What’s Your Market

Nature never deceives us; it is always we who deceive ourselves.
– Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Are you elegant? Funny? Mysterious? Sexy? Fast-talking? Many magicians get distracted by their fantasies and never take a long, serious look in the mirror. Sadly, this only undermines their ability to make at least some of their most cherished fantasies a reality.

Who you are and your particular performance style should play a large part in determining your target market. Corporate clients are looking for one thing, parents of children celebrating a birthday are looking for another, and the owner of a bar/restaurant is looking for yet another. I suggest you specialize rather than trying to be a “jack of all trades” because being very good at just one thing is challenge enough.

However, I realize that many magicians choose to try their hand at a variety of performance situations, so allow me to suggest that you at least develop a different promotional package for each of the venues. Think about it. You own a restaurant, a guy comes in claiming to be a magician and when he gives you his card it reads, “Parties, banquets, trade shows, restaurants, anniversaries, bar mitzvahs and funerals.” Now imagine meeting a magician who hands you his card and it reads, “Restaurant Magician.” Who are you going to be tempted to interview first? And who is going to be able to ask for more money? That’s right. The specialist.

Magicians claim that they have to work at birthday parties, restaurants, office parties, banquets and a dozen other venues “to make ends meet,” but in my experience, spreading yourself so thinly across so many markets is a great way to guarantee that you will be struggling to make ends meet for years to come.

There’s an old show biz adage, “Grab one bell and ring it until your arm falls off.” It takes years to establish yourself in a market and typically just when you are beginning to get completely bored with a market is when that market “suddenly” takes notice of you and your services are in great demand. Be patient. Look at yourself in the mirror, check in with your heart and decide which market you suit and enjoy performing in. Then commit to it and promote yourself with everything you have. I bet you will be thrilled with the results. The universe responds to commitment.

Republished with permission from Jay Sankey.