The Business of

Stage Hypnosis
The Best of the Stage Hypnosis Center

Volume 1

Geoff Ronning &

Chris Frolic
THE BUSINESS OF STAGE HYPNOSIS
The Best of the Stage Hypnosis Center
© MMIX by Geoff Ronning

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any

form electric or mechanical without permission in writing from the
copyright holder.

First published in 2009.

For more information visit

http://www.StageHypnosisCenter.com

ISBN 1448697379
Printed in the United States of America
For Wendy. Everyday I love you more. GR
For my boys. CF
 Comments about Authors
Geoff Ronning and Chris Frolic

I’ve been a hypnotist for more then forty years, and I still learn new
things from Geoffrey Ronning, Geoff ’s words are pure gold!
Rick Allen, Ohio

Geoff Ronning is not only a great hypnotist—he’s also an excellent

teacher and has a complete comprehension of the ‘business of show
business’. Without him, many would still be standing on the side-
line—thanks to Geoff we are playing the game, making our dreams
come true!
Leon West, South Africa

Geoff is an amazing instructor and resource on all things hypnotic!

He has helped me throughout my entire career, from training to fol-
low-up advice and direction. I truly owe my success to him and the
Stage Hypnosis Center!
John Raven, Pennsylvania

Geoff is a consummate professional that is truly a master in the world

of stage hypnosis. He is a treasured resource for stage hypnotists in-
ternationally and a role model for all. Geoff is sincere in his desire
to further the craft of hypnosis and ensure that his students succeed.
He walks the walk and talks the talk, sharing his vast experiences in
his teachings. His products are gold. You can be assured that you are
getting the best in any product that Geoff has authored. His guidance
has changed my life.
Dr. Scott Styles, Canada
Chris Frolic’s phenomenal success as a comedy stage hypnotist is un-
surpassed His story is one to be studied by stage hypnotists every-
where.
Bill Mogolov, Iowa

Meeting and working with Geoff Ronning has been one of the high-
lights of my life. I am forever grateful for his impact on the quality of
my performance as well as the increased income from his sharing his
knowledge of marketing.
Ronnie Baras, Maryland

Chris Frolic is an inspiration for those of us who want to make a liv-

ing in stage hypnosis He went from virtually nothing to full time in
record time his advice is priceless to any performer.
Jesse Lewis, Saskatchewan

Geoff enables each and every one of us to be the person we want to

be, and most importantly, become unbelievably successful along the
way.Thank you for making my dreams come true.
Paul Rheaume, Missouri

Geoff Ronning is the master promoter and entertainer with insights

that even the most experienced stage performers are listening too.
While Geoff has created the preeminent destination (stagehypnosis-
center.com) for aspiring AND professional stage hypnotists—it is the
community forum itself that is the most valuable resource for the new
and experienced alike. And Chris Frolic stands out among this group.
As I was getting started with my own stage career, it is Chris’s story
that was the most memorable and real for me. His sense of humor
and willingness to tell it all compels me follow his story to this day.
Tobin Slaven, Maine
 !! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !! ! !! 

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION 7
Chris Frolic 7
Geoffrey Ronning 8
SECTION ONE: PERFORMANCE ARTICLES 11
3 Simple Ways to Improve Your Hypnosis Show 12
The American Idol Lesson for Stage Hypnotists 14
How to Get Even the Most Stubborn Audiences to Volunteer
for Your Stage Hypnosis Show—Part 1 16
How to Get Even the Most Stubborn Audiences to Volunteer
for Your Stage Hypnosis Show—Part 2 19
All About Hypnotic Show Pre-Tests 22
Quick Tip: How to Boost Your Ability to Hypnotize
Anyone, Immediately! 25
Performance of Stage Hypnosis 26
Most Important Part of a Successful Show 30
Show Leads 30
How to Protect Yourself from Hypnotic Show Lawsuits 33
Simple Steps to Create Successful Callback Stage Hypnosis Suggestions 36
3 Ways to Make Your Performance more Powerful 38
Four Items that May Save Your Next Show 40
Stage Names? Fake, Real or Something Else 43
How to Avoid First Show Pitfalls and be a Successful Stage Hypnotist
from the Get-Go 45
How to Solve Every Induction Problem You May Encounter 47
No Volunteers 50
“Great Show! But from Now On We Will Go With Karaoke” 52
How to Rock a Room; What Stars Know that We Don’t 54
You’re the Devil! 57
The Zone 59
What a Stinker of a Show 61
Quick Tips for Successful Radio Station Appearances 62
Story from the Front Lines 65
 !!! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !!

