Legal Notice

The contents of this book reflect the author’s views acquired through his
experience in the field under discussion. The author is not engaged in rendering
any legal or accounting professional service. The services of a lawyer and
accountant are recommended if legal and accounting advice or assistance is
needed. The publisher and author disclaim any personal loss or liability caused
by utilization of any information presented herein.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical without permission in
writing from the publisher. The original purchaser is authorized to make one
printed copy for his or her personal use. All violations will be prosecuted to the
fullest extent of the law.

Copyright © 2001 Randy Charach and Sharac Productions, Inc.

Published by:
Synergy Promotions Inc.
5525 West Boulevard #157
Vancouver, BC
V6M 3W6

Phone: (604) 839-7937

Written by: Randy Charach

Edited by: Marvyn Shore
Research Assistance: Anna Thiesen
Technical Assistance: Tim Wang
"Anyone with talent will find the lessons to be learned from Randy of
the greatest importance for the formation of a successful career."
Peter Reveen, Hypnotist and Manager of Lance Burton, Las Vegas

“Solid advice from a proven success – my highest

recommendation." Rudy Coby, "The Lab Guy", Beverly Hills, CA

"Charach's book is a common sense approach to marketing your

magical skill sets.”
Joel Bauer, www.infotainer.com, Chatsworth, CA

"DO NOT READ RANDY'S BOOK", "Unless you want to make a lot
of money in show business!"
Stan Kramien, www.stankramien.com, Beaverton, OR

"Thank you Randy, for sharing this valuable information with us, I am
sure many of your readers will soon become millionaires too."
Gary "Darwin", Magician and Author, Las Vegas, NV

“Randy Charach’s book is the best of its kind I have had the pleasure
to read. Even as an old pro, I did learn a lot from it indeed!"
Ted Lesley, Magician & Mentalist, Germany

"It's rare that a successful professional would reveal the secrets of

the business side of show business but Randy has done just that.”
Craig Karges, www.CraigKarges.com, Wheeling, WV

"I predict that your book will become - THE classic text on marketing
and promotion.”
Richard Webster, www.psychic.co.nz, New Zealand

"Randy sees the bigger picture beyond the show and fills the needs
of his clients to make some big bucks!"
James Cielen, Magician, www.DoveMagic.com, Las Vegas, NV

"A book like Mr. Charach's did not exist, until now. It is a realistic
guide through the entertainment business world. A real hit.” Anthony
Blake, Magician & Mentalist, Spain
"If you want to make money in show business, Randy Charach can
help you."
Jeff Evason, Magician & Mentalist, www.evanson.com

"I am sure this book will cause entertainers both now and in the future
to reap vast rewards."
Dondrake, "Black Art Breakthroughs", Las Vegas, NV

"Secrets is truly dynamite and provides a great leap forward for any
performer in the live entertainment business."
Banachek, www.banachek.org, Houston, TX

”There are marketers, master marketers, master marketer's

marketers, ... and then there is Randy Charach."
Richard Busch, Reviewer and Author, Pittsburgh, PA
"You have managed to lay out all the ground work. I think everyone
should own this book."
James Dimmare, Magician, www.dimmare.com, Los Angeles, CA

“Randy gave me ONE idea that made me $25,000.00 in one month.

“Secrets”, is the BEST marketing system for entertainers. Period.”
Blair Robertson, www.BlairRobertson.com, Orleans, ON

"Great information by a working professional that will enable YOU to

increase your business and profits in the entertainment world!"
Ted Karmilovich, Jr., Creator of "Mother of All Book Tests", N.J.

“Randy's book is a new kind of information available to the today's

performer - much more important than the magic itself.”
Guy Bavli, Mentalist, www.GuyBavli.com, Israel

"I am having my office manager read through it and help me utilize

some of the methods Randy shared."
Alain Nu, www.nu-magic.com, Washington, DC

"Randy has blazed the trail to becoming a millionaire in magic, and

it's a real world path that anyone with the desire can easily follow."
Steve Fearson, Magician & Inventor, Las Vegas
$100 reward if you received this document illegally
Upon initial opening of this document a unique hidden signature was
encoded and instantly sent to our database for registration. It is illegal
to distribute this document by any means, electronic, print or
otherwise. To report a violation: mailto:legal@charach.com

Bonus Items – This is where you will find them:

Free Bonus #1 - Reveen Interview – Lesson 19

Free Bonus #2 - Zellman Interview – Lesson 14
Free Bonus #3 - John Kaplan Interview – Lesson 18
Free Bonus #4 - 9 Reports - Interspersed in Relevant Lessons
Free Bonus #5 - College List – Lesson 10 Free Bonus #6 -
Fairs List – Lesson 12
Free Bonus #7 - Comedy Clubs List – Lesson 20

Free Bonus #8 - $100 coaching discount, valid until November 30,

2002. Apply discount at: http://magicianmarketing.com

Free Bonus #9 - Access to 100% Free Magic Tricks & Books

Free Tricks: http://hop.clickbank.net/?rancha/fearson
Free Books: http://thelearnedpig.com.pa

Free Bonus #10 - Special Profit Generating Opportunity!

It’s free, easy, and you can be set-up within just a few minutes. For
full details, go to: http://www.millionairemagician.com/partners.htm
Dedication

First and foremost I dedicate this publication to my wife, partner, lover

and best friend, Chana. I truly believe that everyone has a genuine
soul mate. I found mine in Chana. Her patience and understanding
while I have obsessively written this book is a true testament to her
love and devotion to me. Thank you Chana, for Leilani (my beautiful
stepdaughter), and for my beautiful new baby, Shira, who was born
on September 6, 2001.

Thank you to Marvyn Shore, who edited this book and a previous
book (50 Ways to Leave them Laughing) with painstaking diligence.

To my Mother, Evelyn, whom I love more than life itself. My Father,

Norman, who is always a source of inspiration. My entire family, who
have watched my magic tricks and listened to my dreams for many
years and counting.

There are too many people in the entertainment world to thank, and
in fear of missing someone, “thank you”, you know who you are.

And, in memory of my late Uncle Gable, ‘King Solomon the Magician’.

I wish you were alive to see that your little nephew grew up to love
magic as you did. This is for you, in spirit!
Foreword by Gary ‘Darwin’

I have met a lot of millionaire magicians here in Las Vegas; Siegfried

and Roy, David Copperfield, and Lance Burton. Siegfried and Roy
once told me that they never thought of the money; instead, they
believed that if they had a great show, the money would take care of
itself. Well that’s true, but they had great management. Most of us
magicians don’t have such management, so we need Randy’s book.

I met Randy when he was about 12 years old. He would come to Las
Vegas and visit his Uncle, ‘King’, a wonderful retired Magician. Little
did we know that Randy would one day become a young millionaire
magician.

Randy paid his dues. Let’s assume you’ve paid your dues, and you
are, or are ready to become a professional magician. You have read
the best magic books, watched many videos, went to many lectures,
acquired lot’s of props, gone to conventions, and have performed a
couple hundred, or even a couple thousand shows. But this is when
most magicians fall short; they don’t study the business of magic.
Thank you Randy, for sharing this valuable information with us, I am
sure many of your readers will soon become millionaire magicians.

Thank you once again Randy, your old friend, Darwin.

Gary “Darwin”, Magician and Author, Las Vegas

How to use this Book (from a technical perspective):

This book is in Adobe Acrobat “PDF” format. If you can read this,
then you already have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your
computer. If you receive any error messages, like “invalid color
space”, you need to get the latest version. It’s free, just go to:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html

I'll give you some tips below so you can conveniently navigate the
book and find what you want fast. This book is best viewed at a
minimum desktop configuration of 800x600 pixels and 16 bit color.

Hyperlinks:
You will see throughout this book many World Wide Web addresses
that are underlined in blue.

Example: http://www.marketingmagician.com

If you are connected to the Internet, and the web address has the
standard http:// format, you will be able to click on the link and it will
take you to the web page listed.

Your main (default) Internet browser will open up automatically a few

moments after you click on the link, and you will be taken directly to
the web page in the link. To get back to the book, close your Internet
browser, or click on the Adobe Acrobat Reader button on your task
bar.
At certain points in the text you will be able to click on underlined
blue text that will whisk you away to another part of the book
related to that text. To get back to where you were after you review
the related text, click on the back button of your Adobe Acrobat
Reader.

When you are in the Table of Contents section of the book, you can
click on any of the topics and you will be taken directly to that section
of the book. Again, click the back button of your Adobe Acrobat
Reader to return.

Email Addresses:

Email addresses work in a similar fashion to hyperlinks. The format

you will see in the book is mailto:randy@charach.com When you click
on a link with a “mailto: “ format before the email address, your main
email program will open up automatically a few moments after you
click the link. The email address in the link will already be in the
“Send to:” area of your email program. It may also launch your
Internet browser, but why, I do not know.

This makes it very convenient for you to email anyone listed in this
book. You do not have to be connected to the Internet to write the
email, but you do have to connect before you send it.
Using the Adobe Reader:

There are two ways you can adjust the size of the page to suit your
personal reading preferences. You can either use the icons at the
top of the screen or the sizing bar at the bottom of the screen.

Icons:

The icons at the top of the screen make broad changes in the
sizing of the page. Pick the one that you like best by clicking on one
of the icons.

Sizing Bar:

You can also use the sizing bar at the bottom of the Adobe
Acrobat Reader screen to set precise sizing of the page. Click the
arrow to the right of the percentage box as shown below.

Bookmark Panel:

Adobe has a great feature that allows you to have a complete

clickable outline of the book handy on the left side of the screen.
You can close this area if you prefer to have more screen area for
 the actual page you are reading. To close or open the panel and click
on the icon shown. It acts like a toggle switch opening and closing the
side window.

Adobe Acrobat Reader window showing clickable outline:

If you want the window there, but it is too big, you can drag the
vertical resizing border to the left. Hold your mouse button down
overtop of the border until it turns into a double arrow and drag
to the left.

Turning Pages:

There are 4 ways to turn pages in your book.

1. You can use the arrow keys on your keyboard.

2. Use the scroll bar on the right side of the screen. Note that when you
click on the scroll button, the page number you're on pops up in a little box.
3. Click on either side of the page number box on the bottom of your
screen.

4. Click on icons at the top of the page. The single left and right arrows
move you one page at a time, and the left and right arrows with the vertical
bar take you respectively to the beginning of the book and the end of the
book.

Returning to Your Last Position:

Click the back button at the top of your Adobe Reader to return to
the last page you were on.
Index

PART I: Your Foundation

Lesson 1 Millionaire Business Practices

Lesson 2 Planning for Success

Lesson 3 Your Executive Office

Lesson 4 Promotional Material Magic

Lesson 5 Fees for Financial Freedom

Lesson 6 Gentlemen & Gentlewomen Agreements

Lesson 7 Your First Class Performance

Lesson 8 Golden Relationships with Agents

Lesson 9 Magic Marketing Methods

PART II: Your Income Streams

Lesson 10 Colleges and Universities

Lesson 11 Shopping Centers

Lesson 12 Fairs and Festivals

Lesson 13 Restaurants, Bars & Lounges

Lesson 14 Corporate Work

Lesson 15 Cruise Ships

Lesson 16 Television
 Lesson 17 Consulting & Acting

Lesson 18 Theatres

Lesson 19 Resorts and Casinos

Lesson 20 Comedy Clubs

Lesson 21 Profit from Products

Lesson 22 Synergistic Ventures

PART III: Your Future Learning

Additional Resources

Conclusion

Notes to Reader:

1. The information within is equally applicable to variety entertainers of

all types. By referring to “magicians” as opposed to “variety entertainers of
all types”, the book simply flows smoother.

2. Please understand and expect that some hyperlinks in this book will
be temporarily or even permanently “dead”. That is the nature of the quickly
and ever changing Internet. If you come across some, or any typos or
errors in this book, please do let me know.

3. Some of the links to other web sites and additional support items are
ones that I own and/or am affiliated with. Therefore, I may profit from
additional involvement. The links are included because I believe in the
products and services behind them and feel that they are appropriate and
relevant recommendations.

4. I have optimized the print size, font, and page spacing and layout for
screen viewing. This will also be useful if you decide to print all or some of
the pages out as you can write notes in the extra space. The Acrobat
tutorial contained in this book will be helpful, please read it.
(Back to Index)
Introduction
First, let me answer some questions for you:

What’s in a title?

I must tell you straight out that I carefully considered the title of this
book. It is far from my nature to flaunt wealth and carry on about how
much money I make, have made, can make, or have at my disposal.
My focus is on who people are and not on what they have.

The choice to be candid and specific with financial numbers in this

book is purely rooted from a sincere desire to make this information
more valuable and meaningful to you. Openly revealing my success
is meant to inspire you to attain your own goals. Performing magic
and being in business is a true passion for me. By simply doing what I
love, the money has always followed and always will.

Who is Randy Charach?

I am one of many magicians that have earned over a million dollars in

our craft. There are dozens more magicians like me that you and I
have never heard of and probably never will. Being a millionaire
magician is not as rare as one might think. I know several and they
are very much like me. You may not know it by meeting them and
they don’t necessarily go around telling everybody that they are
wealthy.
I was born in 1963 in Vancouver, Canada. My parents were and are
of average income and wealth. When I was born, my father was
selling siding for houses door to door. He has taught me a lot over the
years about human nature and selling.

At the age of five, I met one of my uncles, a magician (known as

‘King’ and passed away in 1975) living in Las Vegas. At once, I
became hooked on magic. I did my first show at the age of 10 for my
grade five class. My first paid performance was at the age of 12 and
my fee was $6. Yes, $6. Now 26 years and 5,000 shows later, my fee
for a corporate show in the U.S. is $5,000. Most of my performances
now, are as a Mentalist or a Speaker. My highest fees are earned
when I combine presentations at a single event.

I parlayed my relationships made as a magician and my natural and

learned sales and marketing ability into several other profitable
ventures. While still in high school I formed a toy supply company
catering specifically to the clients I performed magic for at their staff
children’s Christmas parties. I marketed this company beyond my
personal bookings and expanded it substantially over the next few
years.

As my calendar was filling quickly with bookings throughout each

year, I ended up turning down a lot of shows. This prompted me to
form my own entertainment booking agency. I expanded into booking
all sorts of variety acts for a wide array of clients. I ran both the toy
and entertainment company simultaneously for over 15 years. During
those years I averaged 300-400 personal appearances as a magician
and for six of those years I also appeared as Ronald McDonald in
Canada.

Both my toy and entertainment companies complimented my magic

business in many ways. Ultimately they all complemented each other
and my profit from the combined ventures was several hundred
thousand dollars per year.

How can I do it?

I will explain in detail how I prospered financially and how you can do
the same. None of it involves getting rich quick. If you desire financial
prosperity then be patient and be willing to work. There is no magic
formula or selling of the soul involved in my teaching. There is,
however, a lifetime of experience contained in these pages. Just one
out of the hundreds of ideas you will be exposed to can greatly
increase your bank balance and enable you to have more freedom in
your life. Certain philosophies, tools, systems and businesses may
not be right for you at this time. Your goals and desires will evolve
and change. Without question, you will return to this book and revisit
it with different perspective in the future. Follow through with what
appeals to you now. Keep your mind open to the other information
and realize that success is not an end goal but rather an ongoing
journey.
How can I benefit the most from this book?

Read the whole book once in its entirety. After you have gone
through it once, read it again and take a lot of notes. Go through your
notes and make some decisions as to what specific course of action
to take. Immediately implement some of the techniques and
principles. Use the resources.

Don’t overdo it. I happen to be a workaholic, and sometimes to my

detriment as I do not know when to slow down. If you are not a
workaholic but willing to work hard and in the right direction then you
will be successful. I sincerely desire that you become prosperous in
all areas of your life. Please keep me informed of your success and
the obstacles you overcome both financially and spiritually.

It is all laid out before you. No guess work. I am giving it all to you. Do
not underestimate what you have before you. It all works. If you
disagree with something I say, fine. Realize though, I am detailing
advice and information that has placed me in the position I am in
today. My life is rich with an abundance of material wealth. More
important than money, I am prosperous in the sense that I have a
wonderful family and countless friends and associates from all walks
of life.
It is a genuine honor when I am asked to share my knowledge and
experience with others. Thank you for allowing me into your life while
I assist you to succeed and achieve your goals.

It is up to you to take action and reach your goals. That I cannot do

for you. You are receiving information, resources and tools that have
been proven to create wealth for a person in your similar position. I
started with nothing but a love for magic and desire to do good
business and serve others. Whether your goal is to increase your
business slightly or to create a multi-million dollar empire, you have
everything you need right now. So, let’s get started.

With you in Mind,

PART I
Lesson 1 - Millionaire Business Practices (Back to Index)

The number one determination as to whether you will be successful

in business is how you relate to people. Read that again, it is the key
to your success in all that you do. Now, ask yourself:

Are you likeable? Do you have genuine concern for the welfare of
your customers and suppliers? Do your actions demonstrate your
concern for providing excellent service and value? Do you pleasantly
surprise people by delivering more than what is promised? Do you
send thank you cards and show appreciation to those who support
you? Or:

Are you grumpy and money hungry? Overly friendly (also known as
being a “glad eye” or “glad hands”) and use old salesman techniques
like flattering people on their ties or shoes as a matter of habit
because you read somewhere that it builds rapport? Do you use
whatever tactic available to make a sale? Do you take the money and
run?

Be honest and don’t feel bad if you don’t like your answers. You can
change and improve your practices over time. There are people who
make money without being kind and conscientious, but they do it the
hard and unpleasant way. All else being equal, they will make less
money for shorter duration and ultimately will be unfulfilled on many
levels. It is actually quite easy to be nice, caring and fair. If it does not
come naturally to you then try harder. Do not be phony. Simply
 adopt a more caring attitude bit-by-bit, day-by-day, and the rewards
both financially and for your well-being will present themselves. The
transformation will come naturally as you apply gentle and mindful
attention to your actions.

Reliability & Kindness = High Fees & More Bookings

Imagine you are a marketing manager at a shopping mall and need to

hire a magician two or three times a year. Consider the following
scenario:

Magician A
• Great show every time
• Always shows up 30 minutes before show time
• Is pleasant before, after, and during the engagement
• Charges $1,000.00

Magician B
• Great Show most of the time, sometimes just a good show
• Always shows up 5 minutes before show time, often in a panic
• Usually friendly, but moody, so you never know
• Charges $200.00

You have a $100,000 budget for special events for the year as the
marketing manager. Who are you going to hire? Would the money
you are going to save with Magician B, be worth the aggravation and
uncertainty? No!
The example I give above is not based on speculation. The numbers
are not exaggerated. This is based on my actual experience. Not on
just one occasion, but time and time again. Do you get the point? You
can charge higher fees and get more bookings by being great to deal
with. You become the “Go To” guy or gal when it comes to booking a
magician. Your clients brag about you and covet your time. They
don’t even consider booking another act regardless of cost. They
throw incoming brochures or sales letters of other Magicians in the
garbage. They have a special file for you if you care to see them.
When possible they plan their event date around YOUR schedule.

Does this sound too good to be true. If it does, cancel that thought
right now! Do not underestimate the power of building relationships
and profiting from them. Sweet deals, favors, preferential treatment
and a whole lot more can be yours. It all begins with you, your
business practices, and your attitude towards others.

People form their opinion of you, consciously or not, within the first
few seconds of contact. It is crucial to your success to present
yourself in a professional and likeable manner.

There are certain specific traits that successful people share. Some
will come naturally to you, some you will learn. Some you will not
agree with, or like, and will resist. These are the one you need to
work on the most.
 You see, the ones you are uncomfortable with are the ones that have
been holding you back. They will be the hardest to understand or
accept for a combination of reasons. Be willing to step outside your
comfort zone if necessary. You won’t find anything radical, so don’t
worry.

Here is a list of some of the traits I want you to think about now. Many
more will come up and be discussed as you progress through this
book. You will also be asked to refer back to some of these principles
as we apply them in practical scenarios that you will be dealing with.

Top 10 - Millionaire Magician Traits

1. Always tell the truth. You don’t need a great memory if you are
always honest. You lose all credibility when you are caught in a lie.

2. Understand that you are almost always negotiating. On a small

personal level, you negotiate with your friends when discussing what movie
to see or which restaurant to eat at. On the other end of the scale you will
negotiate fees and contract terms for your bookings.

3. Live by the golden rule, but go beyond to the platinum rule.

The golden rule, “do unto others as you would have done unto yourself”
may not apply in every case. What pleases me may
 not please you. You must also understand how the other
person wants to be “done unto” and act accordingly. Find out by
asking questions.

4. Over-promise and over-deliver. We are in sales and marketing,

and don’t ever forget that. Offer and deliver so much that your offer is
irresistible. If we don’t convince others to do business with us there is no
opportunity to over deliver. Of course, you must deliver even more than
promised in every area of your service and product.

5. If you can’t join them, beat them. I am all for cooperating with
like-minded people. Joint ventures and cooperative marketing efforts can
be terrific. You may find, however, that unless you take control and become
a strong leading force you will have to work under other people’s terms.
Pick the leaders in the specific area you are pursuing and strive to be
better. If you wish to suggest a business proposition or joint venture with
my company, feel free to send your proposal to: jv@charach.com

6. If you're not early, you’re late. Always leave yourself ample time
for travel and unforeseen circumstances when you have an engagement of
any type. Being late for a meeting basically tells the other person that you
value your time much more than theirs. That is not a good statement to
make when you wish to do business and build a long-term relationship with
someone.
 The situation is much worse if you are late for a show. It can be
a catastrophe if you miss a flight when traveling to a show. This
happened to me once many years ago, and since that day I
have always made sure that I allow ample time to arrive early
for any scheduled appointment. It is imperative that you do the
same.

7. Be eclectic. There is rarely one “right way” to do anything. There

is no rule saying that you, or I, have to choose only one way to generate
business or do anything for that matter. A variety of approaches will often
be most effective. Apply this thinking to everything you do.

8. Educate yourself. Acquiring knowledge can be your single best

return on investment (R.O.I.), assuming you apply the information. You
must turn what you learn into a skill or greater understanding by acting
upon what you learn. Invest in books, courses, manuals and training that
applies to the magic business either directly or indirectly. You will save
thousands of dollars and a lot of time by learning from other people’s
mistakes and successes.

9. Listen more and talk less. I am constantly amazed at how people

love the sound of their own voice. Remember, you already know what you
are going to say and can learn little by talking. Let the other person share
their thoughts and ideas regardless of whom they are or how much or little
you think
 they know. You can learn something from everyone. Be willing
to reciprocate with your information, but you will seldom be
asked or given a chance to talk by most people. You have two
ears and one mouth, use them in that proportion and prosper.

10. Be Balanced. This is a tough one for me. I have been

obsessed with magic and business since I was a young child. It is often a
struggle to spend time on anything else. Perhaps you are the same way.
Still, I develop other interests, exercise regularly, study many topics and try
to be a well-rounded individual. I have learned to expand my magic interest
to mentalism, speaking and now writing. Within my narrow interest base I
have found ways to grow. You will too.

There are two other important principles to share with you in this
lesson. They go hand in hand and are crucial to your success in
business. You will notice that I live by these rules throughout this
book. Look for them as you progress through these pages and make
notes as to how you can apply the same principles to your business.

1. Diversify both as a performer and businessperson

2. Everything you do should promote your products and services

Please do not confuse diversification as being the opposite of single-

minded focus and specialization. Instead, understand this to mean
that you will prosper and grow in many ways by broadening your
services as you monitor the needs of your clients. Learn and develop
new skills as a performer and as a businessperson.

It is essential to your success as a salesperson to constantly remind

people to use your services. Your show is an advertisement for more
shows. Your products are marketing vehicles for your other products
and services. This does not mean that you cheapen your show and
products in order to sell more. On the contrary, your excellent show
with subtle sales mechanisms is more valuable and entertaining than
it would be otherwise. This applies even more so for your products
and other services. If you are in tune with your customers needs and
truly provide excellent value, service and information that they cannot
get elsewhere, then you would be doing them a disservice by
neglecting to inform them of opportunities you have made available
for them.

One more thing. I have chosen not to expand greatly upon spiritual
concepts in this book. Not that I do not want to share them. I am “an
open book” when it comes to sharing information and my personal
views. Let me just say that it is my intention to inspire a burning
desire for you to share your gift as an entertainer above and beyond
concern for material wealth. On that note, please share your talent by
way of donations of your show to worthy causes without regard to
personal reward. Also, find other ways to “give back”. Thank you.
 Lesson 2 - Planning for Success (Back to Index)

I believe in goal setting and planning, however, it is equally important

to be flexible and willing to adjust your plans on the fly. I have worked
effectively both with and without planning and am more effective
when I plan. Do plan and set goals, remember though, there comes a
point when you must get on with the work. Research
& planning is essential to your success, as long as you always get past
that point and adjust as you progress in your plans.

There are many tools you can use to help formulate your ideas into
action. You will now be provided with two simple, quick and effective
tools I have used and developed over the years to help me. They are
provided with a template for you and a real example from my
business.
 Idea Map Template

How to use the Idea Map template:

1. Start with a central idea and write it in the middle circle.

2. Brainstorm ideas branching from the central idea.
3. Use key words to represent ideas.

Benefits of using the Idea Map template:

Idea mapping will help you explore an idea freely without the constraints of a
superimposed structure. Moreover, a visual environment promotes making new
connections and insights in a way that linear text does not. Using the Outline
view, however, will allow you to arrange your ideas in a more conventional,
readable manner.

It will only take a few minutes to create your map. It is an excellent first step in
planning. Print this page out and use it.
When I was doing children and adult shows, I would squeeze in as
many as 55 shows in the month of December alone. Now, I only do
adult shows and do an average of 20 in that month. Here are the
details and the Idea Map I use to make an extra $50,000 - $60,000
each December:

Idea Map

E-Mail Fax

Digital Contact Current

Corporate List of
Products
Xmas Prospects

Physical Presentations Potential

Strolling Stage

Now have a look at the next planning tool:

 Goal Setting Template
Goal Setting Worksheet Today's date:

My goal is: Completion date:

1 What is the first step? Target completion date:

2
step?
What is the second major Target completion date:

3 What is the third major step? Target completion date:

4
Next step? Target completion date:

5
Final step?
Target completion date:

How to use this Goal Setting Template

1. Type a goal in the symbol labeled "My goal is."

2. Type the proposed completion date in the box labeled "Completion date."
3. Consider the steps involved in addressing the goal and write them into the
numbered boxes. Add or remove boxes as necessary.
4. Enter target completion dates in the appropriate boxes. The target date
corresponding to "Final step" should be the same as the date in the "Completion date"
box.
5. Adjust dates and steps as necessary to allow for reasonable deadline
completion.

Benefits of using the Goal Setting Worksheet template:

Using this template lends concreteness to the goal-setting process. It also

increases the likelihood of accomplishing goals by naming and dating the steps
involved, to determine a time frame.
 And the Goal Setting Worksheet, used in conjunction with the Idea
Map:

Goal Setting Worksheet

Goal-Setting Worksheet Today's date: June 26, 2001

My goal is: 20 Shows at Completion date: December

$2,500 in December 2001 30, 2001

1 What is the first step? Create

Target completion date:

E-mail list of 1,000 past and

September 1, 2001
potential clients

2 What is the second major step? Create

4 test pieces
Target completion date:
September 5, 2001

3 What is the third major step? Target completion date:

Test promo pieces to 20% of

September 25, 2001
list

4 Next step? Launch campaign. Book Target completion date:

shows and follow up with hot prospects
October 27, 2001

5
you cards
Final step? Do shows and send thank
Target completion date:
December 30, 2001
I usually get an 8% response rate for this specific offer, which
translates to 80 interested parties. Since many are repeat clients, and
the others are highly targeted, the booking rate is a high 25%, which
translates to 20 engagements. I pre-sell an average of 1,000 ($10
profit each) gift items to the combined group of companies.

Imagine when you add the revenue from this stream of income to
commissions you could earn by booking other acts for Children and
Adult parties. Then add high profit items that you sell to the
companies and organizations that use the items as gifts for their staff
and customers. All the businesses interrelate and you profit from their
combined synergy. The customers love you, because you are a one-
stop shop for much of their holiday party needs. Your diversification is
a benefit to your client.

To break this down for you further, let me give you some more
specifics. I will not stray too far from the topic of this lesson. The
actual marketing methods will be covered as they apply to each
revenue stream and are interspersed throughout this book. Also, you
may choose not to expand into businesses other than performing
magic. You’re crazy not to, because even a small side business will
catapult your income to astronomical proportions. With the three
income streams: performing, booking, and supplying gifts, I
consistently earned over $200,000 just in December alone
(performing: $50,000, booking: $50,000, gifts: $100,000). Each
business would not have been as successful without the support of
the other.
Synergy: Combined action or operation.

The sum of the parts is greater than the whole.

The base of 1,000 corporate clients to market to is a narrow group of

only the largest companies in my area. To be exact, there are 982
companies within a 30-mile radius of my home with over 100
employees. That includes branch offices. If I removed the branch
offices there are 767 companies. I do not remove the branch offices,
however, because some branches have their own party. Since my
marketing cost is minimal, I might as well approach them. These are
companies that are likely to have budgets around $2,500 for after or
pre-dinner entertainment for this specific function.

In reality, the marketing of my shows is only a small part of the

marketing when I have an entertainment and gift company running
too. I have isolated the numbers as it applies to performing only.
Note, I sometimes do up to three events in one night. For example, a
strolling magic gig at cocktail hour from 6-7pm, an after dinner show
at one party 8:30pm-9pm and another one at 10pm-10: 30pm. I
charge $2,500 at Christmas for either an early evening 60-minute
stroll or a 30-minute stage show.
 Business Plan

Let’s look at the elements and purpose of a business plan and

discuss whether you need one or not.

A business plan has three primary functions:

1. To serve as an Action Plan

2. To serve as a Road Map
3. To serve as a Sales Tool

Action Plan. A business plan can help to move you to action. A

business plan will help you to pull apart the pieces of building a
business and examine each piece by itself. So, instead of one large
challenge, you have a sequence of smaller challenges. And by
solving the small challenges, the large challenge is automatically
solved. So, writing a business plan can help move you to action by
breaking down a seemingly insurmountable task (building a business)
into many smaller, less intimidating tasks.

Road Map. Once you have started your business, a business plan
can be an invaluable tool to help keep you on track and moving in the
direction you want to go. As you become more occupied with your
magic business, it is easy to lose sight of your objectives and goals --
a business plan can help to keep you focused. A business plan can
also serve to help others to understand your vision, including
suppliers, customers, employees, friends, and family.
Sales Tool. Perhaps most importantly, a business plan can serve as
a sales tool. You may need outside financing to build your business,
and a business plan is the tool you need to convince investors to
come on board. You may also want and need concessions from
suppliers or customers -- a business plan can help you get them.

Finally, you may need to convince family members, or even yourself,

that your ideas will bear fruit. A well-written business plan can serve
to sell people close to you on the benefits of proceeding with your
concept.

I generally produce a combination of a Business and Marketing Plan.

Don’t worry; we will cover that in detail soon. A separate Business
and Marketing plan would be helpful and perhaps necessary if and
when you tackle an aggressive and expensive campaign such as a
Casino Show or Major Tour. It will also be necessary if you are going
to go after other large projects that may require outside financing and
consideration to topics such as competition and cooperation with
suppliers.

Here is an outline for a Business Plan to give you an idea of what it

contains. There are many variations and some suit certain projects
better than others. This will also provide you with a better general
understanding of what they contain and when they are best utilized:
Business Plan Outline

Executive Summary (2 pages)

Clear, exciting, and effective as a stand-alone overview of the plan

Company Overview (1 page)

Business purpose, history, genesis of concept, current status,
overall strategy and objectives

Product and Services (1 Page)

Description, features and benefits, pricing, current stage of
development, proprietary position

Industry and Market Analysis (3 Pages)

Analysis of industry and marketplace in which company will compete

Marketing Strategy (4 pages)

Strategy for addressing the needs of the marketplace with
product/service

Development (2 pages)
Ramp-up of business, steps needed to get the business up and
running

Operations (2 pages)
Plan for production and delivery of product or services, product cost,
margins, operating complexity, resources required
 Management (2 pages)
Background of key individuals, ability to execute strategy,
personnel needs, organizational structure, who will execute plan

Summary of Financials (2 pages)

Summary of financial reports included in appendices, consistent
with plan, effective in capturing anticipated financial performance

Offering (1 page)
Proposal / terms to investors (indicate how much you want), the
ROI, structure of the deal, possible exit strategies

Appendices (no more than 15 pages)

• Any supplementary materials that support your plan
• Financial reports
• Assumptions, trends, and comparatives
• Cash flow statement
• Income statement
• Balance sheet
• Sources and uses of funds
Your 3 Step - Magic Marketing Plan

The marketing plan, unlike the business plan we have been

discussing, focuses on the customers. Your marketing plan will
include specific numbers of potential clients, facts about your shows,
and among other things, objectives based on your goals. It is both
numerical and strategic. It is your plan of action—what you will sell, to
whom you will sell it and how often, at what price, and how you will
get your shows and products to the buyer. Here are the three steps to
a simple yet effective plan you can create.

Step 1: Define your product.

The first part of the marketing plan defines your shows, products and
services and their features and benefits in detail. This is where the
‘USP’ (more on that next) comes in. You illustrate how you
differentiate yourself from the competition. The more clearly and
succinctly you describe your shows, services and products in your
marketing plan, the better you’ll communicate with your target
customer.

Okay, if you have been doing some research into marketing prior to
now, you know about USPs. A marketer, by the name of Dan
Kennedy, is one of the most well known writers to discuss USPs. He
covers the subject beautifully with great examples in almost all of his
courses and books. The concept has been around in one form or
another for at least a century and it is a key concept to marketing.
 USP stands for: Unique Selling Proposition, which:

• Is a statement that explains how you are different from your

competition.
• Summarizes the main benefit of your service/product.
• Can be based on anything related to your service/product.
• Motivates your prospect to do business with you, rather than with
one of your competitors.

You can have several USPs. Write down all the benefits you currently
provide and ones that you think will be appealing and can provide.
Create statements based on the benefits and use some or all of them
in all your marketing communication. You may choose one main one
to use as a slogan on all your marketing materials. It certainly will be
included in your marketing plan. Often this is where you will create
them too.

Positioning your magic show competitively requires an understanding

of your target market. Not only must you be able to describe every
benefit of your show, products and support services, you must also
be able to describe your competitors’, and explain why yours is
better. Positioning your show involves two steps. First, analyze your
USPs, and decide how they differentiate your show/services/products
from the competitors’. Second, decide what type of buyer is most
likely to purchase your product. Pricing and placement are critical to
competitive positioning. Keep in mind, though, often a higher fee
translates to a better show in the mind of the booker. You may be
competing with lower priced acts and that fact alone may give you a
 better chance of being hired. You should, however, be competing in a
market that you know, through research, can afford your fee and
therefore you are likely to be competing with similar priced acts. Do
not base your USPs on low pricing. You would only do that if you
wanted to be a “Hundredaire Magician” and not a “Millionaire
Magician”.

Note: Do the best show you can and offer extra service to increase
the value. Compete in and target the highest paying market that your
quality and type of performance will permit. Price yourself at the top
of that market.

Step 2: Describe your target customer.

Describe your potential customers in terms of demographics and

geographical location—as well as other specifics. For each market
you pursue, there will be a multitude of considerations. You will break
down each market and answer questions about the markets
themselves, the audiences, the personalities of the people who do
the bookings and much more. You will need to ask:

• Are my customers conservative or innovative?

• Leaders or followers?
• Timid or aggressive?
• Traditional or modern?
• Introverted or extroverted?
• How often do they book a show like mine?
• How much do they usually pay?
• When do they start planning?
• When do they book?

Seem like a lot of work to you? If you are lazy and want to be a
millionaire, buy a lottery ticket. Let me know how you make out!

Step 3: Create a communication strategy.

Your target customer must not only know your show is available for
hire, but must also have a favorable impression of all the benefits of
your show and dealing with you. Communication includes everything
from the way you answer your phone to the font you use on your
business card.

Find out where your customers surf on the net, what they read and
listen to. You need to know this to get their attention. In addition to
where to place your message, consider how frequently customers
need to receive it. This part of the marking plan should spell out your
promotional objectives. It spells out specifically what you want to
achieve. You will determine your budget, where to advertise and how
to measure your results.

To help you devise your own business and marketing plan, here is
the table of contents taken from a complete plan I recently put
together for a consulting client. So, take the information I have
provided regarding Idea Mapping, Goal Setting, Business Plans,
USPs and Marketing Plans and do some work in planning your future.
The investment of time will pay off. It is much harder to think about it
than to actually just start writing.
 Use the following as a basic template and adjust items to your
particular case. My guess is that you will only require a small portion
of the following items for the scope of your immediate projects. I have
used many variations of the following structure and they are usually
less detailed for my own purposes.

This outline is from a plan that I was recently contracted to develop

for an entertainer/speaker with products, a synergistic separate entity,
and a small staff.

Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
THE TEAM
MANAGEMENT TEAM PROFILES
OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE
ADVISORS
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
HUMAN RESOURCES REQUIREMENTS
THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
BUSINESS SUMMARY & HISTORY

INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
• Consumer Trends
• Seasonal Factors
 POSITION IN THE INDUSTRY
• Legal Issues
• Competition
• Use of Technology

THE MARKETING PLAN

• Target Markets
• The Competition
• Services
• Pricing Strategy
• Sales/Distribution Plan
• Credit Terms & Guarantees
• Advertising & Promotion
• Public Relations
• Marketing Material

OPERATIONS STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT

• Service Options
• Suppliers
• Quality Control

PRODUCTION PROCESS
• Land and Equipment Requirements
• Inventory Control
• Time Frame for Product
• Contingency Plans
 FINANCE CONCLUSIONS
• RISKS
• Business Risks
• Marketing Risks
• Operational Risks
• Human Resource Risks

Summary

So there you have it. Don’t be overwhelmed with all of this. If

nothing else, just spend a couple hours, as I have done on many
occasions, to plan before getting started. The more time spent
planning, the better the results, so make this your minimum:

1. Idea Map 15 minutes

2. Goal Setting Chart 15 minutes
3. 4-6 Page Business/Marketing Plan 1.5 hours

The two hours you invest early on will save you countless hours and
expenses later.

For software to make planning easier and more productive, click

here.

If you would like my assistance in your planning stages, click here.

Lesson 3 - Your Executive Office (Back to Index)

There is an important point I want you to consider when reading this

and all the other lessons in this course. If your funds are limited,
remember that you can still make a lot of money and be successful
without fancy equipment. If all you have is a pencil, a scrap of paper,
and a shared phone line, do not let that stop you from starting now.
Ultimately, you will be able to and will need to spend money in
systems and equipment to automate and streamline your business for
higher profits and to project a more professional image.

Create the most comfortable and effective office environment that you
can and continually strive to improve it.

Your Phone

You need a separate phone line solely for your business calls. Situate
your phone in a quiet room where you will not be disturbed. Answer
on the second ring when possible. If you answer on the first ring you
seem too anxious and beyond two rings it seems that you do not
care. Smile when you answer the phone (this will project a friendly
tone in your voice) but don’t be phony (no pun intended). Say “hello”
and identify yourself by name or company name. Don’t get cute,
fancy or too long. Use the same principles for your voice mail. Use a
headset to keep your hands free when talking on the phone. You can
type notes pertaining to your conversation on your computer during
conversation with your client.
Your Desk and Chair

It is extremely important that you work in a comfortable environment.

Your desk, chair, and keyboard must be set up in an ergonomic
fashion. Do not underestimate the importance of this. Learn the
proper way to set up your office for maximum health benefit.

Your Computer

Use the fastest and best computer that you can afford. Your time is
valuable and investing in good equipment will save you money in the
long (and short) run. If you're not sure as to whether you should use a
Mac or a PC, or have been considering switching, I have the answer
for you. Use both or Windows only. Up until two months ago and for
the past ten years or so I have been using a Mac. I recently
purchased an IBM computer with Windows 2000 Professional for
business. I never thought I would be saying this, but I like using the
PC. It is as easy to use as the Mac. I only use the Mac now to check
how my various web sites will look like for Mac users. There are more
programs available for windows; they are more readily accessible and
less expensive. Much of the software I use for Internet marketing is
not available for the Mac. The voice recognition software I am using
at this moment is not available for the Macintosh. Did you get that? I
am not even typing right now. Don’t even know how to type
(properly)!
Anyway, bottom line, as much as I like the Mac, I think you should
use a PC as your only or primary computer.

Your Fax Number

Have a separate dedicated fax number. Do not inconvenience your

client with such nuisances as having them call you first in order to
send a fax.

Your Email and Web Address

Purchase your own domain name and do not be hosted on a free

service. The free service comes with a cost by way of advertising
and/or a long complicated web address. Same applies to your email
address.

Your Physical Address

To protect your privacy, use a PO box that looks like a real address.
Using a PO box, that is obviously a PO box, can give the impression
that you are hiding. When possible, I do advise that you include your
physical address on most of your contact information. It adds to your
credibility and solidity.

Automation

Have systems for everything you do on a regular basis. Use them.

They will keep you organized and efficient. Keep accurate notes of all
your conversations and use forms and systems so that important
details do not get missed. You can avoid a lot of problems and stand
out amongst your peers by paying close attention to details. If you are
not naturally a detail-oriented person, do not worry; the systems will
take care of this for you.

The program that I have used for the last ten years and that I highly
recommend is FileMaker Pro. I have compared FMP to Act,
Maximizer, and many other database management programs and am
convinced that nothing else comes close. The downside is that the
program does require customization, so you need to either spend
time and do this yourself or hire someone to do it for you. I have
spent thousands of dollars hiring high- priced FileMaker Pro experts
and the money has been well spent. Another caution; even though
they may be a wiz on the technical side, it is still up to you to tell them
in detail what you want to achieve. Every time you make a change,
Ka-Ching…. Ka-Ching!

It doesn't have to cost you anything other than purchasing the

program if you are willing to learn it yourself. It's not terribly difficult; it
just takes time.

The cost of FileMaker Pro is currently $249.00, available for Mac and
PC, and well worth the money. For a discount, go to: FileMaker Pro
Discount
 If there is enough interest from you and other readers I can negotiate
a better discount directly with FileMaker and may release my
customized templates. Send a note expressing your interest to:
mailto:support@charach.com

Three important aspects of your business that require

systemization are:

1. Marketing
2. Booking
3. Billing

The marketing system ensures that you get bookings. The Booking
systems makes sure you show up and deliver as promised. The
billing system helps ensure that you get paid for the shows you do.
Do not wing any of this.

To be clear, we are not talking about systems you use to actually get
bookings right now. We are talking about organizational systems that
need to be used in conjunction with your booking and various other
systems. Ultimately, as you grow and expand your business you will
have many variations of systems that work in conjunction with each
other. Build one at a time as you need them and integrate them as
you progress.
Your system can be a custom designed fully integrated software
system like mine, or a simple paper based system if that is all you
can afford. I ran my business using file cards, a menu box and a
paper daytimer for many years. Lack of resources is not a valid
reason to avoid getting started or keeping well organized. You
probably have everything you need now to build or improve your
systems. If not, they are all available at your local stationery and
electronics store.
Lesson 4 - Promotional Material Magic (Back to Index)

Your promotional material is a direct reflection of the quality of your

act. One important often-overlooked aspect regarding promotional
material is that you should have completely different sets of
promotional material for each market you pursue. For example, a
sales letter may be appropriate to include with, or even instead of,
other promotional material at certain times. Fortunately, one of the
most exciting and lucrative markets, the corporate market, often fits
into this category.

On the other hand, if you're pursuing cruise ship work, a video is a

necessity. If you were going after a casino venue, then an elaborate
mock-up of your stage setting along with a personal formal
presentation and topnotch video and printed material would likely be
necessary.

So you must be armed with a variety of different material in order to

effectively promote your shows in various markets. This is so
important that I am going to reiterate this point in a moment.

When you go out to perform, do you present the exact same show
every time? Do you say the exact same words, delivered the same
way – every time? I hope not.

If you do not alter your performance to suit your audience, then are
you also assuming that every audience is exactly the same? Of
course they are not, and therefore it stands to reason that you adjust
your performance to suit your audience.

Just as the people in your audience vary based on demographics and

a variety of other circumstances, so do the individual potential clients
that you market to. So this begs the question, do you always present
the same sales message in your promotional material and marketing
efforts?

Okay, this is where the rubber meets the road. What I am going to tell
you now is something that is rarely done, yet it separates the high
income earners in our business from those who are unable to fill their
calendar as they would like to.

You need to have separate printed material, web sites, video demos,
stationery, sales letters, guarantees, bonuses, headlines,
presentations and offers that are highly targeted. While the pieces
must vary according to your target audience, there should be
consistency within certain areas of your message and design. In
other words, you are still selling “you” and your unique identity, but in
different packages in order to appeal to a variety of buyers. You
should create templates and then make adjustments based on your
individual campaigns.

So, just as you plan your show based on your specific audience, take
the same approach to your marketing, and you will find yourself in
higher demand and at higher fees. You can start now by examining
your current material and breaking apart varying messages to
different audiences. Separate incongruent components and create
individual pieces accordingly.

Does this mean that a catch-all web site, video or printed piece is not
needed at all?

No, actually, you need that too. There are certain buyers of your
services such as agents, event planners, and speaker bureaus that
are experienced in booking talent and want to see the whole picture.
You target these types of buyers with a general piece AND provide
them with individually targeted marketing devices that they can
present to their less experienced clients.

Performing a few children oriented routines when performing for an

all adult audience makes about as much sense as sending out a
“Magician for all Occasion” advertising piece. Do not overestimate the
abilities of your potential clients to discern whether or not you can
effectively entertain their group when you provide them with anything
less than a targeted message specifically aimed at them and their
needs.

Look, you better believe that if you are ever competing against me for
a job, and your material is not targeted, I will get the gig and you will
not. And believe me, my fee will be substantial. Why? My material will
touch the very nerve of the buyer and they will want me
regardless of cost. This is not theory.
with me and frankly, hope you win a few. I challenge you to compete
Why?

It means that my teaching is working for you. That is a new challenge

for me and so far is quite satisfying.

Most of your questions regarding promotional material probably relate

to sales letters and video demos. I will cover both at length in this
lesson.

We will also look at web sites as a way to promote your show. This is
a vast topic and I will give you enough solid advice to get you started,
or pointed in the right direction as it relates to promoting your shows.
There are many ways to make money on the web. For each of the
variety of ways to prosper using the Internet, there are hundreds of
choices, variations, and schools of thought on each and every detail.

Going into great detail is beyond the scope of this course, and is a
vast topic. I do strongly encourage you to pursue training in this area.
Most of my current business, including the promotion of my shows,
speeches and products is web-based. If you are anxious to learn
more right now about what Internet marketing can do for you, then
visit: http://www.marketingmagician.com/

As for what specific pieces of information to include by way of

promotional material that varies depending upon the venue. This will
be covered separately as I teach you how to get booked in each
individual market. Let’s go now to video demos, sales letters and the
World Wide Web.

