Below is some "food for thought" related to making money doing kid shows.

Making A Million Dollars A Year in Magic Shows for Family and Kids

To Accomplish this Goal, One Must:


• Make $5,000 a day for 200 Days a Year
  
• Make $20,000 a Week for 50 Weeks
  
• Make $84,000 a Month for 12 Months
  

Doing Schools Shows may net about $50,000 a year, doing two shows a day at $400 a piece. This won't make it.

Doing a Fund-Raiser Family Show and anticipate $2,000 a day would net $200,000 for 100 days. Expanding this into a network of shows, say about 10 packaged shows each doing $2,000 a day, would net $2,000,000. After expenses, this should meet the goal. Getting the bookings would require an infomercial TV program.

An alternative method would to be receive $5,000 a day, doing an Illusion show and 200-400 shows a year. Getting those shows would be difficult, and it would require doing them in the casinos. More research is needed to understand this.

Doing a half-hour Weekly TV Magic Show, and being successful, would need to command at least $20,000 a week in advertising fees to meet the goal, but most of that will be going in expenses. Therefore, a higher advertising fee needs to be made, or additional income streams need to be created. The start-up fees would be very expensive and a gamble. A six week Pilot program would be necessary, and if it fails, lots will be lost. A tough gamble.

Advertising and Marketing should use as many "Guerilla Advertising and Marketing" skills as possible to keep down the costs and to hold down the expenses.

How much business should a performer be doing? Is a six-figure salary necessary?

To make 6 figures clear ($100,000 a year) Add 20% for Marketing, and 30% for Taxes, 10% for expenses one needs to make $160,000 at least to clear $100,000.

Assumptions, 3-weeks vacation (one for KIDabra Conference), two days a week off for family (Normal jobs do this)
(365 days - 102 weekends/weekdays - 15 days vacation - 15 days holidays = 233 workable days)

(165,000/233 = $690 a day) figure rounded up

Birthday Party Magician
A birthday party magician making $200 a show doing 8 shows a weekend would make over 83,200 gross a year. A fellow KIDabra Chapter# 1 clown does 12 clown shows a weekend, at $150 per show, and goes through 40,000 balloons a year. (93,600 a year- He doesn't make this amount because 12 shows a weekend is not consistent every weekend. A realistic figure would be around $60,000, and from this, minus expenses, etc.) It is possible, 10 minutes set-up, 10 minutes reset, 30-45 minute show, plus drive time.

David Kaye (Silly Billy) receives a much higher fee per show in NYC, and his client base includes the rich and famous. David has three type shows, is a dealer/lecturer/book-writer, and also has an entertainment business. David can conceivably reach this figure.

Birthday Party Magician Ken Scott, who is also a Dealer/Lecturer, has an excellent DVD product, DJ, and a very well known GA magician, can conceivably reach this figure. He is not limited to birthday parties, so there is other types of magic shows he does, such as Libraries, and does command more than the above $200 per show figure.

Daycare/Preschools Shows
A Magician working 4 shows a day at $150 per show can gets 600 a day (600 x 233 days - $139,800) doing daycare/preschools, add in the bonuses of some higher price elementary schools and weekend birthday party spin offs from this business, one can reach that figure. Don't want to do 4 shows a day, do two. Daycare centers are year round, and they do hire you multiple times for different shows.

Schools Shows
Doing school shows and summer library shows, one can also reach this figure. A themed show show can command $400 to $800 per show, but one is limited to the numbers of school shows they do (Only about 100 days a year). David Ginn claims he does 300-500 schools a year, which means it is very possible to obtain a six figure yearly gross.

Fundraisers
This is an area one needs to understand fully before venturing into. It is a family show where illusions are expected and can easily reach the six figure. It requires a large investment and lots of hard work to get started. It also requires a staff, which includes a stage manager and an assistant.

All the above are conceivable methods of reaching six figures, and it involves lots of work and minimal time posting. It doesn't include medical and dental plans, or 401K pension plans, or the money you will spend at KIDabra developing that new schools show or act.

The first step to reach this kind of money is to determine what you can work.

Already have a job? This limits shows to weekends (Birthday Parties and Fundraisers)

Want to be a full time magician?
Experience: None ...Start small doing birthday parties "learning the ropes".
Experience: Birthday Parties... Move up the ladder to Daycare/Preschool and/or School shows, and theme your programs.
Experience: High and Money Available: Consider Fundraisers. Start with an Ice Cream Social Illusion show.

