Making Money From Your Magic

TheMagicianUnknown · 08-28-2011, 08:47 PM

I saw a thread similar to this one, but I wanted to make another, that hopefully will be a bit broader, and one that we can get more people involved in to produce a solid thread with a lot of knowledge on how to get money from your magic. Like how to get a restaurant gig? Daycare gig? Birthday Parties? Corporate Events? Street Magic? And whatever else you can think of. I really want to see what other people have to say about making money with their magic. Because magic tricks, cards, and props all cost money and it would be nice to use them to generate some! I know of two video series on youtube that I hope you guys may find useful. First being a huge series done by Penguinmagic which is all about the business involved with magic. But I particularly like the section on restaurant gigs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtR3t...el_video_title

Magicgeek also has a short video series (I believe they're still working on it) About making money from street magic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jRO-...feature=relmfu

So there is something that can hopefully start this thread off nicely. I really hope you all comment with questions for other magicians here, comment with answers, with advice, or anything that the magicians on this site may find useful!
Thanks for taking the time to read this!
~Andrew

P.S. I apologize for how scatter-brained this post was :P

Albert · 08-29-2011, 04:03 AM

Well, getting calls and requests from strangers asking you to perform after seeing your ads are easy. However, first and foremost, what's most important is you skill at entertaining the guests and either making them want to call you back and/or recommending you to other people to perform.

Now that that's out of the way, the 2 greatest methods that I have come across to get you the gig that you need are:

1) Networking - This is huge. If you are known to be a great performer amongst your school, family, friends, neighbourhood, etc., it's a great idea for you to use their assistance to get gigs. To get one's name out there in the local area, it's always great to volunteer your performance so that people can test you and see for themselves how good you really are without them feeling the pressure to have to pay you if they end up not wanting to because they disliked the performance. This is especially effective because recommendations through networking have somebody vouching for your skills and talent as a performer, giving one a greater probability of being asked to perform.

2) Advertising - Newspapers ads, Personally-made ads, Social Networking Sites, and other forms of media. This is not recommended unless one is actually skilled enough to pull off a performance without becoming nerve-wrecked in front of strangers. One must also know their own forte; for example, I personally am not good at children's magic compared to performing for the older ones since my style of magic are mind-blowers, not visual-explosions. Successful/unsuccessful performances from there on can spread or kill your reputation.

Street magic is not as easy as it is to pull off, such as Canada vs. Netherlands, as an example. In Canada, you NEED a permit to perform in the streets and get paid; otherwise you get fined. On the other hand, according to Mark, the Netherlands don't particularly require that, if I remember correctly. However, performing within one's neighbourhood for free is a great way to start a form of networking. Once a person can get a 'title' from others as a good magician, people will naturally come to the magician for performances.

For now, that's my little bow of advice I have. Maybe I can give more if more specifics come up.

TheMagicianUnknown · 08-29-2011, 04:29 AM

I guess this is directed at you Albert since no one else has responded :P but how do you feel about business cards?

TheMisdirectingHand · 08-29-2011, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albert

Once a person can get a 'title' from others as a good magician, people will naturally come to the magician for performances.

Albert, AKA Magicman, AKA Goku-san hair

Also, either Albert or Mark can help with this topic. I haven't performed much street magic aside from school.

Mark · 08-29-2011, 12:29 PM

I make money by ending with a borrowed money-trick and asking the spectator: "If I make it disappear, can I keep it?", usually resulting in a very exciting "Yes, sure." and often resulting in getting more money to do the trick again.

Business cards and/or findability are musts. I can simply say "YouTube Mystery Mark (with a K)." so I usually don't need to hand out business cards. If you aren't findable on the internet as easily, be sure you definitely have something to hand out (you can write it on a playing card as souvenir too). And sometimes I get asked for my card anyways, so I make sure I carry them around if you don't want to waste playing cards.

Albert gave the basics. Although... don't do newspaper ads if they are too expensive, and if you do, be sure the readers of the particular newspaper are the same people that would actually hire you. It's a little risky.

I think it's better if you'd perform at a busy street (I am very lucky to live in the only city in the Netherlands where a permit is no must for performing in the streets) or (and I found this extremely well working in the past) perform at stores that sell playing cards such as toy stores. Especially if you go there when it's not too busy and manage to do some tricks for the cashiers as well. But be sure you ask if you can perform something first though. And don't just grab a deck from the store and open it without paying for it first.