Video Demos

With your video demo, you should take as long as necessary to sell
your prospect. That is, if it doesn’t take you very long!

There are many schools of thought regarding video demo length and
content. There is no real definitive answer because different viewers
have different tastes and varying attention spans. Arguably, a video,
like a sales letter, should be as long as it takes to convince the
subject to take positive action in your direction. Avoid being boring at
all costs. Be sure that you use exciting footage masterfully edited in
order to convey your message in the least amount of time. Think
television commercial, think sound bites. Your goal is to convince the
viewer that you are the answer to their problems, again, in the least
amount of time. Your video, like your show, must leave them wanting
more.

Your performance and video may be absolutely fantastic and

someone may watch it for an extended length of time, say 30
minutes. However, that is unlikely. Also, unfortunately, you and your
friends and family will probably be more impressed with your video
than the average viewer. This has a lot to do with the amount of work
that you put into your performance, plus the expense and labor
involved in producing the video itself.
I have had videos as short as two minutes and as long as 20 minutes.
I recommend that your video be approximately the same length that I
have been using the past several years - seven minutes, give or take
a minute or two. My main current video is simply a series of television
appearance clips. This has been effective, as it immediately
establishes celebrity status in the minds of the viewers. It also
displays a variety of effects with different sized studio audiences.

Quietly assume that your buyer has no imagination, so that if they

only see you in front of audiences of up to 50 people then they will
not consider you for their audience of 100 people. And visa versa!

A video comprised solely of television clips is the perfect video to be

used in order to obtain future television spots. It is one of few types of
videos that can easily cross markets. A video comprised of footage of
the target market you are sending the tape to is better still. The more
targeted the better.

If you wish to pursue the college market for example, use whatever
means you can, your existing video, a sales letter, a showcase, or
even a free show if necessary, to get at least one or two college
shows that you can tape. Colleges have video production facilities
and you can offer free performance in exchange for them shooting
your show and editing the tape.
This approach will save you thousands of dollars, get your foot in the
door in this market and provide you with a marketing tool that can aid
you in securing many more bookings in the future.

Here's another way to get a free, quality, demo tape. Every major city
will have some type of group of budding television and film producers.
In Vancouver, there are several, including a group called Women in
Film. Despite the name of the organization, men are allowed to join
as associates, and I am a member. Do some digging and find such
groups where you live. There are many talented and creative people
willing to work for free just for the experience and résumé credit.
Many of them own their own cameras and have access to the other
equipment needed to produce your demo.

A fourth way to get a free demo video is to contact technical schools

that specialize in television and film production training and ask them
to take on your project. And yet a fifth way to get a free professional
demo video is to look in the yellow pages and contact actor’s agents.
Tell them you want to produce a video of your show and ask if they
know any budding producers that might assist you. While you are at
it, let them know that you are available for consulting and acting. (You
are, aren’t you?).

Your goal is to have a different tape for each market you are going to
pursue. Tightly edit footage from real live performances with real
audiences. Never use canned laughter, and if you shoot in a studio,
 which has its advantages because you can control the situation, be
sure the finished product does not look staged.

If you choose to use a voice-over-type presentation that sells your

show and walks the viewer through the tape, be careful not to have it
come across as cheesy.

Like all other forms of marketing and advertising you should test
different formats for your videos. Here are just a couple ideas, but the
variations are limitless:

Television Demo: Length 2 minutes

If you have only one television clip, then the whole tape is that one
clip. Then keep adding clips as you use this tape to get more spots.
Ultimately, your tape will be packed with as many spots as you can fit
in within 2 minutes. Even if a spot is not great, or if you have dozens
of spots, then just show your introductions by the host. Show at least
one effect, not necessarily in its entirety but in such a way that the
viewer understands what happened.

Corporate Demo: Length 7 minutes

• Title (upbeat music): 10 seconds

• Montage of highlight shots from various shows (upbeat music): 30-
seconds
• TV Clip (highlights of one effect): 1 minute
• Corporate Audience Clip (large audience): 2 minutes 20 seconds
• Corporate Audience Clip (small audience): 2 minutes
• Audience Testimonials after the Shows (like the movies): 1 minute

Here is another common format for demos using a voice over:

Length: 10-15 minutes

• High impact open and close

• Crowd reaction shots
• Still photos, slow mo, spinning around etc. while using voice over
• List of clients
• Flurries of closing bits*
• 1 or 2 complete segments
• Testimonials
• Flash reference letters

*Editing Note: If chopping out a segment from a routine and music

doesn’t match, and then lay down new audio.

Sales Letters

What is a sales letter?

A sales letter is a document that is designed with one purpose in

mind, to generate sales. It persuades the reader to take action. That
action may be to place an order now or to request more information
which in turn is designed to convince the reader to place an order.
 The purpose of the sales letter is to influence the reader to take a
specific action. It is not a notice, a brochure, or an announcement; it
is an offer. In order for the letter to be effective it must be specific, it
must be delivered to an audience that is eager to discover the
information, it must appeal to the reader’s needs and it must inform
and inspire.

Most magicians’ printed material and web sites are designed in such
a way as to tell, not sell. This is a mistake. For the most part, it is a
waste of space and a waste of opportunity. Photos, video, and
testimonials may complement the sales letter. Everything else being
equal, a magician who provides a powerful sales letter will get more
bookings for higher fees than one who does not.

It is imperative that you thoroughly research and understand the

motivations, desires and problems of your reader. You must walk a
mile in their shoes, dwell into their minds, and fully understand what
they want and how you can help them. You must answer the
questions:

• What can the reader gain by dealing with you?

• Why should they deal with you over someone else?
• What is it that you offer that is unique and that they can't get
anywhere else?
 You must persuade your reader that he or she must book your show
because what you offer provides more benefits and is more attractive
than that of any other magicians.

A common mistake I often see magicians making, and regular people

too☺, is to confuse features with benefits. An easy way to
understand the difference between a feature and a benefit is as
follows: the benefit is what your show will accomplish for the buyer;
the feature is within the show itself. Comedy may be a feature of your
show; while a benefit to your client could be the recognition that he or
she will receive from her boss for making a great choice in hiring you.

Here are some more questions to ask when writing your sales letter:

• Who is it going to?

• How is it being delivered?
• Where and when is it being sent?
• Is it on the web?

For example, a letter that you would send in the mail would likely be
essentially the same as a letter you display on your web site with a
few minor changes. On the web, because the reader will be viewing
your information on a computer screen, which can be harder to read
than print on paper, you would use larger type size and more
generous spacing.
 Although there are several different variables to consider, most sales
letters will share the same properties. There are many variations in
sales letters, and many general rules. Many successful letters do not
fit into any of these variations and break all the rules. The sales letter
will likely become the crux of most of your marketing efforts. More so
than any other tool, you must test, test, test, and then continue to
test.

Following, is a basic formula for you that I often use with excellent
results.

This formula is based on an old marketing principle that my father

crammed into my head since I was a little boy:

AIDA

• Attention
• Interest
• Desire
• Action

Get their attention, create interest, inspire desire, and lead into action.
The sales letter formula is basically AIDA on steroids. Here is your:

10 Step Sales Letter Formula

1. An attention grabbing, powerful, benefit laden headline.

2. A testimonial to create immediate credibility.

3. An illustration of the problem facing the reader to create interest.

4. A series of clearly identifiable benefits to create desire.

5. A clear and logical explanation to support the value of your offer.

6. A stack of bonuses to further entice the reader.

7. A guarantee that removes risks and reinforces your credibility.

8. An immediate call for action to avoid procrastination.

9. An explanation of what the reader will lose if they do not accept

this offer now.

10. Clear instructions as to what to do next.

Follow these ten steps to write your own letter. The general rule
about length of the letter is that it should be as long as necessary to
compel the reader to take action that will benefit them. Testing has
shown that a long letter will outsell a short letter almost every time.
This is not permission to bore them. The letter will be long because
you have found so much information about the reader that you have a
lot to tell them that interests them and you included all the important
elements. A short interesting letter is better than a long boring letter.
A long interesting letter creates revenue.

Here is a useful report on writing sales copy by my friend and widely

respected copy writing expert, Joe Vitale. Some of what he will tell
you in this report is very similar to what I have been teaching you. To
hear it again in different context is an effective way for you to learn.

Bonus Report - "The 10 Laws for Writing Letters that Get Results." By Joe Vitale

The following is a letter in response to a question about how to write

sales letters. This is something you could model in layout, tone, and
ideas, to write your own letters. By the way, this is where your
letterhead should go.

Dear Fellow Chicago Seminar Attendees,

Jerry Jenkins asked me to tell you how to write letters that get read
and get results. That's a tall order! Well, here’s what I think the "laws"
are:

1. Know what's in it for your reader.

Get out of your ego and into your reader's ego. Complete this
sentence: "Get my book so that you can...(fill in the blank)." Your
book (or whatever you are selling) is the feature. What people get as
a result of having your book is the benefit. Focus on benefits.
Always! Without this, your letter will bomb.

2. Write a headline that telegraphs the key benefit to your reader.

ALWAYS use a headline. There is only ONE exception to this rule.

When you personalize your letter, the "Dear (whoever)” opening
becomes your headline. There are few headlines more powerful than
the reader's own name. The headline is THE most important part of
your letter! Spend nearly all of your time on it.

3. Be brief.

Say what you have to say in terms of the reader's self interest and
shut up. This does NOT necessarily mean a short letter. If you are
trying to make a sale, and the reader has never heard of you or your
item for sale, you may have to write four or more pages to get your
message across. If all you want is a return call, a one page letter may
do. Don' be afraid of length. People will read any length of copy AS
LONG AS IT'S INTERESTING!

4. Always use a PS.

Always. Why do copywriters who charge upwards to $15,000 to write

a sales letter and have weeks to draft it always use a PS? They are
always read. Always.
5. Look good.

Visual attractiveness accounts for 70% of your letter's impact. Use

short sentences, short paragraphs, bulleted points, indented
paragraphs, subheads, etc. Some people will just skim your letter, so
engaging subheads and bulleted points help reach them instantly.

6. Outline first.

Use a planning tool to help you think through your message. Or talk
to a friend. Or to a tape recorder. Or to yourself. This also helps you
get comfortable with speaking your letter rather than writing it.

7. Write first, edit last.

Turn your inner editor off. You can rewrite later. For now, write
spontaneously and quickly to get your ideas on paper.

8. Ask for something.

Why are you writing? You want a call, an order. Something. Say so!

9. Get a reader.

Find one person to read your letter OUT LOUD in front of you. If he
(or she) has trouble reading your letter, if he wrinkles his brow or
stops to reread a sentence, rewrite those places. Don't skip this step!
It's the secret of many professional writers.

10. Rewrite your letter again.

Is it the best you can do? Be honest! If not, throw it away and call the
person instead. Or hire a copywriter to write it for you. Why waste
your time or your reader's with something that doesn't communicate
in a persuasive and interesting way? (I rewrote this letter 24 times!)

Well, there you have it. Of course, there are more rules, laws, ideas
and suggestions for writing letters that get results. You should always
guarantee whatever you are selling, for example, and always offer
proof for all of your claims. But the above will get you rolling.

Sincerely,
Joe Vitale Hypnotic Writing
(ALWAYS Identify yourself. People look here to see who the letter is
from.)

PS -- Notice that you read this PS?

PPS -- Notice that you read this one, too?

For more information on Joe Vitale, visit:

http://www.roibot.com/r_hw.cgi?R49444_mmbonus
Here is a terrific report by a marketer who is well known in the
Internet world. The Internet is not the topic, instead he touches on a
principle that I use all the time.

I want you to learn what works for me, in a variety of forms. Also, this
book is about sharing my resources with you – completely. And that,
by the way, is why I have included the guest reports and interviews.

Bonus Report - "Make prospects beg to do business with you." By Yanik Silver

Do you remember the stupid beer commercial a few years back with
the tagline "Why Ask Why?" Well, completely unknown to the ad
agency -- they had almost stumbled onto a breakthrough marketing
concept.

Telling people the reason why you are doing something is one of the
most powerful influencers of human behavior.

Robert Cialdini, Ph.D. in his book "Influence: The Psychology of

Persuasion" talks about an experiment by Harvard social
psychologist, Ellen Langer, that concluded people like to have a
reason for what they do.

Her experiment consisted of people waiting in line to use a library

copy machine and then having experimenters ask to get ahead in
line.

The first excuse used was "Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use
the Xerox machine because I'm in a rush?" This request coupled with
a reason was successful 94% of the time. However when the
experimenter made a request only: "Excuse me, I have five pages.
May I use the Xerox machine?" this request was only granted 60% of
the time. A significant drop.

Okay now for the shocker.

It may seem like the difference between those two requests was the
additional information of "because I'm in a rush", but that's just not the
case.

Because in a third experimenter, the experimenter asks "Excuse me,

I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I have to
make some copies?" There's no reason mentioned or new
information presented, just the words "because".

This time a full 93% of the people said yes simply due to the word
'BECAUSE'! And it didn't even matter that there was no reason given.
Just the word because triggered a magic response.

Using this psychological 'trigger' can massively increase your

Marketing success.

Here's an example: John E. Powers, one of the top copywriters in the

1900's, wrote this ad for a Pittsburgh department store in severe
financial trouble:

"We are bankrupt. We owe $125,000 more than we can pay, and this
announcement will bring our creditors down on our necks. But if you
come and *buy* tomorrow, we shall have the money to meet them. If
not, we shall go to the wall."

Instead of yelling 'SALE' like so many other stores would, there's a

legitimate reason given why people should spend their money at this
store. And this ad was said to be responsible for saving the store.

Another ad written by Powers, for a different merchant, proclaimed

"We have a lot of rotten raincoats we want to get rid of." This sold out
the entire inventory of raincoats by the next morning.

Max Sackheim, famous for the long-running ad "Do You Make These
Mistakes In English" and originator of the book-of-the-month concept,
says this: "Whenever you make a claim or special offer in your
advertising, come up with an honest reason why, and then state it
sincerely. You'll sell many more products this way."

And this powerful strategy works just as well today.

Using this secret weapon for a medical equipment company, I helped

them produce a massive 1,073% return on investment simply using
"reason-why" copy.

The premise was how can we sell a product for the incredibly low
price of only $477? (Regularly this product sells for about $695 -
$895.) Then the ad went on to explain that the reason why the price
was so low was because the manufacturer wanted to gain market
share and get nurses and doctors accustomed to using their product.
It was a huge winner and a big money-maker for the client.
 So how can you apply all of this to your business? Easy. Let's say
you have a slow time of year and you want to increase your business
during this period. Well, write a simple letter to your customers
making a special offer, only good during your slow period.

Maybe you'll throw in an extra free bonus, an extra service, or a

special discount simply because it is your "slow time" and you need
to pay your staff anyway.

Let people in "behind the scenes" at your company...

* Are you overstocked on merchandise because for some reason

customers only want the deluxe widget - but you ordered tons of the basic
one?

* Did you have a flood and you need to liquidate your inventory?

* Do you need to raise cash so you can pay for your nose job? Whatever

the reason. Tell them the truth.

For some reason everyone wants to be mysterious about their

business. If you're lowering the price nobody thinks you're doing it
just because you're "such a nice guy". Let people in the reason why.

I know this probably goes against every grain of business sense, but I
promise if you give people a good, believable reason why they'll
respond with open wallets.

Yanik Silver: http://www.instantinternetprofits.com/?168901

 Headlines

The headline is the single most important element of your sales letter.
If I had to choose between a great headline and mediocre copy or a
mediocre headline and great copy, the intelligent choice would be a
great headline. The headline gets them in the door and grabs their
attention. If you don't capture the reader's attention immediately, it
does not matter how great your sales letter is, as it will not get read
anyway. The headline, as a matter of fact, will actually determine the
content of the copy of the letter itself.

4 steps to writing powerful headlines:

1. Write down 50 to 100 benefits of your product or service. In this

case, most likely your show.

2. From your list of benefits, convert these words or phrases into a

headline.

3. Choose what you consider to be the three best. Run them by

friends, family and colleagues.

4. Of the three. Choose your personal favorite as the main headline.

Choose your second favorite as the pre-headline (small text that appears
before the main headline). The third favorite will be the sub headline, which
appears underneath the main headline.
 Other good headlines that you wrote of the 50 to 100 will be used
throughout your letter as additional sub-headlines. They can also be
used and reworked as beginnings of sentences and for your PSs.
Every word you write must create interest and continue to do the job
of convincing the reader to take the next step that you want them to
take. You must continually fulfill the AIDA formula.

"An advertisement cannot stimulate sales if it is not read; it cannot be

read if it is not seen; it will not be seen unless it can get attention... And
to capture that attention, you've got to earn it."

- Victor O. Schwab, Author (How To Write A Good Advertisement)

Have you read Dale Carnegie’s book, “How to Win Friends and
Influence People”? If you haven't, please do. I bring this up not only
because it is a great book, a classic, but also to point out that the title
has a lot to do with the fact that millions of people have read it. The
title is a headline, probably the most powerful one that exists.

“HOW TO______________ SO YOU CAN________________.”

I am telling you that the headline is important, but don’t just take my
word for it. Here are a few other guys that know a thing or two about
marketing and what they say about the function of a headline:

Here's what David Ogilvy, an advertising expert, said about the

power of headlines:
"On the average, 5 times as many people read the headlines as read
the body copy. It follows that unless your headline sells your product,
you have wasted 90% of your money."

And, to call upon Victor Schwab again, he had this to say:

"Some of the most tremendous flops among advertisements contain

body matter filled with convincing copy. But it just wasn't capsuled
into a good headline. And so the excellent copy didn't even get a
reading."

John Caples, a well respected marketer, summed up the importance

of headlines with this remark:

"...I spend hours on headlines -- days if necessary. And when I get a

good headline, I know that my task is nearly finished. Writing the copy
can usually be done in a short time, if necessary. And that
advertisement will be a good one ... that is if the headline is really a
"stopper".

And famous direct marketer, Ted Nicholas concluded:

"Based on hundreds of tests conducted, a good headline can be as

much as 17 times more effective than a so-so headline. And this is
with exactly the same body copy!"
 And most experienced marketers, myself included, will tell you that
their testing has proved that one headline will pull up to 1500% more
response/profit than another!

Okay, so here are some headlines that you can use now:

The News Headline:

"Breakthrough Magician Uncovers

The Secrets To Making Your Event
The Best Ever!"

The 'Yes' Question Headline:

"Would You Like To Know How An Event Planner With No Experience

in the Art of Magic, Pulled off the Best Trick Ever?"

The 'How-To' Headline:

"How To Make Your Upcoming Event A Great Success

So You Can Look Like a Hero!"

And here are a few more that you may wish to use or adapt:
18 ways to guarantee a successful event"

"They will think you're a magician "

"Act now, before this offer disappears"

"Secrets of a successful party planner"

Now, let’s conclude this conversation about headlines with an

excellent report that I suggest you study carefully.

Bonus Report – “Instantly Double the Response of Any Ad” by David Garfinkel

Masters of marketing know a secret that most business people don't.

I'm going to share it with you now: You can go from losing money to
making money - sometimes, a *lot* of money - just by changing a few
words.

What words are those? The first words... in any letter, ad or Web
page. The words that make up the headline.

Recently I was speaking to a business group about writing killer copy,

and to make my point, I took that day's edition of USA Today and
covered up all the headlines on the front page with inch-wide white
correction tape. I asked them what was wrong with the newspaper.

"No headlines!" they blurted out, almost all at once.

"Then why," I asked, "do so many of your ads not have headlines?"
It's a fact: We have been conditioned to decide what to read based
on the effect a few choice words have on our thoughts and our
feelings. With books, it's often the title. With articles in the
newspaper, it's the words in a headline. With a magazine on the
newsstand, it's the headlines on the cover.

Whether you know it or not, we decide whether or not to read ads,

letters and Web pages the same way.

So, if that's the case, how do you write headlines to make people
want to read your copy, and get interested in doing business with
you?

Make your headline create a vivid picture and/or stimulate a strong

feeling.

In your business, many of your conversations are logical and factual.

That's the nature of business - and to do otherwise would be
considered "unbusinesslike."

However, about the worst thing you can do for your promotion is to
have a strictly factual, logical headline at the top of your Web page,
letter, ad, flyer or postcard. Oh yes, the headline has to be believable
and make sense. And what your headline says has to be supported
by logic and facts later in your promotion.
But remember that the purpose of your killer copy headline is to stir
the emotions of your prospect in the direction of buying what you
have to sell... and to get your prospect interested in reading what
comes next in your copy.

Here's an example for a hypothetical product that helps children do

better at school.

First, an ineffective headline:

Children who don't do well at school will have many problems later on
in their lives

Now, a more effective headline:

"Daddy! Daddy! I got straight A's!" he said proudly. Suddenly my

son's future was looking much brighter...

Notice how the first headline states a fact but does not stir emotions
in a big way. The second headline, using the same number of words
(17), conveys 1) excitement 2) pride 3) hope for the future, and it also
creates a beautiful scene in the reader's mind of a happy parent-child
situation.

Action: When you are preparing or revising a promotion, take the time
you need, or get the help you need, to write a great headline that
 creates a vivid picture and stimulates strong feelings in the mind of
your prospect.

Use headlines that make your prospect instantly understand your

most important benefit.

One of my favorite pieces of advertising is a headline (and an old

slogan) for a plumbing service. I'm not that big on plumbing,
personally - it's the kind of thing you wish would work perfectly all the
time so you never have to think about it!

Why, then, am I so fond of an old plumbing headline? Because it's a

great example of making your prospect instantly aware of the benefit
of your service.

The company is Roto-Rooter.

The headline is as follows:

Call Roto-Rooter - that's the name - And away go troubles, down the
drain!

Wow - is that perfection in a couple of lines, or what? You get

1) a call to action 2) company identification and 3) a visual description of

the benefit.
That's hard to beat! If you've ever had a stopped-up drain, you know
exactly why this would be of benefit to you!

Killer Copy Point: Show your headline to people who are unfamiliar
with your product and company, but who would be good prospects for
what you are selling. See how slowly or quickly they understand what
you are saying - especially, what would be the benefit to them. Keep
rewriting your headline until these people instantly "get it!" Make your
headline pass the "Shortcut Test"

Imagine all you were allowed to do was run your headline plus a toll-
free number... as a classified ad. Ask yourself this question: Would it
generate inquiries for you in that form?

I'll give you an example from my own business. I'm taking the
headline and subheadline from a long-copy print promotion for my
product called Killer Copy Tactics:

Money-Making Secrets Every Business Owner Needs

For years, sales copywriting experts have quietly made millions with
these little-known secrets. Now you can use this information yourself.
Call (000) 000-0000

I used this example for purposes of illustration. Read it again, and ask
yourself if these words alone, printed in the right location, wouldn't
prompt qualified prospects to call for more information?
 Killer Copy Point: Put your headline and subheadline through the
Shortcut Test. Make sure that these words alone plus a toll-free
number are likely to generate a response from qualified prospects.

The art of writing headlines is a special skill well worth the time and
effort it takes to develop. There are many known statistics in direct
marketing that bear repeating here:

· Five times as many people read the headline as read the ad or letter.

· Changes in headlines have produced documented increases in sales

of 200%, 500% and, in one extreme case, 1,850% more sales!

· It's a good idea to write 15 or 20 headlines for your letter or ad, and
use the "leftover" headlines as part of the selling copy itself.

Become a student of headlines and a connoisseur of great headlines.

Collect them, think about them, and practice writing them. The reward
for your efforts will show up every time you get another order or
inquiry that you never would have gotten if you didn't make the effort!

You can learn more about David Garfinkel by clicking here.

P.S.
Sometimes your reader will read the headline and then if they are cut
to the chase, bottom line type individuals they will go immediately to
the bottom of your letter and that is where your PS resides. Your PS
must be as strong as your headline and be a strong call to action. Not
the easiest task, but a very important element of your letter and one
that you need to pay a lot of attention to.

P.S. Please reply promptly, because dates will fill quickly, and
remember this is a special show for a once a year occasion.

P.S. You’ll be amazed at how simple and easy it is to come across as

a hero among your coworkers. Call me now and we can get started
immediately.

P.S. If you would like the names and numbers of several meeting
planners that have been booking my shows and winning accolades
from their corporate clients for over a decade, I will be glad to provide
details.

P.S. EXTRA FREE BONUS SHOW! Just for booking my Comedy

ESP Show, you’ll also receive a STROLLING MAGIC SHOW during
th
cocktail hour prior to the after-dinner performance on June 9 . This
special offer is available to you for the next seven days.

(Note: Sometimes you may want to have several PSs)

P.P.S. Quick-response added bonus! For booking within 7 days you’ll
also receive a $500 tax receipt in your company’s name to the charity
of your choice.

Guarantees

I don’t know about you, but if I did a show that my client was less than
ecstatic about, I wouldn’t want their money. I hope you feel the same
way.

Testimonials

If I had to choose and decide upon one single method to promote

myself it would be without a doubt the use of testimonials. In many
cases, beginning when I was doing my first paid magic shows at the
age of 12, right up to literally ten minutes ago, the use of testimonials
in one way or another is all that has been needed to obtain bookings.

An indirect testimonial, otherwise referred to as word of mouth

advertising, has always made up the majority of my bookings. The
nicest part about this, is that the person who books me, based on a
testimonial from someone they trust, has already decided to hire me
and often does not even ask my fee. Of course I tell them at the end
of the conversation how much I will be billing them for, but it is rarely
an issue. This exact situation just happened moments ago and has
been a common occurrence throughout my career. The best part
about this most recent booking is that the person who recommended
me booked me for the first time over six years ago. I want the majority
of your bookings to come to you in the same manner, by testimonials
from your delighted clients. This will happen and increase for you as
you provide excellent service and a terrific show every time.

I digressed for a moment about indirect testimonials to share the

experience with you that just occurred. Everything I am teaching you
in this course really works. Have confidence in yourself and follow my
advice and you will prosper.

You can never have enough testimonials. After every single show you
do, send a thank you card to the client. In your note request a letter
from them expressing their overwhelming satisfaction in doing
business with you and the audience reaction to your performance. It
really is that simple. I have hundreds of such letters and they are
directly responsible for my success in getting several thousands of
bookings over the years. Most often, when I am quoting on a show,
all that I provide by way of promotional material is a sales letter and
10 to 20 testimonial letters. The letters are from clients that are
similar to, or the same as, the type of client that is considering hiring
me.

When booked through an agency or speakers’ bureau, approach this

differently. Ask the agent to either request a letter from the client, or
ask if they wouldn’t mind if you were to send a thank you note without
your contact information and a request that the client send a letter to
you through the agency. This is to not circumvent their relationship
and the agent will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Start collecting testimonials from every booking that you do. Save
them, collect them, categorize them, and use them often. Your
prospective client will always believe what someone else says about
you, over what you say about yourself. The letters will build your
credibility and stature, and often eliminate the need for other
expensive promotional materials.

Having raved about testimonials, I must remind you now, as I will

continue to remind you, that no one way of doing anything will work
for everyone. When I say this, I don't mean testimonials may work for
me and not for you. They will most certainly work for you, me and
every other magician and every other business on the planet. They
just won't be effective with every potential client.

Most people value and respect the opinions of others, and for these
people, the majority of folks, there's nothing more convincing than a
testimonial. Some people, however, need to be convinced in other
ways, and that is why you appeal to those people in your sales letter.
Some people need to “see” for themselves, and if you want the
booking it may be necessary for you to invite them to a show or send
them a video.

Remember to always communicate in a targeted manner, while still

appealing to a wide variety of people within your target group with
varying views and personalities. No matter how well you research
your target demographic, there will always be variations of the human
condition that you need to appeal to. You do this by being eclectic in
your approach and listening to your customers. Pull, don’t push.

Study and learn how to ‘read’ people and appeal to their likes and
desires. You can make a good living as a magician without even
having a business card. You will simply have more opportunities
available to you if you are armed with an arsenal of promotional tools.
There is no way for me to tell you without knowing you, the right
answer as to what you really need by way of promotional material. I
will tell you in this course what each market expects or requires, but
even those rules can be bent if you approach them in an effective
manner. There is no excuse for failing to start promoting yourself
regardless of the current level of materials available to you.

Web Sites

The single most effective and cost-efficient way to make money as a

magician is by utilizing the power of the Internet. You still apply all of
the teachings in this course as your foundation of tools, systems,
principles and information. You will catapult your business by using
the Internet as your primary source of marketing and running your
daily operation.

By "using the Internet", I do not mean you create or hire someone to

design a website for you that has a ton of graphics and neat features.
That would be your first mistake (and incidentally, was mine!). What
you need is a website with an “opt-in” option for subscribers to your
electronic newsletter, highly targeted traffic, properly placed
keywords, products that can be purchased in real time and more.

It is quite unlikely that you are doing this now. I know this, because I
have searched the net extensively and looked at hundreds of
magicians’ web sites and have found few that are doing this.

Web designers are almost always a total waste of money and

generally have limited knowledge about marketing. They can only be
useful to you once you know exactly what you want. Then, and only
then, you direct them as to how to design your site. They may
disagree with you about the “right” way to do things and may even
influence you to make bad choices. They do not do this intentionally.
They believe that what they are telling you is good advice. From a
design perspective, they are probably right. From a marketing
perspective they are usually way off track. If you do not know better,
you will follow their advice and join the masses of people who do not
make money on the net. The proof of this is only a click away.

The good news is that the most successful site you can put together
is also the simplest one to put together (once you are educated as to
what to do). You have a lot of the basic marketing information in this
course. The same rules apply and the principles of dealing with
people remain constant. The performing venues don’t change either.
But listen to what I have to say next. It will open your mind up to a
whole new world of possibilities.
You are wasting your time, money and energy if you use traditional
forms of marketing. There has never been a better time to make a ton
of money as a magician and a small businessperson. Long before the
Internet became as available as it is now, I used to dream about a
scenario not even close to what the Internet can do for us. I
fantasized about a way to contact targeted individuals with my
message at low or no cost and minimal effort. A time where I would
not have to spend a fortune in printing costs and run to the post office
all the time. The time has come and it has surpassed my wildest
dreams. We are truly on the ground floor of this opportunity, and you
are completely missing the boat if you don’t immerse yourself in this
right now.

Well known marketing people are still promoting and teaching

unfortunate people, those who do not know better, to use outdated
marketing methods. I do respect and agree with much of what is
being taught. We can learn from these older methods and much of
the advice is excellent. However, compared to the Internet some of
these methods like direct mail in many cases are expensive, slow and
inefficient ways to promote yourself as a magician. They absolutely
pale in comparison with the digital alternative.

“But Randy, you keep telling us to be eclectic and that there is never
only one right way to do things”. I take it back. Just kidding. Right
now, not everyone is using the net, but most people can read their
mail. So, if you are now using direct mail to market yourself, it makes
sense to continue to do so until you are properly educated in Internet
marketing. Faxing, when properly done, can be great too. Also, if your
primary target market is not yet wired, then that too is a good reason
to use direct mail. Plus, for other reasons, a combination of
approaches may be the right answer for you.

Personally, I have pretty much dropped all other forms of marketing

my magic business and do almost everything online. There is more
than enough high paying work for you and me and every other
magician on this planet by utilizing this medium solely. My target
market for the past ten years has been corporate. It is the most
lucrative market available to most of us, and fortunately the clients
are as intravenously hooked up to the Internet as I am.

The best advice I can give you is to learn to take advantage of the
power of the Internet and utilize it. I am far from a technically oriented
person, but am learning more and more every day. I have a computer
and web nerd; I mean genius, who is currently working for me three
days a week as I am in the midst of developing several new web sites
to add to my existing ones. I have numerous sites promoting my
products and shows, including a “pretty” site that was created before I
knew what I was doing. It is still up and in tact for positioning reasons
but will gradually be transformed useful.

If you want low cost, low risk, instantly testable methods to obtain
high market penetration as a magician then do not let this opportunity
pass you by. Today is just in time and tomorrow is a day too late. Get
in first while you can and reap the rewards of inexpensive and deep
market penetration by learning and utilizing the Internet to your
advantage.

I don’t want you to get ripped off by web designers and web
marketing “gurus”. Anyone can make money on the Internet
regardless of his or her current skill level or knowledge. You can
design and publish a web page as easily as you can type a letter on a
word processor. You can create digital products by speaking into a
headset wired to your computer. You can book shows by building a
database of email addresses belonging to people who are in the
market to book you and have requested to receive information from
you regularly.

If you don't have a serious web presence, you are losing money and
opportunities. Even if you only book one extra show per month at
$2,500 as a direct result of your web site, that’s an extra $30,000 per
year. You can easily produce this kind of income with minimal
investment of money and time.

If nothing else, put up a simple one or two page web site with a sales
letter and testimonials. Be sure to capture your visitors’ email
addresses by offering something in return. This is how you build your
opt-in mailing list. Use the information from other sections of this
course and write compelling copy. Be sure the site loads quickly by
holding back on graphics and any large files. Submit your site to
search engines and include your web address on all your printed
material.
Here is a list of a few (I have 20 right now) of my current sites, if you
care to analyze them:

http://www.charach.com

http://www.marketingmagician.com

http://www.magicianmarketing.com/

http://www.speakermagic.com

http://www.synergytalent.com

http://www.synergycorporategifts.com

Feel free to grab and learn from the free E-Zines that are offered on
these sites.
Lesson 5 - Fees for Financial Freedom (Back to Index)

How much is your show worth? Although the answer seems quite
subjective, there is a way to determine a range of the current value of
your show. You start by comparing your performance to other acts
that have a similar show and are equally entertaining.

One of the secrets of increasing your value far above this range is to
add extra service above and beyond the performance itself. People
will pay a premium to book your show over another magician who
may have a similar show that elicits similar audience reaction. They
will pay this premium if they enjoy dealing with you more so than with
the other magician. It is worth extra money for them to book your
show of similar quality rather than a less expensive show when they
can rest assured that you would deliver as promised and exceed their
expectations in every aspect of dealing with you.

How much extra is the superior service and comfort worth? That
depends on your client’s resources and your sales and marketing
ability. This means that you can increase your fees again by focusing
your marketing efforts on higher paying venues and clients. I have
always charged substantially higher fees than many other magicians
in similar markets. The higher fees themselves are one of the
reasons I get more bookings, but certainly not the main reason. At my
current fee of $5000.00 for a show at a corporate engagement in the
U.S., I am in line with other acts of my caliber but still five to ten times
the cost of the next best local performer. Now, granted I'm not doing
an average of 300-400 shows per year as I used to when my fee was
more modest, but I prefer to do less shows now.

Is my show worth $5000.00? Yes. If it wasn't I would not be obtaining

repeat bookings from the same clients year after year at this fee. Is
your show worth $5000.00? I don't know. Do you? Is it worth more
than you charge now? Probably. How much more, I don't know. I
could only answer that for you if I knew more about your overall
business.

Keep in mind that you may have to make a lifestyle choice soon. I
could be doing many more shows at my current fee if I chose to
market myself aggressively. This requires traveling more than I
currently am willing to do. I was just married last year and my first
child, after my stepdaughter, is due soon. While I still enjoy
performing out of town, I have chosen to diversify further into streams
of income that do not require as much travel.

If you rely only on performing as your sole source of income, even if

you are doing big numbers, you are working for a living. What I mean
is, you are trading your time for money with little or no leverage. You
are not reaping the benefits of business by leveraging your time. You
have not set up a system whereby your skills, talents and abilities will
create income, as they say, while you sleep. If you want to travel a
lot, then you will have an easier time making more money as your
geographical target area opens up as wide as you want it to. You
should still set up other income streams that are conducive to your
being on the road. Most of the same business options will still be
open to you. Your social and family life will just be different than if you
work mostly within a day or two of your hometown.

I suggest you raise your fee immediately as long as you follow most
of the advice that I give you in this course. Raising your fee, as
mentioned above, will raise the perceived value of your show. Some
people will choose your show, all else being equal, over competitors,
just because your fee is higher. They will feel that they are getting the
best, and for some people, myself included, only the best is good
enough. Accept this advice only if you have a good show. You cannot
rip people off and expect to stay in business long. They must feel that
they got at least what they paid for and preferably much more.

When you raise your fee in the same market, to the same clients, do
it gradually or expect to do less shows and probably make less
money for a while. If you move into a higher paying market, you can
make a big jump from your current fee. The trick is to start marketing
and obtaining bookings in the higher paying markets before you
abandon your other markets.

I am providing a vast array of information on various markets in this

course. It is up to you to choose which ones to venture into, which
ones to expand upon and which ones, if any, to drop. Create multiple
streams of income as an entertainer by working various markets.
Lesson 6 - Gentlemen & Gentlewomen Agreements (Back to Index)

"A verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's written on."
Samuel Goldwyn.

I suggest that all your agreements be made in writing, for several

reasons. When booking your shows you must confirm the details in
writing with a contract or letter of agreement. This will clear up any
misunderstanding or miscommunication regarding details pertaining
to your appearance. Perhaps the person who booked you said
th th
January 5 . If you thought the person said January 6 , you’re in big
th
trouble. Or perhaps they said January 6 but meant to say, and
th
thought they said, January 5 . You’re still in big trouble. Simple
miscommunication on your part, or the part of the person booking you
will damage your business in a multitude of ways. It will damage your
reputation, cost you far more money than the loss from that one
booking, and it will certainly do harm to your psyche. One simple,
avoidable error can cause this. This example is just one of many
potential miscommunications that can be avoided by confirming every
detail in writing.

Do you think it is fair that your business suffer even if the mistake is
someone else's? If you have systems in place, as discussed in a
previous lesson, most of these situations will not occur. Accept
responsibility for running a business that makes it easy for your
customers to do business with you. That includes setting up systems
designed to catch potential errors during every stage of the
transaction. What if you do everything right and they still mess up?
For example, they don’t read your agreement. First of all, get in the
habit of blending several forms of verification of details during
communication and there will be few or no problems. Okay, if
something goes wrong anyway, be a mensch (basic translation: a
generous and kind person): Make people happy and your rewards will
return to you tenfold.

I have always used and continue to use a simple one-page

invoice/agreement that is faxed immediately to the client on
confirmation of the booking. One page should be sufficient to sum up
your requirements and the details of the engagement while also
acting as a bill for your services. I do not have them sign the
agreement; instead, they are required to send either full or partial
payment upon receipt. Payment signifies their agreement and
acknowledgement of the details.

Depending on the length of time prior to the event of the date, I

currently request either 50% or 100% of my fee in advance. When my
fee was in the several-hundred-dollar range rather than several
thousand dollars, I always requested 100% in advance regardless of
when the show was booked in relation to the actual booking date.

Now it is 50% to secure the booking and the balance either one week
before the show date or at the event itself. Even though these are my
terms, I often receive the full amount in advance from repeat
 customers. It is one of the many ways they express their appreciation
for my service. Conversely, on rare occasions, a company will prefer
to pay a smaller than 50% deposit and that is usually okay with me
too. What you do will depend on your fee, your market, and what
makes you comfortable. Here is the wording from my agreement, feel
free to use it:

* 50% payable within ten days to avoid cancellation of booking. The

balance of the invoice is due on day of event prior to performance.

* Contract payments are non-refundable should the purchaser cancel or

postpone.

* If for any reason beyond the control of SPI, Randy is delayed or

unable to appear and a change of date or substitution cannot be agreed
upon, then this agreement shall be cancelled with no further obligation by
either party. In this case, any prepaid fee amount will be immediately
returned to the client.

* SPI assumes no liability for expenses incurred or damages suffered in

connection with this agreement.

* No recording devices of any kind may be used without express written

consent from SPI.

* Contracted finish time may be adhered to, regardless of schedule

delays unapproved of in advance.
Lesson 7 - Your First Class Performance (Back to Index)

It is difficult in this format without knowing anything about you or your

market to give specific advice regarding your performance. Also, it is
not the topic of this course, but it is integral to your success. So I will
say something that applies to everyone and is business related. Your
performance begins upon first contact with the person who books
you, and it continues throughout your show and throughout your
relationship with your client. They're buying you as a package deal.

The show itself is the centerpiece of the package. Never lose sight of
the fact that as professional and groovy as your show might be, how
you handle yourself before and after the performance will long be
remembered in the same light as the show itself.

The quality of your show will have a direct correlation with the size of
your bank account. You may be surprised that I say this, considering I
speak about all the other elements rather than the show itself as a
means to obtain higher booking fees and more bookings. Well, as
excellent as your business and personal relationships may be, if your
show stinks then the other stuff will not be enough to allow you to
thrive as a professional magician. You have to have it all. The show
part of show business is equally as important as the business part.
You need to pursue excellence in both. You cannot charge high fees
unless you consistently provide fantastic performances.
Now, who is the judge as to whether your show is good or not? Well
the answer is obvious to you, I hope. It is your audience. It certainly
isn't other magicians and definitely isn't you. Almost every show you
do should lead to more shows being booked from audience members
and repeat bookings by that original client. If it isn’t, you’re probably
not very good at entertaining your audience. Even a poor marketer
will get spin-off bookings by presenting good shows.

Your show itself is your single best marketing tool. We must create
desire in the eyes of potential bookers to allow them to look good by
finding and hiring you. There must be overwhelming desire by the
committees and individuals that book you to have you perform for
their group the next time they need entertainment. If this is not
happening every time you perform then you must work on your act.

Do some free shows or low priced shows to gain more experience.

Hire someone whom you respect in this industry to critique your
performance. Listen to his or her advice and make changes and
tweak your performance a little bit with every show. Use the sales
systems that you find in this course and in some of the other excellent
courses available to magicians, to help you obtain more bookings.
Charge a fair price for your show at its current growing stage.
Practice does make perfect. The more you perform, the better your
act will be.

Feel free to contact me for assistance in developing your show:

http://www.magicianmarketing.com
I stated above that your show is your single best marketing tool.
There are many things you can do at the event itself that will aid in
selling your services. This does not mean to literally pitch your
services before, after or during your show. The person who
introduces you can do that. He or she is often a person of authority
and their words will carry more weight. The following technique I am
about to share with you actually triples my audience-member-booking
rate.

In addition to the introduction that you provide, include a conclusion.

The person who introduced you reads the conclusion. In addition to

thanking you for your wonderful performance, the audience members
are invited to ask for your card, or your agent’s card, and to consider
booking you for an event they may be planning. I suggest you
implement this idea immediately, as this alone will more than recoup
your investment in this material by greatly increasing your bookings.

Here is the wording I use. Very simple and straight forward:

+++
At Conclusion: Please thank Randy, and then say the following in
your own words: If anyone would like information on Randy’s shows,
speeches or products, feel free to speak with him before he leaves. +
++
Note that one small detail can make a huge difference in the number
of bookings you receive. There may just be one small detail in your
show that you can tweak, that will make a world of difference in your
performance. Perhaps something to do with your voice projection,
your pace, your inappropriate use of insult humor, even the way you
dress, can create a subliminally-uncomfortable situation for your
specific target audience.

This is a crucial point; sometimes the smallest detail can make the
biggest difference. Something you say in the first few moments you
address your audience can turn them off and spoil your chance of
success regardless of the quality of the remainder of your
performance.

On the other hand, there are many ways to endear an audience to

you. There is research and preparation that you can do that will aid
you in building rapport while on stage. There are references that you
can make during your performance that will add humor and a
personalized feel to your show. While adding value to your
performance itself, you simultaneously add value to your client and
truly deserve your fee.

As in marketing your show, you must also test aspects of your

performance itself. Test many elements of your performance while
monitoring the response of your audience each and every time.
Lesson 8 - Golden Relationships with Agents (Back to Index)

Working with entertainment agencies can be beneficial to your

career. It can also be frustrating at times. Like every other business
relationship you have, it is essential to your success that you only
deal with straight shooters. There are good, great, bad and horrible
agents and agencies. I have had experiences with the great, horrible
and everything in between.

Much of my work has been and still is derived from agents. It is great
to establish a foundation with an agency that continues to provide
bookings that you would not otherwise have. They do most of the
office work and you do the show and get paid.

It is a mistake, that I have seen many performers make, to apply a

general disdain for agents. Often their bitter comments stem from
sour grapes, isolated incidents and miscommunication. Ignore these
people if their comments are tarring all agents with the same brush.
On the other hand, if you are being warned about a specific agent or
agency, then be sure to put in your own due diligence with extra care
and attention. Beware of the wolves, but don’t just accept someone
else's opinion without checking the validity of the comments yourself.
This applies to all your relationships.

Two common ways an agent will earn money from doing business
with you are to:
1. Retain or collect a commission that is based on a percentage of
the fee that you are paid.
2. Pay you a net fee for your work and profit from the difference
between what they pay you and what they charge the client.

The simplest and most common situation is a set commission

between 10% and 30%. A 10% commission is uncommon these
days, but may be charged for long term bookings and by some
agents that are from the “old school” of entertainment. A 20%
commission is quite common.

This may surprise you, but I happily work with several agents that
retain a third of my fee as their cut. So, on a booking of, say, $4,500,
they get $1,500 and I get $3,000. Sound fair? Who cares! Don’t even
waste your time thinking about it. Are you happy with your end of the
deal? That is the important question. Too many people worry about
what the other person is making and end up hurting themselves in the
process. What if you are charging $150.00 and the split is $100.00
and $50.00? See answer above.

Personally, I don’t mind sharing a large portion of my fee with agents.

I only get concerned if I am part of a situation where a client is being
overcharged for my service or not being treated fairly in other ways.
You cannot always know what is going on for sure. But you can pay
close attention to details and ask questions.
Always ask up front how they work. If they work on a percentage of
the fee ask them what percentage they retain. Accept their terms
graciously if it falls within a range that you are comfortable with.

On a net fee arrangement, they usually pay you an agreed upon fee
and add on for themselves what the market will bear or a set profit
margin or minimum dollar amount. The danger of the add-on scenario
is that the client’s expectations may be higher than what you can or
will deliver at the fee you are being paid. If the agent is clear on what
is required of you and relays that information accurately to the client
there should not be a problem.

Often an agent will use a combination of the two above mentioned

income methods to run their business. For example, they use a
percentage commission method in most cases but use a cost-plus
method when putting together a package of acts or producing a show
for one client or event.

You can run into problems when booking through an agent. This is
the case regardless of fee amounts and commission arrangements.
You can avoid most potential difficulties by dealing with competent
and honest people in the first place.

There are actually many other legitimate and fair ways for an
entertainment agency to run their business and earn profits. There
are also many reasons why a magician should own their own agency.
That is the subject of another topic. You should learn the information
available even if you don’t end up owning your agency. You can
better profit from this lucrative stream of bookings by better
understanding their concerns and being privy to the inside information
of running an agency.

Go educate yourself right now at: http://synergytalent.com

Following is a list of agencies that you may benefit from depending on

your show and target market. Check their web site for suitability
before making contact: Click here to skip list and go to next lesson.

