With the latest aggravation people must endure, to fly on a plane, it's time we advertise that house parties are in.

Agree or disagree?

Agree. I love doing house parties.
I always enjoy the surprised look on people's faces when I first appear, too. I think it's mainly due to the fact that I'm rarely invited.

Jay
It's the holiday season I think you're betting on a sure thing.

I'm predicting a trend.
(It might be a few years in the making but.....)

Agree! They have been "in" for me the last 6 years. ...any time of year.

House parties would be a good source. If you consider birthday parties they are usually given in homes.

Not so much in my area, but it must be a trend in larger cites, a simple gathering of people to mingle and stay in touch with one another.

I have considered this market, but how would one go about finding the target market. I think this is the most difficult part to trying to advertise to House parties clientele.

I throw dinner parties to "test" out material on friends...typically the same group that comes with me when I go to the Magic Castle. It's a nice way to get reactions from people that I know will be honest, so we make an evening of it. They come over for dinner and drinks, and then settle in while I do 30 or 40 minutes of close up/parlor stuff.

It's hard to find an "open mic" situation for magic the way I can for comedy, so it's a nice forum and people have a good time. I've also found it's a great way to control the setting and sit at a table, which can be tricky to find sometimes since so much work is strolling and often standing.

Granted I'm not getting paid, but I'm working material in front of people. I'll even tape the performance so I can go back and review later on.

Good stuff Andrewzuber...It's good to make the most out of your non-paid performances. I've never thought video recording those situations, but will definitely consider this option in the future - Thank You.

In the past few years, most of my corporate Christmas parties were located in restaurants, but recently I've received a hand full of gig requests for corporate Christmas parties at the Executive's home.

Non-seasonal, I get maybe 10 or so legitimate house party gigs, but I could see that number increasing in 2011.

Yahoo & Toodaloo !

House Parties are a great market. For us they have been an extension of corporate magic.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

House parties will pick up a lot more then corporate gigs will. The cutbacks and costcutting will result in a great affluent house party market.

Agreed. If companies cut back in some areas (like renting a venue,) they may be more willing to spend some of that money in other areas (like the entertainment.)

Lucy and I have played house parties for 200 of our talent buyer's closest friends before. Don't think too small! As public venues become less and less secure and private, entertaining at home in gated communities is becoming an absolute must for those who still entertain. Economics is not the issue! The issue is safety and privacy.

Many Fridays we still frequent a private venue where private security to and from your car is a basic requirement. Private law enforcement is a fact of life today. Many of us pay twice for security. (Ask the citizens of Texas and Arizona who even have to cover what should be Federal law enforcement.)

Not only is smart money leaving America (or at least wealthy Americans are giving up their US citizenship to avoid the liability of the national debt and to have continued freedoms in the future elsewhere), private parties are leaving public venues for freedom and safety too. Methods of entertaining have to go where they have to go. In a lawless nation, there is no place like home!

It is safer for the entertainer too!

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Geez Bob, I knew you were successful but I didn't know you required your own security detail

LOL! I wish!

Perhaps we need a song "I've Got Gigs in Criminals' Places".

It is sad but too many public venues are no longer safe places for the attendees. Gated communities are popular in America currently because there is a need. But don't think of parties at home as small get togethers. Some are huge.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

This is why I stopped working prisons. At a scrawny 130 pounds, if Bubba doesn't like my ACR, I'm in some serious trouble. I'll stick to the Hamptons crowd for now.

Doing house parties in a prisons is not for me. Andrew I'm 200 lbs and the only way they could get me near a prison is in hand cuffs.

Bob
I live in a townhouse, and all of my neighbors are staying here. There are a lot of $500,000, and $1,000,000 homes for sale around here, but I'm a thinken that they are just trying to trade down to a modest townhouse like me.

Boy prison gigs, tough times for sure. Cancellations are the rule and norm for city I'm in. I have never seen such cutbacks during holidays. It's difficult to perform in empty houses. Sure it's short lived but I think I heard that last year.

DC

There is no doubt about it, the US economy is in real long range trouble. Recovery could easily take a decade or more unless new leadership is implemented pronto. Let's hope that January brings some major sanity back to the USA. We just can't wage a war on success and then spend like a drunken sailor. We have to honor productivity. Consumption is a disease!

(You know the quote: Success only comes before Work in the dictionary. America is getting a refresher course but it may need to finish going broke first.)

On the other hand, there are still some very productive Americans who worked hard, had good thrift habits, built savings and would invest in America, if it were not prohibited and savings nationalized. (Otherwise, in the long run, they will leave for better opportunities too.)

They are entertaining at home (and they OWN IT!). That is a wonderful market for magicians with acts that fit the market. These are adult shows but they are far from night club shows. Not recognizing that difference is costing some magicians booking that were once available to them. This caliber of clientele will not tolerate hired help (entertainers) offending or embarrassing their guests. Once an entertainer is taken off of this bid list in this market, it is only forever! I know of several former "Stars" of TV, stage and screen who still haven't caught on. Save the trash talk for the night club audience (renters) because it will get you shut out of this market. And this may be the best paying market for magicians for up to six more years. Successful Americans are having to become more private in their social gatherings. It is just an adjustment to the decaying public environment and it is a venue that they can better control.

Don't knock it, enjoy it. It is a golden opportunity, if you know how to cultivate it.

Bob Sanders
Magic by Sander

PS --- Ever realized that a birthday party for a 40-80 year old adult in the home pays four to six times what that pays for a kid's party in the home? Ask a real booking agent or event planner and then kick yourself.

Shhhhhh Bob. You are giving away my updated 2010-2011 marketing secrets.
Cry havoc and let slip, very good advice and well heeded for sure.

:cool:


DC