A Situation to Laugh About Now 66

The One Minute Guide to the Stage Hypnosis Field 67
Lessons from a Rock Star 69
How to Brand Your Stage Hypnosis Show 70
When to Have Your Hypnosis Show Volunteers Open their Eyes? 73
Everything will be Great, Just as Soon as I Bomb! 76
The Simple Man’s Guide Improve Your Show Today, Tomorrow
and Everyday—NEW 77
A Bullet Proof Vest—Mandatory Stage Hypnotist Equipment? 80
Boosting Your Show’s Success with Smart Pre-Show Music Programming 82
How I Joined the “Free Haircut” Club! 84
How to Handle “Walk-Offs”—NEW 86
SECTION TWO: BOOKING STRATEGIES 87
The Five Minute Guide to Becoming a Profitable (or more profitable)
Part Time or Full Time Stage Hypnotist 88
How to Get Bookings with Entertainment Agencies! 92
Advertising Options: The Yellow Pages 95
The Effective Stage Hypnosis Office 98
A Simple Way to Generate Hypnosis Profits that You Can Start to
Duplicate in Under 25 Minutes—Part 1 101
A Simple Way to Generate Hypnosis Profits that You Can Start to
Duplicate in Under 25 Minutes—Part 2 104
A Simple Way to Generate Hypnosis Profits that You Can Start to
Duplicate in Under 25 Minutes—Part 3 107
How to Avoid Entertainment Contract Disputes 110
The Easy Way to Book Corporate Shows 113
Finding Corporate Clients to Book You 119
How to Contact Clients to Get Show Bookings 124
The 3 Keys to Getting More Stage Hypnosis Shows from Every Client 128
How to Immediately Charge Higher Show Fees 130
How to Book a Hypnosis Show Tour for Fun and Profit 133
Finding Agencies Online that can Give You Shows 136
3 Mandatory Rules for Stage Hypnotists Working with Agents 139
How to Find Agencies that Can Book You 141
The Key to Eliminating All Objections when Booking Your
 !! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !! ! !! 

Stage Hypnosis Show 144

Operation Quick Start: How to Always Have a Steady Stream of
Bookings—Even When You Don’t 147
How to Eliminate Bad Customers Gracefully 149
To Have an Online Video or Not 153
You are Sitting on a Treasure Chest 155
How to Immediately Increase Your Business by 20% with Zero Cost 157
On the Brink of a Career, 6 Rules to take you from Failure to
Success in the Corporate Stage Hypnosis Industry 160
No-Brainer Strategy! 162
Successful Headshots 165
Direct Marketing Secrets to Book a Massive Amount of Stage
Hypnosis School Shows—Part 1 169
Direct Marketing Secrets to Book a Massive Amount of Stage
Hypnosis School Shows—Part 2 172
Fundraising Secret 174
The Shockingly Easy Way to Instantly Add Cash to the Bottom Line,
Stability to Your Future and Diversity to Your Business! 176
How to Book Several Extra Shows Every Year— Without Failure
or Rejection 179
Why Should I Take Your Show? 181
Stage Hypnotist Pop Quiz; Nothing Happens Until… 183
Strategies for Having a Cash Cow Stage Hypnosis Business 185
The $120,000.00 a Year Agents Plan 187
Get Press the Easy Way 190
Triggers of Success for Agency Bookings 193
The Single Biggest Opportunity of the Week 196
Booking Power; A Real Life Example of Booking Strategy! 198
The Way to a Secure, Reliable Stage Hypnosis Business
(if that is your type of thing) 201
Analysis: Easy Show Bookings 203
How Many Schools Should be in Your Prospect List to Create a
Landslide of Show Bookings 205
How to Build a Secure, Stable Stage Hypnosis Business Fast 207
How to Use Agents to Get Bookings 209
 !!! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !!

One of My Simple Strategies that Pays Big Dividends 211

The Five Easy Steps to Appear in the Media Now, to Book More
Shows Today! 214
Opportunities at Every Corner by Thinking Like a Marine 217
Sometimes You Have To Throw The Little Ones Back 219
Stage Hypnotist School Booking Tip from Chris Frolic’s
“Black Ops” Tool Chest 221
Easy Niche that is Begging for Your Stage Hypnosis Show Even
if You Have no Promo, Testimonials or References 223
The Secret to Maximizing Your Singles’ Bookings 225
How to Find Singles Clubs in Your Area that Want to Book
Your Hypnosis Show Now! 227
Digging for Gold at the Public Library 229
Why I Don’t Concern Myself with Bottom Feeders (and how you
can do the same) 231
Don’t waste time, land the big gigs with your own “Glengarry” leads 234
SECTION THREE: BOR/EXTRA INCOME 237
The Simple Way to Sell More Products at Your Stage Hypnosis
Show or Lecture 238
How to Create Hypnosis Products (or My BOR Studio) 241
When, Where and Why to Offer BOR 244
Wow…Untapped Market that is Poised for Big Success for any
Stage Hypnotist 247
Become a Smokin’ Celebrity 250
Explosive Opportunity for Stage Hypnotist 252
Trend Alert for HHP 255
Trend Alert: Big Picture for HHP 258
Push Button Instant Press for Hypnotists 261
Knockout Strategy: The Super Secret Place That Buys TONS of
Our BOR Products that Nobody Knows About 262
Year End Consideration that May Be Worth Tens of Thousands
of Dollars to You 264
How to Get a Cash Grab of $9386.00 in 14 Days 266
How to Get a Cash Grab of $9386.00 in Two Weeks—Part 2 268
Bookings from Heaven 270
 !! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !! ! !! 

