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RonCalhoun Special user Independence, KY USA 599 Posts |
Direct Mail for the kid show markets?
What market would you or do you use direct mail for? How often would you mail? What time of year would you mail and to what markets?
Founder Heroin Doesn't Care. Find us on https://www.facebook.com/heroindoesntcare
www.heroindoesntcare.com |
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The Balloon Animal New user 70 Posts |
Libraries- now
schools - october and february preschools- january park and rec - january
God Bless
Michael Lynn Jr. The Balloon Animal Music, Magic and Awesome Balloons www.balloonanimal.com www.twistergifts.com www.twisterart.com |
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flourish dude Inner circle from ? But I know where I am going! 1195 Posts |
Don't forget the list that you have complied for birthdays.
Nothing of the same will bring any change, take action today!
Just taking a step, is a step in the right direction because when you stop working, your dream dies. www.magicalmemories.us |
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
A big yes. You really should try and maret yourself in every market you plan on doing. Marketing the right way will only help you to reach the goals you want to reach and get you to levels you never thought you could acheive.
I use marketing for every market I perform for and especially the festival market which I specialize in. I always keep in touch with every client or prospect at least 6 times a year. Now this does not mean I am hard selling to them every time. In most cases I am sending them an invite to a public performance, or a holiday card in the mail or a newsletter of information. Each of these are great ways to keep in touch with your clients and keep your name fresh in their own mind. Festivals you really must be ready to mail your stuff out in January and the beginning of February if you want to target the spring and summer festival events. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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Rupert Bair Inner circle ? 2179 Posts |
I thin if your good work should come to you with out trying to look desperate.
If you have a very specialist show, then it may be a good idea. Matt |
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
As I do respect everyones opinion here at the Café, I do have to disagree with what Matt has stated. Please allow me to try and elaborate on it if I can.
The feeling that marketing is for desperate people is a total myth that is often felt by those who really have not looked into what it is all about and what it can do for them. People feel that marketing means you are desperate for work and that you are begging. That could not be further from the truth and is indeed a myth. Marketing is just good business practice. Not only that, but marketing is the way in which you DO business with your clients. It is how you respect them, how you treat the phone call, how you give them solutions to their problems that they may not have even realized. It is about how to build relationships with your clients so they come back to you time and again. If you do your marketing effectively, it should and will not EVER look as if you are begging for work. If your marketing is doing that, then you simply are going about it all wrong. Yes, you must have a good show. That goes without saying. No amount of marketing in the world will ever make anyone successful if their show is just plain poor. But if you want to be successful and to reach your goals and strive for higher places with your magic, then sitting by the phone waiting for someone to call is NOT being proactive. I want to let people know about me. I want to know that I am doing everything I can to be not only the best magician in my area but to be thought of as the best solutions provider as well. Sitting by the phone does nothing for me and will do nothing for you either. Every show you do or perform should be special. That is just the way you should treat every performance and every show you perform. Every client is special and has special needs that should be met. If you are good at what you do, then word of mouth does start working for you. But why not make a conscious effort to help yourself along? Why not learn marketing skills so that you can not only be a good magician, but you learn how to be a good businessman as well. There is a reason why they call it show business. You have the show but rarely does everyone have a grasp of the business side of things. You can be good, but unless people know about you, who you are and what you can do for them, they will simply not contact you. This is marketing. Letting them know who I am and letting them know of my services and how I can benefit them directly. It is being proactive to go out there and to not wait for sucess to happen, but to make succcess happen through my direct actions. Just my opinion is all. I know it works. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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Starrpower Inner circle 4070 Posts |
Marketing is not "looking desperate". It is informing prospects about what you have, and keeping your name in front of them.
If you live in a tiny little berg where eveyone knows everyone else, youmay be able to do without it. But to suggest that people are somehow going to know all about you and your services simply by "word of mouth" is ridiculous. Most people will hire you for one event ... ONE. They may re-hire you, but usually for the same type of event. How are they in a postion to know what you can do for someone else? How are they aware of your specialties? How can they possibly be aware of you capabilities outside the ONE SINGLE EVENT you did for them? Sorry, Matt, but you are wrong on this one. It IS our responsiblity to let others know what we can do for them. When you want a date with a girl, you don't say to yourself, "I'm a great guy. She'll hear about me and come knocking on my door some day." No, you WORK, man! You introduce yourself, you ask her out, buy her candy and flowers, take her to dinner. That's no desperate, THAT'S SELLING! |
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Rupert Bair Inner circle ? 2179 Posts |
If, I was looking for a particular market, such as my circus school then I would use direct mail. For my normal show I wouldn't. Over here anyway people would probably feel harassed If I bombarded their letter boxes with my letters. But I suppose I shouldn't knock it before I try it (slap my own wrists).
