Marketing, Selling & Business Matters in Magic & Conjuring: page 4

This is a book of working knowledge using over 30 years of professional experience in the field of close-up magic. Some of the 15 specific subjects covered inside are

• How do you select the right tricks for your routines?
• What sales tools do you need to sell yourself?
• How do you find your own style?
• What can you do to increase audience reaction?

1st edition 1995; 77 pages.

Paul A. Lelekis is one of the most experienced table-hoppers on the planet. He has performed in many restaurants from Hot Dog Stands all the way up to 5-Star restaurants for over 25 years. He has often table-hopped in restaurants 6 or 7 days a week - for many years.

Paul has been asked to record an all-inclusive e-book of Table-Hopping and so decided to write this e-book, The Business of Table-Hopping. Included are a few photographs of Paul, explaining magic.

Table-Hopping is not only a very lucrative business, but you will be asked to perform for many other engagements and hundreds of...

Ever wonder why some magicians always seem to get hired over others? Do you want to get your quote higher in the piles of those being considered? If you position your quote with a return on investment approach you will have more success. Skills and performance content is important. But those who suggest better returns in terms of value are those who get hired. This ebook identifies the “value add” elements that, if included in your quote, helps push your information to the top of the list.

• Preface
• The Buyers Side
• Disqualified Proposals
• Value by Definition
• Value Adds
• Structure the...

Working on tips, fund raising and ticket sales are sources to generate free money. The term free identifies no contract/invoice. But it doesn't mean you do not have to work for it. This text gets you started with these approaches. It is nice to have the guaranteed income of a contract. However, in the proper situations, locations and with a professional touch the income with these activities is unlimited.

• Everything old still around
• Fear
• Apply yourself
• Working for tips
• Working on tickets
• Taking it to those in need
• Wrapping it up

1st edition 2016, 20 pages.

Gospel magic can be done as a business. But there are steps in the planning process, research needed in the market place and calculations that have to be done first. There are times we can make the decision. Then there are others where the decision is made for us. This ebook will give you a strong foundation approach. It will identify how you determine expenses, project income and how to plan for your net profits. If you do your homework this book will identify if making an income is practical in your area.

Magicians perform Gospel magic for free, some charge to recover their expenses and...

Create your own flyers, brochures and promotional DVD. This text takes you through a word processor, to image programs onto publishing. From publishing it teaches you how to build a slide show and finally converts that show to a DVD.

Written referencing Microsoft Word, Paint, Publisher and Power Point you can produce your own materials using your computer and printer. For those bigger duplications, you can provide "print/copy ready" materials saving set up and production charges.

• Word Processing
• Paint Program
• Publication
• Images
• Brochures/Flyers
• Power Point
• DVD
• Documentation/Media...

A monthly newsletter can be a very good marketing tool. Customers, organizations, and businesses tend to hang onto quality published newsletters. They are used to communicate news, training, helpful tips and a wealth of other information. From the magicians point they also include performance schedules, an article or two of the newest routines and help keep your name in front of people for future contracts. This ebook is designed as a primer to get started with newsletters. Chances are you already own software that you can use.

• Newsletters
• Software
• Pictures
• Distribution
• Content
• Wrap...

A very strong market for magicians is fund raising through the school system. The chance of hosting a "no cost, no risk" fund raiser can be one of the highest demand performances a magician can do. This is a minimum administration, short term event that can bring in substantial amounts of money for both the school and the magician. A no cost, no risk magic show translates into a two or three-week event that ends in deposit.

This text is a primer to get you into the school shows market. Begin with the high schools and let the referrals lead you in other directions onto new customers.

Trade and themed shows take place all year long. If you have been to these types of shows you know people usually just stroll the aisle and only walk in when they want to pick up something free (candy), have an interest in the service/product or have questions. Vendors are turning to entertainment to help bring people into their display area.

The magician's job is to catch people's attention and draw them in. As you work with people, staff members will join the conversation. At one point, you pass them to the staff member. Then you move on and work at bringing more people into the vendor's...

Professionals lead with their credentials, achievements and endorsements. All stand on their skills and talent. But when the decision balances between several magicians the one who gets hired is the one with the strongest credentials. These endorsements validate the magician's performance, and reinforce the strength of their skills profile.

No one wakes up in the morning with a strong file of endorsements. They must be earned, one at a time. And, they will not fall on your doorstep by themselves. This text helps you get started with your credentials file. It will give you a solid foundation...

Magic performances grown to the point you need an assistant? Is working with an assistant one of your dreams? Want to take your performance up to the next level? There are many things you need to prepare for BEFORE bringing on an assistant.

This text will help you consider ways the assistant will function in performance. It will help identify responsibilities you can assign to her both on and off stage. Beginning with the standard application forms that are available through the office supply store, it suggests additional information that should be included with the application.

Costuming...

There comes a time when all magicians consider a website. With everything involved: web host, domain, design, design tools, purpose of the site, and content one has a lot to think about. No one gets it right the first time. We all end up going back and making adjustments, changes and adding information to our site. But the closer you can get with your initial design and launch the better your results will be. This text will get you pointed in the right direction. It includes purpose, functionality, design strategy and tips on finding a good web host. Everything has to blend. The website design,...