The Four Characteristics of Fast Selling BOR Products for the

Stage Hypnotist 272
How to Easily Add $12,000.00 to this Years Bottom line in
Your Stage Hypnosis Business 274
The 3 Things You Must Know About Your Business 276
Maximize and Minimize to Profit Sky High 278
How to Simplify Your Stage Hypnosis Business and Make it
More Profitable 280
How to Leverage Your Past Stage Hypnosis Activities to Increase
your Business, TODAY 282
SECTION FOUR: BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY 285
Eleven Rules for Uncommon Stage Hypnosis Success—Part 1 286
Eleven Rules for Uncommon Stage Hypnosis Success—Part 2 289
Eleven Rules for Uncommon Stage Hypnosis Success—Part 3 292
Snap, Crackle and Pop 295
6 Success Lessons from a Lifetime of Experience 298
Brief History of the Entertainment Field and Why It Matters to You 302
The State of the Entertainment Industry and the Impact
it has on You 304
Priorities of a Successful Stage Hypnotist 307
Four Most Important People to a Successful and Profitable Radio
Interview for Entertainers 309
How to Set Profitable Goals for Your Stage Hypnosis Business 312
Quick, Free tool to Find Thieves on the Net who are Stealing
Your Promo 317
Simple Way to Speed up Success 319
Give Yourself a Raise 320
Which are YOU? 323
Your Hypnotic Future 324
Groundhog Day is the Hypnotists Way 327
The Most Important Time of Year 328
Success Secrets for Next Year (my experience watching people
succeed and fail) 330
The New Years Income Boost (can you double your income?) 332
The Big Drive 335
 !!! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !!

The Elvis Rule 337

Easy Money 338
Quick Quiz to Boost Your Stage Hypnosis Business 340
How One of the Richest Men in History Succeeded (before he
lost his mind) 342
Set Your Watch for Success 344
Five Ways to Increase Your Productivity, Profits and Stage
Hypnosis Success 348
She Who Writes the Check Makes the Rules 351
Hot Stories of Stage Hypnosis Success 353
What is Your Metaphor? 355
Long Term, You’re Sunk (when this happens) 358
What Scares You? 360
Is Your Future This Bad? Maybe Even Worse? Lets Hope Not 362
The Final Drive to Make Your Stage Hypnosis Dreams a Reality 365
The Ticking Time Bomb in Your Stage Hypnosis Business 367
Punch the Numbers and Grow Your Business Dramatically 370
10 First Year Lessons for Big Success for Stage Hypnotists—NEW 372
Know When to Double Down 376
INDEX 377
 INTRODUCTION

Chris Frolic
I can’t remember how I first came across the Stage Hypnosis Cen-
ter, but it certainly was a serendipitous chain of events that lead me
there. I was like any of you, someone interested in stage hypnosis
and the possibility of a new career. A few weeks later I found myself
in Las Vegas for his renowned training and met Geoff Ronning for
the first time. It would be the start of the best education I’d ever
receive in my life.
In a short amount of time I went from stage hypnosis newbie to
a national performer, appearing on several television programs and
meeting and exceeding my financial goals.
The articles presented in this book are a big part of my success.
I don’t think a book like this has ever been produced. You won’t find
anything on how to hypnotize someone, but real applicable tips to
make you and your hypnosis career a bigger success than before you
read it.
Some of the tips in this book have been hugely profitable to me
and I’ll give you an example of one.
 !!! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !!

!"#$%&#%'()*%)%+#,-. made me believe that going on tours isn’t the ex-

clusive domain of the David Copperfields and AC/DCs of the world.
That an unknown hypnotist can do very well for himself with some
modest goals. I booked my first successful tour only a few months
into my hypnosis career. Today I’ve made many tens of thousands
of dollars and dozens of bookings because of that article. I’m totally
serious. If not for reading that one article the seed never would have
been planted in my head and I never would have thought it would
have been a realistic goal. That article is just one of hundreds fea-
tured in this book.
I’m honored at being able to present this compilation of some
of the articles from Geoff Ronning of the Stage Hypnosis Center, as
well as some of my own from lessons I’ve learned along the way.
I hope you too can take some inspiration and make my achieve-
ments look amateur. The tools are before you. I look forward to
hearing about your success.

"#$%&

Geoffrey Ronning
When the idea arose for this book I was very excited. As I review the
contents I’m ecstatic. I know I should probably be humble and down
play it but I’m not going too. I’m amazed at the content.
Inside is a combination of content from the StageHypnosis-
Center.com and some brand new items that are just being released
for the first time. And while I think the content is excellent it is not
without its errors. I considered going back over each one and mak-
ing the corrections to improve the grammar, etc. I then decided
against it.
You see, 20% of the net profits of this book go to support the
following two non-profit organizations:
 !! ! !!Introduction!! ! !! 

1) The Jason Foundation, Inc

The Jason Foundation, Inc. (JFI) is an educational organization
dedicated to the awareness and prevention of youth suicide.

2) Geneva Centre for Autism Foundation

Geneva Centre is dedicated to empowering individuals with an
Autism Spectrum Disorder, and their families, to fully partici-
pate in their communities.

So, while on one hand I would rather have spent some big bucks
on an editor to make this perfect (and hide my mistakes). On the
other hand I thought retaining the original content mistakes and all,
and donating the maximum amount of money far outweighed the
benefits of tweaking the content.
Besides that, it stands as a reminder that what we do—we im-
prove at. Frankly some of my early writings are pretty poor. But you
can see article-by-article improvement in my written communica-
tions. I think that is cool. I bet I’m really good in about another 4
books.
But the bottom line is I hope you get far more from the book
than what you invested. I hope your ROI is astronomical. Peace
and love to everyone… but more to our better clients than anyone
else. !
I will see you at the StageHypnosisCenter.com,

GEOFF
 !!! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !!

