This was something David Kaye emphasised in his lecture and book on marketing..that every child should go home with your number (ie: his inflatable wand)

I give away my Magic Trick and Puzzle book to the birthday child and colouring sheets to all the other kids (or in my deluxe show, they all get the book and birthday child gets Magic Kit).

What do you guys and gals use?

To me, this makes sense in theory, but not necessarily in practice. Just because a child goes home with "something" that has your name and number on it, that does not mean that the child's parent is going to use it to book you for their show. For instance, let's say your son went to a birthday party and received a giant inflatable wand from the magician.

The wand had the magician's name and number on it, but your child's birthday is not for several months down the road. What is the liklihood that you are going to remember to look at that wand in order to retrieve the number? In fact, what is the liklihood that wand won't be busted and in the trash long before you start thinking of your child's birthday?

This is the dilemma. You want to create top-of-mind awareness for the parent who may decide to book you for a show; but you have to rely on the child as the delivery vehicle for that message. Once that child leaves your show, you have absolutely no control over what happens.

The solution I have come up with is to give the child items that the PARENT is going to find useful and want to keep. In essence, a loot bag for PARENTS! Depending on what you put in them, these loot bags don't have to be very expensive. Something as simple as:

1. a Party Planner with your name and contact number on it
2. a Calendar with your name and number on it
3. a group shot photograph of all the kids (and yourself) at the party, with your name and number on the photo - this could even be attached to a fridge magnet
4. a brochure with your contact information
5. a questionaire about how their child enjoyed the show, along with a pre-stamped return envelope. This will get you what you really want - the parent's name, address and phone number!


Anyways, this is what I have started to do and it seems to be working well.

Kent

I use the BIG BUCKS and a coloring page. The coloring page is nice because it usually ends up on the fridge, therefore, in front of the parents faces.
Tim

PS Eric Paul carries the Big Bucks:
http://www.moremoneywithmagic.com/products.htm

I always hand out an activity sheet that has coloring areas, crossword puzzles, mazes and more. And for the older kids a Fortune Telling Fish with a business card in addition to the activity sheet. With my contact information in big and bold print!

Wayne...

Wayne,

I have a colouring sheet for all the guests and the colouring, trick and puzzle book I give the birthday child has a centre section to colour and put on the fridge too.

I use the colouring sheet (stays on the fridge...low cost)as well as the personalized "Amazing Magic Tricks" book by CJ Johnson which shows me as the author. Every kid gets a copy of my book with my Magic Birthday Class and selectively with other shows.

Smartini

I always write my number on the kids' foreheads with a Sharpie. I tell them it's "face-painting."

That is just way too funny

He was joking?

I hope so. Hey Smartini how did you get that book made?
thanks
Shane

Shane,

it's available from the cj johnson website...not cheap but a pretty nice looking give a way...take it to the printer or copy it yourself along with the coil binding or depending upon who the book is for...I have some nice ones that are for the schools where I've done shows and others that I use as for kids who help

smartini

Thanks for the post Smartini, I've been looking around for a giveaway magic book.

Peace,
Vinny

Shane & Vinny -

As far as I understand, there are 4 magic activity book licenses out there:

- One from Dean Hankey

- One from CJ Johnson

- One from Tim Sonefelt (I can't give you a direct link. When you hit the site, click on "information products".)

- One from James Munton

I have only seen Tim's and Dean's (actually I own the license to Dean's, but I haven't used it yet. I had already designed my own customized activity book before getting it). One thing I liked about Dean's, is that there were no tricks with fire, candles, ashes, matches, or knives.

I gave David Kaye a copy of my own book, when he was here in town, and was told by him and Murray Hatfield that I should be charging $5 (easily) for mine. Dean Hankey, Rick Allen, and others also have said the same. I've been giving away activity books for close to 10+ years now, to build value on the show packages I offer, and to have a giveaway with my name on it.

- Donald

P.S. None of these are affiliate links.

Donald,

Thanks for providing the links.

Yes, I charge $5 per book and make $4 profit on each one. For birthday parties, I offer them to the birthday mom instead of goody bags. She only pays for the ones she needs on the day. I provide a complete phone script with my system.

For me, the books beat any goody bag type giveaways, because they are something they will really keep and all your advertising info goes inside.

Also, there is no prep time. Just throw a box of books in the back of the car and you are set. I used to do goody bags, but got fed up with a garage full of junk toys and spending so much time putting all the bags together.

By the way, if the birthday mom doesn't want to pay for the books, I hand out bookmarks to each of the kids.

I have a fun presentation I do at the end of the show. When I get to handing out the bookmarks (or books), I tell the kids that if they want me to come to their party all they have to do is show their mom the bookmark as soon as they next see her and ask her in a really charming sweet voice if I can come to their party.

As I say the last part I put on an exaggerated sickly sweet voice which gets a laugh from the kids.

This also always gets a chuckle from any parents in the room. But what is great is that at the end of the party, as the moms arrive, the kids run up to them and start begging in their sickly sweet voices. I always think it is good for the original birthday mom to hear how much all the other kids want me to come to their party!!!

Good luck!
James

I have postcards with all contact information on it. At the end of the show, I make a balloon sculpture for each of the guests, and tell them I am going to give them a picture of my favorite magician. When everyone finds out it is a picture of me, it always gets some laughs. You'd be surprised how long kids hang on to them. I've even been asked to autograph them!

Someone call the media! Donald and I agree on something!

I too have my own book. If you comfortable with desk top publishing, they are really easy to make. I give one to the birthday child with their certificate.

I am not a big fan of add ons but I may start making it available as an option.

Never had occassion to do BOR sales.

I had a dot to dot thing on the back of a buisness card. Now I just use buisness cards

I've used a variety of items for birthday party give-aways.

1. An idea that I saw on Ken Scott's video (which I believe originated elswhere) is to have a trick or two printed up on an 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper. Add your contact info and a coupon if you desire. The last few inches should be printed solid black with a 1" white right and left border. When rolled up, this looks like a magic wand.

2. Fortune Telling Fish. Some people put a card into the package before giving it out. However, I never liked the "fortunes" listed on the back of the package. So, I renamed the trick, created my own meanings for the "curling-and-flopping-of-the-fish" and printed this all out on a small baseball-sized piece of paper with my logo and contact info. This gets placed inside a clear plastic baseball card envelope along with the fish.

3. I created my own version of the Big Buck so that even if a child has seen this idea, he doesn't have one that looks like mine. And I have different tricks and optical illusions on the back. The front looks a lot like a $100 bill, but has my caricature on it along with some humorous notes and of course, my contact info.

These are just a few ideas.

Scott .

Those listed are some very fine ideas for handouts/ trade stimulators. I use a coloring sheet with contact information. I have about 5 different pages. Maybe it's time to make a coloring book.
Thanks for the info.

Things I've used.

colouring pages
Ed Harris magic booklets
my own magic kit with the instructions having my #
jumbo bills
custom stickers
business cards designed just for kids
t-shirts with my logo(no number though - used as giveout for birthday child)
fortune fish in my own envelope
loot bags with name and phone #

Lofty