Fundraisers have always been popular. There will always be organizations that need to raise funds. And, there will always be needs out there that fundraisers will be launched for. The success of these events depends on community support, and ticket sales.

When organizations host fundraisers they always reach for the free, and least expensive ways to promote their event. Many of these organizations are very good at their activities and operations. But the reality is that they do not focus their daily operations on event promotions. As a result, they often need help.

This text is a coaching...

Marketing is the key to a magician's success. The amount of work he gets depends on how well he gets his name out. All of us use the common sources: newspaper, Facebook, direct mail, email and others. Many fail because they make their debut in these areas only to drop out and not keep them going.

Even with common sources covered there comes a time when magician's cast their eyes on higher income. At that point, the opinion is such that they must jump into expensive media. Newspapers, radio, television and others sound good. They should. It is a sales person presenting this information in...

When performance opportunities from brochures, flyers and other marketing activities slow down you need to pick up the phone. Cold calling has played a major role in almost every industry. These calls fill cancellations in schedules, book shows while traveling from city to city, and can help fill those calendars during the slow months. When you find yourself waiting for the phone to ring there is no reason you cannot make a few calls and book yourself. The materials in this text will get you started.

• What makes cold calls work
• Join the telephone soliciting team
• Best times to call
• Pre-call ...

Competition for performances today is more intense than it every was. Organizations are comparing information on large numbers of performers. Loyalty remains. But being the previous entertainer, only for the reason he/she worked it before, is not always the hiring factor. Individuals/agents are now looking beyond the cost. The non-documented elements are starting to carry a lot more weight in the hiring decision.

A dear friend once said that it is better to position yourself to be hired over and over, then to make one deposit and never perform again. That statement carries a lot of weight....

Differentiating your show in the magic market on something other than price can be a constant challenge. Here's one strategy Dave Arch has used successfully throughout his career. Imagine being able to offer a free Magic Kit for everyone in your audience and then teaching them three magic tricks they can use to amaze and amuse their family and friends. In this fifteen minute video, Dave shares with you how he builds his kits for around fifteen cents apiece, the three tricks he teaches, as well as how he routines and presents those tricks in his show.

1st edition 2018, length 15 minutes 53...

The definitive "How-To" ebook for anyone considering a career as a magician, mentalist, or specialty act in the outdoor field of fairs, sideshows, circuses and carnivals.

Many, many accolades from the top names in show business, all state that Midway Magic is a gold mine of information for anyone interested in the exciting world of outdoor fairs, festivals, carnivals and side shows.

With more and more circus-style revues now touring, there is a real shortage of magical entertainers. Get in on the ground floor of this fascinating field -- this ebook tells you how. Practical advice on getting...

Sponsors are one of the most powerful assets a magician can have. Sponsorship can be one of the strongest marketing activities for a business. The interactive potentials with the audience enhance the exposure, and compared to other media, they can get higher results. This ebook identifies the benefits of sponsorship, introduces ways to approach businesses and provides ideas for ongoing support. The organization wanting a show may not have the funds to hire you. If the audience appeals to your sponsor, the sponsor will pay your invoice, and you can perform for the hosting organization at no charge....

The pandemic has major impact on entertainment. Looking back through history the vaudeville style show was immensely popular. Magicians can tap into that type of production to get back in front of audiences once again. This text introduces and helps you plan a vaudeville style show. Want to get back to work in front of an audience? This may be the approach you need to help build your schedule.

• August 2020
• Key factors of pandemic
• Vaudeville
• Magic show production
• Booking
• Expanding
• Wrapping it up

What I wish I knew 30 years ago when I started my magic career.

Are you starting out, or fairly new to the magic profession? Are you an established pro that needs honest and open advice on how to become wealthy as a magician? This ebook should be the first and most important work in your magic book library. You may know secrets of magic tricks, but more importantly, do you know the secrets to a wealthy magician lifestyle?

Let's be honest, besides the handful of famous magicians...

• How many wealthy magicians do you really know?
• How about magicians that can retire comfortably tomorrow? ...

Can you keep your act booked the whole year round without the expense of hiring an agent? The answer is a resounding yes. Dick and Virginia Williams worked TV, clubs, and corporate shows, plus banquets and hotels. And they kept busy. Yet, they handled the publicity, promotion, and booking of their act themselves, without the need for an advance man or agent. Their methods are revealed in this easy-to-follow manuscript. If you can read and follow directions, then you can do it, too.

In any other profession, Dick and Virginia would have kept their secrets to themselves. Yet, because their system...

Use local free or economical sources to promote your magic and get hired. This text gets you started on listing sources and using a tracking system to track your results. You refer to that system as you adjust your goals into areas that generate more opportunities to get hired.

• Marketing 101
• Marketing Tools
• Marketing Plan
• Tracking System
• Wrapping It Up

1st edition 2021, PDF 20 pages.

Teaching a magic class is another way to generate income and promote yourself as a supportive magician. Community venues are always searching for programs such as this to host. They use these events to keep the community involved, provide productive activities for youth, and add additional services to their community programs.

This text outlines a basic magic class, provides materials you can use and can get you started with your first series of classes. Teaching a class will not pay as much as a large performance. But it still provides a solid base for income. A magic class can help fill...