Who Needs a Magician Anyway?

Who Needs a Magician Anyway?
By Jeff Stone

Have you ever said this, “Here’s my business card. You know, in case you ever need a magician.” I’ve said that. I’m not proud of that, but I have done it. The problem is that nobody knows who needs a magician. Does the 6th grade teacher at the local elementary school need a magician? Does the guy across town who’s turning 50 need a magician? Does the local restaurant? What about the couple who have been married for 40 years? And the room full of elderly people at the retirement home? How ’bout the police station or the fire department?

The answer to all of these is Yes. They need a magician. Remember back almost a year ago to the August 2007’s No Stone Left Unturned article. In that article we talked about the three departments of your business (Marketing, Accounting, and Production). Well in the marketing department, your job is simple. Find a need and fill it. Sometimes, “finding” a need means “creating” a need.

If you don’t think those people need a magician, then you aren’t thinking deep enough, so let me help you think deeper as we leave No Stone Left Unturned and find you some venues.

First, consider this: birthday parties and anniversaries are times for celebration and joy and happiness. If you read this month’s issue of Roots and Branches, then you know that I believe that a magician’s job is to enhance an already exciting event. Therefore, it would stand to reason that a birthday party or an anniversary party are ideal places to perform.

What about the 6th grade teacher? Assuming, of course, that you do children’s magic, this is another excellent venue. Teachers love having a break from teaching. They love bringing in guests to their class, and most kids love magic. The school loves it and is happy to pay for it, if you can make it educational and entertaining.

The first thing you need to understand and believe is that pretty much everyone you know or come in contact with needs or knows someone who needs a magician. Until you believe that, you will have a hard time moving forward.

Ideas:
Try some of the following ideas and you will land clients. What about approaching the chief of police or the fire department chief. Ask them if they have an upcoming birthday or any kind of celebration with any of the guys. You’ll find that often in these situations, there’s that “one guy” that they want to do something for or give a bad time to.

The cool thing about a gig like this is that you can get the rest of the fire department to pay for it. Let’s say your show is $500 bucks. If there are 20 guys, they can each pitch in $20 or $25 bucks and the gig is covered. Make sure if you do a gig like this that you have some good custom material for firemen or policemen, etc.

What about doing the same thing with a local garage or tire shop. Approach the manager of an auto shop that has a dozen or so employees and let him know about your “car magic routine” and how you’ve got the perfect thing for them, and ask them if they’ve got the “perfect guy” for the show. Payment works out the same. Have everyone split it.

Think of all the businesses that you frequent. Do you have a restaurant that you go to often where the servers know you? I have plenty of those. Talk to the manager as a customer to his/her restaurant. Another angle is to talk to the staff and pitch the idea of throwing a party for the boss, or maybe do a roast of the boss.

Ask the nurses at your doctor’s office about doing a show for the doc. What about politicians. Why not call the Mayor’s office or work with the Chamber of Commerce to set up a roast/show for the Mayor. I’ve met our mayor a few times by attending Chamber of Commerce events.

Go to all of the ribbon cutting ceremonies and talk to the business owners that are there, and pitch the idea to them. There’s an old saying that it’s easier to get $1 dollar from a hundred people than it is to get $100 dollars from one person. This is the principle in play here. Get a handful of people to fork over $20 or $30 bucks which most people would be willing to do to roast the boss. Depending on how many people would be there, it is very easy to get a pretty fat fee. If you got a hundred people each kicking in $15 bucks for a 30 minute roast, you’re doing ok.

I think you get the idea. The catch is, however, that you darn well better have a good show. If not, you’re wasting your time trying to market. Your show will never be perfect, and don’t get caught in the infinite loop of never starting because you don’t think your show is perfect. You have to start sometime, and when you do, you’ll get nailed and screw something up and realize where you need to grow and learn. Meanwhile, improve your show by reading the Roots and Branches articles as well as The Full Montoya articles.

Look back at the November 2007 No Stone Left Unturned, Casting the Net. You will find some great ways to network and get clients. Add to those ideas what you’ve learned in this article about who really needs a magician, and you will have more work than you imagined. Until Next Month…

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