Marketing by Flourishes

Show off

You’re probably sick of me braggin’ about how fast I can solve the Rubik’s cube, but just in case you’re not, my average speed is under 35 seconds. My best time is 24 seconds. I never leave home without my Rubik’s cube. I leave one in the car at all times. That way when I’m heading off to a place where I know I’ll be waiting, I bring the cube with me. It gives me something to do while I’m waiting for the DMV clerk to call my number.

Sometimes I bring a deck of cards instead. With the cards, it’s flourishes and finger flicky stuff while waiting. I do this to show off, but for a good purpose.

Transition

So I’m standing in line speed-solving, or finger-flicking; now what? I’d say that better than 90% of the time I do this, someone will start asking questions or making statements (e.g., “wow you’ve got fast hands”, “you’re good with cards”, “how fast can you solve that”, etc.).

With the flourishes, it’s obviously easy to transition to “I’m a magician” or “I’m a magician; do you wanna see something cool?” With the cube, I tell them the true story that I’ve spent the last year trying to master the speed technique so that I could get my speed down around 30 seconds for a magic effect I’m working on. Of course that leads to, “Oh? Are you a magician?”

So What?

What’s the point of doing all this? Remember that the No Stoned Left Unturned column is meant to help you improve the business side of magic: get more gigs, retain clients, marketing tips, etc. I’ve found that fiddling with my cards and/or cube in public usually leads to a conversation about magic, which often leads to a discussion about “do you do shows?”

Be prepared to answer questions and possibly get some phone numbers and/or give out business cards. This is a simple way to turn a 30 minute wait in Apple Genius Store into a few hundred bucks in your pocket (depending on your show fee) by getting potential and actual clients.

Learn a coin roll, or fancy Zippo lighter moves. Learn to solve the cube or some fancy XCM moves. Learn how to get the attention of those around you without taking on the attitude of “look at how awesome I am.”

Often when people ask what I’m doing, I let them know that I’m “keeping my fingers warmed up.” This will, of course, lead to questions. I lead them to believe that solving the cube is just meant to keep my mind and fingers nimble which is true. This can/will lead to you showing them nimble fingers (card/coin effect) or nimble mind (mentalism effect).

So get out there and start finger flicking, coin rolling and cube solving.

Until Next Month . . .