I recently was talking to another performer about ideas and he told me "The secret is figuring out "what you can charge $2,000 for" and be worth it ... You can always do it for less, but be worth $2K every time..."

I like the "pack small play big" kind of thing. I don't want to buy a trailer and thousands worth of box illusions. It seems artificial. "I spent thousands and now my show is worth thousands". It could be a great show but I'd rather it be because I'm a good entertainer, not I spent a lot on toys... I want to bring a car load of amazing/funny show. Some of the best performances were guys that did amazing things with small props. Not close up stuff either... Stage performances. I think Penn and Teller do a great job with not always a lot for instance.
My only thought is sound/light/visual can add a lot of perceived value... what else?

Perceived value is based on the reputation of the magician, and the size of his props have very little to do with it. The amazing Kreskin usually works with only a note pad, and a felt tipped pen.

If you are trying to increase perceived value by adding props, YOUR value does not increase, simply the value of your junk.

I have a great idea for a TV Show - Magic Hoarders!

Although I do my whole show out of a brief case. There are two rooms in my house where I keep the stuff I have never used, and retired stuff. Please don't send my name in to magic hoarders.

Kameron,
You are thinking small. Look on a corporate entertainment site. There are corporate magicians who command ranges of $5,000 - $10,000, some at 10K - 15K and others higher. When you are at that level - in most cases, you dictate what the client must provide in lighting and sound. It's not the props - it's not the tech - it's the act. And the good news is, if they can do it, so can you. But it does take work...
Tom

For the first episode, we present Al Angello!

Kameron
The highest paying jobs that I have ever done were when the booking agent, or events coordinator contacted me with an offer.

Big props do not increase perceived value. The only way you can charge a lot is when they're paying you for who you are, not the tricks you do.

There are three things you need to do to increase your value: 1. Make it scarce 2. Show that others want it 3. Make them work for it

Kameron this is a video I made on perceived value awhile ago which can help you out:
http://paidtoperform.blogspot.com/2010/0......ore.html

Plus you have to target markets that can afford this price point. Otherwise it's pointless. You need to target the right markets and have the type of act both appropriate for their needs and the perceived value.

Bingo! Work on yourself as well as the marketing positioning of you (to express your unique value in a clear and value-driven way).

I know the props don't increase your value. that's what I said. I commented that is an artificial way of increasing your value. For instance I know a magician that charges a couple hundred for a parlor sized magic show then charges a few thousand for his illusion show. It has big boxes and floats and cutting etc. that's what I mean. He can charge more cause its a bigger more expensive harder to put on show. I've seen someone else do a show that had NO big props and was hilarious entertaining and worth every penny. I am trying to put on a good show with what I have (pack small play big) or even pay small play big. I have some escapes I can make into an entertaining act. a mentalism act a stunt act etc. What are other things and ways to make it seem like a show is worth a lot. To say "be a good entertainer" is a bit broad...

Im not a strict mentalist, nor think I'm a corporate kind of performer... I do kids parties and lessons to bar and comedy shows... I like guys like Amazing Johnathan and Penn and Teller etc. Not necessarily big stuff but good stuff. what makes them worth it? Besides "They're good"

Years of experience and paying their dues.

Thanks for confirming my suspicions about magicians...

Kameron, I think that the secret is humour. Think of Penn and Teller - great gales of laughter. In the UK Paul Daniels did small tricks for huge audiences. He played 3,000 seaters with chop cup, professors nightmare and six card repeat. It was all down to humour. Kreskin, already mentioned, was a funny guy. Michael Finney, Bill Malone - great comedians. That's what you need to work on, both in your act and your marketing.

It is no coincidence that comedians get paid bigger fees than magicians. People value laughter.

You both are saying the same thing. And you're both right. Clients buy the performer and their act...not the props.

Of course my last 15K show was...well...never.

David

As with comics, one way to justify larger fees is to make television appearences. Comics that get on television justify large fees by this reference.

What's the one thing that all the super stars have in common?
The answer is, they not common at all. Each is different.

First you find yourself, and if it is good enough yet different from the rest, you will be a star.

If not, well, you will just be another one of us.

Tom

Kameron,

First thing you need to do is find out what kind of magician you are. I visited your web site and you are a kids magician, corp. magician, bizarre magician, and balloon artist, juggler. Once you focus on one group you then decide to become EXCELLENT in that one field. Once you are AWESOME then you will be able to charge the higher fees. If you are not getting the fees you want now I would believe it has to do with your web site first. If I wanted to hire an adult/corp. magician by viewing your web site I would believe that you are one of those "kid" magicians. If I was a birthday mom, based on watching your promo video for kids shows, I would never hire you. You do fire in your show, let kids walk on your head while it is on glass, use a french arm chopper (even when the child admitted he was scared). You need to have a separate web site for the different types of magic that you do. And speaking from my own experience as a children's performer, take all of the above stuff out of your show and make a new video. By the way, speaking honestly, does the style of your web site say you are a two thousand dollar performer? Your web site is the first impression people get about you. Create 2 web sites, one for your kids stuff the other for your adult stuff. Make them look like a Broadway musical (awesome looking) then come back and ask your question again.

Louis Meyer

So very well said. When I'm hired as a consultant or mentor the one thing I find most often is an entertainer wants to be full-time or needs to make money now, so they make the mistake of taking any type of gig that comes up in any area of various markets - kids parties, schools, libraries, corporate, festivals, weddings, restaurants and so on. This works against an entertainer trying to get to a specified level such as a 2K per show performer. By trying to be this versatile and general it actually works against them on many levels especially perception, image, value and marketing. I had many of the same thoughts about his web site, but I chalked it up to he's young and a beginner seeking any kind of performing experience he can get.

I've noticed a few threads recently about interests in getting to a particular status level or price level. Attaining this level of advancement or success rarely happens by chance. It is a calculated result based on a plan (business plan) and an ongoing continual effort to achieve the goals set forth. Many people give Criss Angel crap for...well being Criss Angel, but the truth of the matter is he had a goal of achieving superstar status, and worked on it each and every day with that goal in mind. He took the risks, had a support team, his mother refinanced the family house to generate working capital (it is a business venture), he self-produced his own events, he worked the media and generated his own press interests, he pitched his own t.v. shows, etc. Everything was determined and planned accordingly. It is a process and takes careful planning, consistent hard work, focus and determination. In this "instant society" it seems everyone , especially the younger generation, want things more quickly or instantly, but there's no substitute for hard work, education and understanding, and commitment.

I understand Kameron is just seeking information and advice which is a great starting point, but while that is important, you must have the performance experience and the perfectly polished and executed show before worrying about being famous or a high-priced professional.

You won't get anywhere until you first know and decide where you are going. Only then can you make a plan and create and perfect a show and start moving forward in that direction.