Agencies

Bernie Stevens & Associates

1375 N. Van Road, Holly, MI 48442, United States
www.berniestevens.com
Contact: Bernie Stevens

E-Mail Address: bernie@berniestevens.com

Phone Number: 248/634-2222

Additional Phone: 800/423-7643
Fax Number: 248/634-5870

Big Wave International

239 Good Hill Road, Roxbury, CT 06783, United
States www.bigwaveint.com
Contact: Brian Winthrop

E-Mail Address: bigwave@bestweb.net

Phone Number: 860/355-2173

Additional Phone: 800/291-9837
Fax Number: 860/355-2452
Book It
 9725 Violet Drive, Orlando, FL 32824, United States
www.special-events-entertainment.com
Contact: John McConnell

E-Mail Address: sales@elwoodblues.com

Phone Number: 407/240-3232

Fax Number: 407/852-3034

Bruce Garnitz Music & Entertainment

3787 May St., Los Angeles, CA 90066, United States
Contact: Bruce Garnitz
E-Mail Address: garnitzmusic@ix.netcom.com
Phone Number: 310/397-8488
Fax Number: 310/397-1108

Carmel Music & Entertainment

701 Main St., Evanston, IL 60202, United States
www.carmelformusic.com
Contact: Melanie Kallal

E-Mail Address: carmelme@aol.com

Phone Number: 847/864-5969

Additional Phone: 800/276-5969
Fax Number: 847/864-6149

Celebrity Speakers Bureau

2756 N. Green Valley Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89014, United
States www.entertainmentservices.com

Contact: A.J. Sagman

Phone Number: 702/451-8090

Celebrity Suppliers/Sports Star Suppliers

2756 N. Green Valley Parkway, Suite 449, Las Vegas, NV 89014, United
States
www.entertainmentservices.com
Contact: S. Schneider
Phone Number: 702/451-8090

Characters Unlimited Inc.

709 Foothill Court, Boulder City, NV 89005, United
States www.charactersunlimitedinc.com
Contact: Olaf Stanton

E-Mail Address: charunli@anv.net

Phone Number: 702/294-0563

Additional Phone: 800/489-1686
Fax Number: 702/294-2387

Chez-zam Entertainment Group

25 W. Jefryn Blvd., Deer Park, NY 11729, United
States www.chezzam.com
Contact: Richard Blau

E-Mail Address: requestinfo@chezzam.com

Phone Number: 631/595-2981

Additional Phone: 800/733-6848
Fax Number: 631/595-2987

Corman & Associates

881 Floyd Drive, Lexington, KY 40505, United States
www.cormans.com
Contact: Steve Anderson
E-Mail Address: cormans@cormans.com
Phone Number: 606/233-0544
 Fax Number: 606/253-0119

Corporate Event Enterprises

400 N. Wells, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60610, United States
www.corpevent.com
Contact: Linda Whitlock
E-Mail Address: cee@corpevent.com

Phone Number: 312/670-4000

Fax Number: 312/670-3979

Damon Brooks Associates

1680 N. Vine St., Suite 910, Hollywood, CA 90028, United States
www.damonbrooks.com

Contact: Marc Goldman

E-Mail Address: info@damonbrooks.com
Phone Number: 323/465-3400

David Harris Enterprises

24210 E. Fork Road, Suite 9, Azusa, CA 91702, United States
Contact: David Harris
Phone Number: 626/910-1450
Fax Number: 626/910-1460

Deluca Enterprises
1464 Windsong Road, Orlando, FL 32809, United States
www.tomdeluca.com
Contact: Sara Schlossman
E-Mail Address: info@tomdeluca.com
Phone Number: 407/240-7909
Dynasty Productions
1165 Allgood Road, Suite 15, Marietta, GA 30062, United
States www.legendsinconcert.org
Contact: Rick Kanfer
E-Mail Address: rickkanfer@sprintmail.com
Phone Number: 678/560-0669
Additional Phone: 800/486-3013
Fax Number: 678/560-1668

EverythingShowBiz.com
1963 Genova Drive, Oviedo, FL 32765, United States
www.everythingshowbiz.com
Contact: Dennis Havard

E-Mail Address: stage1@aol.net

Phone Number: 407/349-2040

Fax Number: 407/324-1626

Family Entertainment
333 Washington Blvd., Suite 360, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292, United
States www.familyentertainment1.com
Contact: Kermet Pemberton
E-Mail Address: moneyside@aol.com
Phone Number: 310/821-4490
Fax Number: 310/821-0522

Famous Firsts
2200 N.W. 32nd St., Suite 1100, Pompano Beach, FL 33069, United States
Contact: Richard Magid
E-Mail Address: famous1st@aol.com
Phone Number: 954/974-1144
Fax Number: 954/972-8882
 Fandango Special Events
1050 S. Paca St., Baltimore, MD 21230, United
States www.fandango-event.com
Contact: Lloyd Balman
E-Mail Address: fandangoevent@aol.com

Phone Number: 410/539-7236

Fax Number: 410/539-0026

Flushing Amusement
207 Mill St., Leslie, MI 49251, United States
www.flushingamusement.com
Contact: Lenny Budloo
E-Mail Address: sales@flushingamusement.com

Phone Number: 517/589-8275

Fax Number: 517/589-8288

Fun Industries
627 15th Ave., East Moline, IL 61244, United States
www.funindustries.com
Contact: Mel LaForce

E-Mail Address: fun@netexpress.net

Phone Number: 309/755-5021

Additional Phone: 800/747-1144
Fax Number: 309/755-1684
Group Dynamics Entertainment
6911 Monument Ave., Richmond, VA 23226, United States
Contact: Stan or Donna Sauer
 E-Mail Address: groupdynamicsent@cs.com
Phone Number: 804/673-8254
Additional Phone: 800/559-9183
Fax Number: 804/673-8254

Harith Productions
222 Pennsylvania Ave., Oreland, PA 19075, United States
www.harithproductions.com
Contact: Harith Wickrema

E-Mail Address: harithhpl@aol.com

Phone Number: 215/517-5500

Fax Number: 215/517-5424

Main Stage Production

12816 Walton Lake Drive, Midlothian, VA 23113, United
States www.mainstageproduction.net
Contact: Cindy Brown
E-Mail Address: mainstage@mindspring.com
Phone Number: 804/226-0900
Additional Phone: 800/242-6478
Fax Number: 804/222-1869

Merv Griffin Productions

E-Mail Address: 3000 31st St., Santa Monica, CA 90405, United States
Phone Number:
Fax Number: carleen-carpelletti@mgpusa.com

310/664-3007

310/664-3010
NorthBridge Productions
1818 S. Australian Ave., Suite 106, West Palm Beach, FL 33409, United
States
www.northbridgeproductions.com
Contact: Jill Liberman
 E-Mail Address: nbproductions@hotmail.com
Phone Number: 561/697-2825
Fax Number: 561/697-4556

NTN Interactive
14 Meteor Drive, Etobicoke, ON M9W 1A4, Canada
www.ntnc.com/specialevents
Contact: Glenn Coombes

E-Mail Address: gcoombes@ntnc.com

Phone Number: 446/675-6666

Fax Number: 446/675-8838

Parties, Picnics & Promotions

11911 Jones-Maltsberger, San Antonio, TX 78216, United States
www.partiespicnics.com
Contact: Scot Simmons

E-Mail Address: pppinc@txdirect.net

Phone Number: 210/494-0090

Additional Phone: 800/494-0025
Fax Number: 210/494-8385

Pierre Gravel International

89 Alexandra St., Granby, PQ J2G 2P4, Canada
www.pierregravel.com
Contact: Gary Royea

E-Mail Address: pgi@pierregravel.com

Phone Number: 450/372-7764

Fax Number: 450/372-4391

Pro Management Inc.

P.O. Box B, Franklin, MA 02038, United States
www.promanagementinc.com
Contact: Michael Yorkell
E-Mail Address: michael@promanagementinc.com

Phone Number: 508/553-9400

Fax Number: 508/553-9401

Production & Special Events Services
17326 Devonshire St., Northridge, CA 91324, United States
Contact: Wendy Moodie
E-Mail Address: pases@aol.com
Phone Number: 818/831-5326
Fax Number: 818/831-1780

Quality Promotions & Events

454 Orange Blossom Lane, Goleta, CA 93117, United States
Contact: Dan Clements
E-Mail Address: qpae@gte.net
Phone Number: 805/685-7626
Fax Number: 805/685-2190

RAM Entertainment & Special Event

Services
1755 Appling Road, Cordova, TN 38018, United
States www.ramentertainment.com
Contact: Russ Madry

E-Mail Address: ram@ramentertainment.com

Phone Number: 901/757-4900

Additional Phone: 800/935-3555
Fax Number: 901/757-3999

Shows Etc.
1100 Front St., Boise, ID 83702, United States
Contact: Marie Atwell
E-Mail Address: showsetc@micron.net
Phone Number: 208/342-2722
Fax Number: 208/343-6725

Showstoppers
4840 E. Marconi Ave., Scottsdale, AZ 85254, United States
 www.showstoppersunlimited.com
Contact: Pat Meadow
E-Mail Address: stoppers@home.com

Phone Number: 602/971-8961

Fax Number: 602/482-3474

T. Skorman Productions
3660 Maguire Blvd., Suite 250, Orlando, FL 32803, United States
www.talentagency.com
Contact: Paul Creighton

E-Mail Address: liana@talentagency.com

Phone Number: 407/895-3000

Fax Number: 407/895-1422

Tapley Entertainment
P.O. Box 2170, Coppell, TX 75019, United States
www.lookalike.com
Contact: Dave Tapley

E-Mail Address: elvis8@ix.netcom.com

Phone Number: 972/255-3967

Fax Number: 972/255-7400

The Event Source

2100 Premier Row, Orlando, FL 32809, United States
Contact: Brian Szott
E-Mail Address: theeventsource@aol.com
Phone Number: 407/855-2881
Fax Number: 407/857-7666

The Wright Group

4809 Colorado Blvd., Denver, CO 80216, United
States www.thewrightgroupnow.com
 Contact: Brent Hogan
E-Mail Address: thewrightgroup@eventsite.net
Phone Number: 303/295-7368
Additional Phone: 800/864-4342
Fax Number: 303/399-9962

Lesson 9 - Magic Marketing Methods (Back to Index)

This entire course is concerned with marketing. I am including this

lesson to reinforce what I am telling you throughout and to provide
additional insight from respected guest contributors. Also, to make a
few more suggestions and clarify certain specific marketing methods
and choices available to you.

What came first, the chicken or the egg? That popular old adage
reminds me of a question that all – entertainers for hire - need to ask
ourselves.

What comes first, the Show or the Business? Well in this case, yes,
the show comes first - only initially though. Once we have established
a solid act or show, we need to focus on the business part of the
equation. As obvious as this seems, most entertainers neglect the
business “stuff”. Understandably, so.
 Woody Allen said, “Eighty percent of success is showing up.” Eight
percent of your success as a “working” entertainer depends on your
marketing and business skills and activities.

I suggest that you make a concerted effort to split your focus. Study
marketing and advertising, take some risks, learn to enjoy it. The
results will be rewarding for you in many ways.

Remember, the most important rule: There are no rules!

There is rarely one right way to do anything. You need to apply a

combination of approaches in your marketing endeavors. That may
include, among other things:

• Placing ads of various types

• Networking
• Showcasing
• Working with Agents
• Direct Mail
• Fax Broadcasting
• Promoting at Performances

• Internet Marketing
It is not necessary to cold call. It is important though, to be willing to
pick up the phone at times and make personal contact. It is also
important in certain markets and circumstances to establish
permission for further contact.

Intelligent marketing is never a one step process. It takes repetitive

exposure to your offers before someone will take action. This applies
equally regardless of your actual contact medium. A variety of offers
and exposure will be most effective. If for example, you are using
direct mail, perhaps you will send a letter, followed by a postcard,
followed by a brochure, another letter and yet another postcard. Or
with Internet marketing you may participate in a newsgroup
discussion, provide a free report, and reach interested opt-in
subscribers every month with an electronic newsletter.

Over time and repeated exposure you will establish credibility and
build the confidence of your potential client.

Now, allow me to direct your attention to an article by Joseph

Sugarman. Do you know who he is? Among other things, he is the
guy who marketed the BluBlocker Sunglasses on television.

Bonus Report – “Power of Psychological Triggers” By Joseph Sugarman

A desire to buy something often involves a subconscious decision. In

fact, I claim that 95% of buying decisions are indeed subconscious.
Knowing the subconscious reasons why people buy, and using this
information in a fair and constructive way, will trigger greater sales
response -- often far beyond what you could imagine.

I recall a time when I applied one of these subconscious devices by

changing just one word of an ad, and response doubled. I refer to
these subconscious devices as psychological "triggers." A
psychological trigger is the strongest motivational factor any
salesperson or copywriter can use to evoke a sale.

There are 30 triggers in all, some of which I will reveal to you in a

moment. Each trigger, when deployed, has the power to increase
sales and response beyond what you would normally expect.

There are triggers, for example, that will cause your prospect to feel
guilty if they don't purchase your product. Let me give you an
example. Whenever you receive in the mail a sales solicitation with
free personalized address stickers, you often feel guilty if you use the
stickers and don't send something back -- often far in excess of the
value of the stickers.

Fundraising companies use this method a great deal. You receive

50 cents worth of stickers and send back a $20 bill.

Another example are those surveys that are sent out asking for you to
spend about 20 minutes of your time filling them out. Enclosed in the
mailing you might find a dollar bill included to encourage you to feel
guilty, and entice you to fill out the survey. And you often spend a lot
more than one dollar of your time to do that.

Guilt is a strong motivator. I have to admit that I've used guilt in many
selling situations, in mail order ads and on TV --with great success, I
might add.

I call one of the most powerful triggers a "satisfaction conviction,"

which is a guarantee of satisfaction. But don't confuse this with the
typical trial period you find in mail order, i.e., "If your not happy within
30 days, you can return your purchase for a full refund." A
satisfaction conviction is different. Basically it takes the trial period
and adds something that makes it go well beyond the trial period.

For example, if I were offering a subscription, instead of saying, "If at

anytime you're not happy with your subscription, we'll refund your
unused portion," and instead said, "If at any time you're not happy
with your subscription, let us know and we'll refund your entire
subscription price -- even if you decide to cancel just before the last
issue."

Basically you're saying to your prospect that you are so sure that
they'll like the subscription that you are willing to go beyond what is
traditionally offered with other subscriptions.
This in fact gives the reader the sense that the company really knows
it has a winning product and solidly stands behind the product and
your satisfaction.

Is this technique effective? You bet. In many tests, I've doubled

response -- sometimes by adding just one sentence that conveys a
good satisfaction conviction.

I received e-mail from a company, a subsidiary of eBay, requesting

my advice. They had an e-mail solicitation that wasn't drawing the
response that they had expected. What was wrong?
Looking over what they had created, I saw several mistakes, many of
which would have been avoided if they knew the psychological
triggers that cause people to buy. Let me give you just one example.

In the subject line of most e-mail’s that have solicited me, I have been
able to tell, at a glance, that the solicitation was for a specific service
or an offer of something that I was clearly able to determine.

Examples such as "Reduce your CD and DVD costs 50%," Or "Lose

weight quickly," pretty much told me what they were selling. Was this
good or bad?

The problem with those subject lines is that the reader was able to
quickly determine:

1) that it was an advertisement; and

2) that it was for some specific product or service.

Most people don't like advertising. And most people won't make the
effort to open their e-mail solicitation if they think they are getting an
advertising message -- unless they are sincerely interested in buying
something that the advertisement offers.

The subject line of an e-mail is similar to the headline of a mail order

ad, or the copy on an envelope, or the first few minutes of an
infomercial. You’ve got to grab somebody's attention and then get
them to take the next step. In the case of the envelope, you want
them to open it. In the case of an infomercial, you want them to keep
watching, and in the case of an e-mail, you want them open up the e-
mail and read your message.

The key, therefore, is to get a person to want to open your message

by putting something into the subject area of your e-mail that does
not appear to be an advertising message --one that would compel
them to take the next step. And the best trigger to use for this is the
trigger of curiosity.

There are a number of ways you can use curiosity to literally force a
person to take the next step. You can then use this valuable tool to
put a reader in the correct frame of mind to buy what you have to
offer.
Once again, all the principles apply to every form of communication --
whether it be advertising, marketing or personal selling. And to know
these triggers is the key to more effective communication and most
importantly, the avoidance of costly errors that waste time and
money.

Learn more from Joe Sugarman at:

http://www.roibot.com/r_psy.cgi?R49444_mmbonus

Internet Marketing

Here is a lesson on Internet marketing. The tricky part is to

understand and learn the intricacies of this information and apply
them to your magic business.

At the end of this lesson I will point you in the right direction to do this
and provide reports from leaders in this field.

10 Internet Marketing Tips

1) Create Multiple Internet Revenue Streams

You can make money by providing both products and services on the
Internet. The key to being successful at this is very simple. Build your
own qualified, opt-in subscriber list. Subscribe to what? Your
electronic newsletter of course.

Your web site visitors will provide their information and permission to
include them in your mailing list. You get this by offering an e-zine
(newsletter), special report, ebook, or something worthwhile in
exchange. To keep them willing and interested in staying on your list,
you continually provide them with valuable information that they can
use or will enjoy.

I offer a 50 week email humor series using extracts from my book,

"50 Ways to leave them laughing". Every week, they are reminded of
my services. This is targeted for corporate clients.
Your profits are derived from booking shows and product sales that
are generated by information you provide in your newsletter.
Revenue can also come from commissions you earn by
recommending affiliate programs that you belong to and believe in.

An affiliate program is basically an arrangement for commissions to

be paid to people who refer business to one another. You can make
money with affiliate programs in two ways. One is to be an affiliate,
and the other is to set up your own affiliate program and pay people a
commission to recommend your products or services. As an owner of
an affiliate program, you must provide the tools and information your
affiliates need to become successful Internet marketers.
I earn a steady flow of passive income by promoting several affiliate
programs. You can check out, and join for free, my two favorites at::

http://www.hitsncash.com/cgibin/t.cgi/172748

http://www.marketingtips.com/sr/t.x/640070

If you would like a list of other great affiliate programs, just send me a
note and I will be happy to send you a current one.

2) Educate Yourself

Learn to create simple web pages. Understand and apply search

engine optimization techniques. Learn how to write effective sales
letters and persuasive email offers. Research and use products and
tools to make your work easier and more productive. Join affiliate
programs and profit from them immediately. Spend money only with
people you trust. Invest in knowledge. It is the best investment you
can make. Learn from other people’s mistakes and successes.
Acquire specific information relating to you and your goals. Open
your mind to new learning and opportunities.

Here is a big tip. Do not build a massive web site. Simple 1-2 page
web sites with a single and clearly defined purpose are most
profitable. This applies equally to your shows and products. Build
separate sites for each service and product.
3) Have Products to Sell

Creating your own proprietary product can be great. It can also take a
long time to develop and market. After that, you may become part of
the small percentage of people to make profit. Having said, that, by
all means do give it a shot. The fact that it is difficult goes hand in
hand with the fact that it can produce your greatest rewards.

I am a big fan of obtaining resell rights on proven quality products.

There are some great opportunities to benefit from other people’s
hard developmental investments for a song. To see an excellent
example of one that I recently invested in, click here.

4) Build Relationships

Go to seminars and boot camps to meet successful and like-minded

people. Build relationships with people who are at a similar stage of
growth as you. Find people as passionate as you are about a topic
and engage them in conversation. Create synergy and work together
on joint ventures. Invest in learning from mentors, coaches, and
consultants that specialize in your field and that you trust and like.

5) Grow Your Opt-In List

Your opt-in list of subscribers and customers is your most valuable
business asset. Use it or lose it! Provide valuable and timely
information on a regular basis. Discover and use many methods to
build and nurture your list.

6) Don’t Quit Your Day Job…Yet!

Okay, now I am going to speak directly about this as it applies to us

magicians. My dear friend, listen up. You can use Internet marketing
to build your magic performing business whether you are a full time
entertainer or not. You can use Internet marketing to promote a
business you may own, or in your other profession, particularly if you
have a sales job. You can even make Internet marketing itself one of
your businesses.

It takes a while to learn and start making money, so don’t jump out of
one thing to do another even if you can afford to financially. Carefully
plan your life, and interconnect business activities that you enjoy and
that work well together. Then quit your day job!

7) React Quickly

The Internet is capable of providing up to the second information.

This is an extreme case of “if your not early, your late”. For example,
if you are going to suggest an affiliate product to your opt-in list, you
have to be fast. If you are the first one they hear about it from, you
will reap the most rewards. By being first to market, you not only
make more money, but are truly a cutting-edge information provider
to your clients.

8) Walk Softly and Carry a Big Stick

Having invested thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours to learn

Internet marketing let me tell you…it’s a jungle out there! The scary
part about the Internet is the potential for fraud and
misrepresentation. For every honest and reliable person or company
that specializes in Internet marketing there are probably 50
scammers. Fortunately, if you find trusted sources early in the game
you will quickly know how to sniff out the rotten apples and locate
some excellent and fairly priced information and tools. Remember,
“caveat emptor” (buyer beware) and be careful.
9) Surround Yourself With Positive People

Don’t waste your time with gossip, jealousy, and pessimism. As you
become higher profile on the Net, some people may criticize you and
attack you with their opinions in email and public forums. You can't
possibly please everyone. Remember that they may have a hidden
agenda. Always conduct yourself ethically and responsibly and
realize that their attacks have nothing to do with you. It is their
problem - keep it that way.

10) Have Laser Like Focus

Prioritize your activities and don’t stray readily from the tasks at hand.
When you are working on a project, perhaps creating a niche site for
one of your shows or products, it may mean not replying personally to
email questions from people you don't know, or not discussing joint
ventures and business opportunities for a while.

Some may take offense to this. Politely explain (in an automatic

systemized manner) that you are just trying to run your business in a
profitable manner and there are just so many hours in a day. Of
course, this does not apply to existing relationships and
commitments. These are always your number one priority ahead of
new projects.

To learn more about Internet Marketing go to:

http://marketingmagician.com
You must invest in further study of marketing methods of all types.
Direct mail marketers can teach you a lot. They are from the old
school of marketing and much of what they teach is and always will
be effective. Learn from them, but apply the strategies to electronic
marketing whenever possible.

Invest a few dollars and buy everything you can get your hands on
that relate specifically to marketing and money making opportunities
for magicians. We are in a limited market and for a small investment
of only a few thousand dollars you can literally own everything
available regarding the business of magic. You should also attend
seminars and consider private coaching. You are in a business that
can make you rich and requires minimal start-up cost and investment.
Consider yourself fortunate.

Don’t be frugal when it comes to investing in your business. Building

your knowledge and making the right moves early in the game is
important.

Next, is a series of reports from Internet Marketers and Positioning

experts. I have cherry picked these reports from the many hundreds
that I have read. And those hundreds of reports were selected from
the thousands that are available. Many articles and reports that are
available for free on the Internet are useless and even counter
productive. These ones, I guarantee, are the best of the best.

There is much to learn about many aspects of marketing, not just

Internet specific, in the reports that follow.

The first one is even from an ex-magician and he talks about how he
started advertising his magic shows for free. The beginning of this
report discusses off-line marketing and then it goes into Internet
marketing. The author is currently one of the most successful Internet
Marketers in cyber-space, but he was also very successful before the
net existed as it does today. While everything he says in this report,
and other reports and recommended readings by the way, may not
specifically apply to your entertainment business, they are included in
this book for good reason.
Let me remind you that the title of this book is “Secrets of a Millionaire
Magician”. One of my secrets is that I look for sources of information
and inspiration from a vast variety of sources. I learn to integrate the
lessons and apply them to my business. Although you are provided in
this book with several templates and cookie cutter solutions, I would
be doing you a disservice to spell absolutely everything out for you.
So, with that in mind, please read the reports in this book and think
about how you can apply the lessons to your business.

Bonus Report – “The Money Secret” By Marlon Sanders

I was only in the eighth grade. Imagine this tall, scraggly, angular kid
with thick-rimmed, Buddy-Holly style glasses standing in front of a
Boy Scout troop numbering 200 or more... ...Doing magic tricks.

It blows my mind to think about it now. You see, it all started with a
dumb little classified ad I ran in the local paper (my first direct
response ad).

"Magic is my thing. I do it for birthday parties. Free. Call xxx-xxxx."

Yes, when I started, my parties were free. But I made up this goofy
index card with spots on the outside, and my name and phone
number on the inside.
 I gave one to every kid at my parties and showed them how to do a
trick with the spots on the outside. They held onto it...and before I
knew it, my phone was ringing off the hook, and little-old-seventh-
grader-me was charging $10.00 for birthday parties (a tidy sum for a
seventh grader at the time).

Go forward one year. My phone rings. Next thing I know, I'm standing
in front of a BIG Boy Scout troop doing my thing.

Hidden in this story is the greatest marketing secret in the world. You
can use it immediately for big profits in your business – regardless of
what you sell or who you sell to.

Here are eight things this secret can do for you:

1. Give you a steady flow of highly receptive prospects to sell your

product or service to...without spending much money.

2. Bring a flood of business into a retail store

3. Inject a surge of instant cash flow into your business

4. Raise money for charities, associations and organizations

5. Eliminate the need for cold call selling

6. Dramatically boost attendance at meetings

7. Launch a new business on a shoestring budget

8. Boost your closing ratio from 20% to 80%

And much, much more.

Introducing The Unstoppable Power Of Endorsement:

Endorsement means that a business, association, organization or
someone other than yourself puts their stamp of approval on you,
your products and services, your ideas or your company.

In my Amazing Formula That Sells Products Like Crazy, I introduce

you to Walter "Itsy Bitsy" Hailey and Steve Anderson (head honcho at
Walter's company, Planned Marketing).
Walter and Steve call this "overhear psychology"...which means that
people attribute more credibility to statements made by a third party
than those made directly by you.

My magic show business boomed because I used the power of

endorsement (at a very basic, rudimentary level). When the kids got
home, they raved to their parents about the show. Their parents, in
turn, called the host or hostess and asked about my mystical talents.

Before long, my phone would ring with another booking. Of course, it

helped that the kids took home my magic trick, so my name and
phone number were instantly available.
 Here's why I call this the greatest marketing secret in the world . . .

1. One of the biggest selling challenges you face is that people don't
believe what you say. Think about it. Every week on TV we see stories
about companies ripping the public off. Our potential customers are scared
they're going to be the next victim telling a sob story on TV.

That's why they often doubt that your product or service will perform
as promised.

But when a credible person or organization endorses you or your

products and services, your prospects set aside their distrust and
listen openly to what you have to say. While you don't have a
guaranteed sale, your odds of success certainly skyrocket.

Elsewhere, I've told you how Walter Hailey increased his ratio of
converting prospects to sales from 20% to 80% using the
endorsement method. While every business has its own numbers,
you'll no doubt experience profound results using this method.

You have two choices: You can sell the easy way or the hard way.

The hard way is approaching prospects who don't know or trust you.
The easy way is getting others to introduce you to their own
 customers who know and love them, and therefore, by association,
know and love you.

Here's why . . .
You've heard the expression, "guilt by association." This puts a new
twist on that saying, "credibility by association."

2. Obtaining new customers through traditional advertising (or even

direct mail) puts a big fat hole in your wallet. If you're uncommonly
fortunate, you'll make a profit on your first sale to a customer you snag
through advertising. If you're average, you'll break even or lose money.

To make a profit, you count on repeat sales and referrals, which limit
your growth because you have to first recoup your advertising outlay
before re-investing your profits. In short, you're stuck in a cash flow
crunch while waiting to recoup your advertising dollars.

If you're new in business, the picture looks even dimmer. You have
bills to pay. If you have to wait for repeat business, you may not be IN
business to reap the rewards.

Before the clock strikes 12, you're broke. But what if there were a
way to turn the tables and greatly increase the odds of making a profit
up front? First of all, you'd have a gigantic advantage over
competitors who are stuck in the cash flow rut. Second, you'd be
able to expand more rapidly. Third, you'd have a cushion to absorb
the cost of occasional bad judgment without putting yourself in a bind.

Let's be realistic. Everyone in business makes mistakes. And if you

don't have a profit cushion to fall back on, the uncomfortable thump
can leave you wishing you were still working at a "real" job.

Not so with endorsements. You can almost instantaneously access a

slew of prospects in a single mailing with maximum credibility. Let's
say a business has 5,000 active customers. How long would it take
you to acquire that many customers through traditional advertising?

If you convert 20% of your leads or prospects to sales, that means

you'd first have to generate 25,000 ad responses. My friends, that
requires a substantial investment.

In contrast, consider this: When you joint venture with a business with
5,000 customers, you get to access those customers ALL AT ONCE.
You don't have to advertise for a year or two to get that many
customers. And your cash investment is zero. I'll repeat that...

Your Up Front Cash Investment To Reach 5,000 Customers Is Zero!

Please understand, you have to tailor these numbers to fit the

business you're in. If you sell to wholesalers, it may be that getting
introduced on a favorable basis to 10, 50 or 100 new accounts
translates into big bucks for you.
 If you're a mail-order company, a list of 5,000 customers may not
mean diddle to you. However, an endorsement to 50,000 or 100,000
multiple buyers might stir your blood.

Take what I'm saying, use your creativity and apply it to your own
situation. If you're thinking, "my business is different," stop right now!
That's a total cop out. I promise you, when you put your mind to it,
you'll find ways to apply this to your industry.

3. Prospecting is the lifeblood of any business.

There's only one business in the world: Generating prospects,

converting those to customers, and selling again on a repeat basis.
That's it.

And lead generation is the place where most businesses trip up. It
breaks my heart to see people get involved in business opportunities
without having a way to locate new prospects. I don't care if you're
selling web sites, network marketing companies, insurance, cars,
dental care, psychotherapy, massage or anything else in the world.

Fact is, if you don't have a reliable, predictable, systematic way to

generate new prospects, you don't have a viable business.

If that describes you, don't worry. In the balance of this issue, I'm
going to show you exactly what to do and how to do it. Follow my
instructions, and this won't be a problem for you anymore. So let's
jump right in and discuss how to use the direct mail endorsement.

How To Use Direct Mail Endorsements To Drum Up More Business

Than You Can Handle!

The principle is simple. You write a hard-hitting sales letter (or lead
generation letter) about your product, idea or service. Then you
locate businesses who sell to your target market, i.e. the people or
companies you've identified who are most likely to purchase from
you.

You ask the owners to send the sales gem to their customer list along
with a cover letter typed on their company stationary. The letter
introduces you, tells the benefits of your products or services, and
urges the readers to peruse the enclosed sales letter.
In exchange for this endorsement, the host business receives a
percentage of gross sales or the net profits. How much?

A good starting point might be 9% of gross sales or 25% of net

profits. That said, I've had friends do exceedingly well splitting the
profits 50/50 on a high margin product.

If you have the opportunity, it's a nice touch to first let the business
owners sample your stuff. That way the cover letter can tout the
amazing results they obtained firsthand (nothing beats personal
testimonials) . . . and explain why they're bothering to endorse you.
Usually the reasoning goes something like this, "After experiencing
these results, I realized I would be doing you a distinct and profound
disservice if I didn't share my discovery with you and negotiate a
special offer on your behalf."

See the logic? Instead of being perceived as a letter hawking a new

widget, you frame it as performing a valuable service for the
customers.

It's important that your customers see you as extending a special

offer not available to regular purchasers. You reinforce this idea by
juicing up the offer with extra value such as: additional bonuses, an
extended guarantee, a special price or other additional benefits the
average buyer doesn't receive.

The reason you make this endorsement in a cover letter rather than
in the primary sales letter is you can save money by printing the main
sales letter in bulk -- and printing custom cover letters as needed.
Then, you mail the whole kit in the company's envelopes, so your
information will leap out like a neon sign in the mailbox! Why go to all
this trouble? Because of . . .

The Little Understood Fact That Makes Endorsed Mailings 200%-

600% more Profitable
The response you receive on an endorsed mailing often dwarfs the
response to lists you "rent" from commercial mailing list brokers by a
factor of 2 to 6 times.

How much money you pocket from your mailings depends on the
quality of the relationship between the endorsing business and their
customers. If the customers buy a staple item and tend not to repeat,
the endorsement won't carry near the weight as one to customers
who spend a substantial amount of money frequently.

Because of this, you'll want to test your letter to 4 or 5 lists in small

quantities before you invest significant money in your mailings.

What's a good test quantity? It depends on your budget and the size
of the lists. Big mail-order companies send out 100,000 pieces
sometimes to test complex variations of letters, offers and lists.

I recommend you follow a timeless marketing maxim: Never gamble

more on a mailing than you can afford to lose.

If the total list is only 5,000, then mail 500 or 1,000. If it's 1,000 then
mail 100 or so.

In the latter case, your test won't be scientific, but if several lists
receive no responses (or only one) while others get 3, 4, or more, that
tells you something.
The point is: Test the waters before you jump in with both feet. Use
your common sense and you'll do fine.

Here's How You Can Locate Businesses To Do Endorsed Mailings

For You:

OK, you're sold on the idea of doing joint venture mailings. How do
you get started? Ask this question: What else do your customers buy
and who else do they buy it from? Look through the trade
publications, newsletters and magazines they read. Talk to your
customers and find out who they buy from that they really respect and
trust.

Keep your eyes and ears open for businesses with the same target
market as yours and a non-competitive product. While you can do
joint ventures with direct competitors by selling to the prospects they
couldn't convert, your first time or two out, keep it simple by doing
deals with non-competitors.
Your ideal endorser sells products or services in the same price
range as yours to virtually identical customers on a long term repeat
basis. Naturally, if you can't find the ideal host, you'll have to go with
the closest thing you can find.

By the way, let's see what you're learning so far. What's the number
one best method of approaching a potential host? If you answered
"direct introduction from someone the potential host knows and
respects," give yourself a pat on the back and 10 brownie points.
You're a fast learner!

If your missed the answer (or were clue-less!), keep reading...you'll

catch on in a jiffy.

Three Intriguing Twists You Can Use To Extract Extra Chunks of

Cash From Small Lists

What if you sell to a specialized market and the lists you have access
to on an endorsed basis are small? What then?

Here are several twists on the theme we're developing:

Twist One: Mail a sequence of letters, not just one. Send follow up
letters several weeks apart until they're no longer profitable. You don't
have to write completely new letters for this. You can just use a
different headline and begin by referring to the prior letter(s).

Here's one proven technique: Stamp in red at the top of the first page
"second notice," "third notice," and so on. Perhaps the first letter
escaped attention, but the second or third notice makes the prospect
wake up and dive in.

Twist two: Follow up your mailings with phone calls. You'll usually find
a number of people who say, "I'm glad you called. I've been meaning
to call (send in money, or whatever)"
Twist Three: Instead of going for a big sale, ask for a small trial
commitment or a request for additional information.

When you have a limited number of prospects to work with from the
beginning, every one is worth gold, so you want to skim as many off
the top as possible. You do this is by asking for an easy, low-threat
action.

Here are examples for different businesses:

Dentist: Come in, meet the dentist and receive a free plaque-
elimination kit, a new handy flossing tool and a free report called,
"How To Have A Gorgeous Smile On A Shoestring Budget."

Massage Therapist: Call for a free report, "The Seven Myths About
Massage...And The Little-Known Relaxation Tool You Can Use At
Home." Plus, drop by any of 5 locations and receive a free neck
massage."
Moving Service: Free moving supplies when you call for a price
quote.

Roofing Contractor: Free automobile windshield sunshade with

roofing estimate.

Advertising Salesperson: Free Idea Kit.

New Super Duper Gizmo: Free demonstration.

If the lists you have access to are limited in size, these tips will put a
lot of extra cash in your bank account. Now let's look at a way to
blend this principle with marketing on the web:
Of course, endorsed mailings aren't the only way to cash in on this
principle. Here's another

Add New Punch To The Personal Introduction

If you've ever had any sales training whatsoever, you've had it drilled
into your head to ask everyone, "who do you know that might benefit
from this product?"

It's the traditional technique for obtaining referrals.

The glitch with asking the "who do you know" question is people often
feel uncomfortable making referrals to their friends or business
associates.
As a result, you often find that customers go blank and can't think of
anyone to refer you to, or can only come up with a few names.

That means we're back to running ads or doing something else to

drum up more leads. Not the worst thing in the world, but let's see if
we can come up with something better.

Alternative number one: The free newsletter

Publish a newsletter quarterly, every other month or even monthly.
Keep it simple. Front and back of one or two 8 ½" x 11" sheets is fine.
Fill it with interesting, problem-solving articles and show readers how
to get the end results and benefits they want. Do NOT make the
newsletter an extended advertisement for your products and services.
Instead, with each issue mail a sales letter or flyer on a different color
paper from the newsletter about a special offer for subscribers only
on one of your products or services.

Tell new customers about the free newsletter and ask if they know
anyone you should put on the mailing list. Get names, addresses and
phone numbers. Mail a sample issue to each person with a cover
letter (or a brief note on a yellow sticky) signed by the referring
person. Next, call and ask if they'd like to continue receiving it.

Your sales letters will generate inbound calls before you know it. And,
after mailing 2 or 3 issues, you can further pursue business by
following up with phone calls.
What's more, because your newsletters enhance your credibility by
showcasing you or your company's expertise, you'll find you turn a
higher percentage of leads to sales.

Can you see the genius of this method? Your customers will feel ten
times more comfortable helping their friends and business associates
get on the mailing list for a valuable, helpful, informative newsletter
 than they will just giving you referrals directly. The end result is you
get many times the referrals with less effort.

The only disadvantage of this approach is that, if you're publishing

your newsletter quarterly or every other month, it takes awhile to turn
your efforts into money.

So if you're in a hurry for business, let's look at ...

Alternative number two: The Gift Sample

Have your customers give a sample or trial of your product or service

as a gift to their friends or business associates. For example:

• Piano teacher: Piano lessons

• Massage therapist: Back massage
• Financial planner: Book, service, or evaluation
• Psychologist: One or two sessions
• Golf course: Three month memberships
• Newsletter: Three or six month subscription

The Subtle But Extremely Important Secret That Makes The Gift
Method Work

If you go around giving away free stuff, people probably won't value
what they're receiving. "If it's free, it can't be that good," the logic
goes. At best, they're suspicious of the free goods or services, and
they're waiting to find out what the catch is.

So do NOT offer your products or services for free. Instead, let your
customers give your goodies to their friends or business associates.

They should say something like this: "We were so impressed by this
product (or service) we decided to purchase an introductory session,
membership (or trial whatever) and gift it to you."

This makes the sponsor look like a very generous and caring person.
And it prevents the recipient from going through the mental de-
valuation that occurs with some free offers.

In other words, it's a sophisticated way of giving away free services or

products without lowering their value.

For integrity sake, you may want to have the customers pay you a
token fee for a block of gift certificates, so they can legitimately say
they purchased the widget.
Alternative number three: The Vendor/Supplier Angle

As an illustration, let me give an example for people who sell web site
design.

Here's the point: Once you sell a business your widget- whether it's a
web site, a phone system, a training seminar, insurance or anything
else in the world -- you have the most powerful marketing channel in
the world available to you ... a natural economic chain to vendors and
suppliers and customers.

So, in the case of web site designers, once they sell a web site to one
business, all they have to do is ask for an introduction to their
vendors, suppliers and customers. Then, each of those businesses
has its own network of vendors, suppliers and customers. The chain
never stops.

As you can see, you don't have to have a zillion contacts to make this
method work. All you need are several businesses that will give you
an entree to their network, and you can be set for a long, long time.

So what are you waiting for? Get started today!

Alternative number four: Referral generation tools

There's a really neat book you need to buy. It's called: How to
Generate Word of Mouth Advertising: 101 Easy and Inexpensive
Ways To Promote Your Business.
By Godfrey Harris with Gregrey Harris.

This books shows you how to generate referrals using a wide

assortment of clever ideas such as: Overseas Christmas cards,
matchbooks turned into scratch-books, double postcards, phone
cards, two-fer offers, surprise rebates, double message cards, lottery
tickets, client give-aways, screen savers, customer award program,
voucher certificates, passports for services, and much more.

The Greatest Marketing Secret On The Internet

The basic principle I just described can be used on the Internet as

well as off. It's a principle more than a method. For example, you can
offer a sample gift just as easily (in fact, it's easier) through email as
you can through direct mail.

The concept is to use endorsements to build your business. Everyone

knows that the best leads or prospects come from referrals. But let's
say someone with an ezine list of 5,000 subscribers endorses your
product to their entire list. Isn't that the equivalent of getting 5,000
referrals?

Of course it is. Now, you might be wondering what leverage you have
to get someone to endorse your product to their list. The answer is to
sign up for an associates tracking system where you can track sales
and pay commissions. Check out:

http://www.marketingtips.com/assoctrac/t.x/640070

Whether you market online or off, you need to leverage all your
efforts as much as possible. By tapping into the relationship other
people have with their customers; you're able to do this.
Now, I don't want to make it sound like easy street. Arranging joint
ventures can be time consuming. People are not always eager to
allow you to access their customer list. I don't want to gloss over
these issues.

List owners are worried about making their customers unhappy. You
have to prove you have a terrific product and that you'll indeed deliver
it to every buyer.

That's one of the nice things about delivering digital products. It

happens instantly so there are no concerns about shipping. The other
concern people have is about getting paid. How do they know you're
going to pay them.

It's incumbent on you to develop a relationship, present yourself in a

professional manner, provide references and do whatever is
necessary to establish trust.

The best thing I can tell you is this: If you're persistent and
determined, if you present yourself professionally, if you're
determined to create win/win deals, if you're sensitive to the needs of
others as well as yourself, if you're willing to think outside the box,
you can make these joint ventures happen.

The best books in the world about networking are written by Thomas
Stanley. If you're a serious student and really want to learn some
turbo-charged techniques of getting endorsed by power players, read
Networking With The Affluent and Marketing To The Affluent by
Thomas Stanley.

How I make an extra $5,000 to $13,000 cash bonus anytime I want in

only a few hours via Internet marketing

Here is a simple little method you can use anytime you need money.
For example, this week I've made $6350.00 with it so far. I'll show
you in this article exactly how I made that money.

Last month I made $13,000 in 2 week using it. It's so simple; it's
almost laughable, as most of my marketing methods are. Of course,
those results are not guaranteed and are not necessarily
representative of what the average person makes who use this
formula.

Here is my fast cash promotion method. It's only two steps.

Step One: Compile an "opt-in" list

Step Two: Email my offer to your opt-in list

If you don't already have an opt-in list, then obviously this won't be a
fast cash method for you. First you have to compile your opt-in list. I
teach my students a number of simple, easy methods for doing this.
 By the way, if you aren't familiar with the term, "opt-in" list, it refers to
a mailing list that people specifically and deliberately subscribe to. In
other words, they give you permission to send them emails. Sending
unsolicited emails is a gigantic "no-no." Now, if you do already have a
list of people who have specifically given you permission to email
them, then you need a product to endorse.

Here are a few things to look for:

1. A 20% to 50% profit margin.

2. At least a $20 pay out (and preferably more).
3. A proven email sales letter you can use.
4. A reputable company that you know will deliver the products you sell.

To help my associates make money, I pay out a 60% commission on

The Amazing Formula That Sells Products Like Crazy. That is $40.20
per sale.

The key to making sales to your list is the endorsement letter. You
must preface the sales letter with reasons why you're endorsing that
particular product. The folks on your list trust you, and will listen to
your opinion about the product.

You don't have to write anything fancy. Just include a note that
explains why the product you're endorsing deserves their attention
and how it will benefit them.
 For example:

Here is the email that has made me over 6 grand this week. I sent it
to my customer list. I prefer shorter emails but this one needed more
explanation.

"Dear <first name>

I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine who has helped me make
a small fortune.

His name is Jonathan Mizel. And he has a legitimate genius IQ. He

works with companies such as these on Internet marketing projects.

* Intel
* MyPoints
* OnHealth
* Microsoft
* MotherNature.com

These companies are raking in huge bucks (and I do mean huge)

using a method called "per transaction" marketing.

And Jonathan is smack dab in the middle of this ultra-hot method. He

can show you how companies are growing from scratch to zillions in
sales in remarkably short periods of time using "per transaction"
marketing.

It's the only method I know that allows you to ramp up from small
volume to large volume almost overnight -- without spending one
freakin' dime on advertising!

That means your potential profits have almost no limit and the money
you risk to get that payoff is quite small if you already have products
and a web site.

You don't have to be Microsoft to use his methods. They work for
small, medium and large companies alike.

Not that you'll become the next Microsoft or an overnight millionaire.

But Jonathan does use his methods with people and companies in
those categories.

To my knowledge, Jonathan is the only person explaining the magic

of "per transaction" marketing in a format where you can actually
apply it to your business tomorrow morning.

It's something that Jonathan found out by working "hands on" with the
big corporations. This IS what the serious Internet marketing
companies are doing because you can scale up from small to giant
volume in a flash.
Ezine ads and other methods are great for getting started. But how
are you ever going to get the VOLUME that hauls in big bucks --
without spending a fortune on advertising? That's what Jonathan
shows you...

One last thing: You may not be able to tell it from the sound of his
sales letter, but his product is NOTHING like mine.

He covers totally different types of information than yours truly. While

per transaction marketing is not new, Jonathan's insights and insider
info on how companies are exploding with this method is hot and
new.

That's why I felt a duty and an obligation to introduce you to my good

friend and one of the most astonishing marketers I know who has
been publishing his newsletter since before the World Wide Web
even existed.

With great pleasure, I introduce you to the unmatched genius of

Jonathan Mizel. Please, click here.

Best wishes,
Marlon Sanders
”yourownproducts.com"

How do you send out an email like that?

See: http://www.marketingtips.com/mailloop/t.x/640070

Format your email letter in a text editor such as text pad and place a
hard return at or before 65 characters on a line. This prevents your
email from wrapping and looking like garbage when it arrives in your
customer's email box.

When you do your mailing, expect .5% of the list to buy. However, the
true answer is that you'll know your response rate a week after you
email your sales letter. The bulk of your responses will come in within
72 hours.

Follow this simple two-step formula and you can create money out of
thin air anytime you need it.

******************************************
Marlon Sanders is author of The Amazing Formula That Sells Like
Crazy and "Push Button Letters" .
For an in-depth look at the formula presented in this report, visit
Marlon's web site by clicking here.

Marlon has spoken at over 120, $3,000 one-day marketing seminars

and commands $1000 an hour for consulting. His reseller program for
The Amazing Formula is one of the top-ranked systems on the
Internet.
The rest of the reports in this lesson apply specifically to the Internet.
Bonus Report – “Improving the Link Popularity of your site” By Sumantra Roy

Link popularity, i.e. the number of sites, which are linking to your site,
is an increasingly important factor as far as search engine placement
is concerned. Other things remaining the same, more the number of
links to your site, higher will be its ranking.

