I don't know al the details but apparently Face book s launching its own version of Groupon right now in several states. so this could be some thing that is going to bring lots of eyes and hopefully biz.

sam

Domino, I was only repeating what Close-up Dave said is all about corporate buyers.

Still just because not everyone is "rolling in the bookings" does not mean you need to be sarcastic. I certainly wasn't.

Excellent suggestions, Blair! That was also a great article on the effects of social shopping. I think Danny is on track with the article quote: "The viral power of the deal is based on how good the deal is. But then the next person has to follow suit and do something similar or more extreme. And so over months, we have, as an industry, systematically brought down the value of our services."

I don't know about other areas, but around here Groupon represents the cream of the crop. I've always viewed it as a "Get Them Through The Door" introductory service rather than a discount service. In fact, since the local agency targets the upper middle class, soccer moms and upwardly mobile young executive types, the idea that corporate clients will never see the ad is not altogether true - at least in my part of the country. Different franchises may do things differently.

While I might use social shopping to fill a theater and cover my costs, as suggested, I don't believe I personally would use it to promote personal services like event entertainment and parties. Why would I want to work my tail off fulfilling even a scant 50 requests for these services at a quarter of my standard fee? There are far more profitable ways to fill my schedule.

Still, every new idea is at least worth exploring! Hope you find a way to make it work, Kameron! Keep us posted!

I don't know how true that really is though and perhaps it depends on the industry. It wouldn't happen in our industry only because there aren't many magicians who would try this. I've never seen a magician in my area do this. Maybe after one did it, others may follow, but they are going to be spread so far apart that it wouldn't have an impact on the entire business in this area.

As someone who uses Groupon, I typically buy impulsively and based on location, rather than is the deal better than the other vendor from a few days ago. The symphony is one example where location had nothing to do with it and they don't have competition. But I've had several come through for bowling and took advantage of one because of the location, not the price. Within 2 weeks of buying that, another bowling center did this and when I saw where it was located, I didn't bother to look at the offer. But even if that location was closer and the price was cheaper, I still wouldn't have bought because I hadn't used the one I already purchased.

One other thing that you have to consider is that these deals don't just sit there so you can compare prices later on. There is a very limited time to make the purchase and when that time is up, it's over and you miss out.

If companies are going to start competing with each other on price, trying to out do each other, then that is their mistake because it's not necessary. It's already a deal, even if it's more expensive than what the competition put out a couple of weeks ago.

To chime back in, I was only offering the intro lessons at a discount in hopes of getting show bookings at full price, as well as future lessons. I've had kids start to take lessons on a whim and come back every week for over a year. If I can get some steady students it will help out a lot. A friend of mine has over 70 students for guitar lessons. This gives me hope... I know magic lessons are not the same, but with shows etc...

and yes, I am looking for birthday parties more than corporate events. Not high paying or high brow, but a few a week and I can get some bills paid...

an update, I didn't sell a ton of lessons, but enough, and my site got more hits in 2 days than I had before. Even if people didn't buy or call, thousands saw my face on their phones and computers in this little 100,000 town. Maybe that is a seed in their head that when Johnnys birthday comes up they will call. I'm not trying to be a huge corporate entertainer, or a vegas act, or a tv deal. I want to do a few shows a week with some lessons sprinkled in to pay my bills... Groupon cost me nothing and got a huge boost in exposure... heres hoping...

Good for you, at least you tried and took action. Hopefully it works out. I would also try to follow-up with some other forms of public exposure to keep your name "out there" and build on what you have done!

B

Dude you are out there giving it a shot. THAT is going to help you more than anything. Your willingness to try and to find and to experiment and to go with what works and keep hacking away at it. THIS IS WHAT MOST MISS.

Domino wants to sarcastically ask my suggestion. YOU are already doing it. No every idea won't be a gem, but so what? Keep at it, don't be afraid to be wrong, don't be afraid to fail and keep pushing forward. THAT is what you are doing and bravo for it brother!

