Hey Guys,

I’m primarily a children’s entertainer. I’m looking to get more leads and one way I’m thinking of doing it is to set up a draw box at a toy store I work at a couple times a week to supplement my magic income.

I was wondering if any one else has done a drawing for a free show and also what type of questions they have asked on the ballot forms. I’m just wondering what questions should/could be asked and if people have received positive feedback from said drawings.

Thanks, Ryan

Hi Ryan -

I'm sure you will find the posts on this thread interesting. We discussed draws, and prizes, and entry forms:

--> Magic Café thread titled... Other Side of Trade Show

- Donald

I did this once to build my e-newsletter and direct market campaigns. I required the parent's name, mailing address, email address, child's first name and birthdate. The printed slips had a disclaimer laying out the rules of the drawing. The entries had a blurb about consenting to receive my monthly E-newsletter and a complimentary birthday card. The entries stated that the winner would be announced in the such-&-such date E-Newsletter.

I bought small cardboard "ballot boxes" from a local papergoods store and designed a series of full color labels to decorate each box. I placed the boxes with various retail and restaurant clients and displayed one whenever I performed. I emptied each box and replaced the empty entry pads weekly. It worked extremely well for me.

I mailed a copy of my "Parent's Birthday Party Planning & Survival Guide" booklet about six weeks before the child's birthday. Of course the booklet has my full-color ad on the back cover. I mailed a color birthday card bearing my caricature, a magic message and cut out magic trick out a week before the child's birthday - whether they were booked or not. No advertisement or promotional stuff - just a nice "Happy Birthday" message from me.

Unless you have something like the newsletter and direct marketing in place to make use of the names you collect - this will be a waste of your time.

Of course you'll phone everyone who fills out a slip - be prepared to get a lot of people hanging up in your face, but - hey - that's the telephone marketing biz.

Give out one free show to one winner (a "pocket-size" show if you wish, and don't let them abuse you - they stick to the date and time arranged).

And, like a good magician, only you know the real secret: everyone else wins, too ... they win second prize, which is a $25 (or $50 or whatever you choose) discount on a show. Justify the discount to yourself: divide your current advertising costs by the number of shows you do already, and that is the amount it costs you to get one show - I'll bet the discount amount suddenly doesn't look quite so large to you, once you look at it as an advertising expense.

If you don't want to be doing a bunch of discounted shows, you might even define the prize as a discount on a deluxe show only.

Thanks guys for the help so far, please keep it coming.

Everyone will definitely be receiving a discount on a show and will also be receiving a letter thanking them. They will also receive a years worth of newsletters. I’m planning on doing four this year, 2009 will probably see me sending out six.

I also like the idea of sending out a birthday card to the child even if they don’t book you. I may start this for all inquiries that I get the needed information but not the booking. To get this information from the ballot should I have two lines for child’s name, age, and birth date? This is in case they have two children in my target age group.

I'd suggest a different entry form for each child. How ya gonna handle a family with four or five kids in that age range?