Albert · 08-29-2011, 03:06 PM

^Yup, Mark got that down. Just to add on to the ads, some of the newspapers give you the options to add free ads. Those are the ones you should go for; they are small in effectiveness, but over time, these are the things that can get you 1 or 2 more gigs per week or per month compared to if you didn't have it at all.

Business cards are also very important (although the creation of my business cards ended up in a failure due to the crappy printing quality of one of Canada's biggest stationary franchises...). More so, as Mark mentioned, it's important to have one available for after performances. If people like your performance, even in a magic store, they ask for you business card if you have one.

My tips on making a business cards are that:
1) Make sure the printing quality is good, wherever you are getting it printed from. Spending a few extra dollars on a good business card can make a further favourable impression on others.
2) Don't make the card too hectic with lots of content. Simple and only necessary information such as contact information. Crazy backgrounds should generally be avoided. A business card can look really good with very simple and attractive designs.
3) If possible, make the back of the business card blank (i.e. not double sided). This is important because this gives one room or space to write down anything important related to you if the need ever rises. If you really want to make it double sided, at least leave enough space in the back to write a good chunk of information (maybe 3/4 of space?).

la0o9 · 08-29-2011, 03:51 PM

to add to Albert's number 2: a business card must have these information:

1- your business name, usually this isn't very complicated, you call yourself whatever you want, but keep it within 3 syllables, and make sure people can pronounce it easily. from what i've seen, this part is usually printed in a hot color to make sure it stands out or really big in the middle of the card
2- telephone number
3- email address
4- unnecessary, but you can put your address as well.

the background must be REALLY simple, like a colored background( i find purple, black and indigo most attractive to the eye) or white with elegant designs at the corner(s) (think tree vine)

and as Albert said, make sure there is space to write something else that might come up, don't leave it completely blank tho, it will appear dull and unmemorable.

TheMagicianUnknown · 08-29-2011, 09:02 PM

Awesome, thanks so much for the tips guys! I hope that more people reply with some insight! I wish I had some advice to offer.

Fin · 08-30-2011, 12:56 AM

Good advice from Mark about using banknotes. I've heard several magicians say that a good trick with a banknote will often end in the banknote being given as a tip.

TheMagicianUnknown · 08-30-2011, 01:36 AM

I like that idea, but I've also heard to can be a bad thing because the spectator feels threatened and may see you as pushy because you're trying to take their money. And I was also wondering if anyone would take a peek at my youtube channel and watch a few videos. Because my problem may be solved by you watching my videos and saying, " You should really just focus on making your magic better before worrying about making money from it" :P

Albert · 08-30-2011, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMagicianUnknown

I like that idea, but I've also heard to can be a bad thing because the spectator feels threatened and may see you as pushy because you're trying to take their money. And I was also wondering if anyone would take a peek at my youtube channel and watch a few videos. Because my problem may be solved by you watching my videos and saying, " You should really just focus on making your magic better before worrying about making money from it" :P

I'll take a look at it. This 'money taking as a tip' idea should work the best for low bill value, like $1, $2, or $5. Anything higher shouldn't be attempted unless your spectators are drunk. Also, this should only be attempted after entertaining the spectators previously with a trick or two. If that's done, they wouldn't feel threatened and would feel that they would need to pay the price for being entertained. A few bucks wouldn't hurt a working adult, right? Now for teenagers, that's a different story. But try to keep it low, test it out, experiment, and find out what works.

TheMagicianUnknown · 08-30-2011, 01:51 AM

Hmm. Makes sense that after being entertained (Assuming I do a decent job) That they wouldn't mind tossing a $1 my way if I did magic with it. Thanks for the tip! And I'd greatly appreciated you checking out my channel (Especially if you have any tips for me)

Albert · 08-31-2011, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMagicianUnknown

Hmm. Makes sense that after being entertained (Assuming I do a decent job) That they wouldn't mind tossing a $1 my way if I did magic with it. Thanks for the tip! And I'd greatly appreciated you checking out my channel (Especially if you have any tips for me)

I've watched your videos and I really like the fact that you put your effort into making good workable patter. What you can do further to make it look better is loosen up a bit; you are a little tense. Most of the time, you will naturally loosen up in time as you get more experience and more confidence, so that's not too much of a problem. Secondly, you are putting good showmanship, but sometimes, they don't seem too magical. A simple wave or a snap can add so much to a trick, so try that in the future. Make magic seem as magical as possible

TheMagicianUnknown · 08-31-2011, 03:52 PM

Thanks! I definitely try to make workable patter so I don't leave the spectator going, "Why did he do that?" But I agree I'm a little tense, probably because I'm not completely comfortable with the moves I execute. And I will be sure to try and make it more magical. I truly appreciate your advice, it's pretty much the only legit advice I've received since I've started. Hahah thanks!