It may not be the way I would do it or I may not think it a good idea, but it is not a bad one either. Get out there and learn. Oh and do yourself and others a favor and keep notes. In 15 or so years you will have one hell of a lot of resource material to share. Keep at it sir. Don't be afraid to be wrong.(and you are not) I am wrong a lot, that is how I get to what is right!

Motion creates emotion. I like the fact that you try.

Dannydole you make me think of Kfc and disney.

How many times do you think Colonel Sanders heard no before getting the answer he wanted? He was refused 1,009 times before he heard his first yes. His spent two years driving across America in his old, beat-up car, sleeping in the back seat in his rumpled white suit, getting up each day eager to share his idea with someone new. Often, the only food he had was a quick bite of the samples he was preparing for perspective buyers. How many people do you think would have gone for 1,009 no's - two years of no's! - and kept on going? Very few. That's why there is only one Colonel Sanders. I think most people wouldn't get passed twenty no's, much less a hundred or a thousand! Yet this is sometimes what it takes to succeed.

If you look at any of the most successful people in history, you will found this common thread: They would not be denied. They would not accept no. They would not allow anything to stop them from making their vision, their goal, a reality. Did you know that Walt Disney was turned down 302 times before he got financing for his dream of creating "The Happiest Place on Earth"? All the banks thought he was crazy. He wasn't crazy; he was a visionary and, more important, he was committed to making that vision a reality. Today, millions of people have shared in "the joy of Disney", a world like no other, a world launched by the decision of one man.

we must all be willing to work and fail but never give up.
sam

I can't count the number of wrong things I have done. Heck it is how we learn.

Lynyrd Skynyrd was turned down by every major record company. Heck Stone Cold Steve Austin was told he would be nothing more than a mid card wrestler! I can list tens of thousands of success stories that include people being told NO! Not a chance! FORGET IT KID!

Kameron;

Getting back to the original question of booking kids shows, I looked at the Groupon link you provided in your original post; the first question asked was my email; I left the site for fear of having my email address passed across the internet; I knew nothing of the web site, so I ran like a scared kid.

As I was looking at youtube videos I noticed kids magicians that used live rabbits always had the kids go nuts when the rabbit appeared; I got rabbits for my act. I have no client’s but I have an act.. and I have rabbits.

I am going to attempt a new marketing strategy.

On Saturday I am going to Golden Gate Park, the largest park in San Francisco; I will have my rabbits, my business cards and promotional material and let the kids that have parent’s with them pet my rabbits while I am giving my card to the parent; while the kid are petting the rabbit within ear shot, I will announce that I do magic birthday parties… with rabbits.

My thinking is that the kid will need to have a magician with rabbits attending the birthday party.

Parents must be present while the kid pets the rabbits because It’s not my desire for Chris Hanson from Dateline to come knocking on my door and asking me what I was thinking; my photo on Megan’s List is not the advertising I want

I will post the results of my experiment on Monday; I am hoping it will work for me and I will be successful in booking shows.

If it is successful you can try it at full price.

Buzz

I took my rabbit’s to the park today for two hours and it was a Hugh success; I gave out over 40 cards and the parents were very impressed with the way the rabbits interacted with the kids.

I placed both rabbits in the pen and within minutes kids were crowded around the pen; I informed the kids that they can only pet the rabbits if a parent or guardian was here at the pen. Two reasons for this, first the kids alone petting the rabbits do not help me get shows. Secondly a guy showing up at the park with rabbits and no kids of his own is an excellent way to assure yourself a trip to predator’s prison with your picture on Megan’s list.

When the parent came over I introduced myself and offered my card; I then explained that I am a magician and I let them know that I enjoy allowing children to pet my rabbit's but I really feel more relaxed if a parent is there, it protects me from any misunderstanding about my intentions. I then explain that I use rabbit’s in my in my performance; the rabbits are new to my act and before I include rabbits in the show, I take new rabbits to the park so the rabbits can become accustom to being handled by the children I entertain.

It worked perfectly, about 3 or 4 parents told me they will be in touch; time will tell, but it’s more fun than mailers or news paper ads

:rabbitfromhat:

Buzz