What is important is not only the number of links to your site, but also
the types of sites which are linking to you. A link from a site which is
related to yours is more valuable than a link from an unrelated site.

In this article, I explore different methods by which you can improve

the link popularity of your site. I start with the methods that you
shouldn't bother using, then go on to the moderately effective
methods, and then end with the most effective methods you can use
to boost the link popularity of your site.

1) Submitting your site to Free For All (FFA) pages

A common misconception among many Internet marketers is that

while FFA pages may not directly bring in traffic to your site, it will
help to improve the link popularity of your site, and hence, will
indirectly bring in traffic through the search engines.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Most FFA pages can contain
only a certain number of links at a time. This means that when you
submit your site to a FFA page, your site will be placed at the top of
the page. However, as more and more people submit their sites to
the FFA page, your site will be pushed down, and finally, when it
reaches the bottom of the page, it will be removed.

Now, since you can bet that plenty of other people are also submitting
their sites to the FFA pages, your site will remain in these pages for
only a short span of time. Hence, in order to ensure that the search
engines see your site if and when they come to spider the FFA page,
you will need to ensure that you submit your site to these FFA pages
on a regular basis - at least once a week.

Even if you used an automatic submission program to do it, can you

imagine a worse way to spend your time and/or money? Furthermore,
many search engines recognize these pages which only contains
links to other sites as FFA pages and may completely ignore them.
And while I haven't yet seen any evidence that submitting to the FFA
pages will actually penalize your site, there is every possibility that
this might happen in the future.

Hence, when it comes to FFA pages, my advice is simple: don't even

think about them.

2) Joining Reciprocal Link Services

Some people have recommended that in order to increase the link

popularity of your site, you can join some reciprocal link services. The
basic idea behind these services is that you add some pages to your
site which contain links to other sites which are members of that
service, and in exchange, these members will also add pages to their
 sites which will contain a link to your site. Theoretically, more the
members of that service, more your link popularity.

However, I have plenty of reservations about using this method to

boost the link popularity of your site:

i) Most of these services require that you add a visible graphical or text
link from your home page to the pages containing the links. If they require a
graphical link, it can completely destroy the general look and feel of your
site. Even if they require a text link, how would you feel if a visitor to your
site clicked on such a link and found one of your competitors (who is also a
member of this service) right at the top of a page? Also, while most of these
services disallow adult oriented sites, I have seen situations in which some
adult sites have been able to become members. How would you feel if an
adult site found its way to the top of one of these pages?

ii) Most of these services give the same pages containing the links to
each of its members, i.e. the pages that you are required to upload to your
site are exactly the same as the pages which all the other members of that
service are required to upload to their servers. Even the file names of the
pages tend to be the same for all the members. Most search engines are
now able to detect such duplicate pages in different domains and may
either ignore the pages or may even penalize all these domains for
spamming.

iii) Instead of linking only related sites with each other, most of these
services link all the members with each other. This means that lots of
unrelated sites will be linking to your site. As I mentioned before, links
from unrelated sites are simply not as valuable as links from related
sites.

Hence, I don't recommend that you join any reciprocal link programs.

3) Exchanging links with other webmasters

Another way of improving the link popularity of your site is to

exchange links with other webmasters who have sites which are
related to yours, but are not direct competitors. Here's how you can
do it:

First, open a database program like Microsoft Access and create a

new table containing fields like FirstName, LastName, Email Address,
URL etc. Then, make a list of the sites belonging to your competitors.
Then, go to AltaVista, and type in the following in the search box:

link:somesite.com -url:somesite.com

Where somesite.com is the domain name of one of your competitors.

This will give you a list of all the sites which are linking to that
competitor. Then, find out in what context a particular site has linked
to your competitor. If this site is an affiliate of your competitor, then
your chance of getting a link from this site is limited, unless you offer
an even better affiliate program. However, if you find that this site has
a Links page which contains links to other sites, one of which is a link
to your competitor, then it is an excellent prospect for exchanging
links. Find out the name and email address of the webmaster of the
site and add them to your database. In this way, go through all the
sites which are linking to your competitors, locate those sites which
you think may want to exchange links with you, and build up your
database.

Once you have done that, create a Links page in your site, and add
the URLs of these sites to the Links page. Then, send an email to
these webmasters, introduce yourself and your site, congratulate
them on building an excellent web site, tell them that you have
already added a link to their sites from yours, and then ask them
whether they would be kind enough to add a link to your site. In your
email, emphasize the fact that exchanging links in this way will be
mutually beneficial for both of you because it will help both of you
drive traffic to your sites. Wait for a month or so to see the response.
Some webmasters will agree to link to you. Others will simply not
respond. After a month, remove the links to those sites who are not
interested in exchanging links and using the methods outlined above,
try to locate more sites with which to exchange links.

When you send the email to the webmasters, make sure that you
personalize each email. Don't begin every email with "Hello
Webmaster", begin with "Hello Mike". If you want, you can use email
merge programs to automatically personalize each email. You can
check out some email merge programs by going to
http://download.cnet.com and searching for "email merge" (without
the quotes).
The main problem with this method of improving the link popularity of
your site is that it takes a lot of time. You may find that the number of
links you manage to get just does not justify the time that you spend
over it. However, I have been evaluating a program named Zeus
which automates this process of exchanging links to a large extent.
You can download a free trial version of Zeus from
http://www.1stSearchRanking.com/t.cgi?1532&zeus/

Another thing that you can do is to mention in your Links page that
you are willing to exchange links with other web sites. This allows
other webmasters who come to your web site to propose a link
exchange.

4) Starting an Awards Program

A moderately effective method of improving the link popularity of your

site is to start an awards program. You can have web sites which are
related to yours apply for an award from your site. The sites which
win the award get the chance to display the logo for your award. This
logo is linked to your site, preferably to a page which contains more
information on the award.

If you publish a newsletter, consider declaring the winners in your

newsletter. You can also perform a review of the winners' sites in
your newsletter. This adds useful content to your newsletter and also
gives more webmasters the incentive to apply for your award, since
you may review their sites in your newsletter. This also gives them
the incentive to subscribe to your newsletter to see if they win the
award.

Make sure that you give awards to only those sites which deserve to
win. If you give your award to sites which don't deserve it, your award
will have little credibility, which will, in turn, hurt the credibility of your
company. Furthermore, make sure that the logo you design for the
award looks professional. If it doesn't, not many webmasters will want
to display it in their sites.

5) Giving testimonials

This may sound a bit unusual, but giving testimonials for products or
services which you find useful can be another moderately effective
way of improving the link popularity of your site. If you really like a
product, simply write to the company and tell them why you liked the
product so much and how it has helped you. Chances are, the
company will write back to you to thank you for your comments and
will ask you for permission to display your comments in their web site.
Tell the company that you have no problems if they publish your
comments, but request them to add a link to your site along with the
testimonial. There is every possibility that the company will agree
since publishing the URL of your web site gives more credibility to the
testimonial.

Of course, please don't go about giving testimonials to every

company you can locate just because it will improve your link
popularity :-)
6) Posting to Message Boards and Discussion Lists

Another moderately effective method of increasing the link popularity

of your site is to post to online message boards. At the end of every
message that you post, you can sign off by mentioning your name
and the URL of your web site. If the message board allows it, you can
even include a short promotional blurb about your site at the end of
your posts. However, make sure that the individual messages that
are posted to that message board are archived in static HTML pages
(i.e. the URLs for the individual messages should not contain a "?").
Otherwise, the search engines will consider these pages to be
dynamic pages and may not spider these pages and hence, will not
be able to find your link.

Email based discussion lists which are archived on the web in static
HTML pages can also be used to boost the link popularity of your site
in a similar manner. In this case, the signature file that you use with
your email program should contain the URL for your web site.

7) Setting up new web sites

Yet another moderately effective method of improving the link

popularity of your site is to set up new web sites and have these new
sites link to your main site. If you are Jeff Bezos (CEO of
Amazon.com), you can afford to purchase hundreds of new domains
and have these new domains link to your main site. If you are not Jeff
Bezos, you can simply set up new sites with some of the free web
hosts. (Of course, your primary web site should always be hosted in a
separate domain of its own). Simply add a few pages of unique
content to each of your new sites, and have each of the pages in your
new sites link to your main site.

If you use this technique, make sure that you do not duplicate content
across multiple sites. If you do, the search engines might penalize
your sites for spamming. You need to ensure that all the pages that
you create for these new sites contain unique content.

The disadvantage of this method is that some search engines (like

AltaVista) refuse to spider sites which are present in the free web
hosts. Still, there are many search engines which will spider these
sites, and hence, the link popularity of your main site will improve in
these search engines.

8) Starting a Link Contest

A good method of improving the link popularity of your site is to give

away prizes to other webmasters if they link to you. The prizes that
you give out should ideally be something which other webmasters will
find valuable enough to want to link to you, but which do not cost you
too much. For instance, if you publish a newsletter, and have unsold
ad inventory, you can give away some free advertisements in your
newsletter to the winners. If you sell a software (or an ebook), you
can give away a free copy of your software or ebook to the winners,
since it doesn't cost you anything to produce an additional copy of
digital goods like software and ebooks.
Link contests work best if you run the contest on a continuous basis
and if you declare new winners frequently. If you run the contest for a
few months, and then stop it, the webmasters who had linked to you
will all remove their links. However, if you run it on a continuous
basis, and declare new winners every month or so, the webmasters
will have the incentive to keep their links to your site.

Also, make sure that you require all participants to have a link to your
site either in their home page, or in an internal page of their site which
is linked to their home page. Also ensure that the page which
contains the link is no more than two levels deep from their home
page (i.e. it should not take more than two clicks to go from the home
page to the page containing the link). If they don't do this, the search
engine spiders may not index the page which contains the link to your
site, and hence, may not find your link.

9) Writing articles and allowing them to be re-published

This is by far one of the best ways of improving the link popularity of
your site, and one of my favorites. Whenever I write an article on
search engine placement, I first publish it in my newsletter and then I
publish the article in my site as a separate web page. I also submit it
to the following article submission sites:

http://www.ezinearticles.com/add_url.html
http://www.ideamarketers.com
http://www.marketing-seek.com/articles/submit.shtml
http://certificate.net/wwio/ideas.shtml
http://www.web-source.net/articlesub.htm

Many webmasters and ezine publishers frequent these article

directories in search of articles. Submitting my articles to these
directories gives them the opportunity of re-publishing my articles.
While I have had some success with each of the above directories, by
far the best among them is the ezinearticles.com directory.

Now, at the end of each article, I mention that people are free to re-
publish the article as long as they include my resource box (i.e. my
bio) at the end of the article. I always include the URL of my site in
the resource box. This means that whenever someone publishes one
of my articles in his/her web site, I have another site linking to my
site. Also, many ezine publishers archive their ezines in their web
sites. If they have re-published my article in a particular issue, I again
get a link.

Writing articles is also an excellent viral marketing tool. As some

webmasters and ezine publishers publish my articles, other
webmasters and ezine publishers will read my article. Some of them,
in turn, will publish my article, which will again be read by other
webmasters and ezine publishers, some of whom will publish it... and
so on.

Also, since only web sites related to mine would be interested in

publishing my articles, all these links tend to come from related sites,
 which, as I mentioned earlier, are more valuable than links from
unrelated sites.

Writing articles, of course, has another very important benefit - if you

write good articles, it makes you known as an expert in your field.
This helps to improve your credibility, which makes people more
comfortable about buying your products or services.

Some notes about writing articles:

i) I have learnt through experience that some webmasters will publish

other people's articles and will display the complete resource box but will
not link to the URL mentioned in the resource box. In order to prevent this,
you need to explicitly state that the article can be published only if the URL
mentioned in the resource box is linked to your site.

ii) Your resource box should not be too long - it should be no more than
6 lines long, formatted at 65 characters per line. Otherwise, other
webmasters and ezine publishers will hesitate to publish your article.

10) Starting your own affiliate program

This is another excellent way by which you can improve the link
popularity of your site. When you have your own affiliate program,
you give other webmasters the incentive to link to you. In this case
too, since most of these web sites will be related to the industry in
which you are operating, these links will be more valuable than links
from unrelated sites.

Now, when you start your affiliate program, you need to decide
whether you want to run the program yourself, or whether you want to
outsource it from a third party. While outsourcing your affiliate
program has a number of benefits, doing so will not help you improve
the link popularity of your site, because affiliates are going to link to
the third party's site. In order to improve the link popularity of your
site, you need to ensure that the affiliate links are pointing to your
domain.

11) Submitting to the directories

This is by far the most important step as far as improving the link
popularity of your site is concerned. As I mentioned before, what is
important is not only the number of links to your site, but also the
quality of the links to your site. No links are as important as links from
some of the major directories like Yahoo!, the Open Directory etc.
Hence, it is vitally important that you get your site registered by these
directories.

Also, you should submit your site to as many of the smaller

directories as possible. You can get a list of such directories at
http://dir.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/World_Wide_
Web/Searching_the_Web/Search_Engines_and_Directories/.
Bonus Report – “Choosing the Correct Keywords for your site” By Sumantra Roy

In this article, we focus on the correct way of finding out the keywords
for which you should optimize your site for the search engines. This
article will give you the formula for the Keyword Effectiveness Index
(KEI) - a mathematical formula which I have developed to help you
determine which keywords you should be optimizing your site for.

Step 1: Open your text editor or word processor and write down all
the words and phrases that you might have searched for if you were
looking for a company which offers products and services similar to
yours. For example, suppose your company organizes packaged
tours to Australia.

Here's a list of phrases that I might have searched for if I were

planning to make a trip to Australia:

tourism in Australia
travel to Australia
traveling in Australia
travel agencies in Australia
traveling agencies in Australia
Australian travel agencies

Of course, the keywords that came to your mind may have been
different. But that's not important - the important thing is to get an
initial list of keywords.
You may be wondering why I have not used single word keywords.
Here's why:

Firstly, single word keywords tend to be hyper-competitive. A search

for "tourism" or "traveling" in any search engine will probably
generate hundreds of thousands of pages. While it is possible that
you may get your page in the top 10 for such a single word keyword,
it is quite unlikely.

Secondly, because of the sheer number of pages that single word

searches can throw up, most search engine users have realized that
they can get more relevant pages if they search for phrases rather
than individual words. Statistical research has shown that most
people are now searching for 2 or 3 word phrases rather than for
single words.

Thirdly, single word keywords won't get you targeted traffic. When
people search for "tourism", they are not necessarily looking for
tourist destinations in Australia - they may be interested in any other
country of the world. Even if you got your site into the top 10 for
tourism, you gain nothing from such visitors. However, when
someone searches for "tourism in Australia", he/she is your potential
customer, and hence, it makes sense for you to try and get a top
ranking for your site for that keyword. Hence, whenever you are trying
to generate keywords, try to be location specific. Try to think of
keywords which apply to the geographic area that your product or
service is designed to serve.

Step 2: Open any spreadsheet program that is installed in your hard

drive. I assume you are using Microsoft Excel. If you are using some
other spreadsheet program, just change the spreadsheet related
procedures outlined here to fit your program.

Create 4 columns - one for the keyword, one for the popularity of the
keyword, one for the number of sites that appear in AltaVista for that
keyword and the last for something I call the Keyword Effectiveness
Index (don't worry - I'll explain what KEI means later on). In order to
ensure that you can follow what I am saying, I recommend that you
add the following column headers to the first four columns of the first
row of your spreadsheet:

Keyword
Popularity
No. of Competitors
KEI

In case you don't want to take the trouble of creating your own
spreadsheet, download the keywords.zip file from
http://www.1stSearchRanking.com/t.cgi?1532&download.htm The file
contains a sample spreadsheet in Excel format.
Step 3: A great way to obtain a list of keywords related to the ones
you have developed in the first step is to use WordTracker's keyword
generation service by going to:
http://www.1stSearchRanking.com/t.cgi?1532&wordtracker/

Click on the "Trial" option at the top of the site. In the page that
appears, type in your name and email address and click on the "Start
the trial >>" button. In the next page, click on "Click here to start the
trial". In the next page, type in the first keyword that you developed in
Step 1, i.e. "tourism in Australia", in the text box. Click on the
"Proceed >>" button.

Step 4: In the next page, WordTracker will display a list of keywords

related to the keyword that you had typed in. (Just scroll down the left
pane to see the keywords). Now, click on the first keyword in the left
pane which is applicable for your site. In the right pane, WordTracker
will show a list of keywords which contain the keyword you had
clicked on in the left pane. Then in the table that you have created in
your spreadsheet, copy each of the keywords in the right pane and
paste them in the first column of the table. Also, copy the number of
times those keywords have been used (i.e. the figure present in the
Count column in WordTracker) and paste them in the second column.
In order to ensure that you can follow me, make sure that you type
the first keyword in the second row of your spreadsheet. Of course,
you should only bother adding a keyword to your spreadsheet if it is
applicable for your site.

Once you have added all the keywords in the right pane which are
applicable for your site, click on the next keyword in the left pane
which is applicable for your site. Once again, WordTracker will
display a list of keywords in the right pane which contain the keyword
you had clicked on in the left pane. Again, copy the keywords in the
right pane which are applicable for your site and paste them in the
first column of your spreadsheet. Also, copy the figures present in the
Count column and paste them in the second column beside the
corresponding keywords. Repeat this process for each of the
keywords in the left pane.

Step 5: Once you have finished with all the keywords in the left pane,
press your browser's Back button a number of times until
WordTracker again displays the text box which asks you to type in a
keyword. Type in the second keyword in your original list (i.e. "travel
to Australia"), click on the "Proceed >>" button and repeat Step 4. Do
this for each of the keywords that you developed in Step 1.

Step 6: Go to AltaVista. Search for the first keyword that is present in

your spreadsheet using exact match search (i.e. you should wrap the
keyword in quotes, i.e. you should type a quotation mark before
typing the keyword and a quotation mark after typing it). AltaVista will
return the number of sites which are relevant to that keyword. Add
this number to the third column of the spreadsheet in the same row in
which the keyword is present. Repeat this process for each of the
keywords present in your spreadsheet. Once you have done that,
your first column will contain the keywords, your second column will
show the popularity of the keywords and your third column will
contain the number of sites you are competing against to get a high
ranking for those keywords.

Now it's time to calculate the KEI!

Step 7: The Keyword Effectiveness Index is the square of the

popularity of a keyword multiplied by 1000 and divided by the number
of sites which appear in AltaVista for that keyword. It is designed to
measure which keywords are worth optimizing your site for. Higher
the KEI, better the keyword.

If you had used the spreadsheet file that I created for you (see Step
2), you won't need to enter the formula for calculating the KEI
yourself. The KEI would be automatically calculated for you the
moment you enter the values in columns 2 and 3. You can go straight
to Step 8. In case you didn't download the file, here's how you can
calculate the KEI.

I am assuming that you have created the spreadsheet columns in the

way I recommended in Step 3 and that you are using Microsoft Excel.
If you using some other spreadsheet program, you will need to adjust
the formula to the requirements of your spreadsheet program. Click
on cell D2. Type in the following exactly as it is shown:
=IF(C2<>0,B2^2/C2*1000,0)

Then click on the Copy button to copy the formula, select all the cells
in column 4 which have keywords associated with them and press the
Paste button to paste the formula. The KEI for each keyword will be
displayed.

Step 8: Use your spreadsheet program's Sort feature to sort the rows
in descending order of the KEI. In Excel 97, you would click on the
Data menu, click on the Sort menu item, choose KEI from the drop-
down combo box named "Sort by", click on the "Descending" option
next to it, and then click on OK.

And guess what - that's it! You now know the keywords which you
should optimize your site for. You can now start optimizing your site
one by one for each keyword, starting with the keyword with the
highest KEI. Exactly how many of the keywords you choose to
optimize your site for largely depends on the amount of time that you
can spare from your normal business activities. But whatever the
number of keywords that you target, it obviously makes sense to go
for the most effective keywords first.

Tying up the loose ends:

The number of related keywords that WordTracker displays in the trial
version is limited. In order to get all the keywords which are related to
the keywords you had developed in Step 1, you would need to
subscribe to WordTracker's paid service.

Article by Sumantra Roy. Sumantra is one of the most respected

search engine positioning specialists on the Internet. To have
 Sumatra’s company place your site at the top of the search engines,
go to http://www.1stSearchRanking.com/t.cgi?1532

For more advice on how you can take your web site to the top of the
search engines, subscribe to his FREE newsletter by going to:
http://www.1stSearchRanking.com/t.cgi?1532&newsletter.htm

The next two reports will save you a ton of time if you choose to
pursue Internet Marketing as a way to increase your bookings and
income streams. And I hope you do pursue this – but you already
know that <=;

Bonus Report – “Business Owner's Toolchest” By Paul Galloway

All other things being equal, higher web site traffic will always
translate to more money in your pocket. So here are some
methods/tools for that purpose, along with a couple dozen links to get
you started!

* Search Engines http://www.searchengine-news.com

http://www.searchenginewatch.com

* Pay Per Click Search Engines http://www.goto.com

http://www.bay9.com http://www.payperclicksearchengines.com
 * Press Releases

http://www.prprofits.com/killer.html
http://www.xpresspress.com/PRnotes.html
http://www.businesswire.com
http://www.newsbureau.com
http://www.prweb.com

Software:
http://www.abcreports.com/PressRelease
http://www.prwizard.com

* Newspaper Advertisements http://www.bonafideclassifieds.com

* Your Own Ezine/Newsletter http://www.e-zinez.com

http://www.oaknetpub.com http://www.ezinearticles.com

* Postcards

* Word of "mouth" (visitor recommendations) http://www.recommend-

it.com
* Joint Ventures http://www.jvmarketer.com/jvcenter.html

The above links Are from "The Business Owner's Toolchest" -- a

must-have business resource guide with 899 resources for anyone
running a business online or offline. To find out how it can help you,
visit: http://www.activemarketplace.com/w.cgi?botc-14826

Bonus Report – “57 Resources for Internet Marketers" By Terry Dean

Below are 57 Resources that are valuable to every Internet marketer.

I have gleaned these gems right out of my Internet Explorer

bookmark file to show you a few of the sites which are valuable to my
Internet business.

Discussion Boards

Discussion boards are one of the best resources for doing online
research, finding joint venture partners, and driving additional traffic
to your site. Here are a few of the best Internet marketing boards
available:

The Entrepreneurial Success Forum

http://www.ablake.net/forum
Cybermarketing InfoBoard
http://www.bizweb2000.com/wwwboard/
Profitalk
http://www.profitalk.com/talk/talk.cgi
Product Developers Discussion
http://www.profitlines.com/ipub/index.html
Free Publicity and Promotion
http://www.free-publicity.com/cgi-bin/talk.cgi
Web Marketing and E-Commerce Forums
http://www.wilsonweb.com/cgi-bin/ubb/Ultimate.cgi
Biz-Gold Discussion Board
http://profitinfo.com/discuss/marketing/
High Traffic Forums
http://www.gethighforums.com/bin/Ultimate.cgi
INC Magazine
http://www.inc.com/discussions
The Profits With Information
http://klausdahl.com/forum/
General Business Discussion
http://www.the-illuminati.com/board/index.cgi
ExpertOnEbiz
http://expertonebiz.com/bbs/

Networking Online
Many of you will also need to participate in discussions involving
other subjects. Below are the three search tools for forums,
newsgroups, and mailing lists.
http://www.forumone.com
http://www.liszt.com
http://www.dejanews.com

Credit Card Processing Without a Merchant Account

Having your own merchant account is a very valuable commodity to
have in your Internet business, but in some cases you will want to
use a third party processor to give you better real-time processing, a
secondary processor for online orders, or for those just starting out
that don't want to commit to the long term fees of a merchant
account.

Here are a few of the popular credit card processors:

http://www.ibill.com
http://www.digibuy.com/
http://www.clickbank.com
http://www.ccslide.com
http://www.ccnow.com/
http://www.ifulfill.com

CGI Script Resources

One of the key ways of creating interactivity to your web site is
through the use of CGI scripts. Here are five of the best resource
sites for CGI programming, CGI searches, and CGI tools:

CGI Resources
http://cgi.resourceindex.com/Programs_and_Scripts/
Free Code
http://www.freecode.com/
Big Nose Bird (over 300 pages of tutorials)
http://www.bignosebird.com/
Script Search
http://www.scriptsearch.com/
SuperScripts Membership (Lifetime Membership is $250)
http://www.superscripts.com/scripts/index.html

Free Articles For Your Web Site

Content is king in web site development and here are several web
sites that offer you free articles and content that you can use on your
site:

Content for your site

http://www.isyndicate.com/
Dr Nunley
http://www.drnunley.com/MARKET.htm
Michel Fortin
http://www.success-doctor.com/archive.htm
Jim Daniels
http://www.bizweb2000.com/articles.htm
Terry Dean
http://www.bizpromo.com/free

Pay-Per-Click Search Engines

How would you like to receive 10,000 visitors for $100? It is
possible...and anyone can afford this type of advertising. These
search engines all use a form of pay-per-click advertising where you
place a bid and pay a certain amount for each visitor to your site
(from one cent to five dollars or more):
http://www.goto.com
http://www.sprinks.com
http://www.rocketlinks.com
http://www.findwhat.com
http://www.kanoodle.com
http://www.simplesearch.com
http://www.searchhound.com

Banner Advertising
If you want to try advertising your web site using banners, then here
are four of the best resources for running large or small banner ad
campaigns:
Pennyweb
http://www.pennyweb.com/
Flycast
http://www.flycast.com/
Ad Auction
http://www.auction.com
The Ad Store
http://store.linkexchange.com/

Affiliate Program Information

Many individuals are looking for affiliate programs they can add to
their 'content' site to increase the revenue. The below web sites
will help you pick up affiliate programs for your audience:

CashPile
http://www.cashpile.com/
Make Money Now
http://www.makemoneynow.com/
Associate Programs
http://www.associateprograms.com/
Hundreds of Potential Programs From Linkshare:
http://www.linkshare.com/

Other Important Links

Here are 11 more links that don't fit in any specific category, but I
have found them very valuable in one way or another.

Direct Marketing News: This site covers dozens of stories of interest

to small business owners every day: http://www.dmnews.com/

Small Business Administration: Support, funding, and training are
available from the Government to small Internet businesses and
entrepreneurs: http://www.sba.gov/

Human Click: Install the simple free code given to you, and you will
be able to communicate in real-time with your web site visitors:
http://www.humanclick.com

Wholesale Sources: Find potential products and product ideas from

wholesale sources: http://www.wholesalecentral.com/

ELetter: Combine direct mail advertising with your Internet business

by having Eletter do all of the printing, stuffing, stamping, and
mailing for you: http://www.eletter.com

Great Domains: Buy and sell domain names with the largest
selection on the Internet:
http://www.greatdomains.com/
GTA Technologies: Receive a Free Shopping Cart for Your Web Site:
http://www.gta-tech.com/

CNET Downloads: This is one of the Internet's largest collections of

downloadable software. Find out what is hot and download
software you need for your business:
http://www.download.com
CNET Web Services: Pick a new ISP. Find a popular Web Host.
Design a killer web site. All of these tutorials and tools are
available from CNET Web Services:
http://www.webhostlist.com/

Web Site Garage: Tune up your web site, shrink your images, and
track your traffic at the Garage:
http://www.websitegarage.com

Listbot: Start up your own ezine or email newsletter for free using
Listbot's basic free listservers:
http://www.listbot.com

Terry Dean, a 5 year veteran of Internet marketing, will Take You By

The Hand and Show You Exact Results of All the Internet Marketing
Techniques he tests and Uses Every Single Month.
Click here to Find Out More
PART II

Lesson 10 - Colleges & Universities (Back to Index)

The going rate these days for college bookings in the U.S. are
approximately $1500 to $3500 per show. Colleges are keen to book
magicians, mentalists and hypnotists, thanks to their success with
some extraordinary entertainers that work a lot in this market.

In booking colleges, it has been recommended by a friend, who

works this venue on a regular basis, that the performer not attempt to
book directly with the colleges themselves. I agree, since it is difficult
to contact the representatives that do the bookings, as they are
usually students. Working through agents is much more effective.

Here is an email I just received last week regarding a college

booking. It will give you an idea of what you can expect regarding
accommodation and other considerations. It is not appropriate for me
to provide the writer’s details at this time, so I have omitted them.

From the agent I work with in Canada for college bookings:

Hi Randy!

I went back to the client with the information and they sent me the
following e-mail. Can you give me a call and we'll go over things and
 then perhaps you could be in touch with her as well, so we can put
this one to contract.

Thanks,

Jennifer

(The note from my agent’s client):

Subject: Re: Randy Charach

Hi,

Thank you for the information. I do have a few questions:

1. The fees and travel expenses could be accommodated but it does

concern me about his wife's condition and whether or not he would be
available. You mention that he would guarantee a replacement at no
additional cost. Who might that be and would the person be as qualified?

2. I also would like a few more details on what Randy would do for this
fee? How long is the show? Would he be prepared to come to a "resident"
barbecue on campus just to mix and prepare people for the upcoming
show. Normally we have the "residence" barbeque at 6:00 pm and then the
show around 7:30 pm.

3. Re: accommodation - I could book a hotel for him (is he the only
person coming?) but for your consideration, we do have hotel rooms
 and/or conference suites in this residence. The hotel rooms are pretty
standard with 2 twin beds, tv, small fridge, full washroom. The
conference suites have a kitchen, living room area, 2 bathrooms and
up to 7-8 bedrooms so he would have lots to choose from in terms of
bedrooms but more room for general relaxing. Would Randy find this
acceptable or would he want us to book a hotel?

4. I should also know how arrangements are made financially. I am

certain you have some procedures in place re: deposit, etc.

5. Would I have an opportunity to speak to Randy directly to indicate

type of function, what sort of things I am looking for, etc.? Generally to give
some background to the type of event. This event happens during our
orientation week activities and is usually the one big event of the year.

6. Also, I would like to know if Randy has done anything on this

campus before?

7. Finally, I am wondering about advertising. To recover some costs

(because it is higher than I originally budgeted for) I may have to open it up
to other university staff and students. I am wondering if in the fee, I would
receive posters, etc. of him and/or any other promotional material.

Thank you for your assistance.

Judy
Okay, so let’s see what we can learn from this. Just so you know, by
the way, my wife’s condition that Judy refers was that of being
pregnant. She was due right around the time of the booking, so I told
the agent that if the baby is not born prior to the event that I can
provide another act in my place. The booking is in another province
and requires plane travel. I called the agent regarding all the
questions of her client and gladly accommodated all her requests.

So, work with agents in the college market. The fee range is lower in
Canada than the U.S. (applies across the board, by the way). Expect
requests for attending social functions and accepting campus
accommodation.

College Contact List

The following agencies are active in the college market. There may
be one or two that slipped in that are not suitable for you, but contact
everyone on the list. As most book other markets too, there may be
additional potential bookings for you. Ask questions and listen
carefully. Be sure to go to their web site first when there is a direct
link provided for you. Learn about the company before making
contact. Click here to skip list.
Admire Entertainment, Inc.
Barbara Meyer
Phone: (845) 365-3436
E-Mail: admire@att.net

Agency For The Performing Arts

Jackie Miller
Phone: (310) 888-4291
E-Mail: jmiller@apa-agency.com

Alive! With the Arts (AWA)

Dan Ostrowski
Phone: (410) 882-1191
E-Mail: alivearts@aol.com

Ambassador Agency
Tim Grable
Phone: (615) 370-4700
E-Mail: tim@ambassadoragency.com
Artists United
Billé L.L. Frazier
Phone: (770) 321-0042
E-Mail: iscubadive@yahoo.com

Auburn Moon Agency

Nancy A. Oeswein
Phone: (610) 274-8490
E-Mail: auburnmoon@earthlink.net

Barbara Coppersmith and Associates

Megan Gordan
Phone: (504) 469-8000 x105
E-Mail: megan@barbaracoppersmith.com

Bass/Schuler Entertainment
Chris Schuler
Phone: (773) 539-8100
E-Mail: info@bass-schuler.com

BCA's Comedy Warehouse

Michele Scherdin
Phone: (504) 469-8000 x103
E-Mail: michele@barbaracoppersmith.com
Best Bookings Agency
Michael D'Andrea
Phone: (203) 740-9134
E-Mail: bestbookng@aol.com

Big Wave International, Ltd.

Mariella Winthrop
Phone: (860) 355-2173
E-Mail: bigwave@bestweb.net

Britton Greenstein Management

Brian Patrone
Phone: (610) 828-7537
E-Mail: brittonmgt@pipeline.com

Campus Marketing Specialists, Inc.

Michael Fruchter
Phone: (954) 627-3854
E-Mail: info@campusmarketing.com
ChickenHead Talent Agency
CeaCea Sands
Phone: (720) 962-5320
E-Mail: chickenheadacts@aol.com

Class Act Performing Artists & Speakers, Inc.

Kris Skewes
Phone: (262) 249-0700
E-Mail: classact@iname.com

Clean Comedians
Adam Christing
Phone: 1-800-354-GLAD
E-Mail: bookings@cleancomedians.com

Coleman Productions, Inc.

Diane J. Coleman
Phone: (513) 583-8000
E-Mail: diane@datingdoctor.com

College Access
Brian Herlihy
Phone: (508) 653-7724
E-Mail: bherlihy@collegeaccess.net
Creative Artists Agency
Jeff Gregg
Phone: (615) 383-8787
E-Mail: jgregg@caa.com

Creative Entertainment, Inc.

Thomas Monroe
Phone: (801) 485-1981
E-Mail: tommy@creative_entertainment.com

Cutting Edge Entertainment

Rob Jockel
Phone: (860) 693-9116
E-Mail: rjockel@home.com

D&C Productions
Dwann Holmes-Olsen
Phone: (615) 373-1615
E-Mail: dwann@dandcproductions.com
David Lavin Agency-K&S Speakers Division
Davin Wilfrid
Phone: (617) 499-0811

DCA Productions
Daniel C. Abrahamsen
Phone: (212) 245-2063
E-Mail: dcaplus@panix.com

Designs of Distinction
Brett Kaufman
Phone: (216) 391-9191
E-Mail: desofdis@aol.com

Dixie Trend Programs

Joanne Futch
Phone: (321) 452-4396
E-Mail: dixitrend@aol.com
Don Buchwald & Associates
William J. Bowley, III
Phone: (323) 602-2340
E-Mail: billb@buchwald.com

Don Law Agency

Shawn Radley
Phone: (617) 547-1940
E-Mail: dlagency@aol.com

DreamWorks Records
Zsuzsanna Murphy
Phone: (310) 288-7536

EastCoast Entertainment, Inc.

Kris Benson-Kaminski
Phone: (804) 355-2178
E-Mail: kkaminski@eastcoastentertainment.com
Fogg Entertainment
Linda Fogg
Phone: (614) 451-1100
E-Mail: lffoggent@aol.com

Fun Enterprises, Inc.

Ken Abrahams
Phone: (781) 340-0180
E-Mail: funent@erols.com

Global Talent Associates

Bret Scott
Phone: (212) 921-8500
E-Mail: gpolvere@globaltalentassoc.com

Greater Talent Network

Lisa Bransdorf
Phone: (800) 326-4211
E-Mail: gtn@greatertalent.com
Group H Entertainment
Josh Wainright
Phone: (843) 235-3040
E-Mail: grouph@aol.com

Head On Entertainment, Inc.

Chris Huntington
Phone: (410) 426-7220
E-Mail: headonent@aol.com

Horton Smith Management, Inc.

Thelma Smith
Phone: (919) 682-1395
E-Mail: hortonsmit@aol.com

Joey Edmonds Agency

Joey Edmonds
Phone: (818) 955-8710
E-Mail: joeyedmonds@compuserve.com
Kramer International, Inc.Bob Kramer
Phone: (616) 791-0095
E-Mail: kramerintl@msn.com

Lefton Promotions, Inc.

Hunt Niedringhaus
Phone: (314) 692-2400
E-Mail: sales@leftonpromo.com

Lordly & Dame, Inc.

Kevin R. MacRae
Phone: (617) 482-3593
E-Mail: lordly@banet.net

Metropolitan Entertainment Group

Mike Geremia
Phone: (973) 744-0770
E-Mail: mikeg@metroent.com
Michael Quinn Productions, Inc.
Michael Quinn
Phone: (978) 440-8600
E-Mail: mike@mqproductions.com

National Entertainment & Promotions, LLC

Don Jones
Phone: (231) 592-5594
E-Mail: nationalep@aol.com

Neon Entertainment
Scott Talarico
Phone: (716) 706-0240
E-Mail: scott@neon-entertainment.com

New York Entertainment

Matthew J. Frost
Phone: (212) 586-1000 x306
E-Mail: mfrost17@aol.com
NY Party Works
Sue Roland
Phone: (516) 501-1414
E-Mail: nypartyworks@aol.com

Omnipop, Inc. Talent Agency

Simon Hopkins, Jr.
Phone: (516) 937-6011
E-Mail: omni@omnipop.com

On The Road
Eddie Schneller
Phone: (212) 302-5559
E-Mail: ed@rfpny.com

OnCampus Booking
Denise Wallace
Phone: (612) 341-8340
E-Mail: oncampusbooking@aol.com
OUTmedia
Shelly Weiss
Phone: (718) 789-1776
E-Mail: OUTmedia@msn.com

Paradigm Entertainment Group

Leonard Jones
Phone: (616) 365-1074
E-Mail: leonard@paradigment.com

Paradise Artists
Jim Lenz
Phone: (805) 646-8433
E-Mail: jim@paradiseartists.com

Red, Black and Green Promotions

Jeffrey Carroll
Phone: (954) 441-4457
E-Mail: rbgworld@aol.com

Rising Star Promotions

David Neilon
Phone: (678) 445-1712
E-Mail: info@risingstarpromotions.com
S.C. Entertainment
Stephanie Chaiken
Phone: (212) 929-0630
E-Mail: sceusa@aol.com

Sophie K. Entertainment
Kate Magill
Phone: (212) 664-8559
E-Mail: k.magill@worldnet.att.net

Stage 9 Productions
Mike Lynn
Phone: (248) 414-7690
E-Mail: lynn@voyager.net

Talent Network, Inc.

David Sedelmeier
Phone: (412) 264-4727
E-Mail: mail@talentnetworkinc.com

Wolfman Productions
Scott Wolfman
Phone: (203) 426-6944
E-Mail: swolfman@aol.com
There are three main ways that I suggest you contact the agencies,
based on the on the information you have available:

Email

Write a generic note to each company that you can copy and paste to
save time. Be sure to personalize each message with the person’s
name and web address if you were able to visit their site. This way it
will not seem like you are spamming them (sending unsolicited bulk
email). Try something like this:

Subject: (Your headline goes here)

Dear Bob,

Was at your site: www.bobbookscollegeacts.com and noticed …

(Compelling copy goes here)

Sincerely,

Joe Magic
(Signature with USP and call to action goes here)

PS (remember, the same copy writing rules apply across medias)

Direct Mail

You can phone and ask for the address if you couldn’t pull it from the
web site. Then send a letter asking if they would like to receive a
package. Offer them a few easy ways to reply such as an 800
number or a fax or mail back sheet. Follow up with more mail or a
phone call. I do not recommend you ever mail promotional packages
unless the person is expecting you to send one. It is a waste of time
and money. Refer back to the sales letter lesson to help you write
your correspondence.

Phone

Finally, you could phone the contact person and actually have a
conversation with them. Wild. Find out who they are and what
possibilities there are for you to work with them. Ask how and what
they want by way of promotional material. This may be your best bet
if you are not Internet- marketing savvy with all your electrons in line
yet. Since there are not tons of agencies that book colleges, why not
just give them a call? There are probably a few more out there in
addition to what I have listed, but there are certainly not hundreds.
This is where just picking up the phone makes the most sense.

You probably realize by now that I think most direct mail marketing is
a waste of money when compared to Internet marketing. Use the
direct mail method in this market only if you are really inept at using
email and scared to talk to strangers on the phone. Use toned down
sales correspondence when dealing with agents.
If you connect with an agency, they may ask you to showcase at
NACA (National Association of Campus Activities). This would be a
golden opportunity for you to get massive exposure. If this is going to
be one of your primary markets, then find out more about this
organization at: www.naca.org

In Canada the organization similar to NACA is called COCA (The

Canadian Organization of Campus Activities).

You can find out more about this organization at: http://www.coca.org
Lesson 11 - Shopping Centers (Back to Index)

Shopping centers and malls can be a lucrative venue for you. You
can perform strolling magic; create theme shows based around
holidays and events, and a lot more. Let’s look at one example of an
event to promote:

Christmas

Most shopping centers have a Santa Claus during the holiday

season. Many of them will be interested in a proposal to have Santa
to appear magically, or they may have already instituted this. I have
presented "The Magic of Santa" in as many as nine shopping centers
in the month of November. Often I would appear in up to three
shopping centers in one day. At $1000.00 per show, which is the fee I
received from each center, that worked out to be an additional
$9000.00 each November. Each show was 20 minutes and the
production of Santa Claus was from a simple illusion. Some years,
and in certain shopping centers, the marketing manager did not even
require me to produce Santa Claus magically and I still received the
$1000.00 for a 20 minute show.

Recently, magician John Kaplan has released a method he has used

to earn $22,500 for a single, Mall - Santa Claus appearance. Do a
few of those each year and you are guaranteed to have a Merry
Christmas. If this interests you: mailto:JKS@charach.com
How to reach this Market

If you would like to travel and work in different cities, then join the:

International Council of Shopping Centers

1221 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020-1099
Telephone: (646) 728-3800
Fax: (212) 589-5555
ICSC.org: www.icsc.org

You can advertise to their members in their trade publications. You

can attend and exhibit in their trade shows and promote yourself in
person.

The site above will give you access to a directory search of all
the major malls in North America:

The serious money to be made from shopping centers for magicians

is by producing shows that can be duplicated. The other way is to
book acts through your own entertainment agency. Shopping center
entertainment is mostly for family or children audiences and will likely
appeal to you as a supplement to your other more lucrative streams
of income.
 Lesson 12 - Fairs and Festivals (Back to Index)

Fairs and festivals can be a great source of income for magicians.

This applies whether you perform primarily for children or adults. I
have earned several hundred thousand dollars from just one fair
during the course of several years. To give you an idea, to present an
illustration, of a real life scenario of how to become rich by being a
magician, I will explain exactly what happened, how and why.

The Fair I am referring to is the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) here

in my home city of Vancouver, Canada. It is a good sized Fair, the
second largest in Canada. Probably average in size when compared
to county fairs spread throughout the United States. In other words,
there are many more Fairs just like this one all over the country. You
can do what I did or at least model the psychology and procedure to
create a long-term relationship with a single company that can
provide multiple streams of income to your business.

I was initially booked at the Fair by calling up the entertainment

manager and setting up a meeting. It was in 1981 and I was in grade
12. At the meeting I asked him what he could use by way of magical
entertainment. He said a magic show twice a day and a clown to wander
the grounds for a couple hours throughout the day would nicely complete
his entertainment roster for the upcoming season. I asked what his budget
was for each of the two spots and he said $100 each per day. I quickly
calculated that $200 x 17 days is $3400 and asked for both gigs. Good
money for two weeks of summer work
 over 20 years ago at seventeen years old. All I had to do was put
together a clown costume and some make-up and I was all set.

There are a couple of key points that I want to be sure you did not
miss in the scenario above:

1. I am all for sales letters and was using them long before I even
knew what they were called. But sometimes it’s simply better just to pick up
the phone and make direct contact. In this case, I know for sure that the
entertainment manager received hundreds of letters and promotional
packages every year. He was delighted to have someone actually phone
and suggest a meeting. What followed from that meeting was well worth
the phone call.

2. Another key element to being a successful sales person is to ask

questions and listen carefully for the answers. Your customer will tell you
what they want to buy from you if you just ask them. Had I entered the
meeting with a pre-conceived notion that I was going to sell him a specific
type of show, I likely would not have received the booking that year and the
income that followed for years to come.

3. Finally, I listened with an open mind. I had never considered being

a clown before. Not only did I double the contract amount, but, more
importantly, I demonstrated flexibility to the client. This also paid off with
dividends in future years.
During the course of the next sixteen years I did something each year
that was appreciated by each and every new entertainment manager
at the Fair. I approached each year fresh by asking questions as to
their new and changing needs, and I provided solutions to their
problems. Every year I increased my value to the Fair and my fee
consequently increased substantially too. In the last couple years
performing at the Fair my fee peaked at just over $3,000.00 per day
for each of the seventeen days of the run. In one of those years, all I
had to do was two-twenty minute mentalism shows per day. My
contact was for $54,000.00. You too can build relationships over time
with organizations that can reward you handsomely while you serve
their needs.

But guess what? That's not the best part. During the years as I was
listening to their needs, I realized an opportunity to provide them with
much of their other entertainment. My entertainment booking agency
obtained contracts year after year with this client. In one year my
company was granted a quarter million dollars’ worth of their
entertainment-programming budget.

The above scenario is similar to many other cases of relationships I

have had with many other types of companies. You can and will have
the same type of success if you follow the examples I have laid out
for you in this course.

I will provide you with detailed contact information for Fairs and
Festivals throughout North America. I will also provide an extensive
contact list of agencies that book entertainment at Fairs and
Festivals.

You know enough by now as to how you want to contact them.

Here is a list of all the contacts you will ever need to work in this
market: Click here to skip list and go to next lesson.

Agencies for Fair Bookings

Agency for the Performing Arts

3322 West End Avenue, #520
Nashville, TN 37203
Contact: Bonnie Sugarman
Phone: (615) 297-0100

Barbara Coppersmith & Associates

3329 Florida Ave., Suite 200
Kenner, LA 70065-
Contact: Barbara Coppersmith
Phone: (504) 469-8000

Bill Hollingshead Productions

1720 N. Ross St.
Santa Ana, CA 92706
Contact: Bill Hollingshead
Phone: (714) 543-4894
http://www.jananddean.com
Capitol Int'l Productions
47829 Tomahawk Drive
Negley, OH 44441
Contact: David Musselman
Phone: 330-227-2000
http://www.capitolint.com

Comstock Ranch Company

112 Comstock Drive
Ventura, CA 93001
Contact: Stephen Hartmann
Phone: 800-976-3336

Concert Services
18522 Springdale Court
Seattle, WA 98177-
Contact: John Dougherty
Phone: (206) 533-9955

Disneyland Entertainment Productions

P. O. Box 3232
Anaheim, CA 92803-
Contact: Dennis Condon
Phone: (714) 781-3446
http://www.disney.com
Entertainment Connection, The
1202 Lincoln Avenue #101
San Jose, CA 95125
Contact: Read Zaro
Phone: (408) 275-6325

EPIC Entertainment, LLC

77622 Country Club Drive #N
Palm Desert, CA 92211
Contact: Sue Behnke
Phone: (760) 360-6668
http://www.epic1.com

Good Music Agency, Inc.