08-28-2011, 08:47 PM	#1
TheMagicianUnknown Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 11	Making Money From Your Magic I saw a thread similar to this one, but I wanted to make another, that hopefully will be a bit broader, and one that we can get more people involved in to produce a solid thread with a lot of knowledge on how to get money from your magic. Like how to get a restaurant gig? Daycare gig? Birthday Parties? Corporate Events? Street Magic? And whatever else you can think of. I really want to see what other people have to say about making money with their magic. Because magic tricks, cards, and props all cost money and it would be nice to use them to generate some! I know of two video series on youtube that I hope you guys may find useful. First being a huge series done by Penguinmagic which is all about the business involved with magic. But I particularly like the section on restaurant gigs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtR3t...el_video_title Magicgeek also has a short video series (I believe they're still working on it) About making money from street magic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jRO-...feature=relmfu So there is something that can hopefully start this thread off nicely. I really hope you all comment with questions for other magicians here, comment with answers, with advice, or anything that the magicians on this site may find useful! Thanks for taking the time to read this! ~Andrew P.S. I apologize for how scatter-brained this post was :P

08-29-2011, 04:03 AM	#2
Albert DarkSleightZ Artist Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 671 Donor Score: 110	Well, getting calls and requests from strangers asking you to perform after seeing your ads are easy. However, first and foremost, what's most important is you skill at entertaining the guests and either making them want to call you back and/or recommending you to other people to perform. Now that that's out of the way, the 2 greatest methods that I have come across to get you the gig that you need are: 1) Networking - This is huge. If you are known to be a great performer amongst your school, family, friends, neighbourhood, etc., it's a great idea for you to use their assistance to get gigs. To get one's name out there in the local area, it's always great to volunteer your performance so that people can test you and see for themselves how good you really are without them feeling the pressure to have to pay you if they end up not wanting to because they disliked the performance. This is especially effective because recommendations through networking have somebody vouching for your skills and talent as a performer, giving one a greater probability of being asked to perform. 2) Advertising - Newspapers ads, Personally-made ads, Social Networking Sites, and other forms of media. This is not recommended unless one is actually skilled enough to pull off a performance without becoming nerve-wrecked in front of strangers. One must also know their own forte; for example, I personally am not good at children's magic compared to performing for the older ones since my style of magic are mind-blowers, not visual-explosions. Successful/unsuccessful performances from there on can spread or kill your reputation. Street magic is not as easy as it is to pull off, such as Canada vs. Netherlands, as an example. In Canada, you NEED a permit to perform in the streets and get paid; otherwise you get fined. On the other hand, according to Mark, the Netherlands don't particularly require that, if I remember correctly. However, performing within one's neighbourhood for free is a great way to start a form of networking. Once a person can get a 'title' from others as a good magician, people will naturally come to the magician for performances. For now, that's my little bow of advice I have. Maybe I can give more if more specifics come up. __________________ "Bluffing is an important act to all strategies." - Lelouch Lamperouge

08-29-2011, 03:06 PM	#6
Albert DarkSleightZ Artist Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 671 Donor Score: 110	^Yup, Mark got that down. Just to add on to the ads, some of the newspapers give you the options to add free ads. Those are the ones you should go for; they are small in effectiveness, but over time, these are the things that can get you 1 or 2 more gigs per week or per month compared to if you didn't have it at all. Business cards are also very important (although the creation of my business cards ended up in a failure due to the crappy printing quality of one of Canada's biggest stationary franchises...). More so, as Mark mentioned, it's important to have one available for after performances. If people like your performance, even in a magic store, they ask for you business card if you have one. My tips on making a business cards are that: 1) Make sure the printing quality is good, wherever you are getting it printed from. Spending a few extra dollars on a good business card can make a further favourable impression on others. 2) Don't make the card too hectic with lots of content. Simple and only necessary information such as contact information. Crazy backgrounds should generally be avoided. A business card can look really good with very simple and attractive designs. 3) If possible, make the back of the business card blank (i.e. not double sided). This is important because this gives one room or space to write down anything important related to you if the need ever rises. If you really want to make it double sided, at least leave enough space in the back to write a good chunk of information (maybe 3/4 of space?). __________________ "Bluffing is an important act to all strategies." - Lelouch Lamperouge