3 Simple Ways to Improve Your Hypnosis Show

Geoffrey Ronning, CH, CI

Contrary to what many think, the hypnosis is not the show.

When you are doing a stage hypnosis show, you are in the business
of show, not the business of hypnosis.
Clients do not hire us to watch us hypnotize, we are hired to en-
tertain. Many people get this wrong! And their audiences and shows
suffer. Here are 3 simple considerations that will immediately im-
prove any hypnosis show:

Your Induction
Ask yourself:
1) Is your induction reasonably fast?
2) Is it entertaining for the audience?
3) Is it theatrically satisfying?

If not you should consider getting a new show induction. The

days of using a PR (Progressive Relaxation) and doing a long, drawn
out induction are over. Realize your induction is part of your show,
and give the people what they want—entertainment from the
start.

Your Blocking
Blocking are the movements on stage. We analyze videos from per-
formers from literally around the world, and if there is one thing
I see more than anything else it is improper blocking, which usu-
ally shows up in the form of pacing. In fact, if the majority of stage
hypnotists would stop pacing, it would immediately, substantially
improve the quality of their show.
If you are pacing onstage, plant your feet and move consciously,
with purpose and notice your show quality improve. You will relax
 !! ! ! Section One: Performance Articles !! ! !! 

the audience, direct the attention of the audience and make their
experience as an audience richer and more rewarding.

Your Character Development

Are you interesting? Does the audience care about you? Have you
shared with the audience the aspects of your character that will
make them care about you?
You don’t find a “real police officer” on the television show “CSI”
and you won’t find a “actual doctor” on “ER.” What you will find is
an actor playing the part so that viewers care about them, their chal-
lenges and their story.
That is what you must deliver to your audiences. You cannot
just be well versed in hypnosis, but also theatre.

A poorly skilled hypnotist, with

good theatre skill, will always
out perform the most knowledgeable
hypnotist, with limited drama skills.

You cannot be a “hypnotist” on stage—you must be an enter-

tainer, doing hypnosis. Consider the three keys above, and regard-
less of how successful you are currently, your show will improve.
 !!! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !!

How to Get Even the Most Stubborn Audiences to

Volunteer for Your Stage Hypnosis Show—Part 1
Geoffrey Ronning, CH, CI

I don’t know one full time professional hypnotist who has not
at one time or another, called for volunteers and looked out into the
audience to see nothing but frozen bodies, especially in the corpo-
rate sector.
Sure it is piece of cake to get volunteers at a school or fair, but
other times, it can be a little challenging. Particularly if you are play-
ing to very conservative groups who are image conscious. Those are
the groups I’m referring to.
A couple of weeks ago we played to a group of banking execu-
tives. There were about sixty people, in a very sterile environment
(a hoity toity museum). They had flown in from all over the country
and did not know each other. The average age was about 55. Those
are the types of groups I’m talking about!
Those are the fun shows, the ones that give you a sense of satis-
faction. I’ll take a fire alarm in the middle of my induction any day
over the “another average show without challenges.”
So, in this series lets talk about getting volunteers under difficult
situations. I’m going to share with you some of our techniques so
that you can insure that you have volunteers for your show!
!
The Beginning Could Be a Good Place to Start
If you are having trouble getting volunteers, ask yourself: Why isn’t
the audience coming up to volunteer? When you really consider it,
there are very few reasons. The majority of them being that your
audience is:
• scared of being embarrassed
• uncomfortable with the other people in the audience
• lacking trust in you
 !! ! ! Section One: Performance Articles !! ! !! 

• not fully understanding hypnosis

• afraid of being hypnotized
• turned off by YOU

In most of the shows I have seen where hypnotists have trouble

getting volunteers, it is the last reason that is to blame! Not all, but
typically the hypnotist has created the difficulty for himself. Of course
they would never admit it, but that is why it will happen again.
Analyze your show. In your performance you should begin with
a “pre-talk.” In these couple of minutes, you have to gain the audi-
ences trust and tell them about hypnosis and what can be expected
when they are in the trance state. It is best if it is done in an enter-
taining fashion.

Humor Starts Your Show Correctly

Many people recommend against humor in the pre-talk, but we have
found that using humor in the pre-talk is most effective. Making
people laugh puts them at ease, and they are more open to listening
to what you have to say.
In addition, I figure since we are hired to entertain, and I was not
there to sing or dance, humor is a good direction to head. At least it
beats that third rate, Community College psychology / hypnosis lec-
ture. Then again, may rendition of Ricky Martins “She Bang” would
beat that!

You are Nothing Without Rapport

Do you have rapport with your audience? Do they like you? Do
they connect with you? If they do not, you are in deep trouble. You
need to be able to develop rapport with each audience you work.
Or only work with those audiences you can develop rapport with.
If you have a hatred of corporate America, and that shows, it is
probably a bad place for you to work. If you think everyone in bars
 !!! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !!

is a drunk and a low life, bars may not be the best place for you to
work. You must get rapport.
It is hard to sail against the wind, so why not turn the boat
around and harness it the power it offers. Get rapport with your
audiences and you can ride it for as far as you desire.
If you don’t know how to get rapport with audiences, or struggle
to get rapport, study rapport development tools. You are nothing
without rapport, and everything with it.

