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Tyler Salvador New user Toronto, ON 33 Posts 
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Hi there! I'm putting together a website for myself but I've into a problem. I want to asemble an 'About Me' section but I don't have much experience. I've been practicing magic in general for about a year and performed my first paid show the other day. How can I sell myself without mentioning this. Most websites I look at have their "years of experience" as the first line in their bio.
I'm just looking for some tips, suggestions or brainstorming that will help me look appealing without bending the truth too much. My bare-bones website is http://www.barnaclebart.com Any help is appreciated! Thanks! 
Tyler Salvador - Barnacle Bart the Pirate
www.barnaclebart.com |
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charliecheckers Inner circle 1969 Posts
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You can include how excited you are to offer a pirate themed show and why you came up with it and how well it plays for audiences. Play to your strong suit. The reason many include years of business is because it is their strength. You can use other information to achieve the same goal. Realize that in the big scheme of things, this is really not what will build your business, so spend more time and effort on activities that more directly build your business. Good luck!
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tgs Regular user 142 Posts
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Just don't mention it. "Barnacle Bart is a children's entertainer serving the greater Toronto area. He first became interested in magic in 1999, when..." etc.
By the way, your site doesn't plainly state your geographic region. Clients want to see at a glance that you're in their area. You should also optimize your site's width - no more than 960 pixels wide, or some clients are going to get an awkward horizontal scroll along with the standard vertical scroll. |
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TomBoleware Inner circle Hattiesburg, Ms 3174 Posts
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Your site looks great.
For now, on the about me page, you could expand what you said on the front page about 'Who is Barnacle.' Forget the experience part and just talk about what you do. List the type shows you do, etc. Tom
The Daycare Magician Book
https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/amazekids/the-daycare-magician/ My Blog - https://boleware.blogspot.com/ |
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Robin4Kids Veteran user Lower Alabama 396 Posts
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If you have any experience with kids, such as raising children, youth coach, scout leader, etc., I would include that. You could talk about how you became interested in magic and entertaining kids. You could mention how you have learned to entertain kids from some of the best kids' entertainers in the business (just don't mention you read their books or watched their DVDs!)
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Tyler Salvador New user Toronto, ON 33 Posts
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@tgs - that is a nice catch! I'm gonna fix that immediately.
@robin4kids - I like that second idea!
Tyler Salvador - Barnacle Bart the Pirate
www.barnaclebart.com |
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Mindpro Eternal Order 10618 Posts
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"Barnacle Bart first became interested in magic when... His love of_______ has lead him to... Today Barnacle Bart ...."
Your About Page can be as simple as that. Then add to it as you gain some credits and become more established. Your site has a major contradiction, commit to the text being in either first person or third person, The first column uses "he" and "his", then the third column uses "we" and "our" before going back to third person in the same text. Pick one. Also just curious, why no phone number? For local performers this should be an option. Just a few thoughts because you asked. |
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Tyler Salvador New user Toronto, ON 33 Posts
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Theres a lot of stuff I don't know about putting this website together. that's why I posted this.
A second, third or fourth set of eyes is handy.
I have a friend who is going to help me fix the resolution issue. The site is completely broken on mobile as well. Im glad I made this post. Lots of easy fixes that I looked over. 
Tyler Salvador - Barnacle Bart the Pirate
www.barnaclebart.com |
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JoshLondonMagic Special user 675 Posts
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Here's an idea few seem to grasp. Instead of making the website about you make it about your customers!
Show how you will make their lives easier, happier and their party more memorable. Why would a customer hire you over me? Well if they have a 6 yo boy who is having a pirate themed party you're the best choice. Josh
Josh
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Starrpower Inner circle 4070 Posts
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I like Josh's appraoch. Your customers really don't want to know about you. We like to write about ourselves because we are largely ego-driven. But the truth is, they want to know what you can do for them! When you want a quick, fast breakfast on the go at a reasonable price, do you really care about how Ray Croc founded McDonald's? Probably not. You just want to grab your hot coffee and McMuffin and be on your way.
So figure out what they want, and explain how you can give it to them. That's what you should tell them. Salute! Mark |
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gmsmagic1 Elite user 405 Posts
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Nice looking site! Image is everything when you're trying to make a name for yourself, so accentuate the positives regarding things you can say, and leave out links and tabs to pages under construction so that you don't exploit your deficiencies.
I fully agree with Josh and Mark. It's about them - not you! So highlight what you have to offer instead. The "About Us" tab could be changed to "About Our Shows" or simply "Show Options". Then, instead of using a "Read More" link below the show options you list on the home page, you could give a more elaborate description of the different show packages you offer under the "Show Options" tab. Don't include pricing in my opinion, since your objective is to get them to call you so that you can sell on value instead of price. And of course it goes without saying that you need your business phone number prominently displayed on every page. Consider duplicating this page on Facebook with a business profile screen, and ask people to friend you so that you drive more traffic to your web site. This will eventually lead to more free organic placement on the major search engines like Google. Finally, get friends or professionals to take plenty of pictures and video at your shows so that you collect clips that you can add to an eventual gallery tab on your web site or use on promotional flyers or other advertising. And send out a performance report after shows so that you start collecting testimonials for an eventual testimonial tab on your web site. - Gary |
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Starrpower Inner circle 4070 Posts
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Now Gary opened a new can of worms - price. I used to be of the mindset that posting prices was a 100% wrong thing to do. I have made a turnaround. Not a full 180, but enough that I can see advantages to both approaches. For low-dollar shows, like birthdays, I post rates because I'd rather have people call ready to book. I can get enough for my needs that I don't want to bother taking the time to "sell" the low-dollar programs.
