Hey everyone, If you would check out my site and let me know what you think... There are still a few changes on my webmaster's plate (but will it ever really be done?) but it is pretty much up to speed.

So feel free to write (compliments or criticisms alike are welcome)

Thanks in advance for looking,

Keir

http://www.DenverKidMagic.com

Looks nice and crisp. The only suggestion I would make is to put a video welcome on the homepage.

Joey D

I took a quick look.

Is there a reason for the double menu, with duplicate links?

Also, on the environmental magic page, one of your home links is not working correctly. Same problem for your reading show page.

For the birthday show descriptions, in package #4, after you talk about the giveaways and balloons, you talk about the 12' wand. Because of the way it is currently worded, you might cause some confusion were people think that the comedy wands are giveaway items, instead of special tricks / props in the show.

One more thing. You might want to clarify that your rates for birthday shows are for shows in the Denver area.

- Donald

Thanks guys,

Joey, Actually I am avoiding having any thing with my pic (or video) on the home page in case corporate clients stumble onto it.

Donald, The double links are for the I-pod/I pad crowd. I guess they could be set to only show on respective devices I am not sure. A couple of weeks ago the top menu did not exist but my web guy added it again for the non computer user.

Can you tell me which link it is that you are referring to that does not work? I could not find it.

As for the rates being for local magic shows, it has never been an issue to be honest but not a bad idea.

Thanks,

Keir
http://www.DenverKidMagic.com

It's the orange "home page" links (left hand side, bottom menu of the two menus) that do not work on those two pages. The cursor changes from the arrow to hand icon, but when you try to click, nothing happens.

Also, your policy page (link at bottom of all your pages) is still full of fake gibberish. index-6.html

- Donald

Got it, thanks Donald!

http://www.DenverKidMagic.com

GREAT Homepage and GREAT Kid Show Video, I loved it.

From my point of view on the start page there is too much text and the words are too small. I guess most people won´t read the text this way. Maybe just use headlines/small sentences in big letters and different colours. But anyway this homepage rocks.

I like it, compared with what is out there, it is excellent. You Have Video! Excellent.

I have a couple of opinions, which you might want to think about. I say opinions for two reasons, they may go against some marketer's trends and ideas, and personal experience.

1. When you finish a show immediately ask in a thank you email, that same day, even a prewritten one on an iPhone, when you get in the car, Email that thank you and ask for a comment on whet they thought of the show and how much did the kids like it? That comment is a Testimonials and is so important, get as many as possible.

2. Remove the prices, it gives the prospect exactly what they want, and the first question you are going to be asked when they call "How Much?" It avoids them from calling and you lose a potential customer. Get them to call, your voice, your emotional excitement of performing for them and what you say wins them over the price.

3. Yes, I've read and tried the 3 price Gold, Silver, and Bronze packages. The gold had the rabbit and floating birthday child, the silver, had just the rabbit, and the bronze had neither. No one ever got the the silver or bronze, and I felt bad leaving them out of the act if someone wanted the cheaper packages. They are top routines I am leaving out diminishing my over all show. And I felt bad about it. I wasn't giving the kids all they deserved, my 100% capabilities.

4. Make a separate site or two for specific target groups, especially a corporate gig. Also many corporations hire through agencies, so a no personal contact site for the agency so they can refer corporate clients. An agency does not want you to book a show from under them, the fastest way to get "blackballed".

5. People do read policies, and yours is still in the "need to be done" phase.

Again these are my initial thought and that video will sell you. If you get lots of business, then up your prices, they do appear a little low for my area, but I don't know what your area demands.

Very Nice>>>>>>>> I really enjoyed going through your website. If I was a potential customer I would consider buying your services. The website says it all and the video was a nice complement of your show.

One other thought about the # of show options.

Dennis shared that he thinks offering 1 is best.

For most markets I offer 3 options. For birthdays I created 3 packages, however, I really only tell customers about 2 of them on the phone. And they book either one 50/50. That's my personal approach to birthdays.

I have read in some marketing books and courses that offering 2-3 choices is best, and that when you offer 4 or more, it causes the customer too much confusion, and can lead to indecision or loss of business.

The only exception I've seen to this, is some school performers who send out a catalog of their show options, when they offer several shows.

- Donald

Thanks everyone! Great advice so far...

http://www.DenverKidMagic.com

You might want to think about getting a professional proof-reader / editor at some point in time. For instance, your page on the magic kits says:


That’s only two sentences, and not a lot of punctuation. It blunts the impact and makes it difficult to extract the meaning. Maybe something more like:


Ed

Good advice, Ed.
Keir:
Love the site. A couple of things crossed my mind that I will share. I was a little put off by your cartoon icon not looking like you. If you could add a goatee to it, it would allow me to sleep better. Also, great video but it was all large stage stuff. As a parent who will have you come to the house and work out of the living room, I would have liked to see that footage so I know you don't need so much space just to do your show. You might lose customers if they think they don't have enough room for you. that's my 2 cents, now worth a half a penny due to the fluctuations in the market.

As someone who has made his living at different times as a proofreader and as an editor, I applaud this statement. (They are not at all the same thing. A proofreader won't recommend that you break a long sentence into 2 or 3 bits. An editor will.)

I sympathize with anyone who can't afford an editor when they are starting out, but remember you often get an amateurish job when you rely on amateur help. Writing and editing only look easy.

Yeah I could work on the text a bit also I think... thanks for your thoughts on this though Ed & dgcuff...

BIGmagicIV, Actually the magic routines in my video are not "big stuff" at all however they are performed on a stage so perhaps that is why you refer to them as such. It was really a matter of available video to be honest, a lot of footage shot at my birthday parties here in Denver end up with kids walking or standing in front of the camera, a dog or a toddler wandering into the "stage" area etc. Or worse yet the parents are talking in the background and I have to yell instead of speak to the audience. Personally I felt like the shots of me performing magic in the montage at the beginning and at the end balance that out but you never know. It is definitely worth considering for future videos.

BTW I shoot a lot of video of my magic show these days especially since I now have a tapeless video camera and it doesn't cost anything to shoot but it still seems hard to find great footage. Even with my wireless direct feed mic I still got static on the audio that I used on the video in question. This show was in a southern Colorado town about three hours out of Denver at a theater and since I had a great audience and great reactions etc, I went ahead and used the footage from that show.

Best,

Keir

http://www.DenverKidMagic.com

Yeah I could work on the text a bit also I think... thanks for your thoughts on this though Ed & dgcuff...

BIGmagicIV, Actually the magic routines in my video are not "big stuff" at all however they are performed on a stage so perhaps that is why you refer to them as such. It was really a matter of available video to be honest, a lot of footage shot at my birthday parties here in Denver end up with kids walking or standing in front of the camera, a dog or a toddler wandering into the "stage" area etc. Or worse yet the parents are talking in the background and I have to yell instead of speak to the audience. Personally I felt like the shots of me performing magic in the montage at the beginning and at the end balance that out but you never know. It is definitely worth considering for future videos.

Best,

Keir

http://www.DenverKidMagic.com