Music Gets Your Feet and Heart to Sing

We have found it is important to have some music playing while
people are coming up, something light and fun seems to work best.
It is also important to have music that is appropriate for the spe-
cific audience. There is not one song that is the magical song. You
want something that fits your show and your audience. Something
that is preferably from the last thirty years.
So it is best to have several songs that you can choose from, and
select the most advantageous song for that specific group.
Why is music so powerful? Because music acts as a sound bar-
rier between the hypnotist and the audience, so the audience can
confer with each other on volunteering. In addition, music is a natu-
ral anchor, so it immediately can change the states your audience is
experiencing and inspire and motivate them to volunteer.
Now that you have a number of selections of music, have ana-
lyzed your pre-talk and polished your rapport skills, in the next ar-
ticle we will look at the sneaky ways we have come up with the beat
the hesitant volunteer issue.
 !! ! ! Section One: Performance Articles !! ! !! 

How to Get Even the Most Stubborn Audiences to

Volunteer for Your Stage Hypnosis Show—Part 2
Geoffrey Ronning, CH, CI

One of the common nightmares of stage hypnotists is that you

call for volunteers, and no one stirs. In part two of this series we are
going to discuss some of the techniques you can use to get even the
most stubborn crowds to volunteer.

Don’t Walk the Plank

In the case of no volunteers the first thing you must do is not let your
audience see you sweat. The only person who knows this is not the
standard way the show goes is you. No one else knows. You must act
as if this is standard show process. Act as if it is completely natural for
people to be apprehensive (remember the importance of rapport?)
If the audience senses any situation that is outside of your con-
trol, you are in serious trouble, mutiny style. Stay calm, stand tall
and be confident. If being confident is not an option, you need to at
least act confident. To exhibit anything less will cause a show mu-
tiny and you don’t deserve the treatment suitable for Captain Bligh.

Never Cajole or Beg

The first thing many people want to do is begin to cajoling peo-
ple into doing a show by saying things like,“If I don’t get X number of
volunteers there is no show!” or begging, “please come up, I promise
you will like it, pretty please…” Psychology tells us is a huge mistake.
Never cajole or beg anyone to come on your stage. Even if it seems
like a last resort, this is a terrible idea.
It has two important effects:

1) You Eliminate the Sincere

In every audience you have sincere participants. If you start to
 !!! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !!

beg or cajole people, you immediately hinder the sincerely interested

in volunteering. They immediately begin to internally question,“Why
isn’t anyone else interested?” and speculate, “There must be something
wrong if I’m the only person interested in volunteering.”
This is obviously not a valuable mindset you want to create.

2) You Invite Trouble to Your Stage

If in your begging or cajoling you get people up on your stage
who are insincere, then those participants will be weak anyhow. So
in your efforts to get a show going, you will be getting it started, at
the cost of how your show runs.
So now you have taken even those people who would come to
the stage on their own and given them good reason to remain in the
audience, and you have swapped them for people who are going to
be detrimental to your show. Clearly this is a poor exchange.

Remove Yourself from the Volunteers Path

If the bodies aren’t moving in your direction, don’t go into a panic.
Immediately move yourself to a position that is not in the path to the
stage. If you are on a stage, move yourself so that you are not near
the stairs. If you are performing on a dance floor, move yourself so
that you are in a non-intimidating place and so that the major aisles
to the performance area are free and clear.
Often times people think just the opposite; they think if they
stand on stage and welcome people to the stage (shake hands, etc.),
it will improve the situation. The opposite effect is actually true; it is
detrimental to getting volunteers.

If that is Not Enough, Remove Yourself from the Performance

Area Completely
If after opening up the paths to the stage, people are still not volun-
teering, continue with your patter and clear the stage (performance
 !! ! ! Section One: Performance Articles !! ! !! 

space) completely. Walk out into the audience and around the room.
Have fun with people in a light, non-confrontational manner. While
you are doing this, participants will begin to take the stage. You just
have to give up control of the stage territory.

In the End
You dictate the show, not your audience. Be smart, be prepared and
understand this is a audience participation show. You must work
with them, not against them. You have the expertise; you now know
many methods of getting volunteers even in the most difficult of cir-
cumstances. Will this solve every problem you ever run up against?
No, but it will solve the majority. That is all we can ask, in a legiti-
mate hypnosis show.
 !! ! ! Section One: Performance Articles !! ! !! 

Stage Names? Fake, Real or Something Else…

Geoffrey Ronning, CH, CI

There are whole industries devoted to the naming of products.

As a performer, like it or not, you are a product. In this article we are
going to consider the three main points of whether you should use
a stage name or not.
This article offers my biased view of stage names. Assuming you
don’t want to be called a one word name like other mega stars, such
as Cher, Madonna, etc., perhaps you will find this article valuable.
My perspective is that of a full time professional who is looking
to create wealth, not making my priority to become famous. Many
people look to establish a flashy, theatrical name, and while there is
no wrong or right way to go, I would rather see you create a name in
the industry that you can live with, that will support you in multiple
venues, over the course of a full career.
While you are considering your “stage name” here are three
rules that should help you.

1) Eliminate Negative Connotations

Some names have negative or questionable connotations. In those
cases you would be best served to change your name to something
more neutral. People do judge you based on your name and while
you can go overboard making yourself too “vanilla neutral,” you
would also foolish to use a name that instantly was identified with
negative situations or questionable people.

