott?
Thanks
Christopher

Man! I've seen this guy make mistakes too! WOWEE!!! How he stays in business...

JOKE.

Zach has some KILLER resources when it comes to working restaurants. He really has become a leader in taking action and EFFECTIVE, RESULTS DRIVEN marketing.

If you don't believe me, just check out his website.
http://www.the-restaurant-magician.com

I've worked in two restaurants now for the last two years. They've been some of the most rewarding times of my career so far. I LOVE doing it and wouldn't trade it for ANYTHING.

Well...almost anything.

Restaurant work isn't easy.
It's hard.
But very rewarding.

I'll second what was said before...don't work for tips. While I myself did this for several years, ultimately I only ended up wasting MY OWN time while doing it.

I'm now paid to work in restaurants 3 nights a week and I love every minute of it.

Good luck, CardSharp.
Robert Bloor

Most of Scott's products are on his website.

Yes, it is on my website: http://www.greatscott-itsmagic.com

Thanks everyone for the helpful replys this is realy great.

Trade-Offs are a very good idea. I once worked a restaurant gig for publicity in the Newspaper. This publicity brought customers into the restaurant and future shows right into my lap.

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the plug. However, even though I sell a
book that I think will help people tremendously, I'd
rather see people get over their fears of rejection
and start working.

Just get out there and look for the work, it's there
to be had!

Cardsharp:

Don't forget to check out
my free '5 Day
Get Your First Restaurant Show' Mini Course.
See details in my signature block.

Good luck and have fun!

frank

Unless you are getting some sort of dinner certificate at each performance, then this is VERY bad advice, IMPO.

Here's why - restauranteurs are famous for "forgetting" such obligations. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt, the bumper sticker, the hat, the frisbee and almost got the tattoo for that one.

Better to work out a deal where at each performance you get SOME money and a certificate for a dinner (or, better yet, TWO!) each week.

These certificates, which you should make certain are transferrable to someone else) can be used as incentives for booking you for a private party or corporate event, thank you gifts to good clients, teachers, etc. or as gifts for friends.

They are also good for bartering other services from other people. "You fix my brakes, and I'll give you dinner for four at my restaurant."

Having the deal on paper makes it a better perceived value to the restauranteur as well.

Working for free is a great way to advertise that you work for free.

It also makes it difficult for the other working pros and part-time pros to get paying work.

Please, folks - do NOT work for free!

Lee Darrow, C.Ht.

The audio tape titled "The Restaurant Magic Business" by Charles Greene III is good for starters.

Ahhh, working for free, is there ever an exception?

Well, let me tell you something. In my book, I tell
people to never work for free. However, I'm waiting
to hear from a restaurant. I've been wanting to work
at this place for months. I already auditioned and
should get an answer soon. Here's the thing, this
restaurant caters to some of the richest people in LA.
If for some reason they come back and say they don't
want to pay me, I would actually consider working there
for food comps alone. The clientele is soooooo good
that $100.00 tips are the norm.

So, generally speaking, don't work for free. However,
if there's enough value, sometimes even this rule can
be broken. Although, if you're at least getting food
comps, then you aren't really working for nothing.

One last thing. Don't use my little exception here as
an excuse to be lazy. I've never worked anywhere for
free. It took a lot of years and a lot of restaurants
before I found one I would even consider working for
food comps alone.

I agree with ZachWaldman. Just do it.
You can send out a flyer you made on your computer to all the places you would want to work at. Offer Auditions at a place your eating at to management. The worked for me when I started out. But what ever you think of try it. The time you spend going out and geting the job will pay off faster then reading how to do it. If you can aford to get a book. Pick one and do it. It will help get you there faster. BUT GO! is the key phrase.

Good luck and let us know how you do.

Zach,

Working for food comps is not working for free, especially if the place is as upscale as you say.

There are going to be exceptions to every rule (even this one), but working for free is damaging to the idea that one is a PROFESSIONAL.

Many of the posts I see in this and other forums state that magic is not taken seriously as a profession or an art.

How can we be taken seriously as a profession if we don't charge for it?

A professional charges for his or her work and donates time and services to select causes only.

Which is not to say that one should work every charity gig for free, either, folks!

"The workman should be worthy of his wage."

"You get what you pay for."

Both of these are perceptions that the public have about professionals.

Frankly, when I increased my fees, my bookings increased as well.

Call it snob appeal. I call it income.

TANSTAAFL! There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.

Work for comps in places where $100 tips are the norm - by all means! BUT, if you aren't getting tipped - get out, gracefully. OR use it as a marketing ploy and get photos, if possible, of yourself with the celebrities!

That's perceived value as well!

Regards,

Lee Darrow, C.Ht.