Get your name out there!

Post topics about the business side of magic.
magicbymaddux
Posts: 8
Joined: January 23rd, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: CA

Get your name out there!

Postby magicbymaddux » February 4th, 2008, 6:53 pm

Hey I am a new magician and I would love help getting my name out there. I already have some nice business cards and have performed, with the owners permission, at a coffee shop in town a few times to help get my name out there. I was wondering others ways you guys have used, that are somewhat inexpensive?

Thanks,

Brandon
Magic by Maddux
"Better Parties are No Illusion"

Bill Palmer
Posts: 719
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Houston TX
Contact:

Re: Get your name out there!

Postby Bill Palmer » February 5th, 2008, 7:15 pm

Build a web site. You can register a domain for very little money if you go with a domain reseller like godaddy.com. They even have templates for you to build a web site.

A couple of cautionary statements, though:
1) Don't make any claims you can't back up.
2) Make sure everything you put on your site is spelled correctly. Don't just use your spellechecker on your word processor to check the spelling. Have someone who is more than barely functionally literate read it. Otherwise, you wind up with really stupid mistakes, such as "straight jacket" and "slight of hand."

Before you consider "getting your name out there," make sure you have something to offer that they can't get elsewhere. There are plenty of noobs out there who can't do magic competently giving pro's a bad name.

If you are above the noob level, then go for it. Otherwise, practice and rehearse a lot!
Bill Palmer, MIMC

magicbymaddux
Posts: 8
Joined: January 23rd, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: CA

Re: Get your name out there!

Postby magicbymaddux » February 7th, 2008, 9:14 am

For close-Up I am but for Children's magic I am just learning.

Any others ideas?

Thanks,

Brandon
Magic by Maddux
"Better Parties are No Illusion"

Brandon Hall
Posts: 375
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: North Hollywood, CA
Contact:

Re: Get your name out there!

Postby Brandon Hall » February 7th, 2008, 3:39 pm

Brandon,
Work on your act first...then pick up a book on how to start a small business. Just asking this question reveals that you may not be quite ready. There are several ways to "get your name out there", but the best is word of mouth. Perform anywhere and everywhere you can...restraunts, private parties, etc., oh yeah...and don't suck!
"Hope I Die Before I Get Old"
P. Townshend

David Alexander
Posts: 1549
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Aurora IL

Re: Get your name out there!

Postby David Alexander » February 7th, 2008, 4:08 pm

Two of the most important things to learn are how to start and when to quit. Do not force yourself on anyone at any time as that is being a boor. Do one or two things for people and then STOP.

Understand that there is a huge difference between politeness and interest. What you assume is interest and fascination may be nothing more than common courtesy. Learn to spot the difference.

Make what you do important. Don't be in a hurry to perform and don't perform in a needy manner.

Read Emily Post or Miss Manners about proper etiquette and good manners. Read Dale Carnegies How to Win Friends and Influence People as it will give you invaluable advice.

Dress at least as well, if not better than the people youre working for.

Do not overstuff your pockets so you look like youre going on a camping trip.

Have a solid, entertaining repertoire of material that you can do a 20 minute set but make it modular so you can stop at any point.

Learn the mechanics so thoroughly that you can do your effects in your sleep and not have to think about them when you are performing. That is the level at which you should begin performing for the public, not before as you will be able to concentrate on entertaining your audience.

Be serious about your work and not yourself because what youre doing is providing a bit of diversion, taking people out of their day-to-day lives for a few minutes, not showing them the cure for cancer.

Respect your audience, smile at them and remember that you are providing an entertainment service. Youre not there to show them how clever you are.

Brandon Hall
Posts: 375
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: North Hollywood, CA
Contact:

Re: Get your name out there!

Postby Brandon Hall » February 8th, 2008, 11:31 am

Brandon,
You're getting some excellent advice, David knows a thing or two about the business...
"Hope I Die Before I Get Old"

P. Townshend

Rick Schulz
Posts: 177
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Ft. Worth, TX

Re: Get your name out there!

Postby Rick Schulz » February 8th, 2008, 11:43 am

If you decide to set up a web site, hire a professional to design it and set it up. Do not assume that you should design your web site simply because you can. There are some really horrible web sites out there, and nothing "CHEESEY" like a amateurish web design. Don't copy but get ideas from the pros' web sites; for example, David Copperfield has a very well designed web site.

Bill Palmer
Posts: 719
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Houston TX
Contact:

Re: Get your name out there!

Postby Bill Palmer » February 8th, 2008, 12:01 pm

Keep your web site simple. If you decide to hire a "professional" web designer, look at several of his web sites.

Take the following into consideration:
1) Typeface size -- some web sites have lettering so small that it is very difficult to read it, and, because of the way their site is set up, this size is not affected by your controls.

2) Color schemes -- Make sure they aren't so loud that they are repulsive

3) Music -- probably should be avoided. No matter what music you select, you will automatically offend a significant percentage of the people who log on to your web site.

4) Don't write your own copy.
Bill Palmer, MIMC

magicbymaddux
Posts: 8
Joined: January 23rd, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: CA

Re: Get your name out there!

Postby magicbymaddux » February 10th, 2008, 6:37 pm

Originally posted by David Alexander:
Two of the most important things to learn are how to start and when to quit. Do not force yourself on anyone at any time as that is being a boor. Do one or two things for people and then STOP.

Understand that there is a huge difference between politeness and interest. What you assume is interest and fascination may be nothing more than common courtesy. Learn to spot the difference.

Make what you do important. Don't be in a hurry to perform and don't perform in a needy manner.

Read Emily Post or Miss Manners about proper etiquette and good manners. Read Dale Carnegies How to Win Friends and Influence People as it will give you invaluable advice.

Dress at least as well, if not better than the people youre working for.

Do not overstuff your pockets so you look like youre going on a camping trip.

Have a solid, entertaining repertoire of material that you can do a 20 minute set but make it modular so you can stop at any point.

Learn the mechanics so thoroughly that you can do your effects in your sleep and not have to think about them when you are performing. That is the level at which you should begin performing for the public, not before as you will be able to concentrate on entertaining your audience.

Be serious about your work and not yourself because what youre doing is providing a bit of diversion, taking people out of their day-to-day lives for a few minutes, not showing them the cure for cancer.

Respect your audience, smile at them and remember that you are providing an entertainment service. Youre not there to show them how clever you are.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this post :-) Loved the advice :-)

Brandon
Magic by Maddux
"Better Parties are No Illusion"

David Alexander
Posts: 1549
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Aurora IL

Re: Get your name out there!

Postby David Alexander » February 10th, 2008, 7:36 pm

Thanks. Happy to help.

Two other bits of advice: keep your effects simple, direct, and easy to understand. Complicated presentations fall flat with audiences, especially women.

And study charm...the more you have, the better off you are. You are far better off spending your time developing charm than some complicated sleight as charm will carry you further and make you more money. This article is a nice introduction and has some good excercises. http://www.tinatessina.com/turn_on_your_charm.html

castawaydave
Posts: 265
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: California

Re: Get your name out there!

Postby castawaydave » February 10th, 2008, 7:55 pm

Mr. Alexander has put down some of the best, most concise advice for a beginner I've ever read.

DAMN, I wish David Alexander had been at my early, formative magic meetings...

David Alexander
Posts: 1549
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Aurora IL

Re: Get your name out there!

Postby David Alexander » February 11th, 2008, 4:23 pm

Many thanks...and please call me David.


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