2) Your Market
Your market should dictate your name. Each market has different
needs. A name that is appropriate in one market could be totally
inappropriate in another. Analyze the market you are working and
determine a name that is appealing and does not conflict with…
 !!! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !!

3) Your Long Term Goals

Your future should be one of the dictating factors of your stage
name. If you are currently working bar shows and your stage name
is Hypno “Wild Man” Jones, then your name maybe fine.
But if in the future you are thinking about doing a stress seminar
for corporations or doing shows for high schools, then obviously
that name will hinder you, and probably even eliminate you from
working most any type of conservative show, and certainly any edu-
cational program.
If a stage name is more appropriate, then I would not hesitate to
use one. If your birth name is fine, use that.
My real name is Geoffrey Ronning, and it has also been my stage
name for years. For the markets I work it is a good match. I want my
show to sound “safe” and “corporate” like. I want my name to be ap-
propriate for entertainment and educational programs.
In addition, having my name be “formal” makes me sound like
many of the other organizations these clients are already hiring: Ar-
thur Andersen, Deloitte Touche, Ernst & Young, etc.
The big question for yourself: Where do you want your career to
take you, and what will the effect of your name have on your career?
Choose a name that supports your future, one that does not detract
from it, and that satisfies your current market interests.
A name will never make your career, but it can kill it.
 !!! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !!

How to Brand Your Stage Hypnosis Show

Geoffrey Ronning, CH, CI

Branding is a component of marketing, yet most stage hyp-

notists never bother to think about it, much less learn marketing
strategies. Here is how you should approach branding for your show
business.

The One Minute Guide to Building a Brand

Choose one of these:
1) (insert your name here) Worlds Greatest Hypnotist!
2) (insert your name here) Worlds Funniest Hypnotist!
3) (insert your name here) Worlds Fastest Hypnotist!

Done.
Joke people, that is a JOKE!

The Issue
Back in the old days, a performers skill was often his “brand.”
Many stage hypnotists, mentalists, etc. never had to do any
branding because there was literally no one else in their business.
Today that has changed, but only slightly. But that slight change
comes predominately from the internet, and as you are probably
aware, most stage hypnotists on the internet are not professionals,
so the impact is really a false one, but an impact none the less.
So, I’m actually really surprised at the number of older perform-
ers that never had to deal with marketing and branding issues in the
past that now see this as some sort of competition issue. It is not, it
is a business issue. Of course this attitude is not limited to the older
performers only, it also affects younger performers that don’t know
any better.
 !! ! ! Section One: Performance Articles !! ! !! 

Please Pass the Stage Hypnotist

If you choose to brand yourself by your skill (Stage Hypnotist)
then obviously you are placing yourself in a commodity category.
If you brand yourself as a singular entity, you be the guy (or gal)! At
that point money because a secondary issue, so assuming you are
performing for money, it would be smart to pay attention to your
branding. That be business 101.

What is Branding?
Branding is the way you:
• Look
• Answer the phone
• Arrive
• Dress
• Talk
• Your vocabulary
• Poise
• And support materials

I purposely put support materials last. Most people that do

branding leave everything else out and think they are branding when
they develop a set of sales materials that communicate who they are,
what their show is about and creates the image of them and the ex-
perience they deliver. But that is the smallest aspect of branding.
You see you could have the most expensive, fanciest promo
package on the planet, but if you hand deliver it in a beat up pick
up, walk in while wearing a Sears suit and extend a grubby hand
with cracked skin to shake their hand, it does not matter what sort
of promo package you hand them. They will never equate you as the
Hypnotist to the Wealthy. It won't happen.
 !!! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !!

Once You Can Fake Sincerity You Got it Made

Is a famous line, but few can do it. I recommend you not fake any-
thing in your career! I recommend you be an authentic person that
delivers results beyond the norm! Anyone can be average. What’s
the fun in being that? I recommend you analyze who you are, what
markets you work and create an authentic brand(s) that you can
100% deliver on and that is attractive to your market.
Make the brand appealing to the most profitable end of your
market and never forget, everything you say and all ways you be-
have are constantly building your image and creating your brand,
and ultimately, it is your brand that is fixed into the minds of your
clients and prospects. It is far better that the brand be a function of
conscious choice, rather than the end result of half hazard thinking
and the 50% off rack.
Go big, think beyond the norms and seek to create the most
profitable, most engaging, most entertaining, most successful brand
you can. Doing any less is shortchanging yourself, your loved ones
and your clients!
 !!! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !!

How to Immediately Charge Higher Show Fees

Geoffrey Ronning, CH, CI

Do you want to charge more money for your show? Do you

want to have a more profitable business? Do you want a more secure
and predictable income either full or part time? In this article we are
going to tell you how you can immediately charge a higher show fee,
and do so with no resistance from your clients.

Determine How Much You Want to Make

The first step is decide how much more income you desire from
your show business. Lets say you are currently doing 85 shows a
year and you want to make an additional $15,000.00 next year.
It all comes down to simple mathematics: on average you want
to generate an additional, average of $187.00 per show. That is easy!