P.O. Box 82388
Kenmore, WA 98028
Contact: Kell Houston
Phone: (425) 806-9498

Harmony Artists, Inc.

8833 Sunset Blvd., Pnthse. W
Los Angeles, CA 90069
Contact: Jerry Ross
Phone: (310) 659-9644
Int'l Creative Management
8942 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Contact: Scott Pang
Phone: (310) 550-4371

Magnet Productions
P.O. Box 4581
Lancaster, CA 93539-
Contact: Marshall Garrison
Phone: (805) 951-3777

Mt. High Entertainment

7965 Vineyard Ave, 2nd Floor, Ste
F8 Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730-
Contact: Michael Scafuto
Phone: (909) 980-8900
http://www.mthighentertainment.com

Periwinkle Entertainment Prod.

P.O. Box 2486
Anaheim, CA 92814-0486
Contact: Chuck or Bambi Burnes
Phone: (714) 776-5820
Prince/SF Productions
1450 South Gate, #206
Daly City, CA 94015-4021
Contact: Ken Malucelli
Phone: (650) 550-0005
http://www.PrinceSF.com

Simas and Associates

P.O. Box 1225
Rancho Murrieta, CA 95683-1225
Contact: Mel Simas
Phone: (916) 354-0721
http://www.simascando.com

Star Attractions
3280 E. Tropicana, Ste.B
Las Vegas, NV 89121
Contact: Ron Gill
Phone: (702) 740-4300
http://www.starattractionswest.com

Table Top Productions

1401 Shore St.
West Sacramento, CA 95691
Contact: George Gosling
Phone: (916) 371-2896
That's Entertainment Int'l
1360 N Hancock Street
Anaheim, CA 92807
Contact: Scott M. Thomas
Phone: (916) 853-2777

Trinity Management Group

#5 Dittmer Circle
Pueblo, CO 81005-
Contact: Jerry Robbe
Phone: (719) 561-4580

Viking Agency
7676 E. Bullard
Clovis, CA 93611
Contact: Richard Fatland
Phone: (559) 324-9393

Wilson Events, Inc.

765 Baywood Drive, Suite 335
Petaluma, CA 94954
Contact: Suzanne Wilson
Phone: (707) 763-9534
Young & Co.
P.O. Box 231304
Encinitas, CA 92023-1304
Contact: Holly Young
Phone: (760) 633-4802

Fairs and Associations

Adams County Fair & Rodeo

9755 Henderson Road
Brighton, CO 80601
Contact: Pauline Johnson
Phone: (303) 659-3666

Agricultural Fair Assn. Of New Jersey

PO Box 330
Trenton, NJ 08625-0330
Contact: Lynn Mathews
Phone: (609) 292-5539

Alabama National Fair

PO Box 3304
Montgomery, AL 36109-0304
Phone: (536) 272-6831
Alaska State Fair
2075 Glenn Highway
Palmer, AK 99645
Contact: Joe Lawton
Phone: 907 745 4827

Amador County Fair

P.O. Box 9
Plymouth, CA 95669
Contact: Ralph Clark
Phone: 209 245 6921

Annual 4th of July Cavalcade

501 E. Caroline Street
Carson City, NV 89701
Contact: Janice Ayres
Phone: (775) 687-4680

Antelope Valley Fair

155 East Avenue I
Lancaster, CA 93535
Contact: Daniel Jacobs
Phone: (661) 948-6060
Arizona Fairs Association
1826 W. McDowell Road
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Contact: Sherry Pew
Phone: (602) 257-7116

Arizona State Fair

P.O. Box 6728
Phoenix, AZ 85005
Contact: Gary Montgomery
Phone: 602 252 6771

Arkansas Fair Mgr. Assn.

HC 64, Box 522
Star City, AR 71667-
Contact: Carolyn Wynn
Phone: (870) 628-6943

Arkansas State Fair

P.O. Box 166660
Little Rock, AR 72216
Contact: Jim Pledger
Assn. of Iowa Fairs
242 Eighth Avenue W.
Cresco, IA 52136-1063
Contact: Tom Barnes
Phone: (319) 547-4996
http://www.iowafairs.com

Benton County Fair & Rodeo

110 SW 53rd
Corvallis, OR 97333
Contact: Don Studier
Phone: 503 757 1521

Boulder County Fair and Livestock Show

9595 Nelson Road
Longmont, CO 80501
Contact: Jim Rice

Butte County Fair

P.O. Box 308
Gridley, CA 95948
Contact: Patricia Conklin
Phone: 530 846 3626
Calaveras County Fair
P.O. Box 489
Angels Camp, CA 95222
Contact: Buck King
Phone: 209 736 2561
http://www.frogtown.org

Calgary Stampede
Box 1060, Station M
Calgary, ALB, CAN T2P 2K8
Contact: Steve Edwards
Phone: 403 261 0101

California Mid-State Fair

P.O. Box 8
Paso Robles, CA 93447
Contact: John Alkire
Phone 805 239 0655

California Mid-Winter Fair & Fiesta

200 E Second Street
Imperial, CA 92251
Contact: Bill Blair
Phone: 760 355 1181
http://www.ivexpo.com
California State Fair
P.O. Box 15649
Sacramento, CA 95852
Contact: Norb Bartosik
Phone: 916 263 3061

California Mid-State Fair

P.O. Box 8
Paso Robles, CA 93447
Contact: John Alkire
Phone: 805 239 0655

California Mid-Winter Fair & Fiesta

200 E Second Street
Imperial, CA 92251
Contact: Bill Blair
Phone: 760 355 1181
http://www.ivexpo.com/

California State Fair

P.O. Box 15649
Sacramento, CA 95852
Contact: Norb Bartosik
Phone: 916 263 3061
California State Grange
2101 Stockton Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95817
Contact: Naomi Fletcher
Phone: 916 454 5805

Canadian Assn of Fairs and Exhibitions

Central Experimental Farm, Building #54, Maple Dr.
Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6, CAN T5J 2M4
Contact: Janice Oliver
Phone: (613) 233-0012

Central WA State Fair

P.O. Box 1381
Yakima, WA 98907
Contact: Greg Stewart
Phone: 509 248 7160
http://www.fairfun.com

Clackamas County Fair

694 N.E. 4th Avenue
Canby, OR 97013
Contact: Rayven Davis
Phone: 503 266 1136
Clark County Fair, NV
P.O. Box 143
Logandale, NV 89021
Contact: Todd Robison
Phone: 702 398 3247

Clark County Fair, WA

17402 N.E. Delfel Road
Ridgefield, WA 98642
Contact: Tom Musser
Phone: 360 397 6180

Clatsop County Fair

92937 Walluski Loop
Astoria, OR 97103
Contact: Denny Holmes
Phone: (503) 325-8211

Cloverdale Citrus Fair

#1 Citrus Fair Drive
Cloverdale, CA 95425
Contact: Bonnie Wlodarczyk
Phone: 707 894 3992
Coconino County Fair
HCR 30, Box 3A
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Contact: Linda Kellogg
Phone: (502) 774-5139

Colorado Assn. of Fairs & Show

P. O. Box 1023
Canon City, CO 81212
Contact: Lois Telck
Phone: (719) 275-4842

Colorado River Country Fair

11995 Olive Lake Blvd.
Blythe, CA 92225
Contact: Pam Reinharts
Phone: 760 922 3247

Colorado State Fair

1001 Beulah Avenue
Pueblo, CO 81004
Contact: Ed Kruse
Phone: 719 561 8484
Columbia County Fair & Rodeo
58892 Saulser Road
St. Helens, OR 97051-
Contact: Evelyn Hudson
Phone: (503) 397-4231
http://www.columbia-center.org/countyfair/index.htm

Colusa County Fair

P.O. Box 240
Colusa, CA 95932
Contact: Greg Hegwer
Phone: 530 458 2641

Contra Costa County Fair

P.O. Box 1378
Antioch, CA 94509
Contact: Chris Baldwin
Phone: (925) 756-1845

Coos County Fair

P.O. Box 332
Myrtle Point, OR 97458
Contact: Ron Crook
Phone: 541 572 2002
Crook County Fair
P.O. Box 507
Prineville, OR 97754
Contact: Gary Timmerman
Phone: 541 447 6575

Curry County Fair

29392 Ellensburg Avenue
Gold Beach, OR 97444
Contact: Ron Crook
Phone: 541 247 4541

Del Mar Fair

2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd.
Del Mar, CA 92014-2216
Contact: Tim Fennell
Phone: (858) 755-1161

Del Norte County Fair

421 Hwy 101 North
Crescent City, CA 95531
Contact: Randy Hatfield
Phone: 707 464 9556
Deschutes County Fair
3800 SW Airport Way
Redmond, OR 97756-8697
Contact: General Manager
Phone: 514 548 2711

Desert Empire Fair

520 S. Richmond Road
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
Contact: Mike Thomas
Phone: 760 375 8000

Dixon May Fair

P.O. Box 459
Dixon, CA 95620-0459
Contact: Michael Green
Phone: 707 678 5529

Douglas County Fair

2110 S.W. Frear Street
Roseburg, OR 97470
Contact: Jay Collier
Phone: (541) 957-7010
Eastern Idaho State Fair
P.O. Box 250
Blackfoot, ID 83221
Contact: Doris Wallace
Phone: 208 785 2480

Eastern Sierra Tri-County

P.O. Box 608
Bishop, CA 93515
Contact: Jim Tatum
Phone: 760 873 3588

El Dorado County Fair

P.O. Box 1537
Placerville, CA 95667
Contact: Susan Clark
Phone: 530 621 5860

Elko County Fair and Livestock

P O Box 2067
Elko, NV 89803
Contact: John Byers
Phone: (775) 738-3616
Evergreen State Fair
PO Box 129
Monroe, WA 98272-
Contact: Rich Hartzell
Phone: (360) 805-6700

Farmers Fair & Expo

18700 Lake Perris Drive
Perris, CA 92571
Contact: Lyndal Graff
Phone: 909 657 4221

Georgia Assn. Of Agricultural Fairs

P. O. Box 5260
Macon, GA 31208
Contact: Charles Inman
Phone: (912) 477-2334

Glenn County Fair

P.O. Box 667
Orland, CA 95963
Contact: John Kegebein
Phone: 530 865 1168
Gold Country Fair
P.O. Box 5527
Auburn, CA 95604-5527
Contact: Bill Dale
Phone: 530 823 4533

Hawaii State Farm Fair

2343 Rose Street
Honolulu, HI 96819
Contact: Douglas Duarte
Phone: 808 848 2074

Humboldt County Fair

P.O. Box 637
Ferndale, CA 95536
Contact: Stuart Titus
Phone: 707 786 9511

Illinois Association of Agricultural

Fairs 24510 E. 1000 North Road Fairbury,
IL 61739-9216 Contact: William Fugate

Phone: (815) 692-2400

Indiana State Fair
1202 E 38th St
Indianapolis, IN 46205-
Contact: William Stinson
Phone: (317) 927-7524

Int'l Assn. Of Fairs & Expositions

3043 E. Cairo
Springfield, MO 65802
Contact: Jim Tucker
Phone: 800 516 0313
http://www.iafenet.org

Jackson County Fair

P.O. Box 3635
Central Point, OR 97502
Contact: Chris Borovansky
Phone: (541) 774-8270

Jefferson County Fair

P.O. Box 237
Madras, OR 97741
Contact: Floyd Bauer
Phone: 541 475 4460
Josephine County Fair
P.O. Box 672
Grants Pass, OR 97526
Contact: Allan Westhoff
Phone: 541 476 3215

Inter-Mountain Fair of Shasta

P.O. Box 10
McArthur, CA 96056
Contact: Dennis Hoffman
Phone: 530 336 5695

International Festival & Events Assn.

PO Box 2950
Port Angeles, WA 98362-4695
Contact: Bruce Skinner
Phone: 206 457 3141

Kansas Fairs Association

704 Newport Road
Hutchinson, KS 67502-8422
Contact: Elmer K. Denning
Phone: (316) 669-8386
Kern County Fair
1142 South P Street
Bakersfield, CA 93307
Contact: Michael Treacy
Phone: 805 833 4900
http://www.kerncountyfair.com

King County Fair

P.O. Box 246
Enumclaw, WA 98022
Contact: Mark Campbell
Phone: 206 296 8888

Kings Fair
P.O. Box 14
Hanford, CA 93232
Contact: Beverley Baker
Phone: (559) 584-3318

Klamath County Fair

3531 S. Sixth Street
Klamath Falls, OR 97603
Contact: John Hancock
Phone: (541) 883-3796
Klondike Days Exposition
P.O. Box 1480
Edmonton ALB, CAN T5J 2N5
Contact: Ken Knowles
Phone: 403 471 7210

La Paz County Fair

P.O. Box 1023
Parker, AZ 85344
Contact: Duce Minor
Phone: 520 669 8100

La Plata County Fairgrounds

2500 Main Ave
Durango, CO 81301-5900
Contact: Peter Barrington
Phone: 970 247 2308

Lake County Fair

P.O. BOX 70
Lakeport, CA 95453
Contact: Rich Persons
Phone: 707 263 6181
http://www.lakecountyfair.com
Lane County Fair
796 W 13th Avenue
Eugene, OR 97402-4010
Contact: Mike Gleason
Phone: 541 687 4292

Larimer County Fair & Rodeo

P.O. Box 926
Loveland, CO 80539
Contact: Bob Holt

Las Vegas Jaycees Fair

4542 E. Tropicana Ave. #216
Las Vegas, NV 89121-5705
Contact: Theresa Mandryk
Phone: 702 457 8832

Lassen County Fair

195 Russell Avenue
Susanville, CA 96130
Contact: Claud Neely
Phone: 530 257 4104
Linn County Fair
3700 Knox Butte Road
Albany, OR 97321
Contact: Randy Powell
Phone: 541 926 4314

Lodi Grape Festival

P.O. Box 848
Lodi, CA 95241
Contact: Mark Armstrong
Phone: 209 369 2771

Los Angeles County Fair

P.O. Box 2250
Pomona, CA 91769
Contact: James Henwood
Phone: 909 623 3111

Lyon County Fair

P.O. Box 47
Yerington, NV 89447
Contact: Mary McCandless
Phone: 702 463 6590
Madera District Fair
P.O. Box 837
Madera, CA 93639-0837
Contact: Scott Sample
Phone: 209 674 8511

Maine Assn. Of Agricultural Fairs

P. O. Box 200
Litchfield, ME 04350-0200
Contact: Muriel Bonin
Phone: (207) 268-4631
http://www.maineagriculturalfairs.com

Maricopa County Fair

1826 W. McDowell Road
Phoenix, AZ 85007-
Contact: Rochell Planty
Phone: 602 252 0717

Marin County Fair

Avenue of the Flags
San Rafael, CA 94903
Contact: Jim Farley
Phone: 415 499 6400
http://www.marinfair.org
Marion County Fair
P.O. Box 7166
Salem, OR 97303-0033
Contact: Mary Boedigheimer
Phone: 503 585 9998

Mariposa County Fair

5007 Fairgrounds Drive
Mariposa, CA 95338
Contact: Linda Sinclair
Phone: 209 966 2432

Maryland Assn. of Agricultural Fairs and Shows, Inc.

23516 Woodfield Road
Gaithersburg, MD 20882-3016
Contact: Hazel Staley, CFE Secretary/Treas.
Phone: 301 869 4387
http://www.maafs.com

Massachusetts Agricultural Fairs

Assn. 109 Shelbourne Line Road Colrain,
MA 01340-9742 Contact: Mike Scranton

Phone: (413) 624-3739

http://www.mafa.org
Mendocino County Fair
P.O. Box 458
Boonville, CA 95415
Contact: Dave Gowan
Phone: 707 895 3011

Merced County Fair

P.O. Box 1352
Merced, CA 95341
Contact: Cheryl Davidson
Phone: 209 722 1507

Merced County Spring Fair

P.O. Box 71
Los Banos, CA 93635
Contact: Ron Brandt
Phone: 209 826 5166

Mesa County Executive Fair Board

P. O. Box 60147
Grand Junction, CO 81506-
Contact: Gaye Stockman
Phone: (970) 245-4332
Michigan Assn. Of Fairs & Exhibitions
P. O. Box 10
Allegan, MI 49010
Contact: Terry Bannell
Phone: 616 673 3030

Mid-South Fair
940 Early Maxwell Blvd.
Memphis, TN 38104
Contact: Milton Rodgers
Phone: 901 274 8800

Minnesota Federation of County Fairs

RR1, Box 71A
Utica, MN 55979-
Contact: Donna Speltz
Phone: (507) 523-2468

Minnesota State Fair

1265 Snelling Avenue N
St. Paul, MN 55108
Contact: Jerry Hammer
Phone: 612 642 2200
http://www.statefair.gen.mn.us
Missouri Assn. Of Fairs & Festivals
P. O. Box 8066
Belleville, IL 62220
Contact: Connie Shisler
Phone: (618) 355-0854
http://www.mofairsfest.org

Modoc-The Last Frontier Fair

P.O. Box 26
Cedarville, CA 96104
Contact: Traci Green
Phone: 530 279 2315

Mohave County Fair

2600 Fairgrounds Blvd.
Kingman, AZ 86401-4169
Contact: Errol Pherigo
Phone: 520 753 2636

Montana State Fair

P.O. Box 1888
Great Falls, MT 59403-
Contact: Patty Gumenberg
Phone: 509 765 3581
Monterey County Fair
2004 Fairgrounds Road
Monterey, CA 93940
Contact: Michelle Wakeham
Phone: (831) 372-5863

Mother Lode Fair

220 Southgate Drive
Sonora, CA 95370
Contact: Forrest J. White
Phone: 209 532 7428

Napa County Fair

P.O. Box 344
Calistoga, CA 94515
Contact: Mike Kenney
Phone: 707 942 5111

Napa Town & Country Fair

575 Third Street
Napa, CA 94559
Contact: Joe Anderson
Phone: 707 253 4900
National Orange Show
689 South E Street
San Bernardino, CA 92408-1987
Contact: Bradley Randall
Phone: 909 888 6788

Navajo County Fair

P.O. Box 309
Holbrook, AZ 86001
Contact: Lauri Friedman

Navajo Nation Fair

P.O. Box 2370
Window Rock, AZ 86515
Contact: Leo Watchman
Phone: 520 871 6478

Nebraska Assn. of Fair Managers.

P. O. Box 144
Marquette, NE 68854-0144
Contact: Ken Killion
Phone: 402 387 1518
Nevada County Fair
P.O. Box 2687
Grass Valley, CA 95945
Contact: Ed Scofield
Phone: 530 273 6217
http://www.nevadacountyfair.com

Nevada Days Celebration

501 E. Caroline Street
Carson City, NV 89701
Contact: Janice Ayres
Phone: (775) 687-4680

Nevada State Fair

1350-A N. Wells Avenue
Reno, NV 89512
Contact: Gary Lubra
Phone: (775) 688-5767
http://www.nevadastatefair.org

New Brunswick Fairs and Exhibitions Assn.

25 Todd Street
Saint John, NB, CAN E2H 193
Contact: Murray Carpenter
Phone: (506) 633-5043
New Mexico State Fair
P.O. Box 8546
Albuquerque, NM 87198
Contact: Kaye Shollenbarger
Phone: 505 265 1791

New York State Assn. of Agri Fairs, Inc.

67 Verbeck Avenue
Schaghticoke, NY 12154-2713
Contact: Norma Hamilton
Phone: (607) 273-1577

Nez Perce County Fair

1229 Burrell
Lewiston, ID 83501
Contact: J. Michael Orton
Phone: 208 743 3302

North Carolina Assn. Of Ag Fairs

117 Shirley Drive
Cary, NC 27511-3854
Contact: Joan Long
Phone: (919) 467-8810
North Dakota Assn. of Fairs
208 W 2nd Avenue So.
Cavalier, ND 58220
Contact: Neil Fleming
Phone: (701) 265-8446

Ohio Fair Managers Association

P. O. Box 101
Harrod, OH 45850
Contact: Don Klingler
Phone: (419) 648-8106

Ohio State Fair

717 E. 17th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43211
Contact: Rick Frenette
Phone: 614 644 4000

Ontario Assn. Ag Societies

P. O. Box 220
Blackstock, ON, CAN L0B 1B0
Contact: Joyce Kelly
Phone: 905 986 0238
Orange County Fair
88 Fair Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Contact: Becky Bailey-Findley
Phone: 714 708 3247

Oregon Fairs Association

P. O. Box 771
Salem, OR 97308-0771
Contact: John McCulley
Phone: 503 370 7019

Oregon State Fair

2330 17th St. NE
Salem, OR 97310
Contact: Katie Cannon
Phone: (503) 947-3247

Outdoor Amusement Business Association

1035 S Semoran Blvd, Suite 1045A Winter
Park, FL 32792-5512 Contact: Robert
Johnson Phone: 612 831 4643
Pacific National Exhibition
P.O. Box 69020
Vancouver BC, CAN V5K 4W3
Contact: Patrick Roberge
Phone: 604 253 2311

Pennsylvania State Assn. of County Fairs

P. O. Box 546
Gratz, PA 17030-0546
Contact: Bruce Koppenhaver
Phone: (717) 365-3922
http://www.pafairs.org

Pima County Fair

11300 S. Houghton Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85747
Contact: Jack Murphy
Phone: 520 762 9100

Pinal County Fair

P.O. Box 3110 11 M.C.R.B.
Casa Grande, AZ 85222
Contact: Terry Haifley
Phone: 520 723 5242
Placer County Fair
800 All American Blvd.
Roseville, CA 95678
Contact: Bill Dale
Phone: 916 786 2023

Plumas-Sierra County Fair

504 Fairgrounds Road
Quincy, CA 95971-9462
Contact: Mike Clements
Phone: 530 283 6272

Polk County Fair

P.O. BOX 29
Rickreall, OR 97371-0029
Contact: Tina Anderson
Phone: 503 623 3048

Redwood Acres Fair

P.O. Box 6576
Eureka, CA 95502
Contact: Lawrence Ford
Phone: 707 445 3037
Redwood Empire Fair
1055 N. State Street
Ukiah, CA 95482
Contact: Win Carpenter
Phone: 707 462 3884

Rooftop Fair & Rodeo

P.O. Box 1967
Estes Park, CO 80517
Contact: Linda Hinze

RSVP Spring Fun Fair

501 E. Caroline
Carson City, NV 89701
Contact: Janice Ayres
Phone: (775) 687-4680

Sacramento County Fair

P.O. Box 15028
Sacramento, CA 95851-0028
Contact: Steve Weaver
Phone: 9162632975
Salinas Valley Fair
625 Division Street
King City, CA 93930
Contact: Paul Slocum
Phone: (831) 385-3243

San Benito County Fair

P.O. Box 790
Hollister, CA 95024-0790
Contact: Kelley Ferreira
Phone 831 628 3421

San Bernardino County Fair

14800 Seventh Street
Victorville, CA 92392
Contact: Selma Harris
Phone: 760 951 2200
http://www.sbcfair.com

San Fernando Valley Fair

P.O. Box 3639
Burbank, CA 91508-3639
Contact: Dale Coons
Phone: 818 557 1600
San Joaquin County Fair
1658 S. Airport Way
Stockton, CA 95206
Contact: Forrest White
Phone: 209 466 5041

San Mateo County Fair

P.O. Box 1027
San Mateo, CA 94403
Contact: John Root
Phone: 650 574 3247

Santa Barbara Fair & Expo

P.O. Box 3006
Santa Barbara, CA 93130
Contact: Larry Ware
Phone: 805 687 0766

Santa Clara County Fair

344 Tully Road
San Jose, CA 95111
Contact: Ray Lueckeman
Phone: 408 494 3100
Santa Cruz County Fair
2601 East Lake Avenue
Watsonville, CA 95076
Contact: Judith Panick
Phone: (831) 724-5671

Santa Maria Fairpark/Santa Barbara Co. Fair

937 S. Thornburg
Santa Maria, CA 93454
Contact: Dennis Pearson
Phone: 805 925 8824

Schools Involvement Fair

P.O. Box 707
Walnut, CA 91788-0707
Contact: Nadine Lowrey
Phone: 909 594 3991

Shasta District Fair

P.O. Box 605
Anderson, CA 96007
Contact: Trish Sciarani
Phone: 530 378 6789
Siskiyou Golden Fair
1712 Fairlane Road
Yreka, CA 96097
Contact: Rebecca Weathers
Phone: 530 842 2767

Solano County Fair

900 Fairgrounds Drive
Vallejo, CA 94589
Contact: Kim Myrman
Phone: 707 644 4401
http://www.scfair.org

Sonoma County Fair

P.O. Box 1536
Santa Rosa, CA 95402
Contact: Jim Moore
Phone: 707 545 4200

Sonoma-Marin Fair
175 Fairgrounds Drive
Petaluma, CA 94953
Contact: Tawny Tesconi
Phone: (707) 283-3247
http://www.sonomarin.com
South Carolina Assn. of Fairs
P. O. Box 393
Columbia, SC 29202-0393
Contact: Sherri Bouknight
Phone: (803) 799-3387

Southeast Alaska State Fair

P.O. Box 385
Haines, AK 99827
Contact: Teri Bastable-Podiski
Phone: 907 766 2476

Southwest Washington Fair

2555 North National Avenue
Chehalis, WA 98532-
Contact: Gale Thompson, CFE
Phone: (360) 736-6072

Spokane Interstate Fair

404 N. Havana Street
Spokane, WA 99202-4663
Contact: Dolly Hughes
Phone: 509 535 1766
Stanislaus County Fair
900 N. Broadway
Turlock, CA 95380
Contact: Anthony Leo
Phone: 209 668 1333

State Fair of Oklahoma

P.O. Box 74943
Oklahoma City, OK 73147
Contact: Don Hotz
Phone: 405 948 6700

Tehama District Fair

P. O. Box 70
Red Bluff, CA 96080-
Contact: Bert Owens
Phone: (530) 527-5920

Tennessee Assn. of Fairs

123 Clark Mill Road
Fayetteville, TN 37334
Contact: Emily Pitcock, Executive Secretary
Phone: (931) 433-2268
Texas Assn. of Fairs & Expositions
P. O. Box 863
Van Vleck, TX 77482-
Contact: Denise Green-Grisham
Phone: (979) 245-4549
http://www.texasfairs.com

Tillamook County Fair

P.O. Box 455
Tillamook, OR 97141
Contact: Jerry Underwood
Phone: 503 842 2272

Tooele County Fair

47 S. Main
Tooele, UT 84074
Contact: Mark McKendrick
Phone: 435 843 3156

Tri-County Fair
50 W. Winnemucca Blvd.
Winnemucca, NV 89445
Contact: Kim Petersen
Phone: (775) 623-5071
Trinity County Fair
P.O. Box 880
Hayfork, CA 96041
Contact: Jerry Fulton
Phone: 530 628 5223

Tulare County Fair

215 Martin Luther King
Tulare, CA 93274
Contact: Phillis Harmon
Phone: 209 686 4707
http://www.tularefair.org

Tulelake-Butte Valley Fair

P.O. Box 866
Tulelake, CA 96134
Contact: Cindy Wright
Phone: 530 667 5312

Umatilla County Fair

P.O. Box 94
Hermiston, OR 97838
Contact: Wendy Kelley
Phone: 541 567 6121
Utah Association of Fairs and Shows
155 N 1000 W
Salt Lake City, UT 84116
Contact: Judy Duncombe
Phone: 801 538 8445

Utah State Fair

155 N. 1000 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84116
Contact: Donna Dahl
Phone: 801 538 8400

Ventura County Fair

10 W. Harbor Blvd.
Ventura, CA 93001
Contact: Roger Gibbs
Phone: 805 648 3376
http://www.seasidepark.org

Verde Valley Fair Association

P.O. Box 1974
Cottonwood, AZ 86326
Contact: Linda Verretto
Phone: 520 634 3290
Washington County Fair
873 NE 34th Avenue
Hillsboro, OR 97124-
Contact: Margaret Garza
Phone: 503 6481416

Vermont Agricultural Fairs Assn.

P. O. Box 50
East Middlebury, VT 05440
Contact: Joyce Haggarty
Phone: (802) 388-3335

Virgina Assn. Of Fairs

23516 Woodfield Road
Gaithersburg, MD 20882-3016
Contact: Hazel Staley, CFE Exec. Secretary
Phone: (301) 869-4387

Washington County Fair

873 NE 34th Avenue
Hillsboro, OR 97124-
Contact: Margaret Garza
Phone: 503 648 1416
Washington State Fair Association
P. O. Box 744
Conway, WA 98238-0744
Contact: Gale Thompson
Phone: (360) 740-5728

Weld County Fair

425 N. 15th Avenue
Greeley, CO 80631
Contact: Michelle Croissant

Western Idaho Fair

5610 Glenwood
Boise, ID 83714
Contact: Bob Batista
Phone: 208 376 3247

Western Washington Fair

P.O. Box 430
Puyallup, WA 98371
Contact: Robert Carlson
Phone: 253 845 1771
http://www.thefair.com
Wisconsin Assn. of Fairs
985 County Road A
Grand Marsh, WI 53936-9509
Contact: Jane Grabarski
Phone: 608 584 5327

Yamhill County Fair

2070 Lafayette Avenue
McMinnville, OR 97128
Contact: Darcie Vanderyacht
Phone: 503 434 7524

Yavapai County Fair

P.O. Box 346
Prescott, AZ 86302
Contact: James Grundy
Phone: 520 445 7820

Yolo County Fair

P. O. Box 826
Woodland, CA 95776-
Contact: Lonnie Wunder
Phone: (530) 662-5393
Yuba-Sutter Fair
442 Franklin Avenue
Yuba City, CA 95991
Contact: Skip King
Phone: 530 6741280

Yuma County Fair, Inc.

2520 E. 32nd Street
Yuma, AZ 85365
Contact: Kelly Watkins
Phone: 520 726 4420
Lesson 13 - Restaurants, Bars & Lounges (Back to Index)

This is a short lesson because performing close-up magic at

restaurants is not be too exciting from a financial standpoint if you're
already working in other more lucrative markets. If you are not,
however, it is an excellent way to start working right now and earn
money immediately and make connections and contacts with people
that can hire you for shows at higher prices in other venues.

Even in a small town it should be easy for anyone that can handle an
invisible deck and a few sponge rabbits to get regular work in several
different restaurants. If you're truly new to the magic business, and
just starting out, even if you work for tips alone the spin-off work will
be well worth your effort.

There are a few magicians who make a good living performing magic
in bars, clubs, lounges and restaurants. As a matter of fact, there are
a few that make a six-figure income this way. But they are few and far
between, and for the most part, I feel that this type of work will benefit
you mostly if you are just starting out or have not yet penetrated more
lucrative markets. Perhaps it will be one of your narrow streams of
income. Or, if you take a really focused and serious approach to
working in this market then you can probably create a comfortable
lifestyle and make a decent living. If that were all you wanted though,
you probably would not be reading this material.
In the 80's, I had regular bookings as a close–up magician at several
restaurants, nightclubs, and lounges. I was paid between $100 and
$200 per night and chose not to accept tips. I did however obtain
many higher paying private and corporate bookings and made
valuable contacts that I still maintain today.

When approaching a table, you will be best received if you are

friendly and personable, and create a comfortable atmosphere for the
audience. The effects you do should be simple, easy to follow, and
ones that can last anywhere from 20 seconds to five minutes. They
should reset automatically or immediately or not require resetting at
all.

Compared to a corporate conference that can afford to spend several

thousand dollars on entertainment in one day, restaurant work is not
appealing. The magicians making serious money either own the
restaurant or the bar, or work at a high profile exclusive venue. Their
magic is far beyond a few simple tricks and they have worked hard to
secure their position within the establishment.

So, as a beginner, there is an opportunity to get started immediately

and build your businesses. As an established pro, you may also
decide to incorporate restaurants, bars and lounges into your stream
of income. Either way, this will likely be local work and you can easily
approach suitable venues in your area.
Lesson 14 - Corporate Work (Back to Index)

Performing for adult corporate audiences has been the focus and
bulk of my work for the past decade. It is clearly the most rewarding
type of work available for most magicians. Of course, some
magicians prefer performing on television and theatres across the
nation, in fancy review shows and other high-profile venues. This is
not necessarily an option for most magicians. Even celebrity and high
profile magicians still place corporate shows high on their list as
profitable and comfortable venues to work.

Corporate work is a label that is broad in scope. There are trade-

shows, product launches, sales meetings, conferences, award
banquets and many other types of events where business people and
company employees gather. Many doors can open for you as a
magician as you work at a variety of events for various corporate
clients. Even if you are a family entertainer, I highly recommend that
you focus most of your efforts in obtaining work for corporate clients.
They simply, as a rule, have more money to spend, more often, than
most other potential clients. Again, working for “corporate” clients is a
broad statement, as most clients are corporate in one way or another.
I think you know what I mean, though.

Some magicians specialize in specific areas such as trade-shows.

These magicians will likely book themselves to work in a booth to
attract and hold traffic. They might also perform at their client’s
hospitality suite or as mealtime entertainment. Trade show magicians
earn anywhere from $150.00 up to $15,000 per day. One mentalist
friend of mine earns $1,000,000. (Yes, one million dollars, Dr. Evil)
per year while serving only a handful of clients. Many provide custom
packages for their clients that include script writing, promotional items
and even booth design. Often there are multiple day and show
arrangements made with a single client. Trade show work can be
extremely lucrative; it often requires a lot of hard work and long
hours.

For myself, and the majority of corporate magicians and mentalists,

most of my presentations occur after and sometimes before a meal at
a corporate or association’s annual conference. Typical fees for this
type of presentation range from approximately $250 up to $10,000 for
a single show. The average range is roughly $1,000 to $2,500.

I am often booked as a ‘Speaker’ rather than an ‘Entertainer’ and

receive even higher fees than when I am strictly booked as an
entertainer.

I am sure you noticed that a range of $250 to $10,000 is huge. We

have discussed fees and fee positioning extensively in this course, so
you can probably figure out how and why some magicians will earn
$250 for a show while another magician, also relatively unknown, will
receive $10,000. Which one are you going to be, the $250 act or
$10,000 act?
A great way to open yourself up to higher paying corporate bookings
while also expanding your market potential is by becoming a speaker
who does magic. For the most part, speakers earn much higher fees
than entertainers in the corporate market and are in much higher
demand. For more information on how to add a speaking component
to your show so you can benefit from this lucrative and exciting field,
go to: http://speakermagic.com

There is a little known secret that I am going to share with you now.
Here it is:

The big-money shows for entertainers are rarely booked through

agents or even the corporations themselves. They are booked
through companies knows as Incentive Houses and Destination
Planners. Large corporate events with budgets often in the hundreds
of thousands of dollars are handed over to such companies to handle
all of the conference details from travel arrangements, hotel
accommodation, meeting-planning and, of course, entertainment.
You want to get ‘in’ with a few of these types of companies, as they
will open the door to high-fee and cushy bookings with major
corporate clients worldwide.

How do you find them? It is really not too hard once you know what
you are looking for and where to look. Start in your local yellow pages
and look under the heading of Convention Services. Look for ads that
mention the words incentive and destination. Call and ask if
they book entertainment for corporate events. Most of them will say
‘yes’. You now know what to do from there.

There are two organizations that most of these types of companies,

as well as meeting planners and entertainment agencies, belong to.
They are Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and The Society
of Incentive & Travel Executives (SITE).

MPI costs $350 to join ($545 Canadian) and will open up a world of
opportunity for you.

International Headquarters
4455 LBJ Freeway,
Suite 1200
Dallas, Texas, U.S.A. 75244-5903
Voice: +1-972-702-3000
Fax: +1-972-702-3070

MPI Canadian Office

329 March Road
Suite 232 Box 11
Kanata, Ontario K2K 2E1 Canada
Voice: +1.613.271.8901
Fax: +1.613.599.7027
MPI European Office
Avenue des Gaulois, 7
B-1040 Brussels, Belgium
Voice: +32-2-743.15.44
Fax: +32-2-743.15.50
Voice: +32-2-743.15.44
Fax: +32-2-743.15.50

Learn more abut The Society of Incentive & Travel Executives at:

http://www.site-intl.org/

A great source for over 11,000 corporations and nearly 19,000

meeting planners is: The Directory of Corporate Meeting Planners,
available through Douglas Publications for $385.

Phone: 1-800-795-6596

They also sell: The Directory of Association Meeting Planner and

Conference/Convention Directors for $845 on disc. Instead of buying
that directory, here is where you can get pretty much the same
information free. (You never know when these opportunities will end,
especially on the net. I hope it is still there for you. Right now there is
a searchable directory of 6,589 Associations throughout North
America).
Explore the whole site. It provides enough contact information to
provide you with a lifetime of corporate bookings:
http://info.asaenet.org/gateway/OnlineAssocSlist.html

Plus, to locate Convention Center and Convention and Visitors

Bureaus, worldwide, got to: http://www.asaenet.org/cvb_dir

Another excellent site to visit, especially if you are interested in trade-

show work, is: http://www.expoworld.net

The 3 links above are your gateway to limitless performing

opportunities in the corporate arena. Take the time to explore them
and consider your opportunities. At the very least, locate
organizations and events in your local area and participate in some
fashion. It is difficult to tell you exactly what to do with the information
because the options are so vast.

Here is one example. Join your local Convention Bureau. At ours in

Vancouver, members are provided with a directory of the upcoming
conferences. I have had great success in booking my services by
contacting the companies that were booked to gather in Vancouver.
They were able to book an international act without the travel
expenses normally attached. And I could stay at home and work
major conferences.

If you have ever thought about doing trade show work, then the
following interview will answer all, or most of your questions.
Bonus Interview – Anton Zellman on Trade Shows

RC - Anton, thanks for being willing to do this interview.

AZ - It's my pleasure Randy. I'm honored that you would even

consider asking me to participate.

RC - As we go along, I'd like you to focus on the business aspect of

your career as a mentalist. I know you must have a lot to offer my
readers about presentation, staging, and performing.

But, if you don't mind, I'd like to tap into your knowledge and
experience about how to earn a living as a Mentalist. And in
particular, I'd like for you to focus on how to earn a living in the area
of trade-shows. OK?

AZ - I'll do my best Randy. It's one of my favorite topics. The business

of show business. Where would you like for me to begin?

RC - Let's start at the beginning. How long have you been earning
your living as a mentalist and how did you get into working mostly at
trade-shows?

AZ - Actually, I started doing magic shows for Kiwanis and Rotary

Clubs in my late 20's. In those days my paycheck was in the form of
polite applause and perhaps a $25 honorarium. My first paid ESP
show was in 1973 for $75. I remember thinking that I was stealing.
This was just too easy. I booked my first trade-show three years later
in 1976 with Owens-Corning Fiberglas. They paid me $1,000.

At the time, I was earning my living as the Bulova Watch salesman in

Toledo, Ohio. But, after my first taste of the awesome power of
performing as a mentalist, and earning what I then thought was a
huge amount of money, $1000.00 for four days of performing, I knew
I would someday make the transition from Bulova salesman to show
business.

Of course I didn't have a clue then that I would end up earning seven
figures working at trade-shows. But I knew I was on to something that
had great potential.

RC - So, how old were you then. Or is that a closely guarded secret?

AZ - No, not at all. Actually I was 15 when I began performing. But

that's a story for another time.

RC - You write about that in your new book, don't you?

AZ - Yes, I do. Maybe we can mention something about the book at

the end of this interview if that's OK with you?

RC - Always marketing Anton. Of course we will.

AZ - Well, to answer your question about age, I was 32 years old
when I began performing as a mentalist. I decided to make the move
into full time performing in June of 1977. After ten and a half years
with the Bulova Watch Company, I decided to let go of my fear and
doubts and to do what I do today. My show bookings were picking up,
and I decided to let go of my secure, straight commission, job with
Bulova.

It was a big risk to give up what was considered pretty good pay in
those years,($38,000 plus benefits), to do what I wanted to do most,
and that was to perform. Well I now know that the only risk I had to
take was to make the decision. I have never looked back.

RC - What was the primary ingredient and knowledge base that

you applied to become a trade-show performer?

AZ - Before working for Bulova I worked as a theatre manager in my

late teens, a door-to-door salesman, and as a pitchman on the road
for several years. I pitched Svengali cards and Magic Writer pens
around the country at discount stores. In fact, I pitched the magic
writer pen at the Worlds Fair in New York in 1964.

I'm certain that the combination of those work related skills and
experiences shaped me into the performer I have become. The truth
is that 30 years later I am still delivering a 'Pitch', but for a lot more
dough!
RC - Speaking of dough, you are earning a substantial income as a
trade-show performer. Give us a rundown of some of the financial
numbers. If you don't mind. And perhaps a historical summary would
provide a good lesson regarding fees obtainable in this market.

AZ - Sure, as I mentioned before, I did not know at the time that I

would someday focus, almost exclusively, on trade-shows.

My career in trade-shows began when a guy from an Advertising

Agency in Toledo, Ohio asked me if I could perform my mind reading
and mental stuff at a trade-show? I didn't know the first thing about
trade-shows, but I said yes of course I could work at a trade-show.

I have never known how to say no when it came to taking a risk to

earn a buck. I guess that stems from the fact that I had to support
myself since I was 15 years old. This has been a terrific asset,
because as a risk taker, as soon as I would say "yes", I would then go
back to my home base and think,” okay, well now I've got it, so what
am I going to do to make this happen?" I figure it out and go do it.

RC - I am exactly the same way. As a matter of fact, I knew little

about Mentalism until after I booked my new ESP show for a 17 day
run Fair in 1995. I needed a new show, thought Mentalism was cool,
pitched the contract, got it, and put together the show.

Now, as you know, I mostly do Mentalism.

AZ - Right, great example.

RC - Thanks. Anyway, go ahead. Please, continue with your story.

AZ - Sure. The agency guy set up a meeting for me with his client. It
turned out to be Owens-Corning Fiberglas. Well, at the end of the
meeting, I was asked how much I would charge to perform at a trade-
show? Randy, I had no idea. However, I knew from my years at
Toastmasters, that a good speaker should make at least $500 a day
+ expenses, so that is the amount I requested.

He said he would call me the next day and let me know if I had the
job. Sure enough the next day he called. He told me that the show
lasted four days and they could only afford $1,000 + travel expenses.
Would I be OK with working only the first two days? I told him no, but
that I would work all four days for the $1,000.

He was ecstatic and that was the beginning of a ten-year run with this
company. In fact, I crafted and honed with Owens-Corning Fiberglas,
most of the twelve trade-show presentations that I perform today.

RC - What did you earn in your first year, back in the late seventies,
as a full time trade-show performer?

AZ - Randy, that's what I most appreciate about you. You don't beat
around the bush. I am happy to share these details with you and your
readers. And, for two reasons. Yes, of course, I am very proud
to let people in our business know how well I do, but more
importantly, I have a great need to educate those who want to earn
big bucks at this wonderful and fulfilling occupation. You see if I can
help other trade-show performers to improve their payoff for their
work, then we all win.

RC - I see your point. If more performers ask for and receive higher
fees then fewer customers will balk at the higher fee requested. They
will become familiar and accepting of the higher fees.

AZ - Exactly! Of course I can't simply ask for more money than the
other trade-show performers without providing what I believe is a
more dynamic product that provides a greater ROI along with more
services.

RC - Another good point Anton. So what kind of money did you earn
as a trade-show performer when you started and where are you at
today?

AZ - In my first full year (1978) I booked 51 jobs, four of them were

trade shows and I earned about $31,000 in fees. I was doing mostly
magic tricks and some mentalism. I learned very quickly that it made
sense for me to drop the magic tricks and stick with straight
Mentalism. The impact of mind demonstrations on my clients and
their audiences was more powerful and justified a higher perceived
value. So I decided to raise my rates.
In 1979 I booked 48 jobs and I earned $51,000 in fees. $31,000 of
those fees was earned by performing at 8 trade-shows. Hmm, there
seems to be a pattern here! By the way I've kept track of every show I
have ever performed. I still have all the records starting with my first
free show in 1973.

RC - Me too. My first show was a kid's birthday party for $6 in 1976.

But please Anton, go on with your story about earning income as a
trade-show performer.

AZ - OK, but please keep in mind as I reveal my current numbers that

I also know from personal experience that the formula works in any
venue. As I mentioned my first trade show was for $1,000.

Now listen to how these numbers grew over the next few years. In the
late 70's I was earning $2,000 to $4,000 per trade-show event. In the
early to mid 80's I averaged $7,000-$15,000. In late 1985 I began to
more fully understand the value of what I was providing to my clients.

I also developed enough confidence in myself to deliver a first-rate

product so I began to request and receive approval for multi-project,
multi-year contracts. In fact I was so enthusiastic about this concept
that I took another one of those big risks. While at a strategy meeting
with a new client, I decided on the spot, to double my fees. I actually
reached over and took the estimate of fees and costs out of the
client's hands. I crossed out the numbers I had originally proposed
and inserted my new figures. In that moment I caused my financial
life to significantly change. With a lot of moxie and a couple of strokes
of a pen I jumped from $15,000 to $30,000 + per trade-show.

I can still recall the client taking back the proposal, looking at the
crossed out numbers and saying to me..."What's this?" I responded;
"it was a computer error." The client smiled and said, "You know, I
didn't think you were charging us enough for what you do."

RC - Wow! That's a fantastic story. So, these fees are what you
receive for a series of bookings over time and are not simply daily
fees for performances. It's my understanding that you also charge for
additional services such as scripting, support graphics, and licensing
fees for customized audiocassettes that you create and distribute at
the trade-shows. Right?

AZ - Yes, and I also bill my clients for setup and rehearsal fees, travel
days, strategy meetings, and even a fee for my wife, Lois who assists
me. Also, to be clear, I charge a separate fee for the right to distribute
my tapes at the event. This usually adds another $13,000 - $15,000
to my bottom line.

RC - Do you always charge a fee, plus expenses? And how do you

travel? Coach, business, first class?

AZ - Yes, I always charge fees plus expenses. I charge the client for
coach fare and search for the best price I can find.
We mostly travel first class using frequent flyer points to upgrade. On
the road, Lois and I live as well as the client. And as you know major
clients do not scrimp when it comes to hotel accommodations, dining
and entertainment. Our budget for travel for the past five years has
been $3,200 to $3,600 per trip.

RC - Is that the amount the client reimburses to you?

AZ - Yes, and we also have a 10% leeway if some trips turn out to be
more costly. I am pleased to report that in 25 years we have never
been over budget. I made up my mind early on that if Lois was going
to support my work and to travel with me then I would be certain to
provide her with a better than average lifestyle on the road.

RC - Oh, but of course (grin). Fair to say then, you realized that there
are companies willing to pay for all of your valuable services. And
once you found these companies, or they found you, it was a matter
of suggesting and providing a variety of services that related to your
trade-show appearances, and for as long as possible.

And, perhaps other entertainers reading this are selling themselves

short by not suggesting, providing and/or charging for these value
added services. What did you do last year as far as sales and days
worked?