Matt |
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Billy Whizz Special user Plymouth, UK 576 Posts |
I don't mean this the wrong way Kyle, but if you sent me 6 mail shots, or contacted me 6 times over the space of a year, I would not only be cheesed off, but I would think you were desperate for the work. Is this the norm for everyone in the US?
In your previous post on other subjects regarding mail drops, marketing and give aways to the birthday child etc, you seem to give away an awful lot, do you really make much of a profit Kyle. You seem to spend quite a lot, not just in expenses but also in time. |
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p.b.jones Inner circle Milford Haven. Pembrokeshire wales U.K. 2642 Posts |
When you want a date with a girl, you don't say to yourself, "I'm a great guy. She'll hear about me and come knocking on my door some day." No, you WORK, man! You introduce yourself, you ask her out, buy her candy and flowers, take her to dinner. That's no desperate, THAT'S SELLING!
HI, That's a matter of opinion (- Phillip |
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Starrpower Inner circle 4070 Posts |
Oh, c'mon, Phillip! You guys aren't gonna try to tell me that, aside from customers beating paths to your doors, you're all chick magnets, too?
Hi, Billy - No that's not the norm for everyone in the U.S., but probably every SUCCESSFUL act. Re-read my post above -- not to revisit the entire "testimonials" thread, but how on Earth are people to know what you can do for them if you don't TELL them? Are there TV commericals in England? Magazine and newspaper ads? Billboards, product placement, and signs? If there are, explain to me "Why?" if it's not of value to businesses, even over there. |
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
Billy,
I totally respect your opinion my friend and I thank you for having strong thoughts as well. It is what makes the Café a greta place. However, I must disagree with you on this. Now, I do keep in mind that their may also be a cultural difference here as we are in two different countried who's cultures, values and beliefs may be quite different. When I say make contact with my clients and prospects, I do not mean I am hard selling to them. Hard selling that often would do exactly what you said... it would bug people a lot. However, I am not harrassing them as I am building a relationship with them. I send a simple thank you card after my performance. I can send a public invite to see my show to a prospect who may still be deciding to use me. I would send out a simple Happy Holidays card around this time of year or send a happy birthday wishes around their birthday. Each of these things does not mention anything about them using me or hire me for their event. They are simple ways to show my gratitude with my clients, to build a relationship with them and to keep my name fresh in their minds through out the year. It may sound like I give away a lot and I do. However, my total cost for give aways at any event I do is.. ready for this..... 2 US Dollars. That is certainly worth me spending for the value and memories I will get from it. As a designer, I design most of my give-away items myself. I keep cost down but they looks great, cost me nothing and add a lot of fun and value to my shows. besides, the kids love getting the coloring fyers and the certificates and it is a great way to have their parents remember me and know who I am. Hope this may answer some of your questions. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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thesecretllama New user Dayton, Oh 41 Posts |
These are some fantastic suggestions. Thank you! I have recently moved to a new area of the country for me and there are not many magicians around. I have been looking for ways to market myself. Theses will surely help. Thank you all!
I agree that moderate (not necessarily modest) amounts of direct mail is not desparate, but helpful. I have just one question, however. Considering marketers typically say that a 5% return on direct marketing is a "success" and the volumes of direct mail it would take to produce "a living" from 5% of direct mail, is there another method that would yield better results? |
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Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
I'm just curious Kyle, you write to everyone on your database 6 times a year, how many people are on this database.
I agree with Kyle that marketing does not mean your desperate, but don't forget guys the reason Kyle goes way over the top is it's his hobby as well, a normal entertainer would only need to do a small percentage of what Kyle does. I do feel however if marketing isn't your hobby and you've been in this business for years and still heavily marketing then either, 1, you havn't the confidence that work will continue to come in without the marketing or 2, you relly need to look at why your show isn't pulling in a lot of work for you.
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
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Billy Whizz Special user Plymouth, UK 576 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-12-17 12:54, Starrpower wrote:how on Earth are people to know what you can do for them if you don't TELL them? Hi Starpower, Personally, I get the mass of my bookings from people who've seen me at a previous show. If you do 400 shows in a year, and there were just 30 kids at each show, (sometimes there's hundreds) that means you have 12,000 prospective customers who see that show. I realise lots of these kids see you over and over, but it's still a huge amount. Now if you have a first class show, these kids will go home and tell mum and dad all about it, and they'll want you to do the same for their kids too. Best wishes, Billy |
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RonCalhoun Special user Independence, KY USA 599 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-12-17 14:19, Billy Whizz wrote: I travel about 150 miles away from my home to do kid shows. If every child when home and told the parents how great my show is, it would not help me. 1. I'm booking Libraries, Childcare centers, Boy scouts, Girl scout, Schools, Park and recreation departments, Company picnics, Holiday shows for kids at private clubs. 2. I'm not doing birthday parties but if I did and IF all 12,000 Children who see my show love it, how many will remember my name. How will they know how to get in touch with me. I really don't want to trust my livelihood to a five year old. 3. BTW most Birthday party's in America don't have 30 kids (thank you, Lord) Ron
Founder Heroin Doesn't Care. Find us on https://www.facebook.com/heroindoesntcare
www.heroindoesntcare.com |
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Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
I work the same as Billy, and just about every other kids entertainer, IE, always ensure the kids go home with something with your details on.