Easy Income Generating Strategy

Now that we know the amount we want to increase our total income
and we have the dollar per show increase, it is time to construct the
strategy that will allow us to achieve that goal.
The easiest way to increase your per show profits is to offer your
clientele more purchase options.
There are numerous options that you can offer your clientele and
you are only limited by your imagination to what you can create.
The options may be in:
• show length
• performance pieces
• customization
• allied components
• etc.
 !! ! ! Section two: Booking Strategies !! ! !! 

You may have an educational hypnosis audio program that each

person in your corporate audience receives, you may have a cus-
tomization option for a routine or a set of routines that is available
at an added cost, you may have an added cost for a longer show, or
an added fee for any other option or options that you create that add
value for your clients.

The Worlds Worst Question

One of the worst questions entertainers ask when booking shows is
the “what is your budget” question. The client knows the entertainer
is just fishing, trying to figure out what they can charge (albeit in a
ugly, unsophisticated manner). It makes the client distrustful, breaks
rapport and forces them to be defensive and probably in most cases,
lie.
People do not want to put all their cards on the table in any
negotiation. If you attempt to force them to do so, it is a recipe for
disaster. Unfortunately many entertainers work this way!

The Incredible Expanding Show Fee

Instead of you determining the budget amount you want the client
to spend—let your clients spend the amount they desire.
By offering a series of value added options, the client will spend
the amount they need, choosing the options that are most appealing
to them, and rarely do they spend less than budgeted, but typically
spending more.
This strategy basically allows you to offer your show in a pricing
structure that will expend with each individual clients situation.
No budget questions, no prying, just a helpful series of options
that the clients will select themselves to fill their needs, and that will
allow you to expand your show fee to their maximum amount with
no client resistance.
 !!! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !!

Putting it in to Play
Obviously you will not increase the fee of every show. Some clients
will not want your options and will not have the additional budget,
and that is fine.
But you will certainly increase your average show fee and in-
crease your total dollars generated, and do so easily and quickly with
this strategy.
 !! ! ! Section two: Booking Strategies !! ! !! 

Why Should I Take Your Show?

Geoffrey Ronning, CH, CI
!
Anytime this occurs with any customer we slam the door and
lock them out. Avoiding these types of people will make your life
easier and your business more rewarding. As a stage hypnotists we
come in personal contact with prospects everyday, about every four
months a prospect will say: “Why should I go with you over someone
else?”
That is not often, to be sure, and statistically irrelevant, but I
have been thinking about it today, I have decided to analyze this
question…

Wrestling is not my Business

First let me state that as a stage hypnotist (as in any business) you
should articulate your distinctions, but from a historical perspective
I can tell you that while I can certainly articulate my distinctions,
answering this specific question is typically a waste of time.
I find people who ask this specific question to characteristically
be poor prospects, more interested in “confrontations” than doing
business, more interested in “challenging” than creating solutions.

Articulate Distinctive Value in Print and by Action

You should articulate your value in print and by your actions, doing
it by conversation with each individual prospect is a waste of time. I
think a true prospect is more inclined to gather information, weigh
value, and then move forward based on the value you provide versus
their needs.
In talking it over with Wendy we both agreed that this question
has historically been a sign of unsatisfying work to come. And these
are the exact prospects we avoid.
 !!! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !!

Big Surprise… I May Not Be the Best for Them

That fact of the matter is I don’t know if they should use me; there
is no one size fits all option, no perfect solution. It all depends on
their individual needs. How anyone can ask me this question about
their needs is ridiculous. Before I could answer this question there
are a number of things I need to know. Asking me to answer that
question at the outset is like eating your fish before it is caught—it
doesn’t make any sense.
We have found that people who ask this specific question are, at
best, unrewarding to deal with, and more often than not, a waste a
time. We only want to deal with people who are approaching a task
as potential partners for mutual gain, not “tough sells.”
That is why we don’t deal with these people.

Respond in Like
The next time someone asks you, “Why should I use you over some-
one else?” I recommend you say: “Why should I book your show over
someone else’s?”
Just as the customer has the right to do business with those they
desire, we have the right to not do business with those we detest.
Life is too short to deal with anyone but those you choose.
 !! ! ! Section two: Booking Strategies !! ! !! 

Opportunities at Every Corner by Thinking Like a

Marine
Chris Frolic
!
Just last week I was at my local Kinko’s photocopying some
posters when I looked across the street at a bar in my neighborhood.
There was a sign up for a Sunday comedy night, and it crossed my
mind to go speak to them about a show. That made me realize that I
look at the world through different eyes than I once did.
Now when I’m out anywhere, I’m always spotting new opportu-
nities for a hypnotist. They really are endless.

Making of a Marine
That reminded me of an excerpt of a book I read in my high school
English class a long time ago called “The Making of a Marine”. It was
the story of a Vietnam-era soldier’s training.
I can vividly recall one particular passage when the author talk-
ed about his first trip back home, and on the bus ride as he looked
at the passing countryside. He no longer looked at it as that, but be-
cause of his training his mind now was always thinking about mili-
tary tactics. How he would lead an assault on that same countryside,
where were the best defensive positions, how to engage an invisible
enemy.
Now when I travel, I apply this same “Marine” mindset. A busi-
ness district in a small community takes on a whole new meaning.
It’s no longer quaint, but full of potential shows. A bar on the corner,
a service club hall down the street, a hotel with a banquet facility, a
nightclub that features bands. This is one particular town I’m think-
ing of and I translated it into 4 additional bookings.
I wasn’t born into this mindset, it came over time through frequent
application over the last several months, and there’s definitely a mental
wall you have to break through before the world opens up to you.
 !!! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !!