AZ - My project income for trade-shows in the year 2000 was

$897,256.87. By the time I finished the year, with other jobs that I
 booked, it was just about $45,000 short of a million dollars. Gee, I still
get goose bumps when I say that!

RC - How many events was that for, and how many total days did
you work.

AZ - The total events for the year were nineteen. (15) were trade-
shows and (4) were sales meeting engagements. Total performing
days were 50, travel days were 30, set up and rehearsal days were
25. I always arrive at least 2 days early so I can be certain my stage is
properly set.

I want to be sure that my sound, projection equipment, and lighting

are all in place and working properly. I often use this time to create
any graphic changes that may be needed to support the show. I also
use this time to rehearse.

RC - Explain why you still rehearse after all these years.

AZ - Another good question Randy. Rehearsal serves several

purposes. The client is always listening, so hearing me accurately
speaking their product messages gives them confidence in the
knowledge that have hired a Pro and everything is going to work as
planned.

Practice also helps me to be prepared to speak and perform with the

right cadence, tone and rhythm. I depend on my voice and the
confidence of my words to gather and increase the size of my
audience.

Also rehearsing helps me to feel safe and in control. Besides, don't

forget, I bill my client 50% of my per diem for these two days for setup
and rehearsal. I had better do what I must to earn that extra income.

RC - So help me to be clear about your actual performance fee. Is

your per diem, your daily fee for performing only?

AZ - Yes, for a single trade-show, I receive $7,500 per day for

delivery of my presentation and $2,500 for my wife's assistance. So
that would be $10,000 a day. Most trade-shows at medical meetings
last from 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 days. I always contract for the entire show and
charge a full days fee even for the 1/2 days.

And as I've said, I also earn an additional $5,000-$10,000 for the 2

set up days. When I close a deal for several shows and/or a multi-
year contract I will bend those numbers a bit. However I hardly ever
change my delivery fees. I have plenty of room to lower the creative
and/or setup/rehearsal costs.

RC - Do you send a rate sheet out?

AZ - No I don't. When I am pursuing a potential client, my process is

to first talk with them to learn what their needs and objectives are for
the event. How many attendees do they expect to visit their exhibit?
What size space have they contracted? Do they have a stage? Who
is their Display House? How many products do they want me to talk
about? And so on.

I have a list of about 30 questions I want answers to before I provide

a quote. After I review this information I prepare a proposal, along
with an estimate of costs and fees, and send it to my project contact.

In my proposal I describe to the client how I will fill their needs and
meet their objectives. If appropriate, I also pitch my audiotapes by
showing them the extra impressions they can make on their
attendees minds about their product(s) and their company.

My current major contract began as a one-year, three-event project.

It's now grown into a five-year relationship. To date I've performed at
58 trade-shows for this client at an average of $30,000 for each event

They also pay me an additional script fee each time there is a product
change or decide on a new marketing campaign that requires new
information to be communicated. Added to this are reimbursement for
travel expenses and production costs. And then there are the
licensing fees I receive for my tapes.

My invoice for the last medical meeting at which I presented for this
client in 2001 was for $54,439. Of that amount I earned $42,625.00.

Man I love this business!

RC - So, Anton, what I understand you to say, is that what is required
to earn fees in the higher end of the scale, is a combination of a
quality performance, a good strategy to be perceived as different and
better than the competition, a winning mind set, the courage to take
risks, and excellent promotional methods and materials.

I am gong to ask you for some specifics on how to actually put those
materials in front of the decision makers.

First though, I often hear from some of the entertainers that hire me
for consulting that their market just simply does not bear these higher
fees we are talking about. What's your take on that?

AZ - Well, it's important for me to understand that if my thinking is that

I am worth $500, then I will bring to me those clients that can afford
$500. And, unless I provide them with additional benefits, additional
gratification, then I will 'show up' as a $500 Mentalist.

If on the other hand, I think of myself as a $1,000 guy, I will still bring
to me the $500 clients and some of them will say no. But, I will also
bring to me a number of the $1,000 clients.

This same mindset operates in the higher fees as well. And there
are many levels of paying clients.
So, if I believe, for any reason, that my market cannot handle higher
fees then that will remain my truth! It's a limiting way to think and it
will bring me limited results.

I think it's important to realize that unless I choose to differentiate

myself from the pack, and truly recognize the value of my product I
will not be able to ask for and consistently receive substantially higher
fees.

Sure, every performer wants their numbers to change upward. Well,

as I've already described, the best way I know to make the numbers
move upward is to place a value on each and every service that I
offer.

Randy, from reading your book "Secrets of Millionaire Magician", I

know you also understand this moneymaking added-value concept
and you do it very well. Now, don't take this statement out of the
interview for fear your readers will think you are tooting your own
horn. I really mean it. And anyone who reads your book will know it's
true. You provide a wealth of information for making huge profits on
the pages of your book.

RC - Right, thanks Anton. Although you are obviously working with a

relatively small number of clients, what advice can you offer regarding
promotional material and marketing methods in order to find and
secure quality trade-show bookings?
AZ - Before answering that question I want to say something here
that to some may sound a bit esoterical. It's not. It's another one of
those precious gems that really works. I am quite clear, that I can ask
for any amount that I want for my services. And the reason I can, is
because no one I deal with in the corporate world really knows what
value to place on what I do for their product or company.

Of course clients know what they have paid the guy before me.
Initially they may want to compare me to the Speaker, the Juggler,
the Magician, or Musician they previously engaged. But they don't
really know what my value is. My truth is that I'm still not sure if I even
know the true value to place on my work.

But I do know this. Companies and their teams pay for and want to
deal with Professionals. They have no time to waste on start-ups or
amateurs. So, from the very first day I represented that I was doing
business as Zellman Productions, I decided that everything that goes
out to a client and has my name on it was first rate. Even if I had to
go into hock to do it.

If I sent out a brochure, it had to be quality. If I produced a videotape,

quality. If I answered a letter, the paper and type and letterhead had
to be quality. My reasoning was that I was trying to get work with
Corporate America and I knew from my days with the Bulova Watch
Company that they are accustomed to paying big dollars. But they
are not going to pay big dollars to engage a guy who is represented
by inferior quality materials.
My brochures and letterhead are printed on quality paper with a
distinctive logo. The paper stock feels good. My brochure is printed in
four-color.

Randy, I believe you know exactly what I am talking about. Quality is

so important in all of its form.

These folks will not risk their jobs by hiring and paying for an
amateur. They are accustomed to working with the best professionals
they can find and afford.

If I am going to be competing against pros and big time agencies,

then I have to have something going on for me besides my
performance skills.

RC - I see your point Anton. It's also important to create a

professional presentation of oneself that causes the potential client to
perceive you as a first-class businessperson.

AZ - Yes, that's my point exactly. Another piece of advice I can offer

to the performers just breaking into trade-shows, is that they consider
working for hundreds of dollars a day, rather than thousands. Get the
job and learn whether or not they are cut out for this kind of work.

The endurance required for someone to do 8-15 shows a day is a lot

different than what is required for someone performing an hour-long
show. That's not to suggest that all that goes into performing an hour
show is not tiring, it's just that a different discipline and energy level is
required.

My performance standard is that my last performance of the day must

appear to my audience as fresh and energetic as the first one I
delivered. Every audience is brand new and late in the day they are
just as tired as I am. I make it a part of my agreement with my client
that I will be as enthusiastic and fresh as possible for every group that
enters their exhibit.

RC - Okay, so they should go test the waters and not worry

about what they earn at first.

AZ - Yes, and then if they enjoy it, have the energy to finish the show
with energy and enthusiasm, then go out and develop a better plan
than what they already have in mind. There are a lot of folks out there
working trade-shows. But they are all doing pretty much the same
routines. I think it is worth more to the client if I can present a
memorable commercial. But the point is this.

If I want to earn serious money at trade-shows, I must present more

than just another 'magic' or 'mental' routine that ties in a message.

I must create and provide a campaign that gives the client a larger
bang for their buck.
RC - And it can't look like a commercial, right? That's where the
creativity and experience is required. And, that's why they should
start off at lower fees because they are not likely to be worth the big
bucks to the client yet.

AZ - Exactly, in 1976 I was not yet prepared to compete. I needed

experience and lots of it. Almost any decent performer can draw a
crowd at a trade-show. It's learning how to build and hold that crowd
and to influence them to want to listen to the product message that
helps to distinguish one trade-show performer from another. And to
my way of thinking, it also translates into making a distinction
between one company and another.

Of course I am referring to a positive distinction. If I can accomplish

this, then am I not worth every additional dollar? You bet I am.

RC - What is the range of fees that most magic type performers are
getting these days, per day?

AZ - I really don't know for certain, but I believe it is in the vicinity of a

low of around $750 to $1,000 a day and then there are several really
good tradeshow performers earning between $2,500 and $5,000 per
day.

One caveat though. It's been my experience that once I am locked

into a company at a certain fee. It is tough to get the same company
to hire me for a lot more. I have to come up with additional services to
offer that will add dollars and profit to my total invoice.

That's how I began to raise my fees. I offered more services.

RC - How do you and they go about getting new clients?

AZ - Well when I lived in Toledo I used to "work the building" each

time I would go to a planning meeting. What I mean is, I would stop
on each floor and walk around and look for someone to recognize me
from some event I did; either in the community or for their company. I
would ask questions. Lots of open-ended questions. Who do I talk to
see if there would be any interest in using my services at a future
event? Who is the marketing person for their division? Who handles
X product? Any question that might provide me with a lead.

RC - Is that primarily how you built your client base?

AZ - Partially, and it was difficult to get into those corporate buildings.

Every corporation had guards at the entrance and required a security
pass and name tag to enter the elevators.

That's why I made a point of working the buildings whenever I was

inside for a scheduled meeting. I "worked the buildings" a lot from
1976 until 1982 when I relocated to Atlanta.
RC - What would you do right now, if you were just starting out?

AZ - I would reach into my tool chest of experience and utilize some

of my best tools to create a desire on the part of both new and past
clients to want to talk with me.

For the new guy on the block the tool may be a connection they have
with a specific company or industry. It might be some special
attention or award they have received about their work.

The number of tools in each chest is as varied as the number and

variations of each person's experience.

For me, my primary tool today would be my first book that is very
close to being finished. I plan to approach past, existing, and
prospective clients, and offer them a package deal that includes my
tapes and my book. I may offer something like giving them a special
price for X number of copies of my book if they engage me for a
series of events.

Or, I might elect to give them the book at cost as a give-away to their
attendees who see my performance. There are a number of ways to
use my tapes and book as a means to open a conversation and
perhaps to close a few new contracts.
RC - Creative trade-offs. I do it all the time. The total value is still
intact, it is just sliced differently. Why are you considering doing this
at this time?

AZ - As you've already mentioned Randy, I work with only a handful

of clients and the corporate culture changes over time. I am always
looking for ways to increase the amount of dollars that I make at any
event so I can do fewer jobs and make more money.

As I've stated, it's all about adding extra value. Ideally I would love to
make a million dollars doing one job. I really believe that if I stay with
it for a few more years I'll do just that.

RC - Do you use a demo video to sell yourself?

AZ - No. I no longer send out videotapes because I've come to the

conclusion that I can't be there to meet the potential client's
objections. No tape has ever truly captured the impact of what I do.
It's just a personal preference. I prefer that the client or someone on
his or her product team see me in action. Of course there are many
performers who get a lot of work from tapes, so I don't suggest that
it's not a valid way to promote.

RC - How about your web site, does it support your promotional

efforts.
AZ - Yes, it supports what I do, but it doesn't actually bring me new
work. I haven't designed it to solicit jobs. I use it mostly to provide
instant access to language and visuals that represent me prior to
sending a hard copy of my brochure to a client who is requesting
information. I will make better use of my site when I am ready to sell
my book.

RC - Am I correct in saying that you are not actively marketing

yourself because you don't need a lot of clients due to the size of the
contracts you are dealing with? It seems to me that you have a
handful of clients and you deal with them and with new potential
clients in a very hands-on attentive manner. You do this rather than
mass marketing and volume bookings?

AZ - Yes, I would have to say that sums it up quite accurately.

Building relationships is my preferred method of finding new
business.

RC - There certainly are pros and cons to working bigger deals with a
small client base. And you are a master of turning what would often
typically end up being a small booking into a much bigger deal.

I think that the readers of this interview will benefit from learning what
you are sharing regarding up-selling, regardless of whether they
pursue trade-show work or not. In other words, and I am now
addressing the reader of this interview, apply what Anton has shared
with us to all of your services and you will certainly create a larger
income for yourself, while at the same time better servicing your
client.

Anton, can you offer any advice on a variety of marketing approaches

that perhaps we have not discussed yet, that someone might try. I
imagine you have tried a few different things over the years.

AZ - Yes, I think I can add a couple of simple yet useful ideas here.
The best marketing device I have ever participated in is to invest lots
of time, energy, and money when practical to do so, to become
known in my community as a person who has unique talents, a
special occupation, and a willingness to share it, without charge, with
the community.

I am always available to perform at community, fundraising, and

charity events. And I don't wait to be asked. I seek out the planners
and organizations and offer my services. Now let me be very clear
about this. I do not seek publicity or notoriety for my participation. I
am committed to giving something back to the community. I do this as
an active Rotarian and as a performer. However, it is inevitable that
word gets around. That a favorable reputation develops. And new
opportunities arise.

Many times as part of a larger contract, I will offer to my best clients,

to perform (free of charge) in their name, at a hospital, senior citizens
home or orphanage whenever they send me to an event in cities
other than Atlanta.
Another way I found to build a local reputation, as a Psychic
Entertainer is to find a business sponsor who would allow me to
perform at College Athletic events while delivering a commercial for
their company or business.

I must admit that the one time I did a mass mailing, I developed a
campaign that cost around $30,000 to put together. I sent out 4,000
pieces. My return was eleven leads that led to one job that netted me
$11,000.00.

When I am working a show, I often walk the aisles looking for

potential clients to stop by and see me work. The best way to get
work in this business is to be seen and appreciated by those who can
engage me for a future event.

RC - Another reason for those starting out in trade-shows to go out

and work, regardless of pay, is so they can get experience and be
seen. What is the typical title of the person who does the bookings at
trade-shows?

AZ - It depends on the structure and culture of the company. At some

companies it is the product manager who makes the decision, while
at others it may be the marketing or communications manager.

Seldom is the convention manager the decision maker although they

can be a good source for an introduction to the right person. Once I
make the sale, I am usually working with the communications
department or a companies advertising agency.

RC - Any trade journals or web sites worth checking out for

those wishing to market themselves?

AZ - Yes, just about every industry has a Trade Journal. And most
have associations to which they belong. Many associations publish
their own trade-show books that list the dates and locations of all
meetings in their industry. They are published every year, usually with
a mid-year update. I am a member of a medical association named
the Health Care Exhibitor Association. They publish the HCEA
handbook that lists all of the major medical meetings. Another
handbook that lists just about every national and international trade-
show in all industries is named, "TradeShow Exhibitor."

The very best web site I am aware of is named TradeShow Central.

Their URL is: http://www.tscentral.com

Another great site is http://www.exhibitorshow.com

This link will also make your readers aware of a very popular trade
show that is geared to the people who offer products and services for
trade-shows. Its name is 'The Exhibitor Show.'

And finally here is a site that will lead to many other sites connected
to the trade-show industry: http://www.tradeshow.com
RC - Anton, what is expected by way of material and number and
length of shows, etc. for trade-show performers.

AZ - Most performers do what a pitchman would call a grind. That

means they just keep talking and performing until they "Build a Tip".
More commonly known as "drawing a crowd". Once they get a crowd
they do a short show about 7-10 minutes wait a couple of minutes to
reset their props and then start all over again. I started out this way in
the 70's. These days I perform three to seven shows a day. My
shows last approximately 18-25 minutes.

RC - Same or different material each time?

AZ - My answer is both yes and no. Everything is scripted, especially

the commercial and I deliver it word for word every show. However, I
have a lot of dialog in my head about my topics. So I am able to
tweak just about every show to the needs of my audience.

Recently, a couple of our fellow PEA members, Doug Dyment and

Loyd Auerbach, visited me while I was performing at Moscone
Convention Center in San Francisco. I knew I had done a good job
when Doug said to me: "I'm amazed at how you made every show
seem somewhat new and different from the previous show".

Of course a lot of trade-show workers perform the exact same

routines each and every show.
RC - What are some of the effects that play well in this market?

AZ - Some guys do things with watches and time, magic square,

sponge ball routines, rope, coin and card tricks. Some guys hold up
the company's visual aid and some will use placards with the name of
the company on one-side and product messages on the other side.
And they loosely tie the name of the company and product benefits
into their routines.

My process is a bit more sophisticated. For example, if I am a doing a

program about memory, I engage the audience into a process that
helps them to memorize the product and its benefits.

If I am doing something about perception, I am going to have the

audience interact with visuals that deceive their perception. I will use
this theme to support an existing perception they have about my
clients' product. Or it may be that my clients' objective is to have me
create a new perception in the minds of their audience.

I always incorporate a "test card" in my presentation that the

audience will use to keep track of their answers or solutions. It gives
them a chance to interact with me and stay involved. Of course I have
a space for them to fill in their name, address, E-mail and other
information. I make it part of my deal that I keep the stubs with this
information. It provides me with a database of people who have seen
my show. I intend to contact these leads when I am ready to sell my
tapes and now my new book.
RC - Well you've set up a good place to segue to what your book
is about. What's its title?

AZ - Thanks for asking. I've named it "So, you want to read MINDS -
Step One." So far, it's fourteen chapters of methods and exercises
that I believe will help the reader to read the most important mind of
all, their own. I've peppered each chapter with personal stories that
reveal how I have personally used these systems to enhance various
functions of my mind. The book is designed in a manner that helps to
answer, the number one old question that every Mentalist is asked to
reveal- "How did you do that?"

RC - You have been most generous with your time and information.
Thank you so much. I have known you for a few years now and
clearly you are one of the most giving individuals in our business.

Do you mind if I give your email address out for my readers to contact
you if they are really serious about performing at trade-shows and
have one or two quick questions, or perhaps inquire about your book.

AZ - Not at all, please do. I am happy to help wherever I can. Who

knows, maybe one day someone who reads this interview will present
a customized Zellman presentation when I decide to retire. It's only a
few years off.

RC - Well wouldn't that person be lucky? Thanks again Anton. Anton

Zellman can be reached at: anton@zellman.com
Lesson 15 - Cruise Ships (Back to Index)

Working cruise ships can be a lot of fun. It would take a long time to
get rich working solely in this venue as a full-time career. A cruise
ship magician would earn in the neighborhood of $100,000 a year.
Your living expenses would be minimal. However, it would be difficult,
but not impossible, to leverage your time among multiple performing
venues and synergistic businesses.

The focus of this course is to teach and encourage you to create

multiple income sources, and if you follow my advice you will be
earning much more than $100,000 per year. For most, it would be
cheaper, more convenient and more fun to do your shows and run
your businesses on land and simply pay for a cruise if you want to go
on a vacation. But there is a much better way to earn a high income
at home and incorporate cruising into your lifestyle. I will explain how
to optimize this excellent opportunity in this lesson.

Cruise ship work most certainly holds an important position in the

Millionaire Magician’s Plan, just not as a full-time occupation. If this
work appeals to you, then book yourself as a magician for short runs
occasionally, as I do. There is great value to this beyond the
performance fee.

I have performed on approximately ten cruises during the past fifteen

years, with three different cruise lines. All but one were fantastic
experiences. Allow me to highlight some information that will be
useful to you if you wish to pursue working on cruises.

Always be sure that your contract clearly stipulates that you have
passenger status on board the ship. This means that your cabin is
located with the passengers and is of the same standards. It also
usually means that you can eat with the passengers, swim in the
pool, and enjoy the cruise along with the paying customers. If this is
not part of your agreement, then be prepared to sleep in the bowels
of the ship and perform laborious crew duties. I've never been in this
exact situation but have spoken to magicians who have and they
regretted taking the work. The higher end ships do not ask for this at
all. I am referring to small ships of cruise companies that are not well
known. They also pay much less to entertainers. Don’t even consider
working for small unknown cruise companies that pay low fees of
$300- $500 per week and expect you to take on duties other than as
an entertainer.

Let me get the last bit of bad news out of the way. A few years ago,
immediately after I sold my entertainment agency and decided to take
a year or two off from working altogether, I was offered an eight-week
contract from an agency in Vancouver that books a lot of cruises.
This same agency had booked me a couple times in the past on the
Princess Line, and those bookings had gone really well. I normally
would never consider such a long contract for the financial reasons I
mentioned in the beginning of this lesson. I also wasn’t going to do
any shows for a couple years while I took a sabbatical from work but
figured this is a working vacation and why not.

Although my contract stipulated passenger status, this was not

properly honored upon arrival. The ship itself was far from the luxury
cruise liner that was represented to me by the agent. As a matter of
fact, it was horrible. Why am I telling you all this? Because I’ve got
issues, Man! Just kidding. There is an important lesson to be learned
here. First, I fully accept responsibility for the situation I was in. I
knew the name of the ship, and to find out more about it would have
been easy. I relied solely on the word of the agent who was biased
because he wanted to earn a commission. It was my fault, and my
laziness, not to do a little research before committing to an eight-
week deal. Eight weeks is a long time to be stuck in an uncomfortable
environment. In addition to only accepting passenger status
bookings, be sure to check out the vessel before committing to a
cruise booking.

I am now going to tell you about a much more positive cruise gig
experience that occurred just last year. I spent most of last February,
a great time to leave Vancouver, in the South Pacific. I performed my
comedy magic and mind-reading show on two different ships with
back-to-back ten-day contracts on each. I met some great people,
made some money, and came home relaxed with fully charged
batteries.
I’d intended to take a vacation in February, anyway. The trip I took
which ventured through Singapore, Australia and Bali would have
cost me around $5,000.00, and that is about what I would have spent
that month for a vacation. I went on my own, but could have brought
a guest for free. If I had to pay for that person, my wife for example,
add a few thousand dollars to the expense. Let’s use the figure of
$5,000, though, and do the math:

Vacation Expense: $5,000.

Booking Fee: $5,000.

So instead of spending $5,000, I made $5,000. There are tax

considerations which change the numbers slightly, but that varies
depending on your financial structure and income, so we’ll ignore
them for this illustration.

As far as I am concerned, I made $10,000 that month by saving

$5,000 and earning $5,000. Now, $5,000-$10,000 in a month is much
lower than you and I in our fortunate position can earn. Money isn’t
everything though, and if you work hard most of the year, as I hope
you do, be sure to reward yourself often and enjoy your life. Take
vacations, even when you don’t get paid to do so!

A few days ago, I sent the following e-mail to the agency that booked
me on that cruise:
Dear Carolyn,

Hope everything is going great for you.

I am in the midst of completing a course for magicians that will

discuss various performing venues. I would be pleased to highlight
your company in the Cruise Ship section, which may lead to several
submissions to your company from qualified entertainers.

With your permission, I will offer your company information including

your submission guidelines (from your web site). Would also like to e-
mail you some questions pertaining to working cruises that is not
covered completely on your web site.

Please let me know if I can copy information from your site and e-
mail you some questions to be answered and returned by you within
the next week or so.

Thank you,

Randy Charach
2808 W 39th Avenue
Vancouver, BC
Canada V6N 2Z4
http://www.charach.com
PH: (604) 839-7937
FX: (604) 739-2866
She replied with the following email:

Hello Randy,

Nice to hear from you. Please feel free to highlight our company in
the cruise ship lesson. Although our business is 95% musicians, as
you know, we have had the opportunity to offer work to "Headliners"
such as yourself, and magicians.

Feel free to e-mail me questions, I will answer to the best of my

ability.

Take care Randy,

Carolyn Coventry
Vice-President of Operations
---------------------------------------------
ProShip Entertainment Inc.
TEL: (514) 485-8823 FAX: (514) 485-2675
e-mail: ccoventry@proship.com Web: http://www.proship.com
5253 Decarie Boulevard, Suite #308 Montreal,
Quebec, Canada H3W 3C2

I just checked their web site more carefully, and realize that between
my knowledge that I am sharing with you, and the information on their
site, I do not think there will be unanswered questions. So, I will now
write to her:

Hello again Carolyn,

Thank you for your reply to my request.

Upon second look, I realize that there is plenty of information on

your web site and there are no additional questions for me to ask you
regarding the magician course project.

A couple weeks ago a fellow from your agency called and asked my
availability for cruise work, which would run for several months in
duration. I appreciate the call, but that is not possible for me at this
time. I did mention, and want you to know, that I would love to do a 1-
2 week booking. Perhaps between other performer contracts or as a
fill in when a performer takes vacation. Maybe this summer on an
Alaskan run that leaves from Vancouver so there is no travel expense
for the cruise company. Anyway, please keep me in mind.

Warm Regards,

Randy

----------------------------------------------------------

There really is a ton of information about working ships on the

ProShip site. I have included what applies to magicians here and will
tell you that the information is pretty standard across cruise lines and
agencies that book acts on cruises. Some of it may seem harsh and
in reality much of it is not actually upheld.

You likely realize that I am recommending ProShip to you as a great

company to deal with and I suggest you approach them if this work
appeals to you. You should also approach other agencies and the
ships directly too.

What follows on the next several pages is a recapitulation of

information provided by ProShip.

ProShip

SALARY & BENEFITS

Your salary will be indicated on your employment contract along with

the method of disbursement: weekly, bi-weekly or monthly.

Salaries are always paid in U.S. currency and range from $1,000 to
$3,000 per person per week. Meals, accommodation, airfare and
excess luggage or Air Cargo charges for your equipment to and from
the ship are included at no extra cost to you.

Depending on the Cruise Line policy, you may be able to invite

friends and/or family to cruise with you at discount rates, after a
certain period of employment.
ProShip's Commission

Proship works on a 12% commission basis for musicians, and a 15%

commission basis for Variety Acts and Cocktail Pianists. Depending
on the accounting structure of the cruise line, we collect our
commission either by invoicing you or by invoicing the cruise line.

If we invoice you, you will need to visit the local post office or a bank
once a month while in port, and have a certified cheque or money
order made out to ProShip Entertainment in the amount indicated on
the invoice.

If we invoice the Cruise Line directly, our commission will be

deducted from your salary. You will always know what your net salary
will be in advance.

Novelty Artist

The Novelty Artist is a single entertainer or group of entertainers who

perform a 45-minute Feature Show in the theatre, as well as 10 to15
minute segments in the production shows.

Your show should be incredible, breath-taking, entertaining,

humorous and of the highest quality. It should be tailored for the over-
50 crowd, although some cruise lines cater to a younger crowd. Your
material should be "clean" since ships are usually very conservative.
You may use the Show Band for play-ons, play-offs and to generally
enhance your show, or you may use pre-recorded music.
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

A Variety Act usually performs two nights a week.

One night you will perform the same 45 minute Feature Show twice
(once for early and once for late seating). On the other night, you will
perform the same 20-minute show twice (once for early and once for
late seating) as part of either the Welcome Show or Farewell Show.
On 10-day cruises, you may need to perform two different 45-minute
feature shows and a 20-minute show. Some acts, except for Feature
Instrumentalists, may also be asked to perform a Late Night Adult
Show.

The Magician/Illusionist may also be asked to perform a Close-up

Magic Show.

THE PROMOTIONAL PACKAGE AUDITION

Variety Acts

(Acrobat, Feature Instrumentalist, Stand Up Comic,

Magician/Illusionist, Juggler, Ventriloquist, Hypnotist, Cabaret Singer,
and Novelty Act)

Since ProShip hires entertainers from all over North America, it is

impossible to audition every act in person. Therefore every Variety
Act must send us a complete promotional package, including glossy
photos and a video of their performance in front of an audience. The
video should capture your rapport with the crowd as well as their
reaction to you.
 VIDEO: The video must accurately represent your act in a live
setting. We prefer an uncut 1 hour video done in front of a live
audience rather than a 5 minute edited video done in studio. With the
uncut video we can see how well you are received by an audience
and how much material you actually have.

Your video should be of professional quality; the better you sound

and look, the more chances you have of being selected. Comments
accompanying the video to the effect that " ...this is an old video and
we are much better now..." will not be taken into consideration.

The Promotional Package Audition should include:

- Video Tape: (see above)

- Audio Tape: (if applicable) 10 to 15 minutes long. The tape should

have the best sound quality possible and should include from 7 to 12
excerpts that accurately represent your repertoire.

- Photos: All photos should be 8 x 10 with the entertainers in "formal

attire" or stage wear. All members of the act should appear in the photo.

- Song list: (if applicable) Printed repertoire. Please group the songs by
musical style and language, vocal and non-vocal.

- Show Sequence: A printed show sequence for both a 45 minute and

a 20 minute show.
- Biography: A printed biography including: a promotional "teaser"
paragraph (6 - 7 lines), a career resume describing your background and
experience, a highlight of your last 3 years of professional work.

- Letters of Reference: Complimentary letters from previous

employers.

Accommodations

You will be assigned a crew cabin once you board the vessel. A
sideman usually shares a cabin with another musician, while a Band
Leader or Guest Entertainer will have a cabin to him/herself.
Occasionally, a Band Leader may be asked to share a cabin with
another musician, or a sideman may be asked to share a cabin with
two other musicians in the band. All these details will be made known
to you before you accept a contract with us.

Space on ships is a valuable commodity: cabins are very small and

take a bit of getting used to. Cleanliness and personal hygiene must
be practiced by all, especially in a shared cabin. If a non-smoker
bunks with a smoker, the No Smoking rule applies.

Contract Length

Contract can be as short as three days or as long as six months. The

average length is 6 months. Short contracts come with little notice,
sometimes only 24 hours! Such short notice means the cruise line
needs to fill a position quickly and is prepared to adjust the length of
the contract. Normally, the cruise line prefers to hire people for longer
periods of time.

On a regular contract, you will usually have four to eight weeks notice
to prepare for your departure.

Before you consider accepting any given contract, please remember

that your verbal commitment is important to us. Once you give your
consent, a contract and an airline ticket are requested in your name.
Should you change your mind prior to departure, you will be
penalized. Our contract of commission, which requires your
signature, stipulates:

"If, for whatever reason, the artist changes his mind about accepting
the contract or departs the vessel prior to the termination date on the
artist's A/MA, either by his own choice, or by AMR's decision, or by
ProShip's decision, except if the artist suffers from injury or medical
condition not present prior to embarkation necessitating his dismissal
from the vessel, the artist agrees to pay ProShip a replacement fee
equivalent to three weeks of the artist's net salary."

On-board Hierarchy
Captain (Master of vessel)
Staff Captain (2nd in command)
Chief Purser (3rd in command)
Hotel Manager (4th in Command)
Cruise Director (responsible for all entertainers)
Guest Entertainers
Musical Director (responsible for sidemen and musical
groups) You

Officers: Officers are a breed apart. Unless you have already been
exposed to a military environment, it can take some getting used to.
Officers live in a world where strict obedience and respect are of the
utmost importance. If you show officers the respect they expect, you
will not have a problem. The best answer to an officer's command is
a prompt and enthusiastic "YES SIR!"

Cruise Director: He/she is in charge of all on-board entertainment

and has a long and hectic schedule. The Cruise Director can fire
anyone who is not fitting in. Make it a point to cultivate a good
relationship with your Cruise director.

Mental attitude

When you accept a job on a cruise ship, professional competence is

only half of what you will need to bring on-board. The other half is a
good attitude: a willingness to complete your contract, no matter
what.

Space is a limited commodity on ships, so there is absolutely no room

for swelled heads. The ultimate candidate is a problem solver, not a
problem maker; one who shows common courtesy, is cooperative,
flexible, enthusiastic and able to spend long periods away from home.

Commitment: We realize that when we offer you a job on a cruise

ship, there are a lot of things for you to think about before you can
give your consent. We do not have a problem with those who refuse
a job. However, once you consent to take a contract, you are formally
committed and we expect you to live up to your word. We cannot
involve the cruise line by requesting contracts, airline tickets, etc., in
your name unless you are 100% positive you want the job. Between
the time you verbally accept the job and the moment your signature is
on the contract, we have to count on your commitment.

Audience Appeal: (Band Leader, Guest Entertainer or "front

person".) Keep in mind that your audience is on vacation and is there
to have a great time. A group's front person must generate
excitement on stage and should always encourage the audience to
participate. Involve the audience, interact with them! Make them feel
that they are the best audience you've ever played for. Give them an
experience to remember!

Illegal Drugs

It is not uncommon for cruise ships to conduct "random" drug tests or

cabin inspections. Being caught in possession of an illegal substance
or proving positive on a drug test can lead to immediate dismissal at
best, imprisonment at worst.

Coast Guard Inspection

Coast Guard officers are similar to Custom officers and have the right
to search your cabin without your permission and without telling you
why. These searches may be random and may happen throughout
the ship on any day at any time.
Curfew

On most cruise ships there is a curfew in the public areas anywhere

between 1:30 am and 3:00 am. You are not allowed to linger in any of
the public areas (lounges, bars, etc.). There is usually a staff lounge
or officer's lounge on-board that is open 24 hours a day where you
can relax if you are a night owl.

Restrictions

There are areas on a ship that musicians and entertainers are not
permitted to visit. These areas include passenger cabins,
(passengers are not allowed in your cabin either), the ship's Casino,
and the pool. Bar stools are also off limits. (Waiters prefer to have
passengers on bar stools since they are better tippers.) You may
have a drink at a table in the lounge. However, you cannot walk
around the ship with a drink or a cigarette in your hand in case the
ship tilts and you spill your drink or burn a passenger. Use of the
public gym facilities may be permitted at certain times. Some ships
have their own staff gyms and pool which are more accessible.

Fines

On land, a fine is a common punishment for breaking the law (think of

parking and speeding tickets!) It's the same thing on-board.

The laws of the ship are clearly spelled out to you when you arrive. If
you break an on-board law, you may either receive a written warning
or be fined. If you resist the temptation to break the rules you should
not have any trouble.

Required Drills

You must participate in passenger and staff boat drills. Drills will
teach you how to act if an emergency situation arises.

Boat drills happen once per cruise and are compulsory for both staff
and passengers. A drill lasts about 20 minutes and is similar to an
airplane drill. There are also special training periods for staff and
crew, which you must attend. Although ships are extremely safe, take
the time to learn how to save your life and that of others in case of
emergency.

Dress Code

The dress code varies for different cruise lines. However, in general,
you will need to wear a Tuxedo with a white pleated shirt, a black bow
tie, black cummerbund, black shoes and black socks for formal night.
On non-formal nights, you will wear a blue blazer with a white shirt,
tie, white pants and white deck shoes. Some cruise lines will provide
you with the non-formal night wear, a daytime uniform and a nametag
that you should wear in passenger areas.

Sample Policy Manual

Prior to departure you will be provided with the policy manual of the
cruise line. It will look something like this:
 Can Do

1) An exemplary conduct may provide you with the opportunity to

accompany passengers in the capacity of host during fabulous shore
excursions.

2) You may use the gymnasium facilities after 8:00 PM provided no

passengers are waiting.

3) Socialize in a proper, educated and respectful manner with each

individual of the upscale clientele. Short hair and a well-groomed
appearance is expected.

No Can Do

1) The following parts of the ship are off limits to staff members: Casino,
passenger cabins, pool and bar stools.

2) Tardiness is not permitted in any of your duties. When in port you

must be on board the vessel at least one hour prior to the ship's departure.
Failure to board the ship will lead to instant dismissal!

3) Slightly improper behavior can lead to fines. Grossly improper

behavior, such as drunkenness, or possession/use of illegal drugs will lead
to dismissal or imprisonment.
Health & Medical

You will have full medical coverage while on board and on land (while
the ship is in port) if you successfully complete a thorough physical
examination prior to departure.

A ship's Pre-Physical Examination Form will be sent to you. This form

contains a section that you can fill in yourself (relating to your health
history), as well as sections that must be filled in by your doctor
(physical examination and test results).

The physical can be done in your doctor's office. A chest X-ray

(tuberculosis), a urinalysis (drugs, alcohol and diabetes) and a blood
test (sexually transmitted diseases) are required.

Depending on the cruise line, you may be asked to have the medical
examination done at one of their affiliated Clinics. You will be notified
if any vaccinations will be needed.

Cruise ship employees are discouraged from participating in

dangerous activities such as bungee jumping, sky diving, rental of
risky mopeds, etc., as these activities may affect insurance coverage.
It is up to you whether or not to invest in life insurance; keep in mind
that the cruise line offers no compensation for fatal injuries.

Medical Insurance: If you are a U.S. resident paying U.S. taxes, you
may be asked to participate in a "Shipboard Medical Plan" which will
provide coverage for the period of time spent ashore in the United
States after disembarkation upon the completion of a contract.
Words of Advice

The time it takes to adjust to "life at sea" varies with each individual; it
can take anywhere from two weeks to two months.

To make your time on-board as pleasant as possible, realize that

after the rehearsal period is over you will have a lot of free time. Make
your time worthwhile by staying focused. Don't lose sight of the
objectives you set for yourself when you accepted the contract. Use
this opportunity to learn a new skill or language, get in better physical
shape, explore the ports-of-call, participate in activities such as scuba
diving, send postcards, read international newspapers, practice
meditation... discover yourself!

Be prepared to be offered alcohol often. Go easy on it and make sure

your conduct is always professional.

This is an opportunity to come back home in top mental and physical

shape and with money in your pocket! It's all up to you!

___________________________________________________

Here is information directly from another well respected agency that

books a lot of cruise entertainment. It is provided under their
letterhead, as follows:
Bramson Entertainment
630 Ninth Ave. - Suite 203
New York, N Y
10036

Phone: (212) 265 - 3500 Fax:(212) 265-6615

Bramson works with most of the major cruise lines in providing
headline entertainers. These are artists who perform in the main
show rooms and have a cabaret style act.

As a general rule of thumb all headline entertainers will need to have

a minimum of 75 minutes of material that can be used in a number of
different configurations depending on the needs of each ship. You
should be able to work within any of these formats:

1 - 45 minute show and 1 - 30 minute show

2 - 30 minutes shows and 1 - 15 minute show
3 - 20 minute shows and 1 - 10-15 minute show

All of the cruise lines want to see a videotape before they will even
consider offering an engagement. The cruise lines are looking for
poised, professional entertainers who they feel will be a good
reflection of the overall quality of their product. While not a perfect
medium, videotapes are the standard by which all acts are hired in
the industry. The most effective tool is a tape of a live performance. A
staged promotional tape is not as good in this market.

We realize that not everyone wants to make cruising their sole

entertainment career. There is a place for those who only want to
supplement other engagements as well as for those entertainers who
do want to entertain exclusively on ships.

Please be aware that not every act translates to a shipboard

environment. There are certain situations that are unique to cruising
and make this field unlike any other segment of the entertainment
world. In addition to having the right kind of act that is totally clean
and can play to a family audience, there is also a social component to
shipboard entertaining that is very important. Living and working with
people 24/7 poses certain challenges. Important to understand this
and be willing to mix, mingle and promote yourself as well as the line.

Please send all materials to:

Linda Raff
President
Bramson Entertainment Bureau, Inc.
630 Ninth Ave. - Suite 203
New York, NY 10036

Please allow a period of two to three weeks to view materials. We will

not be able to return tapes or materials.
Lesson 16 - Television (Back to Index)

Performing magic on television is definitely part of the Millionaire

Magician’s plan. Although it may not directly contribute to your
wealth, it does increase your celebrity status and will contribute to
your ability to obtain higher fees. Most magicians, David Copperfield
and Lance Burton included, actually contribute a couple hundred
thousand dollars and more, above and beyond what the network
provides, in order to improve the production value of their specials.
David Blaine is an exception, as he profits greatly from his shows.

Your own television special has the potential to launch your career to
new heights. There is no guarantee that the special alone will make
you rich and famous, but there will certainly be many other benefits.

One way to have your own special aired is to produce it yourself and
give it for free to stations to broadcast. You can recoup funds by
selling advertising slots for commercials and/or obtaining corporate
sponsorship. Often there is a budget available from smaller stations
to contribute to your production for first-run rights. You may also be
able to simply have a station or network produce your show and pay
you a talent fee.

The following pages contain a template that you may wish to use to
propose your own television special. The first page is the synopsis
that will be needed in your initial stages. This is followed by an
acceptably formatted complete television special “bible’ that you can
model yours from.

Click here to skip template and go to next lesson.

TV Special Synopsis

SYNOPSIS
THE [Your Name] SHOW is a [Describe your Show]

Starring [Your description and Name], the show is set in [Describe

setting]

Packaged with strong visual graphics, a dynamic, hard-edged

opening, and strong bumpers and stings, the show is set around
[Your Name] world-class magic performances.
This show is [Further Describe Show]

The [Your Name] Show will create a lasting Impression!

A complete X-page bible of the show is available upon request.

Telephone: [Your Phone Number] [Your Web Address]

[Your Email Address]

__________________________________________________ Copyright
[Year] [Your Production Company] - All Rights Reserved
TV Special Template

The
[Your Name Here]
Show

A Television Special Bible

Created by
[Your Name]

Draft No. 1 – [Month, year]

__________________________________________________

[Your Production Company]

[Your Address]
[Your City]
[Your Zip or Postal Code]

[Your Phone Number] [Your Fax Number]

E-MAIL: [Your Email Address]

__________________________________________________

Copyright [Year] [Your Production Company] - All Rights Reserved

 “The [Your Name] Show”
Bible - Page 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. SYNOPSIS

2. TECHNICAL DETAILS GENRE

LENGTH
COMMERCIAL BREAKS
VTR PACKAGES
SHOOTING DETAILS
SEGMENTS
CAST
LIMITATIONS & LOCATIONS

3. SHOW STYLE

4. SET

5. SHOW RUNDOWN

6. VTR PACKAGE TREATMENTS OPENING

COMMERCIAL BUMPERS
TRANSITIONS

_________________________________________________

Copyright [Year] [Your Production Company] - All Rights Reserved

“The [Your Name] Show”
Bible - Page 3

SYNOPSIS
THE [Your Name] SHOW is a 60 minute Television Variety Special
appealing to the new generation of entertainment connoisseurs in the
18 - 34 age range.

Starring [Your Description and Your Name], the show is

[Describe your show]

Packaged with strong visual graphics, a dynamic, hard-edged

opening, and strong bumpers and stings, the show is set
[Describe the Setting].

This show is [More Details]

The [Your Name] Show will create a lasting Impression!

__________________________________________________ Copyright
[Year] [Your Production Company] - All Rights Reserved
“The [Your Name] Show”
Bible - Page 4

TECHNICAL DETAILS

A/ GENRE This is a 60-minute variety television show

licensed for broadcast nationally in [Your
Country]. The show meets requirements of a
variety show, which must be [Your Country’s
Requirements]. The [Brief Summary of
Show]. The show is shot in segments and
edited in postproduction.

B/ LENGTH

The total length of the show is 59:50. There are 12 minutes of

commercial breaks making the show performed length of the
47:50.

C/ COMMERCIALS There are six 2-minute commercial breaks

D/ VTR PACKAGE The following VTR packages will be created:

PACKAGED OPENING
COMMERCIAL BUMPERS
TRANSITIONS

E/ SHOOTING The show will be shot at [Describe Locations]

__________________________________________________

Copyright [Year] [Your Production Company] - All Rights Reserved

“The [Your Name] Show”
Bible - Page 5

TECHNICAL DETAILS Continued...

The stage show segment will use two

pedestal cameras with one close up and one
wide shot of the performance area. One hand
held will be on stage with an over the shoulder
view of the audience with the second hand
held in the audience. Tape will only be
stopped to reset or to re-shoot major faults.
Excess performance footage will be shot to
maximize the choices when editing content.
VTR packages, credits, graphics and audio
sweetening will be done in post.

E/ SEGMENTS “[Name of First Segment]”

[Describe Segment]

Length: 45 seconds

__________________________________________________ Copyright
[Year] [Your Production Company] - All Rights Reserved
“The [Your Name] Show”
Bible - Page 6

TECHNICAL DETAILS Continued...

E/ SEGMENTS “[Name of Second Segment]”

[Describe Segment]

“[Name of Third Segment]”

[Describe Segment]

Length: 4 minutes.

__________________________________________________ Copyright
[Year] [Your Production Company] - All Rights Reserved
“The [Your Name] Show”
Bible - Page 7

TECHNICAL DETAILS Continued...

E/ SEGMENTS “[Name of Fourth Segment]”

[Describe Segment]

Length 8 minutes

“[Name of Fifth Segment]”

[Describe Segment]

Length: 6:10 minutes

__________________________________________________
Copyright [Year] [Your Production Company] - All Rights Reserved
“The [Your Name] Show”
Bible - Page 8

TECHNICAL DETAILS Continued...

E/ SEGMENTS “[Name of Sixth Segment]”

[Describe Segment]

Length: 7:35 minutes

“[Name of Seventh Segment]”

[Describe Segment]

Length: 8:50 minutes

__________________________________________________ Copyright
[Year] [Your Production Company] - All Rights Reserved
“The [Your Name] Show”
Bible - Page 9

TECHNICAL DETAILS Continued...

E/ SEGMENTS “[Name of Eighth Segment]”

[Describe Segment]

Length: 4 minutes

F/ LIMITATIONS & LOCATIONS

[Describe Technical Limitations

and Location Considerations]

__________________________________________________ Copyright
[Year] [Your Production Company] - All Rights Reserved
“The [Your Name] Show”
Bible - Page 10

SHOW STYLE

[Descriptions below are to give you an idea as to what you

could write in this section]
A talented and creative crew will produce this show. The DOP will
greatly influence the look and feel of the show and it will be shot to
reflect the content, which is hip and innovative. The show will be
moody at times, bright at others, but always consistent in its
contemporary flair. Bumpers, stings and music will be added in
postproduction to compliment the show.

The content of the show will not reflect current events and will be
international in scope. None of the segments will be time dated.
Although the show is only sold in [Your Country] at this time, it is
expected it will receive worldwide distribution. Although written to be
shot in [Your City], it could be shot in any city.

The show is to be aired as a one -hour television special. A series of

weekly half hour shows based on the magic of [Your Name] is
currently in development.