As for libraries and similar, the culture in my state is for public librarians to go to the Department of Public Instruction's library website where entertainers' profiles are listed. If you're not there, you're not in the game here. And they require rates, so it's a moot point. For other shows, I am on board with Gary; I like them to call me. Na zdrowie! Mark |
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Mindpro Eternal Order 10618 Posts
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The few few of our posts actually addressed his question and concerns. Now this is going in an entirely different direction which as stated is a whole new can of worms. This info too can be valuable as there are many options, possibilities, theories and opinions.
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gmsmagic1 Elite user 405 Posts
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Good point Mindpro.
I'll start a new thread on the pricing topic since it merits its own discussion. |
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Starrpower Inner circle 4070 Posts
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Mindpro, I don't know what thread you have been reading, because every poster here addressed the question of how to handle the "About me" section.
To wit: Charlie Checkers - Play to your strong suit ... use other information to achieve the same goal. tgs - Just don't mention it. Tom Bolware - Forget the experience part and just talk about what you do. Robin4kids - If you have any experience with kids, such as raising children, youth coach, scout leader, etc., I would include that. You (MindPro) - "Barnacle Bart first became interested in magic when... His love of_______ has lead him to... Today Barnacle Bart ...." Josh London - Instead of making the website about you make it about your customers! Me (Starrpower) - Your customers really don't want to know about you. So figure out what they want, and explain how you can give it to them. Gary - It's about them - not you! So highlight what you have to offer instead. True, it's drifting a bit (like all natural conversations do) but it's unfair to say that all the contributors have not been addressing Tyler's question. In an effort to bring it back on track, another option, Tyler, could be to let your customers speak for you, regardless of how few there are. Get a few testimonials and use them instead of an "About Me" section. This is another way of of telling "about you" by letting others talk about you (even if you have to do a free or cheaper show in order to get those comments)! You could even get 2-3 comments from several parents/adults who are at the same show. Shucram! Mark |
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Mindpro Eternal Order 10618 Posts
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While I agree that a website should be about benefits and interests as they pertain to the potential client, I do believe the one page that should be about the performer is the About Us/Me page if you are choosing to have one.
I will regularly check such pages to see important information that may have a bearing on how long they've (truly) been performing, any professional organizations they belong to, any credits and accomplishments, media, how and who they trained with or institutions they went to, and any other non-fluff content that can offer, establish or create credibility. For example if someone was a graduate of the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey College that can carry a distinct perspective and level of perception that could separate them from other performers a client is also considering. The About Me/Us page is the place for this type of content while maintaining the rest of the site to be focused on clients needs, interests and benefits. |
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Mindpro Eternal Order 10618 Posts
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Quote:
On 2013-10-27 12:44, gmsmagic1 wrote: I also think another thread could be started about what members think should be included and is most important to have on a website today, as well as in specific markets - kids/family entertainment, corporate, fairs & festivals, education, etc. It could be helpful to the OP. |
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Mindpro Eternal Order 10618 Posts
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Quote:
On 2013-10-27 12:46, Starrpower wrote: Yes, I said the first few (actually five) were more specific to his question, then they became brief statements offering additional information, which was my point. I too could have offered a great deal more info but didn't as I was trying just to answer his actual question without steering of into additional or different directions. One of the aspects so common for new people in his position is the easy to become overwhelmed feeling one often gets through too much info to quickly or information overload. I also respectfully disagree with you - customers often do want to know about you. People want to do business with people they like, trust, feel confident with and that they feel are credible enough and capable to handle their event. A customer will not do business with you if they don't like you or feel comfortable with you. Your website can and should establish this in the process. |
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Starrpower Inner circle 4070 Posts
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I agree with your final statement, but the fact that someone learned magic at age 10 from a set of Marshall Brodien TV Magic Cards is irrelevant. Building confidence can be done in a lot of ways aside from a biography.
I stand by my assertion, and that of others here, that customers don't care when you became interested in magic. They simply don't. Unless you are selling a magic teaching program, and you want to reinforce the concept that it's possible for a young person to grasp magic because you did so yourself, nobody cares. Why waste time on an "About Me" section if it doesn't benefit the customer? Right now, Tyler doesn't have a strong background to reinforce his magic history and experience. He's only been in magic a year, so he needs to approach this from a different angle. Tyler, your site looks awesome. Very professional. Keep the potential customer in mind in everything you do there. Ask yourself, "Who cares?" every step of the way, and I think you will find the better answers than anyone here can provide. Live long and prosper! Mark |
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Mindpro Eternal Order 10618 Posts
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Quote:
On 2013-10-27 13:51, Starrpower wrote: Yeah you are correct but it only seems to be an issue with magicians for some reasons. |
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Posted: Oct 27, 2013 02:42 am 
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