08-29-2011, 03:51 PM	#7
la0o9 Move monkey atm Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Not where you'd want to go :P Posts: 747	to add to Albert's number 2: a business card must have these information: 1- your business name, usually this isn't very complicated, you call yourself whatever you want, but keep it within 3 syllables, and make sure people can pronounce it easily. from what i've seen, this part is usually printed in a hot color to make sure it stands out or really big in the middle of the card 2- telephone number 3- email address 4- unnecessary, but you can put your address as well. the background must be REALLY simple, like a colored background( i find purple, black and indigo most attractive to the eye) or white with elegant designs at the corner(s) (think tree vine) and as Albert said, make sure there is space to write something else that might come up, don't leave it completely blank tho, it will appear dull and unmemorable. __________________ "Doubt isn't the same as saying people are bad, it simply means you actually care, 100% trust is nothing more than ignorance"~ Akiyama Shinichi- Liar Game "It's not the destination but the road to it that is worth the trip" "Be careful what you wish for... it might just come true"~ old saying "It's a small world, but only relatively" "Reality is not the world, it is the way humankind depicts the world, thus when you alter a person's way of seeing the world, you alter reality itself"

08-29-2011, 04:29 AM	#3
TheMagicianUnknown Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 11	I guess this is directed at you Albert since no one else has responded :P but how do you feel about business cards?

08-29-2011, 12:29 PM	#5
Mark Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 935	I make money by ending with a borrowed money-trick and asking the spectator: "If I make it disappear, can I keep it?", usually resulting in a very exciting "Yes, sure." and often resulting in getting more money to do the trick again. Business cards and/or findability are musts. I can simply say "YouTube Mystery Mark (with a K)." so I usually don't need to hand out business cards. If you aren't findable on the internet as easily, be sure you definitely have something to hand out (you can write it on a playing card as souvenir too). And sometimes I get asked for my card anyways, so I make sure I carry them around if you don't want to waste playing cards. Albert gave the basics. Although... don't do newspaper ads if they are too expensive, and if you do, be sure the readers of the particular newspaper are the same people that would actually hire you. It's a little risky. I think it's better if you'd perform at a busy street (I am very lucky to live in the only city in the Netherlands where a permit is no must for performing in the streets) or (and I found this extremely well working in the past) perform at stores that sell playing cards such as toy stores. Especially if you go there when it's not too busy and manage to do some tricks for the cashiers as well. But be sure you ask if you can perform something first though. And don't just grab a deck from the store and open it without paying for it first.

08-29-2011, 09:02 PM	#8
TheMagicianUnknown Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 11	Awesome, thanks so much for the tips guys! I hope that more people reply with some insight! I wish I had some advice to offer.

08-30-2011, 12:56 AM	#9
Fin Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 530	Good advice from Mark about using banknotes. I've heard several magicians say that a good trick with a banknote will often end in the banknote being given as a tip.

08-30-2011, 01:36 AM	#10
TheMagicianUnknown Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 11	I like that idea, but I've also heard to can be a bad thing because the spectator feels threatened and may see you as pushy because you're trying to take their money. And I was also wondering if anyone would take a peek at my youtube channel and watch a few videos. Because my problem may be solved by you watching my videos and saying, " You should really just focus on making your magic better before worrying about making money from it" :P

08-30-2011, 01:51 AM	#12
TheMagicianUnknown Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 11	Hmm. Makes sense that after being entertained (Assuming I do a decent job) That they wouldn't mind tossing a $1 my way if I did magic with it. Thanks for the tip! And I'd greatly appreciated you checking out my channel (Especially if you have any tips for me)

08-31-2011, 03:52 PM	#14
TheMagicianUnknown Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 11	Thanks! I definitely try to make workable patter so I don't leave the spectator going, "Why did he do that?" But I agree I'm a little tense, probably because I'm not completely comfortable with the moves I execute. And I will be sure to try and make it more magical. I truly appreciate your advice, it's pretty much the only legit advice I've received since I've started. Hahah thanks!