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Graymatter_Fireworks Veteran user Atlanta, GA 357 Posts |
Hey mates,
I've recently been thinking about becoming a full-time performer while I attend college. Currently I have a part-time job, and I've been doing some shows on and off. Any case, my question is, are their any materials anyone would recommend to me for marketing and price negotiations and so forth? I feel it would be wise to read up some before I take the plunge. Thanks, Brandon.
"The social world in which we live, determines our experience of what is real." - John Gager
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
Brandon,
I would recommend going to your library first and reading up on some basic marketing books. This will give you a good foundation on the basics of good marketing. If you are still interested in learning how to market yourself after you have read the books, I would then suggest you checking out the dean.net. It is a great free site dedicated to helping magicians market themselves better. I wish you much luck. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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Jim Snack Inner circle 1338 Posts |
Brandon,
Before you jump into magic full-time, build your part-time business. At the full-time level you would need to fill approximately 150 dates per year to generate a sustainable income. You are still in college, however, and that's your full-time profession. At the part-time level, you should try to do 1-2 shows per week. How and where you would book those shows depends upon a number of factors including your location, your level in the business, whether you do children's shows or not, etc. It is pretty easy to book children's shows, starting with birthday parties, then moving up to libraries, day care centers, scout functions and the like. After you have some experience you might want to consider putting together an education program for schools. Some good resources are: Eric Paul's "How to Become Your area's Top Children's Entertainer." Eric has written an excellent course for those getting started in the business. You can find it at: http://www.moremoneywithmagic.com/ along with other items. The Motivational Magic Success Seminars at http://ww.MagicSuccessSeminars.com has a complete set of 9 DVDs on creating and marketing school programs should you decide to go that route. Finally, my own Success in Magic course covers some of the information you are looking for to build your full-time or part-time magic business. You can do a search here on the Magic Café or visit http://www.Success-in-Magic.com for more information. Magic can be a great part-time business while you are in college. That's how I put myself through school. Even when I was in graduate school on a full tuition waiver and stipend working 20 hours per week in the department, I still did 1-2 shows each week. I have to admit, I felt a twinge of guilt every time another graduate student complained about being a poor student living on a meager stipend. I was doing very well performing 1-2 shows a week and it sure beat working in the college bookstore for minimum wage! Good luck. Jim |
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ThePartyMagician Loyal user Bristol, UK 216 Posts |
Jim, thanks for sharing and being totally honest about the REALITY about going "full-time". I agree with everything you said.
Incidentally, I also HIGHLY recommend Jim's 'Success in Magic' course for a totally honest approach for going pro. It's got usable, real-world information. Kind regards, Mike |
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Graymatter_Fireworks Veteran user Atlanta, GA 357 Posts |
Thank you all for the advice you have offered. I am very grateful for all of your help.
I most likely should have been a bit more detailed in my post, and, Jim, you are right college is my job. Talking specifically about going pro, I really just meant to do part-time gigs as my method of main income as opposed to working a minimum wage type position. Also I am aware of the different types of markets there are for the different types magic. -On a related side note I am a mentalist- I was looking around a few sources today, as I surfed some magic shops on-line and was curious if there really was any material that stood out from the rest. Intense marketing as a whole would be a new thing for me, so I was not quite sure were to start. Again thank you all for your time and efforts on the matter. -Brandon
"The social world in which we live, determines our experience of what is real." - John Gager
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SteveReel New user Leesburg, FL 76 Posts |
Under the Tricky Business heading, look down about ten or so under your post and there's a great post about the festival market. Kyle (magic4u02) has put better info in that post than you will get out of some marketing books. Even though you may not want to do festivals, the marketing information in that post can be adjusted slightly for any market.
I also have heard that Docc Hillford has some good marketing tips for mentalism, but I haven't seen it. Maybe someone else knows.
World music and magic
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Zack Special user 551 Posts |
Dave Dee's Ultimate Insiders program will be the best $100 you ever spent.
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Paddy Inner circle Milford OH 1571 Posts |
Sorry, to disagree with Zack, but Dave Dee's stuff is the biggest waste of money. I went to one of his boot camps and am sorry I did. I did buy Jim Snack's Success in Magic course, and it was the BEST money I ever invested. It paid for itself with a couple of months and continues bringing in dividends to this day.
Peter |
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holmes New user 35 Posts |
I could have sworn the Dave Dee course was around $300.
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MagicalPirate Special user Shamokin, PA 828 Posts |
Hi Holmes:
You are talking about Ultimate Insiders Secrets Millennium edition. There is a cheaper course that he puts out. Of course he pushed the UIS in that cheaper course as a back-end. Martin
Martin Blakley, CSH, DASH, CMSA
http://www.thehypnoguy.com/HYPNORESOURCES http://www.docgrayson.com/ How To Sell Anything Online http://tub.bz/?r=1z Copyright to my own words retained 100%. |
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
Thanks, Steve, for the kind words. It is appreciated.