This show is about [Summarize the unique features of your

Production]

__________________________________________________ Copyright
[Year] [Your Production Company] - All Rights Reserved
 “The [Your Name] Show”
Bible - Page 11

SHOW RUNDOWN

#DESCRIPTION LENGTH NOTES

st
1. Name of 1 . Segment : 45 Describe tone of show

2. OPENING VTR : 30 VTR Package

3. COMMERCIAL #1 2:00 Revenue Source

4. Bumper from Commercial : 15 VTR Package

nd
5. Name of 2 . Segment 4:00 Brief Description

6. TRANSITION VTR : 10 VTR PACKAGE

rd
7. Name of 3 . Segment 6:00 Brief Description

8. Bumper to Commercial : 10 Describe Shot

9. COMMERCIAL #2 2:00 Revenue Source

10. Bumper from : 15 VTR Package

Commercial

__________________________________________________ Copyright
[Year] [Your Production Company] - All Rights Reserved
 “The [Your Name] Show”
Bible - Page 12

# DESCRIPTION LENGTH NOTES

th
11. Name of 4 . Segment 8: 00 Brief Description

12. Bumper to Commercial : 10 Describe Shot

13. COMMERCIAL #3 2:00 Revenue Source

14. Bumper from Commercial : 15 VTR Package

th
15. Name of 5 Segment 6:10 Brief Description

16. Bumper to Commercial : 10 Describe Shot

17. COMMERCIAL #4 2:00 Revenue Source

18. Bumper from Commercial : 15 VTR Package

th
19. Name of 6 . Segment 7:35 Brief Description

20. Bumper to Commercial : 10 Describe Shot

__________________________________________________ Copyright
[Year] [Your Production Company] - All Rights Reserved
 “The [Your Name] Show”
Bible - Page 13

#DESCRIPTION LENGTH NOTES

21. COMMERCIAL #5 2:00 Revenue Source

22. Bumper From Commercial : 10 Describe Shot

th
23. Name of 7 . Segment 8:50 Brief Description

24. Bumper to Commercial : 10 VTR Package

25. COMMERCIAL #6 2:00 Revenue Source

h
26. Name of 8t Segment 4:00 Brief Description

Producer Logo/ Copyright

___________________________
TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 59:50

_________________________________________________ Copyright [Year]

[Your Production Company] - All Rights Reserved
“The [Your Name] Show”
Bible - Page 14

VTR PACKAGE TREATMENTS

A/ OPENING

A visual montage set to [Describe Music]. The images will include a

[Describe Visual Settings]. The theme is [Describe Overall Theme].
Length: 30 seconds

B/ COMMERCIAL BUMPERS

Bumpers will be created from footage shots. They will focus on

[Describe theme of shots]

Length: 15 seconds

C/ VTR TRANSITION

There is only one VTR transition. It is a montage of on [Describe

shots]

Length: 10 seconds

__________________________________________________ Copyright
[Year] [Your Production Company] - All Rights Reserved
 “The [Your Name] Show”
Bible - Page 15

Q&A

Q. Can you tell us more about [Your Name]?

A. [Your Name] has [Describe your USP – Remember that?]

____________________________________________

Q. [Question]?

A. [Answer]

____________________________________________

Q. [Question]?

A. [Answer]

____________________________________________

Q. How can we find out more about [Your Name]?

A. [Your Web Site]

____________________________________________
Copyright [Year] [Your Production Company] - All Rights Reserved
You can and should get booked on local and national talk shows. I
have been on many as mentioned in the lesson on promotional
material.

Each talk show has a different set of criteria for selecting guests.
Here is the information you need to submit yourself as a potential
guest on some of the major shows on national television:

The two toughest and most desirable shows to get on are Letterman
and Leno. I spoke with a representative at the Leno Show who told
me: “We get hundreds of packages a week and we don’t do
Mentalists, Magicians, or Hypnotists and the packages are
automatically sent back to the sender”.

The only way for you to get on these shows, unless you are a
celebrity or just happen to get lucky or work hard at being seen by the
right person at the right time, is to be creative in your approach. They
do not care how good you are. I am going to tell you how to fit into
their current format. That is the most realistic way of getting on one of
these shows.

Go to their web site and check out their current interests in stories.
Find a way to fit into THEIR programming. Of course you will tie your
magic into the approach. A clip of you performing magic on The
Tonight Show with Jay Leno or The Late Show with David Letterman
will instantly increase your fee and marketability. Since this is the only
realistic way to make this happen, why not give it a shot?
Late Show with David Letterman

http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/clubhouse/faq.shtml

Here is what is on their site at time of this writing:

I've got a Stupid Pet or Stupid Human Trick. How can I get
picked for the show?

Here's what you need to do: videotape you or your pet doing the trick
at least three times in a row without stopping or editing (to prove to us
that it can be done consistently, on cue).

Put your contact phone numbers on the label of your videocassette

and mail to:

Darren Demeterio
Late Show with David Letterman
1697 Broadway
New York, NY 10019

As an alternative, you may also call 1-888-PET-TRIK (888-738-8745)

and leave a detailed description of your trick, along with day and
evening phone numbers. You may also e-mail Stupid Trick
Coordinator Darren Demeterio at sdemeterio@aol.com. If your
trick is safe and fun for all participants, fits our format and hasn't
already been performed on the show, we will call you back should we
be interested in using your trick.
I know of a "regular" person who would make a great guest for
the show. How can I bring them to your attention?

"Human interest" guests fall basically into two categories: topical, and
people with unusual hobbies, talents, or obsessions.

What we look for in a topical story varies widely. It can be anything

from a lottery winner to a dog who steals his owner's truck. We have
featured a nurse who saved her son's iguana by giving it mouth-to-
mouth resuscitation; a 10-year-old boy who was home alone and
punched out a burglar who was trying to break into his house; and the
man who George Steinbrenner dubbed the "Number One Yankee
Fan" because he waited on line 33 hours for play-off tickets.

What all of these stories have in common is that they are light-
hearted stories with a happy ending. Hero stories are always
welcome. Other human-interest guests are people with unusual
hobbies, talents, or acts. These are likable, outgoing individuals who
do something extraordinary. Examples of this type of guest are the
105-year-old woman who wrote a horse handicapping column for the
New York Post; the "Human Echo," a man who could repeat anything
anyone said in 1/50th of a second; and a pool player and trick shot
artist who could knock 90 balls into the pockets with one shot.

If you consider yourself to be one of these people, or if you know of

someone who might make a great human-interest guest, please send
a videotape of the person along with a letter to:
Celia Converse
Attn: Human Interest
Late Show with David Letterman
1697 Broadway, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10019

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

3000 W. Almeda Ave.
Los Angeles, CA
USA 91523

http://nbctv.nbci.com/tonightshow/

Here is what is on their site at time of this writing:

We're looking for people who've had a funny, bizarre or really bad
dating experience. Drop us a note with the details. You could end up
telling it to Jay on the show.

Be sure to give us your name, address, age and a phone number

where we can reach you.
Mail your stories to:

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Attn: Segment Producer Nightmare Dates
3000 W. Alameda
Burbank, CA 91523
Do you think you have the ugliest dog in America?

'The Tonight Show' is in search of some hideous-looking hounds who

won't be winning any beauty contests. So, if you think your dog is
less attractive than most, please send us a 1-2 minute videotape and
a picture of you and your dog to:

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Ugly Dog Search
Attn: Segment Producer SR
3000 W. Alameda
Burbank, CA 91523

Note from Randy: Are you a kid? Too young to hit the big time? When
I was a kid I was always told that I was too young to be doing what I
was doing. Use what you have (your youth) to your advantage.

Back to NBCs info:

Over the years, some of Jay's most memorable guests have been
kids, like 'The Lizard Boy of Sarasota', the 10 year-old watermelon
eating champ, and the 4 year-old genius. There are many youngsters
out there who have outrageous interests or bizarre pastimes and The
Tonight Show wants them! The wackier, the better! If you know a
youngster 12 and under who could make an unusual and
unforgettable mark on The Tonight Show, send descriptive letter and
VHS videotape to:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Attn: Segment Producer JA
3000 W. Alameda
Burbank, CA 91523

All kid collectors! Do you collect human hair? Perhaps chewing gum?
Okay, how about vacuum cleaners? All those may sound strange, but
Jay welcomes kids with interesting (okay, some would say weird)
collections. If you have an unusual or wacky or just plain strange
collection, then JAY WANTS YOU! Youngsters who have appeared
on recent Tonight Show show n'tell segments have included
collectors of snakes, teeth, and even rats (not to mention the hair,
gum, and vacuums mentioned earlier). If you know a kid 12 and
under - or if you are a kid 12 and under - whose cool collection could
make an impression on The Tonight Show, send a descriptive letter
and VHS video tape of the kid and the collection to:

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Attn: Segment Producer JA
3000 W. Alameda
Burbank, CA 91523

No email or faxes, please. We are not seeking singing, dancing, or

musical acts. All tapes will remain at NBC, so send a copy, not the
original.

Late Night with Conan

30 Rockefeller Plaza #901 W.
New York, NY
10112
PH: (212) 664-3737
Note: I spoke with the guest coordinator at Conan and was told, “we
don’t book variety acts and we are a celebrity driven show”. So, I
recommend you watch the show and think of ways to tie yourself into
their format if you want a shot at appearing on this program. Unless,
of course, you are a celebrity now.

Rosie O’ Donnell Show

30 Rockefeller Plaza #800E
New York, NY
USA 10112
Attention: Human Interest

Note: You can also fax to: Human Interest at (212) 506-3249 but I
suggest you mail them an impressive attention getting package
instead.

I spoke with one of the coordinators of the show and she was very
friendly and open to receiving information. They are primarily
interested in high profile guests that are on a publicity tour and going
to be in New York. Can you honestly present yourself that way to
them? I think you can! Remember, start with local appearances on
television and become high profile in your area. Build upon that and
work your way up to shows like Rosie.
"The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn"
7800 Beverly Blvd.
Suite 244
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Attention: Human Interest Coordinator

Here is information regarding being a guest on the Craig Kilborn

Show:

If you know of any "regular" people who might make a good "human
interest" guest, we'd like to hear from you.

"Human interest" guests fall basically into two categories: topical, and
people with unusual hobbies, talents, or obsessions.

Generally, we are interested in light-hearted stories with a happy

ending. Hero stories are always welcome. Other human-interest
guests are people with unusual hobbies, talents, or acts. These are
likable, outgoing individuals who do something extraordinary.
Examples of this type of guest are the 105-year-old woman who
wrote a horse handicapping column for the New York Post; the
"Human Echo," a man who could repeat anything anyone said in
1/50th of a second; and a pool player and trick shot artist who could
knock 90 balls into the pockets with one shot. If you consider yourself
to be one of these people, or if you know of someone who might
make a great human-interest guest, please send videotape.
 LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY
7 Lincoln Square, 5th Floor
New York, NY
USA 10023
Attention: Michael Gilman

Note: I think this is one of those shows that you just have to keep
trying to get the attention of Gilman, the Producer of the show. If you
can find a way to get his attention and have a great tape of your
unique performance you may get on the show. How do you get his
attention? How about sending him a cellular phone with a note telling
him to just press “send” to reach you. Sound extravagant? Do you
want to be on the show or not? Will it work? I don’t know if this
specific example will work in this specific case, but I will tell you that I
have done things like this in the past with great success. Go the extra
mile, friend. You will stand out and be rewarded handsomely for your
efforts.

The bottom line is:

• Get on local shows as much as possible.

• If you really want your own special, be prepared to deal with

rejection, and pay dearly with time and maybe your own money.

• The big-time shows are doable if you find a way to fit into their
existing program. Of course, when you do this, you will tie your magic
performing into the scenario.
Lesson 17 - Consulting and Acting (Back to Index)

In 1986, Paramount studios came to Vancouver to shoot the

television series MacGyver. They needed a magician to act as a
consultant for the first two episodes and I was hired for the job. I
charged them around $50.00 per hour, (not bad money 15 years ago)
and was on set for ten hours a day for two weeks. That job led to two
years off and on of consulting and acting work on the show. I have
worked a fair amount in the television and film industry and it can be
quite rewarding. Have also studied acting intensively and have
benefited in many ways from the experience.

Acting lessons can improve your performing ability and are great for
personal growth. Acting skills are particularly important for Mentalists.
Unless you live in Vancouver, Toronto, New York, Seattle or Los
Angeles, the major film centers, there is probably not a lot of work
available in your area. But, even cities not known for doing a lot of
filming may offer opportunities for you, so do some research in your
area. Look into acting classes. From there you can hook up with an
agent and perhaps join the actors’ union, as I have. You can also
contact production houses, studios and casting directors to offer your
services as a magic consultant.

There are other ways to get work as a magic consultant. You can
work with executives, teaching them how to make more effective
presentations by using magic. And check this article out:
Police to Train As Magicians

LONDON (Reuters) - Top British police officers are to be given

training as magicians, but in a bid to improve their communication
skills, not to pull the wool over the eyes of criminals, Scotland
Yard said on Friday.

``It is a one-off trial to be held in May,'' a spokeswoman said. ``It is to

develop officers' communications skills and rapport.''

Magician Michael Vincent is to undertake the training of 30 police

superintendents for a fee of $144 per head under the title of
``The Magic of Networking.''

``It is considered as a legitimate use of the training budget,''

the Scotland Yard spokeswoman said.

There really is no limit as to where your magic skills can take you.
Use your imagination and add consulting as one of your multiple
streams of income.

If you want to see how I do it, go to: http://magicianmarketing.com

Lesson 18 - Theatres (Back to Index)

There are several different ways a magician can make arrangements

to do a show in a theatre where the public buys a ticket for the
performance. You can book the theatre for a rental fee and keep the
ticket sale profits. A theatre could hire you for a set fee and handle all
the other details. Another scenario is a co-pro (co-production), which
is a combination of risk and reward sharing. You can also run a
phone promotion operation.

In my area, the average theatre rental cost for a 200 - 400 seat venue
is $900 per day. If you are to bear all the expenses of the show, there
is also technician, front of house staff, advertising, promotion, ticket
distribution, and concession considerations among other
responsibilities and expenses above and beyond producing the show
itself. The risk/reward figures are fairly easy to work out with a little
research and scratching out possible scenarios on paper. The
exposure by way of publicity generated in conjunction with the
venture has some value, too.

Often an entertainer will work with a Producer / Manager and share

profits or losses equally. There are also various showcases of theatre
bookers looking for talent. A friend of mine who has an illusion show
and is well known in his corner of the world has an arrangement
where the theatre pays out 65% of the door to his company with an
$8,000 guarantee.
Bonus Interview - John Kaplan on Booking Theatre Tours

RC - How is it that you are touring the Country, performing in

Theatres, year after year?

JK - I purchased Stan Kramien's course years ago. Although I never

pursued the main focus of his fundraising show technique
(telemarketing), nonetheless I received a tremendous amount of
practical information that over time I've derived tremendous value
from in building my own system and fundraising career.

RC - Okay, so you are presenting your show in conjunction with a

fund raising effort?

JK - Yes, I started out by going through local white pages and

contacting individual groups within an elementary or high school. Not
targeting the school itself, but the parent committee, or the school
Band Leader, or Drama Department or High School Grad or Year
Book committee. Basically, any group that needs to raise money for a
specific reason.

For example, the parent committee may do it to raise money to

upgrade the playground equipment for the school.

Typically, a group will want to do something that costs money, the

school doesn’t have the extra funds, so if they want to do whatever it
is they are planning - they have to come up with a way to raise the
funds themselves.

RC - And in walks John!

JK - Using components of Stan’s original course, I developed a step-

by-step guide for the sponsors that takes them from their first
committee meeting, right through to the day of the show. It is a fill in
the blanks system.

RC - What do they get?

JK - Included in their system is a lot of camera ready ads,

promotional tools, flyers, posters, and over time I developed and
provided radio and television commercials too.

RC - What year did you start, and what did you start out with?

JK - In the 80s I started with a small packet, a fold over booklet and
posters.

RC - Great. Now John, give us an idea of the scope, the depth of this
market. Detail the opportunity for us.

JK - It’s a huge industry catering to a high demographic market. We

are catering to baby boomers that are raising families. Lots of
schools, minor sports leagues, Scouts, Cadets, they all need money.
Government funding and cutbacks make them even more reliant on
raising funds themselves.

RC - Okay, let me get this straight. You approach community oriented

groups that have a need or desire to raise funds for a specific
purpose. You provide all the tools they need to raise the funds. The
primary function of their campaign is based on selling tickets to your
family oriented Illusion show. Right?

JK - Yes. I give them a failsafe, hard to mess up, fundraiser to run.

A lot of groups I work with, schools, community groups, small
grassroots organizations, usually only think in terms of how much
does the show cost, how big is the hall, how many seats does it hold,
how much can we sell tickets for, or how much do we have to charge
for the tickets to make this work. That’s as far as it goes. So the
project kit that I give them, with the additional revenue source
opportunities and all the other tools, blows the lid off that narrow
thinking and really opens their eyes up to the potential opportunity of
bringing my show in. That’s how I can go to a small grassroots
community and bring a $3,000 - $5,000 illusion show to their town
that they can literally not only afford, but will actually show them a
profit at the end of the day.

RC - Talk about being creative in your approach. And what a

wonderful win-win situation you have created. The group raises
funds, the town gets a show, and you do the kind of work that you
enjoy. Nice. Triple win actually.
I want to back track a bit and refer to a comment you made regarding
telemarketing as a more common method of raising funds in these
situations. I have my own thoughts and experience on this from a
performers perspective, but please expand on your previous
comment about the topic of telemarketing.

JK - When I discovered Stan Kramien’s course, I loved the idea of

doing fund raising shows, but was reluctant to take the telemarketing
route to sell the shows. I was just not comfortable getting involved in
that because of the negative stigma associated with it. The concept of
finding a way to make a good living in a market that has no money
appealed to me. Stan’s book was a springboard for getting started,
but I just didn’t want to run a phone room. In addition to the bad press
some of these operations were receiving at the time, running that end
of the business was just not my thing. While there are many reputable
and highly profitable companies and entertainers doing this, I just
wanted to find another way.

RC - Right, and so you did.

JK - Yes, with my method, there is no need for telemarketing or me

relying on a percentage of the door and hoping there will be a large
enough crowd to make it worth my while. I get a guaranteed
performance fee, and they get the show, and all the tools they need
to help them raise funds above and beyond the cost of the show.
RC - Please share some numbers with us. If you don’t mind, I would
like you to be candid about your fees and expenses as well as the
kind of dollars your sponsor typically ends up with after running with
your program. Also, outline the responsibilities that are divided
between you and your sponsor.

JK - The client, the sponsor, is responsible for paying for the show.
Included is the project kit that I put a value of $250 on. If they book by
a certain date they get the kit free. Also, there is a money back
guarantee attached to the kit. If they do not make a profit after using
the tools, they get $250 refunded (whether they pay for it or not).

They are responsible for providing the venue, promoting the show,
and selling the tickets. I take them by the hand and show them
exactly what to do in order to sell the tickets to the show and raise
money though various other methods related to the show. I call this
piggyback fund raising.

For example, I have developed a souvenir program that the sponsor

can sell advertising in. They get the template and then sell ads to
businesses. I do not take a cut of this additional revenue stream, it is
a value added service. I have a couple dozen similar ones now, but it
all started with that souvenir program. It enables the groups to cover
their base cost so they can get my show completely paid for right
away. It can double and even triple the earning potential of each
show. It enables me to offer a more attractive package to the group.
By providing all these opportunities beyond just selling tickets, it is
pretty much a fail safe system.

The show sells for $2600 for a single show or $3100 for two. They
can buy their cost down by close to 50% by using certain fee
reductions that I offer.

RC - Like?

JK - For example, if they provide 2 motel rooms for my cast, and

myself they can deduct $150. In many cases they get the rooms
donated, and it is a cost I would need to incur anyway. We travel in a
truck with a 20 foot equipment trailer and carry our own concession.
Our sponsor can deduct $500 from our show fee if we get exclusive
rights to the concession for food and souvenir items.

RC - Popcorn, cotton candy, chocolate bars, drinks?

JK - Yes, and magic sets, t-shirts, videos, and souvenir programs.

They also get a reduction if they provide people to help us load and
unload the truck, set up and strike.

RC - How much do you deduct if they actually do the show

themselves (grin)?
JK - (laughter) Good point. A lot of groups do take advantage of the
$500 concession discount and either way it works out about the same
for us. This enables me to sell a higher price product (the show) to a
group that doesn’t have the money to pay for it. I give Stan credit for
the idea of carrying a concession.

RC - Tell us about the other products besides the food items.

JK - I put together magic kits by getting pre-packaged tricks from

wholesalers in bulk, and add custom packaging.

RC - Which wholesalers?

JK - Robbins, Royal, EZ Magic, Oriental Trading, Adams. I stick a

photocopied label sheet (doesn’t even have to be color) to the box,
and shrink-wrap it. Shrink-wrapping is relatively inexpensive and adds
high perceived value.

I throw in some booklets and instructions to maximize the number of

tricks without adding extra props. And, I have more expensive sets
that include a video and a few extra tricks. By adding and actually
selling the kits, I realized that some people will spend money on
higher ticket items. I added the magic kits at $49.95 and $69.95 and
was surprised, but they outsold the videos two to one. I sell a few
each show. Oh, and I bumped up the price of the t-shirts and videos
and it didn’t decrease the sales volume. By the way, when I first
started, I just sold the wonder mouse and a few small tricks for 2 - 3
bucks.
RC - Right. So, at the end of the day, how much does everything,
your fee and product sales, typically net you? What would be your
average take per date?

JK - On average, I end up with around $1700 a day. We do $200 -

$1,000 gross in product and average above $500 in profit on that
end.

RC - Right on. Now, who travels with you?

JK - I travel with a sound man, and 2 dancers.

RC - And describe a typical performance scenario. Venue and size of

audience.

JK - We mostly perform in school gyms. Some towns only have 500

people, and most will come to the show. The sponsor from a small
town often taps into close by community businesses to buy the tickets
for the show and advertise in the program. We average 300 - 400
people, and the range is 200 -1200 people.

RC - Okay. Now I am going to think like the sponsor. That is, before
you educate them. How much are tickets to the show? Do you dictate
the amount, make suggestions, or need to approve the amount? How
does it work?
JK - They can charge what they want for ticket prices, but I suggest
$8 and $12. $8 for kids and $12 for adults. The range is $5 - $15.

RC - So, if they bring in, say $3,000 in combined ticket sales and your
piggy back fund raisers, and have taken advantage of your fee
reductions, bringing their cost for your show to as low as, say $1500,
they have made $1,500. Right?

JK - Yes. And that is a fairly typical scenario.

RC - Any real success stories displaying higher numbers?

JK - One group grossed $8,000 with a profit of $5500 (for a single

show) with my program. They had a unique style of promoting it.
They paid $1,000 to rent a theatre. This was against all of my
recommendations to get a school gym for free, and keep their
expenses low in order to add to their bottom line. But this person’s
plan was to sell lots of ads in the souvenir program and make it a
bigger event. She raised $2,000 from the program, covered all her
costs for the show and theatre, and then every ticket sold was their
profit. They sold 1200 out of 1500 seats, at $5 each.

RC - I imagine you modify your manuals for your groups as you

discover new possibilities and surprising results. After 20 some odd
years, just like a performance, I bet you have a pretty tried and tested
system happening.
JK - Yes, thank you. I believe I do. And yes, what they did, by
booking a larger and more costly venue, worked for them. So I no
longer strongly advise against it. Every year I update my manuals for
the groups and add what has worked for others during the year.

RC - So, what kind of entertainer is this work suited for? Certainly

they do not have to put on a full-scale illusion show to duplicate your
system.

JK - Any variety act that performs family shows could do this. As long
as they can do a great show.

RC - What is the typical requirement, or standard show length, and

number of performances in a given day for a single sponsor.

JK - 90 minutes of performing. First half is 50 minutes, followed by a

20 minute intermission, then a 40 minute second half.

RC - The two halves so you can give them a break from sitting, and it
allows for sales during the intermission.

JK - Right. A solo entertainer could put together a variety show if they

were concerned about keeping the audience entertained for this long.
We usually do one show, sometimes two, rarely three in a day. Let
me also point out, that they should be able to perform anywhere and
should bring their own sound system. The more self contained you
are the better. You may find yourself, as we have, performing on
the Gym Floor, in an Arena, Recreation Centre, Community Hall, a
Theatre, and even in Church basements.

RC - And your typical sponsors are?

JK - A good mix of schools, clubs, and youth groups.

RC - How do you find them?

JK - I get the municipal directories from the town or municipal office,

or chamber of commerce. Some give them for free, some may charge
around $20. More and more are becoming available digitally too.

RC - (grin)

JK - I knew you would like that.

RC - Exactly. So you gather the directories and then phone, fax,

write, and email potential sponsors?

JK - Yes. Well, I used to phone initially for the directories and now I
send out a fax with my request. How I receive the lists dictates how I
contact the potential sponsors. Often, I send a one page lead
generation fax to the groups. I have a database of 20,000 prospects
in Canada. I update it every couple of years by referring back to the
last time they helped me out, and request new information.
RC - Is that how you started. I mean, finding the groups, the
sponsors? Sounds possibly expensive and quite time consuming.

JK - If you buy 200 lists at say, $20, and each list may be good for 2 -
10 viable prospects, the acquisition cost can be expensive. I did build
up gradually over the years and started off by just finding groups in
the white pages. Now, I also buy ads in the newsletters of groups like
the Rotary, Lions, Kinsmen, and Elks.

RC - Right. How many of these shows do you do a year?

JK - I work around 50 dates a year. Have done up to 70 one-niters in

a year, which take about 3 - 4 months to complete. RC - Okay, and is
there a high, low, busy, slow season to this market.

JK - Good question. Summer is dormant for this market as the I

schools are not open. mostly do Fairs and Festivals during this
time.

RC - This is slightly off topic, but will prove interesting for the readers,
I’m sure. What other streams of income have you created to fill in the
slower months of touring with your fund raising show?

JK - I market the Hades Finger Chopper, and some information

products for magicians. Like you, I want to spend more time at home
with my family. I also book a second performer, Tony Eng, and his
Illusion show to do the overflow dates that I cannot do. You know
Tony.

RC - Yes, Tony’s a great guy. A really kind man, excellent performer,

and straight ahead kind of fellow and businessperson. Are you at
liberty to share with the readers what type of deal you made with
Tony? In the interest of their education on this topic.

JK - Sure, I pay him a flat fee for the tour. This way I keep and
service the client, and give work to another performer that I admire.
Some clients book the same show 3 - 4 years in a row, most often
they want me every second year or so. It depends on how transient
the community itself is. I have worked for one group, 6 - 7 years of
the last 10 years. Personally, I like to use the same show for at least
3 years to amortize the investment of creating the show.

I needed someone who has a good show and integrity. The sponsor
gets a different show each year so they can bank on the fundraiser
event.

RC - Truly another multiple win situation. How far in advance do you

usually book your tour?

JK - I book up to a year in advance. Sometimes I will market right up

until February for dates in the coming spring. I will market right up to
June for my Fall and Halloween season of local fundraisers. Six
months is typical. I do an advance marketing campaign to existing
clients and offer a discount for booking early while giving them an
opportunity to pre-book and lock in the date.

RC - Well, John, I think I have sucked enough out of you for now, and
I appreciate your candidness. Let me ask you about your
philosophical approach to marketing and performing. As well, I am
interested in knowing what you attribute your success to and why you
are sharing this information. Two sentences or less please (grin).

JK - (laughter) Okay, the main reason for the success is because I

am able to sell a product for a flat fee to a group that has no money to
pay for it. I am competing with fundraisers that cost them no money
and offer them no risk. Having a good show and reputation helps, and
the idea of a family event, as opposed to selling chocolates or
whatever, appeals to the sponsor.

It is challenging because my competition is every other opportunity to

raise funds. Free, no risk options, as opposed to my show that will
cost them up front money. I have managed to package it in such a
way that it is appealing regardless of those potentially negative
perceptions of getting involved in my program as a fundraiser. I have
packaged it in such as way that I still have a sellable commodity. And
I don’t do all the work for them like a telemarketer does. The key thing
to that success is that the sponsor receives my package that makes it
safe and easy for them to profit from my show. The key is that I am
thinking from their perspective. What can I do for my sponsor to make
sure they are going to be successful. What kind of additional
revenue streams can I create for them. What promotional tools and
strategies can I give them to help ensure their success.

I have groups working with me year after year. All as a result of

putting them first as opposed to what’s in it for me first. I never
thought about it in terms of marketing before.

RC - We think a lot alike John, perhaps that’s why we have always

gotten along so well.

JK - You know, I just came across the concept of lead product

marketing by seeing what you are doing with your “Secrets” book.
You offer a terrific product at a very low acquisition cost to your
customer. You are giving them a ton of value up front as a way to
prove yourself to them. You then build a loyal and dedicated
customer base eager to do more business with you. You continue
providing excellent service, products, and value, and your initial
acquisition cost of the customer begins to pay off in dividends.

RC - Okay, fine, here’s a hundred bucks for the plug (laughter).

JK - Seriously, without realizing and analyzing the fact until now, I

have been operating in a similar fashion in my business all these
years. Sometimes, it is okay to go negative on the front end. Often I
accept dates that I have not made a lot of money on in the past, but
the spin off has made it all worth it. I always look at these things as
long term, and building a career. Marketers think of that in terms of
what it costs to acquire a client, and then what the lifetime value of
that client is worth to their business. Right?

RC - You are a very wise man my friend. Okay, any final words of
wisdom, advise and/or explanations as to what you are planning for
the future.

JK - I have never been reluctant to invest in myself because I believe

in my abilities to do what I do. I have always been comfortable with
putting money into the show and promotional material and anything
that requires a hefty investment. These investments don’t always pay
off, but overall it is a philosophy that works for me.

The opportunity to share what I've learned, and pass along useful
information that can benefit others interested in considering this field,
is another reason for my releasing the Fundraising Magic Program.

RC - John, thank you for your time and for sharing this information.

For more information from John, and his complete system, go to:
http://www.millionairemagician.com/JK.htm
 Lesson 19 - Resorts and Casinos (Back to Index)

Performing in showrooms at casino resorts and hotels is similar to

working non-casino theatres. There are many ways to cut a deal, and
oddly enough, casino/hotel owners are extremely risk adverse when
making deals with entertainers. I guess they know all about gambling
and have seen enough people lose money and don’t want to join the
losers.

If a casino is going to hire you, expect to earn $3,000-$5,000 per

week for your act, or in the neighborhood of $30,000 - $50,000 per
week for a self produced show.

There are three main ways to work a casino:

1. You are hired for a fee to perform: reserved for proven entities.

2. 4 Wall: Least common. Performer pays all the expenses including

bar staff, etc. and gets the door and a percentage of liquor sales.

3. 2 Wall: Most common: Performer pays for expenses only related to

show. Takes the door (ticket sales).

Do not gauge your potential windfall on Lance Burton’s success. He

worked his way up over many years from a hired act in a revue show,
to a self-produced show and ultimately, as you know, received a
dream deal in Vegas. This is the exception and certainly not the rule.
From a realistic business standpoint you need deep pockets to 2 wall,
which is likely what you will do. Even if you have the money and/or
backers, there is major competition for room space in cities like Las
Vegas.

You could possibly get booked into a small showroom at a hotel in

Vegas, as did a couple of young fellows I met there last month. It is
possible. Anything is possible and it’s up to you to make it happen
with your strong desire and tenacity. I am painting the most likely and
common scenario for you so you have actual knowledge as to the
way things often work.

I clipped the following article from the newspaper to share with you
here:

Goulet cancels Vegas gig

LAS VEGAS – Robert Goulet has pulled the plug on a summer stint
at the Venetian hotel-casino, saying he can’t afford the $15,000 US
nightly showroom rental.

“I am angered and I am saddened,” said the Edmonton-born singer. “I

was hoping to be there for about three or four years. I enjoyed myself,
I never sang better in my life.”
Goulet ended the show after Monday’s performance, four weeks into
a nine week run. The showroom withheld box-office receipts on
Tuesday.

Rogo and Rove, the company he runs with his business-manager

wife Vera, was dealing with an overhead of $200,000 a week. Goulet
said the company would have broken even with 50 per cent
attendance.
But attendance averages were only in the 30-40 per cent range, he
said. Ticket prices ranged from $50-75.

“We came at the wrong time of year,” Goulet said, adding that
audiences would have been better in September during the city’s
convention season.

So, even a well known celebrity that you would think would do well in
Vegas had to make a 2 wall arrangement with a major casino/hotel
there and obviously lost a lot of money in the process.

If you really have the desire to work this type of venue, plan carefully
as you would any other business venture. If you can get backers with
deep pockets, or if you want to risk your own money, or if you can
convince an operator to hire you, perhaps one day you too will get a
100 million dollar, 13 year contract and your own showroom. Oh, it
just may help, if you also happen to be one of the finest magicians in
the world, exuding with class, and have teamed up with a well-
respected and brilliant manager! Speaking of which…
Bonus Interview - Peter Reveen on Success

Peter Reveen and I have been friends for several years now. I greatly
admire him in many respects. He is a wonderful and kind man. On
top of that, he is the epitome of a consummate show business
professional. Not only is he one of the worlds greatest showmen to
ever grace a stage, he is also responsible for pursuing and
negotiating Lance Burton’s 100 million dollar contract in Las Vegas.

Recently I phoned Peter and asked if I could record our conversation

in the form of an interview for my book (this one). Without hesitation
he said “yes”, and I had barely turned on the recorder when he went
into a fascinating and insightful monologue that blew my mind. I
barely interrupted, so really, it is not an interview. I just let him talk
and asked a few questions here and there.

Without further adieu, here are the words of Peter Reveen:

“It is very, very necessary to develop an act that is wanted. You can’t
just come in and say, “Hey, I have just bought all the equipment in the
world and I’m going to be great”. You can’t do this, they’re not going
to book you, they do not know you, and you do not have a name.

To get into Vegas you have to make your name somewhere else first.
Lance Burton did this through his success on the Johnny Carson
show. He was making a name for himself. And then he got a little
three month shot in the Foles-Bergère. And then, because he was
doing great work and did not become a problem, he stayed there for
nine years.

Not becoming a problem means he did not get into back stage
gossip, things of that kind, that get back to the bosses or often have
very thin skin. You just finish your work and you do it very, very well.
You do not allow yourself to be drawn into that. You just finish your
work, go back to the dressing room, study, or do something like that.

Be very pleasant to everybody and always be there. If the Hotel asks

you to attend some function or meet some people they are bringing
in, you be very cordial and help out. You do these things, and you just
do good work. And this is very, very, essential. And don’t go up and
immediately demand a big raise as soon as you think you are a big
hit.

To get involved in the first place, you develop an act somewhere else
and get yourself a great reputation from it. Then, you send out
invitations to the various buyers in Las Vegas.

===
Note from Randy – Contact the Hotels directly and simply ask who
books their shows.
===
Or, maybe you are playing in a town nearby and can convince them
to come see you. Then if you do a great job, maybe they will think
they could use an act like that, and that you have promise, and talk to
you about it.

Remember though, the Vegas scene is changing. The ‘Cirque du

Soleil’ type shows are in now. Lance Burton is a huge success
because he is a personality. You must be a showman first. Magic by
itself is not particularly entertaining unless it is combined with great
showmanship and the ability to make the people laugh.

Also, you look at all the great magicians in history that really made it
and they were also very good businessmen.

You look at Maurice Rooklyn who was very brilliant in other phases of
business. I think I said in his obituary that we often wondered how far
he would have gone with his artistic integrity of been able to stage
very beautiful shows and with the skills of sleight of hand that he had,
if hadn’t been so successful in other forms of business that kept
drawing him away from the theatres to do this. ===

Note from Randy – I was fortunate enough to meet Maurice Rooklyn

while I was performing in Sydney in 1984. He and his lovely wife had
me over to their house for dinner and took me to the local magic club
meeting in the evening. He was a great man and I miss him very
much.
===
Levant was a brilliant businessman too. He knew how to make a
show that could get in and get out very inexpensively for the music
halls in London. He always gave them a great show. He did not go
huge and massive like Dante did, but he was a great entertainer and
a great businessman.

You must believe in yourself. Not to the stage where you get a false
belief in yourself. You have to be able to turn it off. You cannot
always go around living and acting like the great magician 24 hours a
day. You have to have a life away from that.

You know, I was always able to go out and do my show, give the
audience their moneys worth, but then turn it off. When we went out
of there, we were Peter and Coral and the kids. We did not make a lot
of friends over the years.

===
Note from Randy – This is the only point in my talk with Peter that I
disagree with. Peter certainly has made a lot of friends over the
years. A mutual friend, and Vancouver radio and television
personality, Dave Abbott, introduced me to Peter initially. Peter is
well loved and respected throughout the world by people like myself,
proud to be his friend because of the kind of person he is and not
because he has achieved fame. He does have a lot of friends and is
so very humble.
===
We didn’t go out and do the party circuit. I went through that very
early during my first success in Vancouver. I use to take 20-30 people
to the Cave and would think isn’t it really great to be a star, people
really love you. Then as things went wrong after going through a spell
of losing some money, all those people disappeared. This made me
realize very early in my career that this was not the way to go and I
changed all that.

===
Note from Randy – Of course, these were not the type of people I
was referring to in my note above.

The Cave was a popular nightclub in the 70s. I saw Harry Blackstone
Jr. perform there several times. Mitzi Gaynor, Rich Little, and others
played there often too.

I did shows there too on occasion. Of course, I was not headlining

like Blackstone and Reveen. I forget the circumstances actually. I do
remember doing shows there though. Maybe local talent nights or
opening acts or something like that. It closed down years ago and I
was quite young then.
===

Look, the main thing is to have a good product, believe in it, and
continually try to improve on it. Listen to your audience, they are
going to give you the best critique you can have. If they don’t enjoy
what you are doing, don’t push it. When you find something they do
enjoy, develop that, and make it very, very good. Always listen to the
audience. Always give your audience your full attention, that you are
doing it for them. You are not up there to do something just to make
yourself happy. So, it is very, very important that you always listen to
the audience, always respect the audience.

And I would say the greatest advise I can give to any entertainer, is to
always play it clean. You can go out and you can try to put out an
absolutely filthy hypnotic show, as some of them are doing. You
know, we have one guy out here who is telling them that they are
going to have an orgasm every time he shakes their hand and stuff
like that. Well that appeals to a certain audience, but I can’t imagine
people wanting to go back and have that humiliating experience
twice.

And by having a clean show, 100% of your potential, is your potential.

It doesn’t mean that you are going to get them all, but it means that
100% of the theatre going people are your potential because there is
nothing in there that is going to turn them off. But if you work dirty and
you work blue, then you are limiting that very, very much. Because
later on that same audience that go to these clubs and enjoy this will
grow tired of that. They grow older and they grow more mature and
more discerning in their selection of entertainment.

And that’s why I have been able to keep a career going for all these
years. It’s now what, 40 something years since I started playing
Vancouver, and all the other cities in Canada building up to that. And
I can still go back and draw an audience.

==
Note from Randy – The audiences in Vancouver love Reveen. He is a
big hit and sells out every time he comes here.

Next, I asked Peter how someone could duplicate his success as a

touring act.
==

The conditions that existed when I started off do not exist anymore.
Touring is tough because you are fighting the 200 channels of
television - and the Internet itself. Many of the young people who
would normally go out looking for shows, jump on the Internet and
start talking to each other. And these are very important things to
consider. People are becoming more cave dwellers now, they are
doing more things at home. So, to draw them out of there is not as
easy as it was.

It actually wasn’t easy in the early days. I had to take a type of

entertainment that was virtually unknown except out of night clubs
and prove that it could be a top theatre experience. And I did this, and
worked on the crowds. We played runs that were very, very long.
My biggest mistake, when I tried to build the big magic shows, which I
loved, you know, I loved magic and tried to bring it back. I believed I
could perform it the same way as I performed the hypnotic
performances. In other words, the long runs. Well there is a big
difference. There are only a certain percentage of the audiences who
really want to see magic. And it’s a very small percentage. And once
you have gone through those people, they are not going to come
back and see the same magic show again. You cannot change your
magic show every two nights as I could the hypnotic show.

I remember there was an ex-partner I had, and he once made a very

nice comment to me in Edmonton. He saw me do a big show in the
70s, it was a beautiful show, and we had a lot of equipment and
beautiful scenery, it was a very spectacular show.

He said to me “Peter, this is a lovely show and people that love magic
will enjoy this. But you may come back in a year or two from now and
some of those people may come back and see it if you have some
things new. But only so many people can see this.” He said, “With
your hypnosis show, I saw people coming in on the Monday night,
and then I would see the same people come back with friends on the
Wednesday when you changed the show. And then they would come
back on the weekend with even a bigger crowd around them.”

You see, he said, “that show had something that could touch the
audience, and in a very, very personal way. And magic could never
do that.” And he was right to a degree.
I remember when David Copperfield came to see me when he first
went out on tour. And he was asking me what he should do and what
he shouldn’t do. I told him, don’t break your promoters. Don’t go out
with these big, huge shows, where they suddenly hit you with 15-20
stage hands like they did with me. I said this is not the way to go.

I said, if you are going out, do your Lear Jet, on stage, the film of that,
and do your other magic, which is very personable. He had a great
personality and was very fresh. I said if the promoter loses maybe a
thousand bucks on you, they’re going to bring you back the next year
because they are going to know the people enjoyed you.

He (Copperfield) was very smart about one thing. I asked him how
long he was going to play. He said just one night in each place. He
said, I realize there are enough people who have seen me on
television now to maybe fill one theatre. But to go for two or three
nights is asking too much. Now he is at that stage where he can go in
for close to a week and draw, but it took years for him to build to that.
So he was very smart in business that way.

==
Note from Randy – Now, I asked Peter what someone would need to

do today to book themselves in Theatres. ==

I think you have to work with sponsorship. You need to find people to
raise money to go behind you.
==
Note from Randy – Peter is referring to sponsored shows where a
charitable organization, like the Kinsmen, raise money from the
community by selling tickets to the show. The money is divided
between the show and sponsor.
==

I found sponsors to be counter productive when I started off. I would

send all the publicity material to the sponsor in advance and then
when we arrived in town we would say, “Hey where are all the
posters?” and they would say; “Oh we gave them to Bill in the poster
committee.” And then, “What did you do Bill?” “Oh, I didn’t have time
so I gave them to Fred.” So of course we would get into town and
people didn’t know we were coming. And the sponsor would still have
big expectations.

We started to die on that and said this can’t be, and we started to do
it our own way. So we went back to those same sponsors and said
we would come in and do the promotions and give them a smaller
percentage and they would say “No, we didn’t make enough money
the first time.” We went back to those same towns on our own and
sold out.

Later on I allowed sponsors to make money with me and over the

years I helped to raise hundreds and hundreds of thousands of
dollars for Lions Clubs and other groups like that.
The only thing wrong with the telemarketing deal is that you may not
play to the audiences that you want to play to. They raise the money
and give the tickets away. They tend to give them to kids so you have
to have a show that’s scaled down to that.

The only other thing you can do, if you want to do a serious show, is
to do it through the Temples where it’s going to be sold to adults. All
the Temples want to raise funds, so you take 25% and let them take
75% and they will really go out and sell them for you.

The main thing is, you have got to have a product first. And you have
to have talent. The product has to be good and you have to believe in
yourself. Then you have to believe in the audience. You have to
respect the audience, that is the most important thing.

A great grandfather came up to me last year in Lethbridge (Alberta,

Canada) and said to me “I am a great grandfather and bringing my
great grandchildren to your show. I am bringing the fourth generation
to your show and you have always given a clean show, and I wanted
my children, and their children to see it.”

I have played to eight and a half million people in Canada. Over the
years, that’s how many tickets we have sold. And it’s because I
respect the audience.”
Lesson 20 - Comedy Clubs (Back to Index)

There are a few magicians making their living or supplementing their

income as performers by working comedy clubs. A good way to get
started in this market is by volunteering for open mike night. Most
clubs will have one and it is easy to get accepted as an act to work
the crowd for five minutes. You're not paid for this; instead, you are
exposed to the club manager who may decide to book you. Also, you
have an opportunity to test material and you'll quickly find out if you
are cut out for this type of work.

I used to perform at the Yuk Yuks chain in Canada. It was fun and a
great place to iron out new material. Working comedy clubs will
probably not make you rich; it may however appeal to you as one of
your many multiple streams of income. Here are the rough money
numbers. (They vary from club to club, and in the US and Canada,
and depend on whether you have a “name” or not). If you have an
exceptionally funny act you may be booked as a headliner and
receive around $2,500 per week. Most likely, however, you will be
booked as an MC or middle act and earn between $500 and $1,000
per week.

There is another very important aspect to working comedy clubs for

you to consider. If your goal is to become a well-known comedy
performer, or if you wish to get into the acting field, then the exposure
you will receive by performing at comedy clubs may lead to much
greater opportunities.
Many entertainers have hit the “big time” by performing at the "Just
for Laughs" comedy festival in Montreal. The contact information is in
the directory below.

In order to be considered for the festival, send them a videotape of a

recent performance (not longer than 10 minutes), with any pertinent
support documents (headshot, bio, etc; not crucial but helpful). Be
sure that the video is clearly labeled with contact information.

I am going to give you a list comprised of pretty much every comedy

club on the planet. If you feel your act is already positioned for this
type of work, then simply send your information to the clubs of your
choice. If you're not sure if this market is for you, then phone a club
in your area and sign up for the open mike night. If you wish to
pursue this market seriously and travel the country (or world), then
you could book a tour for yourself. Or, if you have a corporate
booking somewhere and want to spend a week in that city or just
book an extra night of work (for practice or exposure) then the
following resource list will be very valuable to you.

The following pages contain a listing of the majority of the Comedy

Clubs that currently exist, along with as much contact and open mike
information I could find for you (subject to change, current at time of
writing).

Click here to skip list and go to next lesson.