Skill Development: The quickest method is to find a private tutor, one who is in the business you are seeking. A secondary quick method is to attend a conference on children's magic, such as KIDabra International. Ask questions and know what direction you want to go.

Resources: Read all you can on the focused venue. Not limited to these, the below are only suggested resources. (Click on name to got to resource.)

Birthday Parties: Ken Scott, Eric Paul, Trixie Bond
Daycare & Preschool: Sammuel Patrick Smith and Dave Risley
Schools: BJ Hickman, Bruce Amato, Marty and Brenda Hahne, Steve Taylor
Libraries: Mark Daniel, Ken Scott, Steve Taylor
Fundraisers: John Kaplan, Eddy Wade
Marketing: Jim Snack

• 1. How much money do you want to make?
  
• 2. What Venue is going to be your Primary Focus?
  
• 3. Where will you place your Marketing Money?
  

Great, informative post, Dennis. You forgot to mention another way to make $1,000,000:
ONE SHOW A YEAR, IN A STADIUM OF 40,000 PEOPLE, $40 ADMISSION = $1,600,000 minus expenses = $1,000,000. The advantage of this system is you have a 364 day vacation.

Should I bring my Jumbo-sized Axtell Board for that?



Dennis wrote: ...birthday party magician making $200 a show, doing 8 shows a weekend, would make over 83,200 gross a year.

Eight a weekend? I don't know if I want to do eight a month! That is pretty good money though, huh?

You missed the most important way to make money. Selling your over-bookings. I know a guy who gets $100 for every show he hands to another performer. He did 4 shows last Saturday for his normal fee and another eight at $100 a pop where all he did was answer the phone and make the connection.

So that's $800 for answering the phone, plus let's say another $1000 if he is getting $250 per show (that is the going rate here in Boston). That's $1,800 on Saturday. Let's call that a great Saturday, and say the average is $1,000 per Saturday and Sunday. That works out to $100,000 per year if he only works 50 weeks per year.

That's breaking six figures without ever working a weekday gig. The secret is what you do with your over-books, and having a good network of people that can cover for you and not mind taking the job for $150.

In this area, it happens all the time. I can name three or four guys that are just ham and eggers like me that are knocking six figures over the fence every year without breaking a sweat. I only wish I were one of them.

Best,

Dan-

Dennis,
What a great and realistic thread!! It needs to be sticky.

Danny and John............. "Rut Rough, Rorge!"

Isn't it enough to make a pretty good living? While I see no harm in trying to increase one's income, doing 8 shows a weekend sounds like madness to me, unless they're all within a couple of miles of each other.
Delivering a great show is my primary purpose. If I can't make enough money from entertaining, I'll find other ways to bring in the bucks. Making income too important a factor in the equation, surely will eventually be counter-productive?

Dennis,

You are my hero.

**Thanks** for putting all the time in to that post.

I just have to get more potential customers to say YES!

Thanx,

Nez

Don't forget to add into the equation additional streams of income. For example, BOR (back of Room) sales, continuity streams (yep, you can get them from kids entertainment!), etc.

But...as Potty highlighted, money ain't everything. If money is THE only reason we're entertaining children, we're in the wrong job. Sure, if we do a good job and provide value to people, we deserve corresponding levels of financial reward. But it's not (or shouldn't be) the main focus.

Maybe another way to approach this question would be to ask how we can provide $3,000,000 worth of value to our customers in a year. If we figure that out, we'll easily earn $1,000,000 per year.

Best regards,
Mike

My hackles raise whenever I see posts about the magic million, etc...

For myself, my magic career is about more that just $. If it is only about money, sell drugs. See, you don't want to sell drugs, therefore you must want to leave a different legacy and have different values. Don't get me wrong, money is nice. It sure beats not having it.

For me, my magic career allows me to live a dream. I can bring joy and happiness into the world. I get to share the gift of amazement and smiles. I get to enjoy the perplexed looks of "How did he do that?". Yes, I like to get paid for my hard work and practice, my props, and my travel. But I still get the most from the great intangible....

I have lived the dream that most people chase, and the stress almost killed me. I am fortunate to have a pension, and this career only adds to what I desire.

Having a solid business plan with good marketing and great customer service will not hurt you. But make sure you focus on some of the other things, like quality family time, lifestyle, and legacy. If you can bring all this into harmony and still earn your million, good on ya. If you can't and something has to give, just make sure it is the right things that go.