I will also second that Jim's course is not only very well done but is filled with great information for anyone interested in bettering themselves and their magic business. He gives great examples and clear-cut specifics on just what you can do to make a difference and grow your magic business within a five-year time frame. I have learned a ton from Jim, and I highly recommend it for anyone looking to take their magic to the next level. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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Zack Special user 551 Posts |
Quote:
Sorry, to disagree with Zack, but Dave Dee's stuff is the biggest waste of money. I went to one of his boot camps and am sorry I did. I did buy Jim Snack's Success in Magic course, and it was the BEST money I ever invested. It paid for itself with a couple of months and continues bringing in dividends to this day. Interesting. I had the exact opposite experience. Dave Dee's course paid for itself in the first month. I have yet to have Jim Snack's course pay for itself. May I ask what in particular you found profitable in the Jim Snack course? What in particular made you your money back? (If you don't want to tip secrets, just give me the page numbers...I have the course.) With Dave the big money idea that brought me from doing an occasional show, to having a steady influx of new clients was this: His use of the parenting magazines, not just putting in an ad, but putting int the RIGHT KIND of ad. |
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MagicalPirate Special user Shamokin, PA 828 Posts |
That kind of marketing only applies in areas where you have a big city. In smaller rural areas there are no parenting magazines.
Martin
Martin Blakley, CSH, DASH, CMSA
http://www.thehypnoguy.com/HYPNORESOURCES http://www.docgrayson.com/ How To Sell Anything Online http://tub.bz/?r=1z Copyright to my own words retained 100%. |
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Magic Blinds New user 59 Posts |
A great way to book shows is to get a resturant gig. Try for a family spot and you'll land a few B-day parties.
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
I have not tried or used Daves course so I can not comment on it. However, all and any of Jim's information I have used and it has been a wealth of knowledge and information that I have directly applied and used to great success. His ideas and tips and suggestions really help you to take an ACTIVE roll in your own success.
This is why I so often practice my version of "active" style marketing. It just has worked wonders for me over the past few years and I have seen it make a huge difference and impact on my magic business and also the reactions I get from my clients. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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Patchouli New user France 65 Posts |
Hi Brandon,
The problem is the same all around the world. And it was the same when I began. How to commercialize your shows to generate an income. The problem is not that there is not work to do. It is how to find it. Like for any undertaker whatever the market. Secure yourself with a job for if it does not work enough and..... GO ON! Cordialement, Patrick |
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magicman02 Veteran user 304 Posts |
Does your school have a school newspaper? I am going to place a ad in my school newspaper, because everyone on campus reads the paper and it is the best place to advertise. And most school papers don't charge you a arm and a leg for to place a ad in the paper. You should do that, you can get 1-2 shows a week doing that.
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Zack Special user 551 Posts |
You haven't answered the question Kyle. What specific idea or technique dod you use that paid for the course?
I'm not asking to be argumentative, I'm asking so I can go do it and get my money back!!! |
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Jim Snack Inner circle 1338 Posts |
Zack,
You are right, he did not answer your question. Let me see if I can. If you are interested in street performing, on page 35 of Volume Two I detailed an entire routine that can double or even triple what you will collect in your hat. If it's colleges you are interested in check out the advice on pages 41-45. There is a ton of information on working fairs starting on page 61, as well as on the audio CD. How about the four different ways of getting booked at a museum (page 117). I've done them all. Try them. School Shows - pages 150-168 How about 10 different ways to earn money teaching magic - with a syllabus for a two week course - pages 185-201. Trade Shows - page 221 - 250. Did you listen to the audio CD on getting started working trade shows? There's one idea on it worth a small fortune to anyone getting started. Don't miss it. Want to try to get a grant for performing magic? Read the special report in Volume Three. I wrote Volume Two specifically to detail 64 different ways to earn money performing magic, including traditional markets such as schools, fairs and festivals, trade shows, and theaters to more unusual ideas. Some of those markets I had more experience than others and wrote much more detail on, but I'm sure if pick one or two, you could apply the knowledge to earn your investment back easily. My course is not solely a marketing course like Dave Dee's. I do not teach people to go from zero bookings to 50 shows a month. My course is more about building a business practice as a generalist in magic, with strategies for working in many different kinds of venues, as well as strategies for setting fees, getting publicity, managing the business and so forth. It is not for anyone looking for a magic marketing bullet or quick fix to getting bookings, but that doesn't mean that it won't help you build your business if you apply the knowledge. |
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Creative Coach Loyal user Anderson, SC 294 Posts |
Zack,
I can second Jim's post. If you haven't made your investment back in Jim's book you haven't tried! One idea: The "Ice Cream Social" Family presentation has made me thousands of dollars! Jim's is the real work written by a real fulltime pro. Dee's advice, one the other hand, is rehashed Kennedy which is marginal at best. I'm glad Dee's advice worked out for you though. I've coached dozens who have found it to be a miserable failure. You really need to have actually BEEN a SUCCESSFUL performer before you can give advice! Have you really ever seen Dee's Reading show? It's laughiably awful. Good magical "Marketeer" but a horrible performer. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it! All I have to say about Dee's materials is BUYER BEWARE!! (Again only my opinion!) |
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