Every kid goes home with a postcard that I get the booker to put in the party bag, it has a magic trick on one side and my details on the other. At other shows like library's etc I give these out to all the kids. Billy has business cards put in the bags. I also teach the kids a song that I tell them to sing over and over on the way home, MUM AND DAD, MUM AND DAD, AT MY PARTY I WANT EMAZDAD. If they havn't got my details but know my name, then I'm in the YP with a photo of me and marmite the lion.. Ron you probably need to market more due to the markets you are aiming for, although once these groups etc have seen you, if you're good they'll always re-book you, most of the Schools and Playgroups I do I've been doing for years, and all they ever get from me in the form of mail is the contract. Most of my 400 shows a year like Billy are 2-hour birthday parties, and I only cover the ages from 4 to 8 years old. The rest are Pre-schools, Schools, Holiday camps etc. I did a season this year at Woodlands Adventure Park, I didn't contact them to get the job. I did a birthday party for a lady, she worked for a company and reccomended me for their annual staff family outing which was at Woodlands. The management saw my show and contacted me and booked me for 10 dates throughout the summer.
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
Let me try and answer a few questions that have been posted towards me in hopes I can shed some more light on how I do things and more on why I do them the way I do. It might be helpful to some.
Please keep in mind that these are ONLY my opinions and in no way am I suggesting these are the ONLY ways to go about things. These are just methods I have used over the years to really pick up my magic business and take it to new levels I had never dreamed of. they work for me and others that have used them. But, if you are happy with the way you are handling things now, that is fine also. You must do what works for you. With this said, let me try and answer a few questions: - yes a successful return rate is 5%, but 5% can be a HUGE figure for income depending upon how you look at it and how you market it. The idea with marketing is that your materials are fine tuned to a particular market and you are sending out to Qualified Leads. This is not mailing on a hit or miss system. this is mailing or e-mailing to people who you have on your list, who meet your crieteria for the market you want to work and who have been contacted so you KNOW they are the decison makers. if you work it in this fashion, you will get return rates far more then just 5%. as an example, and this is not ment to come off as ego but more just showing you how it can work, last year I did a festival lead generation to all new prospects who had never seen or heard of me before. Just from the marketing mailing I did and the system I used I had a 26% return rate. 1 out of every 4 I mailed contacted me back for a show. these were for the festival market and so I made out quite well and did not break my back doing the initial mailings. The system I used was easy as it has become automatic for me. - I have a database of well over 150-200 contacts. They do receive mail or cards or e-mails up to 6 times a year in various means as I have mentioned here or in other posts. It does not cost me much to do so so my overhead is really next to nothing. However, I am building relationships with these foilks and getting my name fresh in their minds when decision making time comes around. For the festival market and other family style markets I do, this is essential as often contact people change from year to year. keeping your name fresh in their minds helps them to remember to call you when they need your solution providing talents. - yes Clive is right that it is also a hobby. However, I think anyone who does marketing, does it well and has tremendous succcess from it as I have, it becomes a very healthy addiction. you want to do more cause you see it working every single day. - heavily marketing even when you are established does not mean you need to change your show or evaluate what you are doing wrong. that I do not agree with. I think even when you are established, you still need to market to some degree and keep up with it. - Do not get me wrong, word of mouth is a GREAT form of marketing but it is still marketing. you are giving and showing a product or service and they like what they see so they spread the word about your services to others. You simply must have a good show or no matter what form of marketing you do, it will only fail. Just a question for Clive and Billy. I am curious if either of you hand out anything for the kids to take home at your shows? Do you give them anything for helping out etc. that they take home to their parents. Thanks guys for a healthy discussion that is not arguement based. It is cool to have a difference of opinion as long as we can discuss it like we are. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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Billy Whizz Special user Plymouth, UK 576 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-12-17 15:33, Emazdad wrote: Billy has business cards put in the bags. Hi Matey, I used to, but haven't done for a long time. |
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
Ok so you used to use business cards for the kids. good idea for sure. How then do people find your number etc. in order to contact you for a show? I am just curious is all and certainly not trying to be sarcastic. Just tryingto learn from you across the pond and get an understanding of what has seemed to work for you and for Clive as well.
Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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