Todsky,
The audience loves big-shot Rock Stars that command this kind of money. The Stones cheapest seats were $250, and the one's near the stage started at $2,000 per seat and went upwards. That's a way to make quick millions.

Magician aren't that lucky; however, Copperfield makes a "pretty penny".

It is unrealistic to do 8 shows a weekend, although there are those who do. Four was the max I did, and I was exhausted. Two is fine; three, maybe, but not looking in that direction.

As for money, I am fortunate that I have a pension to fall back on, so entertaining children is for fun, and getting paid to do it even makes it better.

I like fundraisers because everyone is a winner. The sponsoring organization, those who come to the show have a good time, and then performing an illusion show is an added "high". If everyone is happy, then my job is done.

The purpose of the post is to think about the potential of an art form, and how one could make that "love of their Art" pay-off for the many years of "playing".

Please understand, there is much more than those few lines. However, it was posted to make one think about "Magic for fun and profit".

On the weekends, I may have 5-6 "gigs" (which is rare) on Saturday and almost always have 4 on Sundays. These include my restaurants, amusement park, and private bookings. Although, I'm nowhere near the 1 million dollar mark.

"It is unrealistic to do 8 shows a weekend."

Why is this unrealistic, Dennis? For many of us, this is a minimum at a weekend! Plus, I never get exhausted! The adrenaline keeps flowing from dawn to dusk..........

If there are those who do it, it obviously is realistic. It may have been unrealistic for you.

I often do between 6 and 8 shows in a weekend. One of the many reasons I pack light.

I know many people in my area who do the same.

Best,

Dan-

Very interesting post. If I am doing 8 birthday a weekend, shoot me!! LOL

By the way, Den, you said Ken Scott from NC; I am from GA.

Ken

Dennis,
Ken makes a million doing only two shows a weekend.
Using a rabbit is paying off.


Very good post. It does help to put the math on paper to see what you're up against.

Tom

I just don't get it. HOW do you guys physically get to four venues in a day? Are all your bookings in a very tight area, all in one small city, or something? I always have just four bookings at the weekend, two Saturday, two Sunday. I normally work Friday evening also, plus one or two more shows during the week. On average, my fees are around £180 or $350. 5 or 6 shows can bring in £900 - £1100 (up to about $2000). It's true I have a big show, which means I don't like to do more than a couple of set-ups per day. But it's not the setting up that I find exhausting, it's all the driving! Is it because we have so much heavier traffic in the UK? Even so, I would never contemplate driving around so much, rather earn more from a small number of shows.

Ken Scott, I corrected your State in the above post. Thanks for putting that out.

Also, can I tell them how you make a million dollars a year doing birthday parties by doing 10 shows a day at 500 each?

And Danny: Yes it is unrealistic for me to do 8 shows in a weekend.
JR: Because I'm 60 and choose not to work that hard.

For others, I am a box magician who "packs BIG and plays BIG". It takes 5 trips to the car, 30 minutes to set-up and 30 minutes to reset, and the show is 55 minutes. Drive time allowance is 1 hour, therefore it takes a minimum of 3 hours per show. Four shows would be 12 hours, starting at 8AM and ending at 8 PM. This is unrealistic for me. A 30 minute show, packed small with 10 minute set and reset and 1 hour drive time, would save 4 hours; still to exhaustive for me. Two shows is 6 hours, and that is still exhaustive, but do-able.

I think the one thing thing that is becoming apparent is that there is more than one way to skin a cat (Though what we are gonna do with all those cat skins and naked cats, I am not sure. Any bizarrists?)

Choosing your effects, props, style of performance, and set ups are all very personal and unique choices. That is why I think that the "performance" in a box concept just isn't for me, or for most performers for that matter.

And as Potty has pointed out, geography plays a role also. I can pretty much see my bridge partners house from mine with binoculars. It is only about 6 miles across the harbour. And therefore, with the bridges it is over an hours drive. There are certain areas where traffic flow makes it impossible to do shows tightly together.

But if we go back to the original premise of the thread, what it takes to meet your goals needs to be mapped out. Also, keep in mind that revenue is incremental and that savings go straight to the bottom line.

It's not unusual for me to do 8 shows on a weekend. My shows are all booked in the greater Montreal area, so if my first one-hour show is 11 a.m., the next could be 1 pm, then 3 pm, and then 5 pm. It only takes me 10 minutes to set up and five minutes to take down my show, all contained in one Lefler suitcase table. Rarely more than 45 minutes driving from show to show. And as Jolly Roger mentioned, the adrenaline keeps me going.