I'm looking to print something on the back of my Business Cards so the spectator can show a trick to someone else using my card.

I've used the "PARIS IN THE THE SPRING" and the "COUNT THE NUMBERS" (where it says add the following numbers: 1000, then 40 then 1000 then 30 etc.) and recently the "COUNT THE F'S" bit.

I've thought about some optical illusions but that's a bit harder to produce cheaply. I currently use rubberstamps or stickers I print on the PC.

I'm looking for some other concepts. Any ideas would be great.

THANK YOU

Printing concentric circles on your card.
Moving the card in a horizontal plane back and forth produces the illusion of a coin.

If you could stamp both sides, you could stamp the "2 on one, 5 on other side" effect.


Where you can show 1 dot, then 4 dots, but then there are 3 dots followed by 6 dots... pretty simple and not a bad effect.

A great gag is to use a paper punch and put a clean hole through the card. The back should read " Can you push a dime through this hole without ripping the card?" To actually push a dime through the hole, take a dime and set it on the table, insert a toothpick or thin pen through the hole, and push the dime across the table with the toothpick or pen. It's a fun gag.

I would look at making a business card with push out parts. Like the things kids get from cereal packets. They could push out and assemble a small puzzle or some other cool construction.
Like you could have the image of 2 coins (reverse is your logo) they can be pushed out and used in a trick!

Alan, I love this. How simple and yet complicated. I was thinking of all kinds of ways to get the dime through the hole before reading the explanation. I wish I had that kind of creative thinking ability. This is really funny.

Alan,
A nice follow up is to slide the hole to the opposite end of the business card. Send me a few of your business cards.
Steve

You can also push your wife or whomever through the hole of a business card - place it on their forehead and put your finger through to push them....

Take Steve Dusheck's advice, he is the master of the business card effects.

vinny

I'm in a "traditional" business, and hand out business cards daily to stay in touch with prospects and other business owners in my field. I was hoping someone could point me to a resource for learning some sort of flourish, sleight-of-hand or other eye-catching technique for doing just that, so the simple act of handing someone a business card becomes a memorable experience.

I've always been fascinated with magic, but honestly don't know enough about it to be familiar with the lingo. KISS is the key word for me here, with me being that last "s"!

Thanks in advanced for your help!

Airth:

Get hot leads or afterburn. It sets your business card on fire and at the end after extinguishing the flames the card is unharmed and can be given to the spectator.

of course you must not ignite it too close to your potention client's face :->

Anyway I use it all the time (except in areas where there's a potential fire hazard)

If fire is not your kind of stuff, then maybe you might want to get Ammar's easy to master business cards miracles DVD series which I think have some jewels in them.

cheerios

Go to Doug Conn's website and watch After-Afterburn.
http://www.dougconn.com/videos.htm

Heck, watch ALL Doug's videos. They're some of the best on the web.

Use an inkjet to print anything you want

Airth,
There is a paddle type move where you can show both sides of the cards blank.
You could then magically print the card using a thru the fist flourish ala Vernon.

Another idea is to have two cards face to face. Pick up the two as one and show them blank both sides. Palm one off and reach in your pocket for a pen, dump the card. Wave the pen over the card in hand and show it printed.

Does anyone know of a source either printed or video for the paddle type move?

Sorry mrj but it was a long time ago and have no idea where I saw the paddle type move w/ a biz card.

A Mexican Turnover can be used with business cards.

MagicMan1957 is-
"looking to print something on the back of my Business Cards so the spectator can show a trick to someone else using my card."

I can't think of anything thet fits his needs.

It seems that no one has mentioned the Out to Lunch principle. It works great with business cards! You can do many things with it. I believe that Dan Harlan has an effect using this on one of his Premium Blends DVDs, it's a drawn Professor's Nightmare.

Also if you're not the type to use a rubber band around your cards then Doc Eason showed me a metal card clip that he had made that fits business cards perfectly for this effect. Email him about it and you might still be able to get one off him. I use mine quite frequently.

Cheers,

Cameron Fisk

Search out the other strings on this topic and you'll find that Mark Wilson has a video out on Business card magic.

Bland printing is my favorite!

The Stockholder Wallet uses the Out To Lunch principle, and comes with a rash of routines from respected (and respectable) performers. I think it's readily available.

Personally, I have a simple effect using a PATEO force to hand out a card. I put a business card blank-side down, explaining there is an ESP symbol drawn on its back as a prediction. I then bring out five playing cards, explaining each has an ESP symbol on the back (in reality only one does, and the other four are blank). Face down, I PATEO force the card with the symbol I've drawn on the business card. I then reveal the prediction to be correct. Customers usually assume all five cards have the same symbol, so for another climax I turn the cards over to show the other four blank.

It's lightweight, but it's okay.

However, from a marketing point of view I've always found it much more useful to get a prospect's business card rather than to give a prospect my business card. This way I can add them to my database and include them on regular mailshots.

Also, I've found the retention rate for my own cards has increased since I included a photograph of myself on them. This isn't anything special as a photograph, but it seems to make it more difficult for the prospect to throw the card away.

Just some thoughts.

Cheers

Ian

MagicMan1957,
Send me one of your business cards. I think you will like the card I return to you.
Best wishes,
Steve