But once you do, and you begin to look through the world with
your “Hypnotist Marine” eyes, there’s a never ending list of oppor-
tunities out there for you.

Challenge Yourself
Challenge yourself today to see how many you can spot during your
day, and then do it again tomorrow, and continue every day after
that.
You don’t have to necessarily book all of these places, but the
exercise will help you find those real gems when you least expect to.
You’ll roll your eyes at anyone ever saying “there’s no work out there”
forever after.
 !!! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !!

10 First Year Lessons for Big Success for Stage

Hypnotists—NEW
Chris Folic
!
I just realized September the 9th is an interesting date. Some of
you may have a copy of “The Chris Frolic Story”, or keep on top of
my postings on the SHC forum, and it was one year ago on Septem-
ber 9th that I started a thread about a pivotal point in my career.That
was scoring my first bar show, and everything after came as a result
from that. It was exactly a year ago that I kicked things into full-gear
and haven’t looked back since.
Its been an incredible year, filled with amazing accomplish-
ments, as well as a lot of hard work. To mark this occasion I thought
I’d share some lessons that I’ve learned along the way. They’re pre-
sented in no particular order, just some things that come to mind.

1) I never concerned myself with the competition.

This might go counter to everyone out there, but it was some-
thing I felt was highly effective for me personally. I went into a ma-
jor metropolitan market filled with a ton of hypnotists, including
other notable SHC members. I never looked at a single competitor
website, requested promo covertly from anyone, collected tapes or
anything else like that. I was single-minded on offering the best pro-
gram I could, and it was best to keep my mind clear. To this day I still
haven’t done any of that, and probably won’t bother.

2) I didn’t reinvent the wheel.

When I talk about not letting people influence me, there was
one notable exception, and that’s the proven systems that Geoff
has developed here at the SHC. If I was going to follow someone, it
might as well be (in my humble opinion) the best.
 !! ! ! Section four: Business Philosophy !! ! !! 

3) I did what Geoff told me to.

To me this seems logical. I trust in the fact that Geoff knows
this business better than I do, so why would I pay him for all his
products and mentoring if I was going to have it go in one ear and
out the other? Some of the most difficult tasks Geoff asked me to do
were in the very beginning, and those were the ones that reaped the
most rewards.

4) I didn’t let early failures bring me down.

My success may seem meteoric, but I wasn’t exactly printing
money at the start. There were many postcard mailings that didn’t
get the results I had hoped for, leads would go cold and my conver-
sion rate was pretty lousy, but I never let that stop me.

5) I doubled my efforts when things weren’t working out the way

I wanted.
This ties into #4. There were some times, especially before my
school campaign started to work for me, that I began to run out of
money and didn’t quite know what to do next. I can think of a couple
of times where I wasn’t sure if I could afford another mailing. But I
knew if I let that moment beat me, the business would die right then
and there. So I bit the bullet and things started to turn around.

6) I considered myself a “pro” from the get-go.

Even before I walked into the Vegas training, in my mind I knew
I was going to be a professional stage hypnotist. I never wavered
from that thinking.

7) I read every post on the SHC forum and used some nuggets in
there to make me a ton of money.
I would spend each day going back in time in the forum and
reviewing old threads until I had read all of them. There were some
 !!! ! ! The Business of Stage Hypnosis !!

unbelievable golden nuggets just sitting there for the taking. Two
in particular that come to mind single-handedly shot me into orbit
when I implemented them. I didn’t have the skills or tools to use
them initially, but when I did they were waiting for me.

8) Failure was never an option.

I came into this after winding down my previous business of
10 years. I had little money, and if I couldn’t make it work I don’t
know what I would have done with myself. Someone people might
have thought that going the “safe” route of a regular job makes more
sense, but I knew in my heart that if I did that the dream would die
with it. So even though I have a family to support and it would have
been easy to “do the grownup thing” and go punch a clock, it was
never a consideration.

9) I spent little money on things I didn’t absolutely need for the

business.
I’ve observed a lot people going on a spending spree while start-
ing their new hypnosis business, buying things they think are essen-
tial. The reality is the only thing that’s essential is to go out there and
start making money! And that doesn’t take much to do at all.

10) There’s a reason why I haven’t spoken about my hypnosis

show at all on this list.
The “show” part of this business is the frosting on the cake, but
the “business” is where you’ll need to spend your time and energy.
Without it, there is no show. Well, maybe the occasional one but not
the kind of success we all dream about.
I probably could have easily written 50 lessons as there’s so
much more to reflect on, but for now I will wrap this up. As with any
of my articles, I hope some of this may be of help and inspire others
out there. I don’t think there was anything particularly remarkable
 !! ! ! Section four: Business Philosophy !! ! !! 

about anything I’ve done, yet most people won’t take those neces-
sary steps. I look forward to continuing to update the SHC on my
progress and sharing further experiences in upcoming articles.

Excerpted from The Business of

Stage Hypnosis Volume 1
For the complete version of this 388 page
book or to read reviews go to:

http://www.stagehypnosiscenter.com/products/item211.cfm
(above link has best price) or Amazon.com

For more free resources on stage hypnosis visit:

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