US Comedy Clubs

Alabama

Birminhgam

Comedy Club
1818 Data Dr
Birminhgam, AL 35244: (205) 444-0008
Open Mike: Thurs

Bottoms Up Comedy Club

800 Gadsen Hi (HWY 11)
Birminhgam, AL 35244: (205) 833-0144

Hunstville

The Comedy Club @ The Hilton

Hunstville, AL 35801: (205) 536-3329
Open Mike: Fri @ 9:45
Alaska

Anchorage

Comedy Den
Best Western Golden Lion
Anchorage, AK: (907) 561-JOKE

Arizona

Phoenix

Improvisation, The
930 E University Dr
Tempe, AZ 85281-4273: (602) 921-9877
Open Mike: First Sun Of Month

Oxymoronz Star Theatre

7117 E McDowell Rd
Scottsdale, AZ 85257-3315: (602) 423-0120
Auditions Available

TGI Fridays
4343 N. Scottsdale Rd
Scottsdale, AZ 85251: (602) 949-3800
Tucson

Laffs Comedy Caffe

2900 E Broadway
Tucson, AZ 85716: (520) 323-8669
Open Mike: Tues @ 8:00

Arkansas
Jonesboro

Jubilation Club
Jonesboro, AR
(870) 972-6772

Little Rock

Stanfords Comedy House

10301 N Rodney Parham Rd
Little Rock, AR 72227: (501) 228-5555

California
Fresno
Screwballz Comedy Club
1231 Van Ness Ave
Fresno, CA 93721: (209) 268-0258
 Hollywood

The Comedy Store

8433 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90069: (213) 656-6225
Open Mike Sun @ 5:30pm

Coconut Teazers
8121 Sunset Blvd
Hollywood, CA 91601: (213) 654-4773
Open Mike: Mon @ 7:00pm

Dagmar Cafe
514 La Cienega Blvd
Los Angeles, CA: (310) 358-9464
Wed & Fri

Ha Ha Cafe
5010 Lankershim Blvd
N. Hollywood, CA: (818) 508-4995 Audition First Thursday/ Month

Laugh Factory
8001 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046: (213) 656-1336
Open Mike: Tues @ 6:00am
Los Angeles

Ice House
24 N Mentor
Pasadena, CA: (626) 577-1894
Auditions: 2nd & 4th Sat @ 4:00pm

Igbys
11637 Tennessee Place
Los Angeles, CA 90064: (310) 477-3553

Improvisation Comedy Nite Club

945 E Birch St
Brea, CA 92621: (714) 529-7878

Improv Comedy Nite Club

4255 Campus Drive
Irvine, CA 92715: (714) 854-5455

Improv Comedy Nite Club

8162 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA: (213) 651-2583

LA Cabaret
17271 Ventura Blvd
Encino, CA 91316: (818) 501-3737
Luna Park
665 N Robertson Blvd
Los Angeles, CA: (310) 652-0611

Sacramento

Laughs Unlimited
1207 Front Street
Sacramento, CA 95814-3228: (916) 446-8128

Punchline Sacramento
2100 Arden Way
Sacramento, CA 95825: (916) 925-5500

San Diego

The Comedy Store South

916 Pearl Street
La Jolla, CA 92037: (619) 454-9176

Comedy Isle
998 W Mission Bay Drive
San Diego, CA 92109: (619) 488-6872

Comedy Nite San Diego

343 4th Ave.
San Diego, CA 92101: (619) 544-7000
 San Francisco

Cobbs Comedy Club

2801 Leavenworth (at The Cannery)
San Francisco, CA: (415) 928-4320 (415) 928-4445
Or: (415) 928-4445

Holy Zoo
408 Clement Street
San Francisco, CA: (415) 386-4242

Knuckleheads
S 1st St
San Jose, CA 95113: (408) 998-4242

The Punchline
444 Battery St
San Francisco, CA 94111: (415) 397-7573
Open Mike: Sun @ 9:00pm

Santa Monica

Novel Cafe Comedy

212 Pier Ave
Santa Monica, CA
1 (310) 396-8566 Mondays @ 8pm
Colorado

Colorado Springs

Loonees Comedy Corner

1305 N Academy Blvd
Colorado Springs, CO 80909-3313: (719) 591-0707
Open Mike: Tues @ 8:00

Denver

Chicken Lips Comedy Theatre

17th & Market
Denver, CO 80202-1518: (303) 534-4440

Comedy Club The

10015 E Hampden
Denver, CO 80231-4904: (303) 368-8900

Comedy Helper
(303) 399-4662

Comedy Sports
1634 18th St
Denver, CO 80206: (303) 297-2111
Comedy Sports/Impulse Theatre
(303) 297-2111

Comedy Works
1226 15 Larimer Square
Denver, CO 80202-1604: (303) 595-3637

Comedy Works
1226 15th St
Denver, CO: (303) 595-3637
Open Mike: Tues @ ?

Headgames Comedy Theatre

(303) 446-2866

Wits End Comedy Club

8861 Harlan
Westminster, CO 80030-2930: (303) 430-4242

Connecticut

Norwalk

Treehouse Comedy Club

Norwalk, CT
(203) 371-5696
Riverside

Comedy Clinic
24 Summit Rd
Riverside, CT 06878: 203-698-0127

Southbury

Treehouse Comedy
Longhorn Cafe
I-84 Exit 15
Southbury, CT 06488: (203) 264-4343
Or, (203) 794-1222

Stamford

Club Comedy
222 Summer St
Stamford, CT 06901: (203) 324-0177

Delaware
Willingmount
Comedy Cabaret
410 Market
Willingmount, DE 19801: (302) 322-6642
Comedy Cabaret
1001 N Jefferson St.
Willingmount, DE: (302) 652-6873

Washington D.C.

Comedy Cafe
1520 K St N
Washington, DC: (202) 638-5653

Garvins Comedy Productions

5323 16th St NW
Washington, DC 20011: (202) 872-8880

The Improv
1140 Conn Ave NW
Washington, DC 20036: (202) 296-7008

Florida

Brandon

Wacky Weavers
733 W Brandon Blvd
Brandon, FL: (813) 661-5527
Open Mike: Thurs @ 8:30
 Clearwater

Coconuts Comedy Club

24095 US Highway 19
33763: (727) 797-5653

Crystal River

Giggles Comedy Club

@ The Poseidon Restaurant 2035 SE US 19
Crystal River, FL
Every Thursday: 8PM
(352) 563-1184

Daytona Beach

Comedy Cantina
642 N Ridgewood Ave
Daytona Beach, FL 32114: (904) 252-6799

Fort Myers

Comedy Cafe
Island Park Shpg
Fort Myers, FL 33908: (813) 481-1151
Jacksonville

Comedy Zone
3130 Harley Rd
Jacksonville, FL
32257, (904) 292-4242

Lakeland

Coconuts
Lakeland, FL: (941) 687-2678
Open Mike: Fri @ 8:30

Miami

The Comedy Corner

West Palm Beach, FL
The Comedy Zone
Miami Beach, FL
Open Mike: Wed @?

Rebar Inc
1121 Washington Ave
Miami Beach, FL: (305) 672-4788
 Uncle Funny's
Davie, FL: (305) 474-5653
New Port Richey

Bonkerz Comedy Club

5015 US Hwy 19 N
New Port Richey, FL 34652: (813) 849-2665

Giggles Comedy Club

@ Kokopelli 5327 US 19
New Port Richey, FL
Every Fri & Sat: 8PM (seating 7:30)

Pinellas 480-7277 Pasco 819-0809

Ocala

Comedy House Theatre

3621 W Silver Springs Blvd
Ocala, FL: (352) 752-2665

Giggles Comedy Club

@ Lillian's On The Square
10 South Magnolia Ave
Ocala, FL
Every Tuesday Night: 8PM (seating 7:30)
(352) 690-1611
Orlando

Adventures Club
Pleasure Island at Disney Lake
Orlando, FL: (407) 934-7781.

Bonkerz
120 N. Orange Ave
(in Court Yard Cafe)
Orlando, FL: (407) 629-2665
Showcase: Wed @ 8pm

Coconuts Comedy Club

927 W. State Road 436
Altamonte Springs, FL: (407) 682-0071

The Comedy Zone

6515 International Drive
Orlando, FL: (407) 351-3500

The Comedy Zone

626 Lee Road, Winter Park
Orlando, FL: (407) 645-5233
Pensacola

Coconuts Comedy Club

7200 Plantation Rd
Pensacola, FL 32504: (850) 474-6887

St Petersburg

Coconuts Comedy Club

102 107Th Ave.

Tallahassee

Comedy Zone
2900 N Monroe St
Tallahassee, FL 32303: (904) 386-5653

Tampa Bay

Comedy Works
3447 W Kennedy Blvd
Tampa, FL 33609: (813) 875-9129

Your City

Key West Comedy Club

2015 E. 7th Ave
Your City, FL 33605: (813) 248-2214
Georgia
Atlanta

Brookwood Uptown Comedy Corner

2140 Peachtree Rd NW
Atlanta, GA 30309: (404) 350-6990

Punchline
280 Hildebrand Dr
Atlanta, GA 30328: (404) 252-5233
Open Mike: Tues @ 8pm

Augusta

Comedy House Theatre

2740 Washington Rd
Augusta, GA 30909: (706) 736-9190

Savannah

Comedy House Theatre

711 Mall Blvd
Savannah, GA 31406: (912) 356-1045
Idaho

Boise

Funny Bone Comedy Club

404 S 8th Street
Boise, ID 83702-7129: (208) 331-2663

Illinois

Champaign

Guffaws Comedy Club

201-W Springfield Ave
Champaign, IL: 61820: (217) 355-6900

Chicago

All Jokes Aside Ltd

1000 S Wabash Ave
Chicago, IL: (312) 922-0577

Comedy Sports
3209 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL: (773) 549-8080
Second City
1616 N Wells St
Chicago, IL: (312) 664-4032
Also: (312) 642-6514

The Subterranean
2011 W. North Avenue
Chicago, IL: (312) 878-6898

Zanies Comedy Club

1548 N Wells St
Chicago, IL: 60610: (312) 337-4027

Fairview Heights

Comedy Act
6900 N Illinois St
Fairview Heights, IL 62208: (618) 628-4242

Lansign

T & T Comedy Hook

2352 172nd St
Lansign, IL: (708) 418-1700
Peoria

Jukebox Comedy Club

3527 W Framinggton Rd
Peoria, IL 61604: (309) 673-5853

Rock Island

Comedy Sports
1818 3rd Ave
Rock Island, IL: (309) 786-7733

Vernon Hills

Zanies
230 Hawthorn Village Comm
Vernon Hills, IL: (847) 549-6030

Indiana

Evansville

Funny Bone of Evansville Inc.

687 N Green River Rd
Evansville, IN: (812) 471-7171
Greenwood

One-Liners Comedy & Music Hall

50 Airport Pkwy # E
Greenwood IN 46143: (317) 889-5233

Indianapolis

Broad Ripple Comedy Club

6281 N College Ave Fl 2
Indianapolis, IN 46220: (317) 255-4211

Comedysportz
3121 W 30th St
Indianapolis, IN: (317) 926-3368

Crackers Comedy Club Inc

8702 Keystone Xing # 58
Indianapolis, IN: (317) 846-2500

Indianapolis Comedy Connection

247 S Meridian St Fl 2
Indianapolis, IN 46225: (317) 631-3536
South Bend

Funny Bone Comedy Club

1290 Scottsdale Mall # 1097
South Bend, IN 46614: (219) 299-9999

Iowa

Ames

People's Theatre
2420 Lincoln Way
Ames, IA 50014-7217: (515) 292-5483

Bettendorf

Super Funny Bone

1800 Lady Luck Pkwy
Bettendorf, IA 52722-4983: (319) 359-7111

Cedar Falls

Jokers Night Club & Comedy Shop

Black Hawk Village Shopping Center
Cedar Falls, IA 50613-5266: (319) 266-1132
Shagnastys

Blackhawk Village Shopping Center

Cedar Falls, IA 50613: (319) 266-1101

Cedar Rapids

Penguin's Comedy Club

209 1st Ave Se
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401-1101: (319) 362-8133

Davenport

Davenport Comedy Club

421 W River Dr
Davenport, IA 52801-1101: (319) 323-7883

Des Moines

Comedy At The Spaghetti Works

310 Court Av
Des Moines, IA 50309-2210: (515) 243-2195

Funny Bone Comedy Club

8529 Hickman Rd
Urbandale, IA 50322-4321: (515) 270-2100
Sioux Falls
Comedy Productions
(712) 252-5653

Pepperoni's Comedy Club

523 W 19th St
Sioux City, IA 51103: (712) 258-0691

Spirit Lake

Funny Barn Comedy Club

1605 Hill A
Spirit Lake, IA 51360-1639: (712) 336-4888

Kansas

Shawnee Mission

Comedy Magic
8529 Hickman Rd
6709 Noland Rd
Shawnee Mission, KS 66216: (913) 268-8069
Wichita

Slapstick Comedy Club

2120 N Woodlawn Ave
Wichita, KS 67208: (316) 686-4242

Staffords Comedy House

N Mosley St
Wichita, KS 67202: (316) 262-5653

Canadian Comedy Clubs

Calgary

Jesters Comedy Club

239 10 Ave SE
Calgary, Alberta t2g0v9: (403) 269-6669
Open Mike: Thurs @?

Laugh Factory
1 Street SW
Calgary, Alberta T2R 0V3: (403) 265-9994
Sratus Musical Comedy Act
Broadview Rd NW
Calgary, Alberta T2N 3H7: (403) 270-0421

Yuk Yuks Komedy Kabaert

Blackfoot Inn
Calgary, Alberta T2H 2B5: (403) 258-2028
Open Mike: Thurs @?

Edmonton

Comedy Factory Enterprises

359-7320 Argyle Rd
Edmonton, Alberta
T6C 4M2: (403) 481-9857

Yuk Yuks Komedy Kabaert

1646-8770 170 Street
Edmonton, Alberta t5t4m2: (403) 481-9857

British Columbia
Chilliwack

Laugh Factory
Lenora Crescent
Chilliwack, B.C. V2P 7C4: (604) 792-5600
Delta

Crackers Musical Comedy

120 Street
Delta, B.CV4E 2A8: (604) 591-6665

Kelowna

Snickers Comedy Club

Kelowna, B.C.
Vancouver

Lafflines Comedy Club NW

26-4th Street NW
New Westminster, B.C v3l5m4: (604) 525-2262

Yuk Yuks
Expo Site
Vancouver B.C: (604) 687-5233

Manitoba
Winnipeg

Comedy Oasis Theatre

531 St Mary Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba: (204) 231-1463
Rumors Restaurant & Comedy
2025 Conydon Tux
Winnipeg, Manitoba: (204) 488-4520

Wise Guys Bar & Grill

65 Rorie
Winnipeg, Manitoba: (204) 956-2333

North West Territories

Eskimos R US Comedy Club (just kidding)

Ontario

Hamilton

Mr. Laffs Eatery

Upper Wellington
Hamilton, Ontario l9a3p9: (905) 574-5088

Yuk Yuks Comedy Cabaret

112 King Street E
Hamilton, Ontario l8n1a8: (905) 522-
5233 Kitchener/ Windsor
Yuk Yuks
1333 Weber Street East
Kitchener, Ontario

Yuk Yuks Comedy Cabaret

430 Ouellette Street
Windsor, Ontario n9a1b2: (519) 256-5233

London

Laff Guards
Mt Pleasant Ave
London Ontario: (519) 438-5233

Yuk Yuks
639 Southdale Road East
London, Ontario n6e3m3: (519) 680-1090
Open Mike: Last Thurs Each Month

Niagara Falls

Karousel Comedy Enterprises

Highway 64 N
Sturgeon Falls, Ontario P0H 2G0: (705) 674-5233
Yuk Yuks Komedy Kabaert
6733 Oakes Drive
Niagara Falls, Ontario (905) 357-5233

Ottawa

Yuk Yuks
88 Alberta
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5E9 (613) 236-5233

Toronto

The Ben Wick's Pub

24 Parliament St
Toronto, Canada: (416) 923-6089
Open Stage Comedy: Thurs 9pm.

Caffe Sopra Soto

721 Queen West
Toronto, Ontario: (416) 532-6466

Comedy Handbag
Red Spot Lounge & Bar
459 Church St
Toronto, Canada
Comedywood
800 Steeles Ave West Unit 1b Thornhill,
Ontario l4j7l2: (905) 761-0543

Goodys Upstairs
Toronto, Ontario: (416) 975-1141
Idiots Comedy Cafe
3145 Dundas W
Toronto, Ontario: (905) 607-0241

Funny You Should Ask

Pickering Tower Center
Pickering, Ontario: (905) 831-5485

Just For A Laugh

Main Street E
Milton, Ontario l9t1n7: (905) 867-1333

Laugh Resort
26 Lombard
Toronto, Ontario: (416) 364-5233

Rivoli
332 Queen West
Toronto, Ontario: (416) 596-1908
Second City
110 Lombard
Toronto, Ontario: (416) 863-1111
Spirits Bar & Grill
642 Church
Toronto, Ontario: (416) 932-8979

Yuk Yuks Supper Club

2335 Younge
Toronto, Ontario: (416) 967-6425
Open Mike: Mon @ 10:00am

Yuk Yuks West

5165 Dixie
Mississauga, Ontario: (416) 967-6425

Quebec

Montreal

Comedy Nest
1470 Blvd Rene Square
Montreal Quebec: (514) 875-0888
Comedy Works
1238 Bishop
Montreal, Quebec: (514) 398-9661

Saskatchewan

Regina

Comedy Club
Regina, Saskatchewan: (306) 789-3950

Saskatoon

Comedy Factory
Lorne Ave
Saskatoon, SK S7H 1X6, (306)??? -????

Sled Dogs Love to Laugh Club

(Gotcha again)

Comedy Festivals

(Remember, Just for Laughs, has launched many American and

Canadian comics to major international stardom)
 Just For Laughs Festival
Producer Brent Schiess
2101 St Laurent Blvd
Montreal, Quebec
H2X2T5 - Canada
(514) 845-3155

Toronto

Toronto Comedy Festival

Yuk Yuk's
Toronto, Ontario M6C 3P2
Artistic Director
1280 Bay St
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M5R3L1
(416) 967-6431

Vancouver (Where I live, so be sure to contact me if you are coming

town)

Vancouver International Comedy Festival

1243 Cartwright, St
Granville Island, Vancouver
Canada V6H 3R7
(604) 683-0883
July Event
Foreign Comedy Clubs

South Africa

Info On South African Comedy

Cape Comedy Club

Café Camissa
Saturdays @ 9pm, Sundays
Armchair Theatre @ 8pm
Dirty Dicks on Thursdays.

Hurricanes.
Thursday @ 9.30
Manager Joe Parker
The Funny Farm
the Randburg Waterfront
Wed-Sat @ 9.15pm
$20 a head: (011) 787-0754

Ratanga Junction
Cape Town (theme park)
(Thur-Sun) Evenings from 9pm
At The Coffee Lounge
76 Church Street.
Tues: Comedy Night @ 9.30pm
(021) 424-6784
Antarctica
The Far Away Comedy Club
(Yeah right ☺)

Australia

Brisbane
Crazies Comedy Stand Up Club
Caxton & Judge St: Petrie Terrance
Brisbane, Australia: 0(07) 3 369-0555

Sydney

A Laugher Unlimited
4 Mils Street
Sunshine, Australia: 0(61) 3 364-8350

Harold Park Hotel

Harold Park, Globe
Racecourse, Australia
Open Mike: Mon @?
Sydney Comedy Store
Cntr Parramatta Rd
Crystal St: Petersham, Australia
Open Mike: Wed @?

England

Bristol

Jesters Comedy Club

142 Cheltenham Road
Bristol, England BS65RL: 0(11) 7 909-6655

Virginmirth

Le Chateau, Park St
Bristol, England: (+44) 0(96) 6-175-530

London

Aztec Comedy Club

The Borderland
47-49 Westow St
London, England SE19: 0(18)1 771-0885
The Banana Cabaret
77 Bedford Hill
Balham, London SW12: 0(18) 1 870-0111

Barracuda Comedy Club

38 Hampstead High St
Tube Hampstead, England NW3: 0(17) 1 586-0674

Belly Laughs Bayswater

1 Westbourne Grove
Tube Queensway/Bayswater: 0(17) 1 229-2993

Cackles Comedy Club

61 High St
Thornton Heath, England: 0(18) 1 665-7959

Camden Comedy Revue

Hope & Anchor, Crowndale Rd
Tube Camden Town, England NW1: 0(17) 1 387-9304

Chiswick Comedy Club

8-9 Stile Hall Parade
Chiswick High Rd
Tube Gunnerbury, England W4: 0(18)1 742-1649
The Chuckle Club
Houghton St
London, England WC2: 0(17) 1 476-1672

Comedy at Biddy Mullligans

205 Kilburn High Rd
Tube Kilburn High Rd/Kilburn Park, England NW6: 0(17) 1 624-2066

Comedy at Blackheath
Blackheath Concert Halls
23 Lee Rd
Blackheath, England SE3: 0(18) 1 463-0100

Comedy Brewhouse
Camden Head, 2 Camden Walk
Tube Angel, England N1: 0(17) 1 359-0851

Comedy Club
16 Triton Rd
London, England se21de: 0(18) 1 766-6171

Comedy Club
165 Pecham Rye
London, England se153h: 0(17) 1 732-3434
Comedy Squad
Continentals Bar, High St
Uxbridge, Middlesex
Tube Uxbridge: 0(18) 9 525-8394

Comedy Squad
5th Avenue Bar & Restaurant
Beaconsfield, England: 0(14) 9 467-6358

The Comedy Store

Haymarkey House
7 Oxdon Street
London, England sq1y4ee: 0(17) 1 839-7261

Comedy Theatre
6 Panton Street
London England swly-4dn: 0(17) 1 867-1045

Craic Comedy Club

Queen's Arms, High St
Wealdstone, Middlesex
Tube Harrow & Wealdstone, England: 0(18) 1 424-2328

Crock Of Wit
109 Westbourne Park Rd
Notting Hill, London, England
Giggle Gap Comedy Club
75 Anerly Rd
Crystal Palace, England SE20: 0(18) 1 778-8383

Giggling Elk
1 Robert Adam St
Tube Baker Street
London, England WI: 0(17) 1 565-2879

Hampstead Comedy Club

The Washington, Englands Lane
Tube Belsize Park/Chalk Farm, England NW3: 0(17) 1 207-7256

Joe's Comedy Madhouse

Arsenal Tavern
175 BIackstock Rd
Tube Finsbury Park/Arsenal, England N4: 0(17) 1 704-1684

Jugglers Comedy Club

49 Lavender Gardens
London, England sw11dj: 0(17) 1 924-2766

Kai's East Sheen Comedy Club

Railway Tavern
11 Sheen Lane
Mortlake, England SW14: 0(18) l 871-3396
Kai's World's End Comedy Club
World's End, 459 Kings Rd
Tube Slone Square, England SW10: 0(18) 1 871-3396

Rosemary Branch Comedy Club

Rosemary Branch, 2 Shepperton Rd
Tube Highhury & lslington/Angel, England N1: 0(17)1 704-6665

Splatti Comedy Club

HG Wells Centre, St Mark's Rd
Bromley South, England: 0(12) 7 350-9786

Underground Comedy Cabaret

Finborough Arms, Finborough Rd
Tube Earls Court/Fulham Broadway, England SW10: 0(17) 1 373-
2631

Willsden Comedy Cabaret

1921 Chapel Rd
London, England ee270tp: 0(18) 1 761-6868
Manchester

Frog & Bucket Comedy

102 Oldham Street
Manchester, England m41lj: 0(16) 1 236-9805
Laughter Lounge
Manchester, England: 0(37) 1 497-8634
Oxford

The Oxford Comedy Stage

12 New Road
Oxford, England: 0(18) 6 525 0099
Fax: 0(18) 6 572-3565

Ireland

Cork
City Limits
Corbus St
Cork Ireland 3(53) 2 150-1206
Agencies that book comedy clubs

Comedy For You - Is a national company hosting a wide range

of fantastic comedians.

Corporate Comedy Connection - This organization has been booking

corporate comedy for fifteen years and can deliver some of the
biggest names in comedy like George Wallace, Wendy Lieberman,
and former SNL member A Whitney Brown.

Dave Schwensen Entertainment - Run by the former talent

coordinator for TV's A&E's An Evening At The Improv. This agency is
dedicated to providing the best entertainment for all events. Their
roster is full of talent that has performed for colleges and universities,
corporate shows, private parties, arenas, stadiums and nightclubs.

Funny Business - One of the largest entertainment agencies in the

country booking comedy clubs. They book over 65 cities each week
and have a close working relationship with over 3000 entertainers.

Giggles Comedy Club - A top-notch comedy club, comedy Booking

Company and a booker of work in the Florida area.

Hysterical Management - Hysterical Management is over ten

years old and books entertainers, (primarily comics), in comedy
clubs throughout the Mid-West and North-East.
K&M Productions: Not sure, check them out.

Kenneth Mullen - Booking agency for clubs in the Northwest (USA).

White Steak Productions - Entertainment for clubs, colleges, and

corporate events. Located in Pittsburgh, PA.
Lesson 21 - Profit from Products (Back to Index)

If you are not already producing products and selling them before or
after your shows then I highly recommend you start now. When I say,
‘before the show’, I mean that you can sell your products to the client
prior to the show to be distributed free to the audience or to be sold
directly by your client to the audience members.

You will greatly increase your income by implementing products sales

into your business as a magician. By offering products, you also raise
your stature in the eyes of the public.

The product that I have had great success with in the past, as have
many other magicians, are customized ‘Three Card Montes’. I
suggest you make some up for yourself with the force card imprinted
with your business contact information. This alone is a great way not
only to promote the product but also to spread your information
around to potential bookers of your show. You could make the card
sets yourself or purchase them from a magic supply wholesaler.

The ‘Three Card Monte’ is an example of a product that you could

pre- sell to a corporate client, perhaps to be freely distributed at a
trade show.

You can sell items to your audience members after the show or have
a certain number of them included in your fee when you negotiate the
booking. The ideas are limitless as to what you can sell; magic
instructions, magic tricks, performance video, screen savers, audio
tapes, T-shirts, posters, balloons and anything else that you can think
of that will appeal to your audience.

If you do children's shows, you may want to look into a combination

of a magic book and a coloring book or magic loot bags.

Subscribe to all the magic related magazines and search the net for
ideas and offerings. Also, source products to resell at:

http://www.magicdealers.com/
http://www.royalmagicshop.com/
http://www.oriental.com/
www.ezmagic.com/

Perhaps you will do as many other magicians do, myself now

included, and offer products to other magicians. It is a limited market
but, hey, if you know what you are doing you can do quite well.

Information products are great if you are an expert in a specific area

and can present the information effectively and have a strong
marketing plan. You have the opportunity to get your feet wet by
promoting this product with no risk or expense. Sorry, couldn’t help it!
Lesson 22 - Synergistic Ventures (Back to Index)

If you want to make some serious money, and I think you do, then
start a business that is synergistic with your magic business. The
right business, set up the right way, and operated with systems in
place, can make you rich. It is ideal to choose businesses that
complement your existing activities as a magician and that target
customers to whom you are already marketing to. Also consider
businesses that fit your lifestyle as a magician.

A natural and perhaps obvious business that you may consider is an

entertainment-booking agency. The start-up cost can be minimal and
the rewards will come to you in many ways. You can start
immediately and begin earning income in your first month. I started
an entertainment agency in 1987 as a result of having more bookings
than I could handle and having an awareness of my customer's
needs, plus a continuing desire for multiple streams of income. The
business that I formed was called Funtime Express, and I sold the
company for $299,000.00 in 1997. The business was a one-person
home-based operation. I ran it during the normal course of my
business day while also booking my own shows. The entertainment
agency alone earned an average of $180,000 per year during the last
few years I was in business. Do you want to know exactly how to do
this yourself? I have outlined the steps to take at:
http://www.synergytalent.com
Another terrific business that I started as a result of being a magician
was a toy company. In 1980, while still in high school, I noticed that
Santa Claus would almost always distribute toys to the children at the
Christmas parties that I was performing at. I began asking every
company that I was being booked to perform at if I could supply the
toys for their party. Most agreed, and my mom and my girl friend
wrapped and labeled the orders, and the parcels were sent to each
company prior to their party. In my first year, the sales were
approximately $5000.00 for the month of December. I sold this
company in 1995 when my December sales were just under
$200,000 with a net profit of around $100,000 for the month. I have
laid out the details of this exciting opportunity for you at:
http://www.synergycorporategifts.com/

The synergy of my businesses is apparent. Every company that I

would perform my magic show at was a potential client and usually
became a customer of my toy and entertainment company. And
guess what? Every new client of my toy company was a potential
client and usually became a customer of my entertainment agency.
They would also usually end up booking my show for at least one of
their corporate events each year.

It is really not too hard to become wealthy when you have the
advantage that we do as entertainers. You simply need to educate
yourself, treat people fairly, and listen to the needs of your customers.
Toys and entertainment companies are by no means the only
companies that are logical for a magician to be in. Both have work
well for me, and I recommend you start one or both of them yourself.
Other businesses you might consider are a magic store, inventing
effects, or building props. Whatever you do, consider using the
Internet to your advantage.

By adding business and/or motivational content to your shows you

can greatly increase your fees and open up a whole new world of
opportunities for yourself. Speakers earn fees generally starting at
$1,000 and up to $100,000 for some celebrities and ex-politicians. By
simply adding ‘educational’ or ‘inspirational’ content to your
presentation, you can instantly increase your fee by at least $1,000.
Add yet another $1,000 if you join the ranks of ‘author’ and have a
book published. Then add the profit from the books. Get the idea?
Naturally, the principles regarding the quality of your entertainment
apply to the delivery and content of your information.

Learn how to add speaking income and content to your magic

business at: http://speakermagic.com/
PART III

Additional Resources (Back to Index)

You will learn a lot just by reading the information on each site. I
highly recommend you spend some time “surfing”. You will need to
be connected to the Internet to view the following resources.

INTERNET MARKETING

The following recommendations have been painstakingly chosen

among dozens that I have personally invested in and use. They are
all very different and compliment one another. Some of them you will
recognize from earlier lessons in this book.

Internet Marketing Center

The Insider Secrets to Marketing Your Business on the Internet - The

author of this site, Corey Rudl gets over 4 million visitors to his
websites yearly, does 5.2 million dollars in sales online each year
(yes, that is $5,200,000), and personally makes hundreds of
thousands of dollars from his online businesses... all from his one
small office (in Vancouver!). He knows what he is talking about when
it comes to starting and promoting a business on the Internet. I have
learned many tips, trick and techniques to make money on the net.
To learn more, go to: http://www.marketingtips.com/t.cgi/640067/
Sitesell
Are You Interested in Making Your Web Site Sell? Discover the
manual that's been heralded as the 'bible' to anyone who wants to
make their web site make money. Be prepared to spend quite a bit of
time as you explore this site that is truly a diamond in the rough! Here
is the link: http://www.sitesell.com/ultimateprofits2.html

Remember Yanik and Terry from previous lessons?

Yanik Silver
You could waste months (and thousands of dollars) - trying to figure
out what really works on the Internet. Or you could save yourself the
frustration, time and mistakes by following Yanik's lead. Go to:
http://instantinternetprofits.com/cgi-bin/at.cgi?a=168901

For an entire arsenal of powerful, moneymaking fill-in-the-blank sales

letter templates guaranteed to sell your product or service:
http://www.instantsalesletters.com/al/af.cgi?4294

Terry Dean

This guy has Internet Marketing down to science. Visit him at:
http://www.allthesecrets.com/ic/a1342z/index.html
And:
http://www.netbreakthroughs.com/revshare/ccShare.cgi?cmnd=home

&id=viplink
DIRECT MARKETING

Dan Kennedy

The tools and resources on Dan's site are the "fuel" that has
generated countless fortunes and millionaires - and each tool and
resource has been enthusiastically praised by thousands of
entrepreneurs, executives and managers, small and home business
owners, salespeople, inventors, consultants, public speakers and
yes, magicians, worldwide.

To get valuable information that you can use, go directly to the

source: http://kennedysite.com/at.cgi/randan

Joe Vitale

You met Joe earlier on in this book. My respect for Joe is HUGE, and
you really need to discover what he has to offer, and sooner than
later.

Joe has put together a wildly successful and tremendously

impressive book that will teach you how to write your own ebook in
only 7 days, click here: http://hop.clickbank.net/?milmag/7dayebook

Joe admires a Swiss copywriter and has arranged for all his secrets
to be revealed in a mind-boggling ebook that makes letter writing
easy. And, his book comes with a Headline Generating software
program---for FREE! http://hop.clickbank.net/?milmag/outrageous
BOOKS

The prices listed are roughly what they were when I last checked
at Amazon.

ACTING

“Acting is; living truthfully under imaginary circumstances”

Sanford Meisner

Auditioning

When it comes to getting work as an actor, your auditioning skills

are far more important than your acting skills and talent. This
explains why you see many poor actors on the screen and tube.
Auditioning is a process that can be frustrating, but is the
cornerstone of the industry. The first book on this list, by Michael
Shurleff, is by far my all time favorite on the subject.

Audition, Michael Shurleff, $12.

Audition Book For Young Actors, Jane Lapotaire, $15

The Actor's Audition, David Black, Eli Wallach, $12

The Audition Handbook, Ed Hooks, 1996: $15

The Auditioning Process, Bob Funk, $9

Getting The Part, Judith Searle, $16

 Hot Tips For Cold Readings, Nina Finburgh, Anne McArthur, $8

How To Audition For TV, Movies..., Gordon Hunt, $13

How To Audition For TV And Movies, Fred Spector, $12

Next: An Actor's Guide To Auditions, Ellie Kanner, Paul Bens, $17

Monologues

A monologue is often what you present at an audition for an agent

or for theatre work. It is rarely required for television and film
auditions. You present your monologue solo, although you are
often interacting with an imaginary person or people.

Avoid selecting well-known pieces as other actors often overdo

them and the auditor will both be sick of hearing it and will
compare you to the original actor.

222 Monologues: 2 Minutes & Under, Jocelyn A. Beard, $20

50 Great Monologues, Bill Majeski, $12

An Actor's Audition Speeches, Jean Marlow (Editor), $12

An Actresses' Audition Speeches, Jean Marlow (Editor), $10

Call Back: Monologues For Men & Women, Colleen Mogil, $8

Classic Audition Speeches For Men, Jean Marlow, $9

 Classic Audition Speeches For Women, Jean Marlow,

$9 Fifty Seven Original Auditions, Eddie Lawrence, $12

The Monologue Workshop, Jack Poggi, $12 Monologues

From Literature, Marisa Smith, $9

Acting Instruction

General

A Challenge For The Actor, Uta Hagen, $19

Acting Equals Life, Michael Kearns, $14

Acting: The First Six Lessons, Richard Boleslavsky, $13

Acting: Thought Into Action, Kurt Daw, Rosemary Ingham, $17

Acting Truths And Fictions, Lawrence Parke, $24

An Actor's Handbook, Ellen Taft, 1997, $20

An Actor's Handbook: An Alphabetical..., Sergeevich, $15

Actors On Acting, Toby Cole (Editor), $14

All About Method Acting, Ned Manderino, $10

Basic Acting, Sabin R. Epstein, $50

Encyclopedia Of Acting Techniques, $20

 Free To Act, Mira Felner, Michael D. Hinshaw,

$37 Introduction To Acting, Stanley Kahan, $49

Introduction To Acting, Stanley Kahan, Kenneth W. Rugg,

$69 Sanford Meisner on Acting, Sanford Meisner, $10

Building Characters

Building A Character, Constantine Stanislavski, $17

In And Out Of Character, Basil Rathbone, $12 Let

The Part Play You, Anita Jesse, $14

Stage Movement

Acting And Stage Movements, White, Marguerite Battye, $12

The Articulate Body, Anne Dennis, $16 The Expressive

Body, David Alberts, $16

TYPES OF ACTING

Comedies

Comedy Improvisation: Techniques For Actors, Horn,

$12 Commedia Dell'Arte, John Rudlin, $18

The Craft Of Comedy, Athene Seyler, $15

Improv: An Actor's Handbook, Greg Atkins, $12

 Improv Comedy, Andy Goldberg, $12

Improve With Improv, Brie Jones, $12

Improvisation Starters, Philip Bernardi, $12

Dialects

American Dialects: An Actor's Manual, Lewis Herman, $17

Dialect Monologues Vol 1.1, Roy Karshner, $15

Foreign Dialects: An Actor's Manual, Lewis Herman, $20

Dramas

Drama Improvised, Kenneth Pickering, $12

Drama Worlds: Framework For Drama, Cecily O'Neill, $24

Improvisation In Creative Drama, Betty Keller, $11

Improvisation In Drama, Anthony Frost, Ralph Yarrow, $40

Shakespeare

I graduated from William Davis’s (the Cancer Man on X-Files) full-

time acting school in 1999. Our final project was “A Midsummer’s Night
Dream’, in which I played, Bottom (the Ass). Talk about type casting!

Acting In Shakespearean Comedy, VHS, Janet Suzman, $40

Acting With Shakespeare Janet Suzman, $11

 Classical Acting, Malcolm Morrisom, $18

Free Shakespeare John Russell Brown, $11

Free Shakespeare’s Voice, Kristin Linklater, $12

Playing Bits & Parts In Shakespeare, M. M. Mahood, $30

Shakespeare & The Actor, Meredith Anne Skura, $18

Careers in Acting/Directing/Film

These books will provide useful pointers on the business of acting.

They will also help you understand the all important industry
etiquette.

Acting As A Business, Brian O'Neil, $13

Acting Professionally, Robert Cohen, $13

The Backstage Handbook: Who To Contact, Sherry Eaker, $16

Careers For The Stage Struck, Lucia Mauro, $8

Career Management For The Actor, Terrance Hines,

$13 Careers Without College, Kathryn A. Quinlan, $14

Creating A Complete Career, Rosary H. O'Neill, $20

First Steps Towards An Acting Career, Rideout, Dench,

$15 From Agent To Actor, Adgar Small, Edgar Small, $12

 How To Be A Working Actor, Mari Lyn Henry, $16 How To

Become A Working Actor, Susan Wright, $9 How To Market

Yourself As An Actor, Andrew Reilly, $16 How To Sell

Yourself As An Actor, K Callan, 1996: $15 Glam Scam:

Avoiding The Casting Couch, Erik Joseph, $12

A Guide To Breaking Into Show Business, Terry Chayefsky, $13

It Would Be So Nice If You Weren't Here, Charles Grodin, $12

Launching Your Child In Show Biz, Dick Van Patten, $14

Successful Careers In LA, Judy Kerr, $16

Movie Extra's Guide Book, Cullen Chambers, $16

Directing

Directors In Rehearsal: A Hidden World, Susan Letzler Cole,

$20 Directing Fights, J. Allen Suddeth, $32 Fight Directing,

William Hobbs, $13

City References/ Agencies

Career Guide To Competitive Acting, Brian O'Neil, $12

Hollywood: The City Source Book, Michael Saint Nicholas, $15

 LA: Get The Agent You Need, K. Callan, $15 The

Los Angeles Agent Book, K. Callan, $13 Stardom

On A Shoestring, Hugh Lampman, $19

Where To Live: The City Source Book, Andrea Wolper, $14

PUBLIC SPEAKING

The Audience, the Message, the Speaker, John Hasling, $12

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Speaking in Public, Rozakis, $14

Do's and Taboos of Public Speaking, Roger E. Axtell $14

Elements of Audience Analysis, Jan Youga, $15

The Elements of Speechwriting and Public Speaking, Cook, $10

Public Speaking for Dummies, Malcolm Kushner, $10 The

Public Speaking Handbook, Susan Benjamin, $9

Making Money With Public Speaking

How to Make a Fortune from Public Speaking, Dr Anthony, $4

Money Talks: How to Make a Million As a Speaker, Weiss, $12.

Money Talks: How to Make a Million As a Speaker, Weiss, $22

Speak and Grow Rich, Dottie Walters, $17

 Speaking for Profit and Pleasure, William D. Thompson, $10

Fear of Public Speaking

Never Be Nervous Again, Dorothy Sarnoff, $22

Public Speaking Anxiety, Todd Thomas, $8

The Princeton Review Speak Smart, Julian Fleisher, $12

Talking With Confidence for the Painfully Shy, Don Gabor, $10

The Art of Persuasion

Advocacy and Opposition: An Introduction to Argumentation,

Karyn Charles Rybacki, $50.

Aldus Persuasion for the Macintosh, Karen Brown, $27

Essential Strategies of Argument, Stuart Hirschberg, $33

Guerrilla Persuasion: Mastering Effective Business Presentations,

Don Pfarrer, $12

Perspectives on Argument, Nancy V. Wood, $35

Speakers: How You Can Motivate, Captivate, and Persuade, Lilly

Walters, $12

Speaking to Persuade, Breaden, $33

Quotes For Public Speaker

3,500 Good Quotes for Speakers, Gerald F. Lieberman, $7

And I Quote: The Definitive Collection of Quotes, Ashton

Applewhite, $19

The Little Giant Encyclopedia of Toasts & Quotes, Jane Johnson

(Editor), $8

Jokes For Public Speakers

1001 Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking, Michael Hodgin,

$11

1001 More Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking, Michael

Hodgin, $13

2000 Sure Fire Jokes for Speakers and Writers, Robert Orben, $8

2100 Laughs for All Occasions, Robert Orben, $8

3,500 Good Jokes for Speakers, Jerry Lieberman, $7

Braude's Treasury of Wit and Humor, Jacob M. Braude, $28

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Boardroom,

Michael Iapoce, $15

Business Humor: Jokes & How to Deliver Them, Gene Perret,

$9 Encyclopedia of School Humor, P. Susan Mamchak, $30

 Mitch Murray's One-Liners for Business, Mitch Murray, $21

Mitch Murray's One-Liners for Speeches, Mitch Murray, $11

One Thousand Tips and Quips for Speakers and Toastmasters,

Herbert Prochow, $7

Podium Humor: Treasury of Humorous Stories, James Humes,

$9 Stories, Anecdotes, and Humor for Speakers, Gaukroger, $8

The History Of Public Speaking

The Best of America's Commencement Speeches, Andrew

Albanese, $16

Great American Women's Speeches, Various Authors, $9 The

Penguin Book of Historic Speeches, Brian MacArthur, $12 The

Penguin Book of Twentieth-Century Speeches, Brian

MacArthur, $16

A New History of Classical Rhetoric, George Kennedy, $20

COMEDY

Stand-Up

How To Be A Stand-Up Comic, Richard Belzer, $9

How To Be A Working Stand Up Comic, Dave Schwensen,
$14 Stand Up! On Being A Comedian, Oliver Double, $26
Stand-Up Comedy, Judy Carter, $12 Successful Stand Up
Comedy, Gene Perret, $12

Improv

Learning to think on the ‘fly’ without a script and during unexpected

occurrences is an essential skill to develop for entertainers of all
types.

Comedy Improv: Exercises For Actors, Delton T. Horn, $12

Improv Comedy, Andy Goldberg, $12

The Improv Theatre & American Comedy, Janet Coleman, $18

Truth In Comedy, Charna Halpern, $14

The History of Comedy

We can learn a lot from history. Serious students of comedy should

do some study in this area.

Laughing In The Dark, Laurie Stone, $25

The Laugh Makers, Robert A. Stebbins, $40

Stand & Deliver: Inside Canadian Comedy, Andrew Clark,

$30 Woman And Laughter, Frances Gray, $36 Zen & The Art

Of Stand-Up, Jay Sankey, $15

Zen & The Art Of Stand-Up, Jay Sankey, $75 (Special Release)

Stand-Up Comedy Workbooks

These books will assist you in writing comedy for your act. This skill is
also useful to entertainers of all types.

Comedy Writing Secrets, Melvin Helitzer, $15

Comedy Writing: Step By Step, Gene Perret, $10

The Comedy Writing Workbook, Gene Perret, $25

Stand-Up Comedy, Judy Carter, $12

Sandi C. Shores: Workbook, Sandi Shore, $70

The Comic Toolbox, John Vorhaus, $12

Joke Books

General Jokes & Riddles

Audio books Lawyers & Criminals
Business Limericks
Cat & Dogs Love, Sex & Marriage
Comedy Parodies
Computers & Internet Political
Cooking Puns & Wordplay
Doctors & Medicine Rural Life
Essays Satire, General
Fiction Science & Scientists
For Kids: General Self-Help & Psychology
For Kids: Jokes Sports
Humorous Verse Theories of Humor
Hunting & Fishing Urban Legends

MAGIC - JUGGLING- MIME-CLOWNING

Of course, the magic book recommendations are far from a complete

listing of the many great books available. These are simply ones that
are readily available to the mass market and are therefore reasonably
priced. Many may be more appropriate for you to give as gifts or
recommend to non-professional magicians. Among this list, however,
there are a few classics like, Modern Coin Magic, and history books
that that you should own and can learn from.
Children's Magic

Children's Magic Kit: 16 Easy-To-Do Tricks, Karl Fulves, $5

Magic Secrets (I Can Read Book), Rose Wyler, $3 A

Magician (I Want to Be Series), Ivan Bulloch, $6

Magic For Beginners

101 Easy-To-Do Magic Tricks, Bill Tarr, $8

Abra-Ca-Dazzle: Easy Magic Tricks, Ray Broekel, School &

Library Binding, $15

Blackstone's Tricks Anyone Can Do, Harry Blackstone, $15 A

Book of Magic for Young Magicians, Allan Zola Kronzek, $4

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Magic Tricks, Tom Ogden, $16

Magic for Dummies (For Dummies), David Pogue, $16

Training With Magic!: 53 Simple Magic Tricks, Ed Rose, $16

World's Best Magic Tricks, Charles Barry Townsend, $5

Coin Tricks

Modern Coin Magic, J. B. Bobo, $8

Self-Working Coin Magic, Karl Fulves, $5

World's Best Coin Tricks, Bob Longe, $5

General Magic

101 Classic Magic Tricks, Guy Frederick, Jason Hurst,

$5 Art of Magic, T. Nelson Downs, PB, $8

Big Book of Magic Tricks, Karl Fulves,

$8 Book of Magic Tricks, Heddle R, $8

Hocus Pocus! (Secret World of Alex MacK), Joseph Locke,

$4 The Magic Handbook, Peter Eldin, $8

The Magic of Micah Lasher, Micah Lasher, $12

The Most Excellent Book of How to Be a Magician, Peter Eldin,

$6 The New Magician's Manual, Walter Brown Gibson, $9

Math/Science Magic

The Magical Math Book, Bob Longe, $5

The Magical Math Book, Bob Longe, HC, $15 Math-A-

Magic: Tricks for Magicians, Laurence B. White, $4

Mathematics, Magic and Mystery, Martin Gardner, $5

Science Magic: Martin Gardner's Tricks & Puzzles, Martin

Gardner, $12

Science Magic Tricks, Nathan Shalit, $4

Card Tricks

101 Amazing Card Tricks, Bob Longe, $5

Annemann's Card Magic: Unabridged Version, Theodore

Annemann, $6

Card Magic for Amateurs and Professionals, William Simon, $7

Card Manipulations, Jean Hugard, $6 Card Tricks, M. Ross, $3

Encyclopedia of Card Tricks, Jean Hugard, $8

Charles Jordan's Best Card Tricks, Karl Fulves,

$7 More Card Manipulations, Jean Hugard, $6

More Self-Working Card Tricks, Karl Fulves, $5

My Best Book of Card Tricks, John Cornelius, $14

The History of Magic

Houdini's History of Magic in Boston, H.J. Moulton, $35.00.

The Illustrated History of Magic, Milbourne Christopher, $15

Magic: A Picture History, Milbourne Christopher, $15

Magic and Magicians (The Unexplained), Mike Burgess, $14

Net of Magic: Wonders and Deceptions in India , Lee Siegel, $25

Juggling

Hotshots Juggling (Hotshots Series), Clive Gifford, $3

A Juggler (I Want to Be Series), Ivan Bulloch, $6 The

Juggler, John Morressy, $11

Juggling (How to Make Series), Clive Gifford, $7

Juggling Step-By-Step, Bobby Besmehn, $7

Juggling with Jeremy, Chris D'Lacey, $5

The Most Excellent Book of How to Be a Juggler, Mitch

Mitchelson, $6

Mime

Beyond the Word: The World of Mime, Stefan Niedzialkowski,

$13 From Mime to Sign, Gilbert C. Eastman, $28

Mime: Basics for Beginners, Cindie Straub,

$22 The Mime Book, Claude Kipnis, $12

The Mime, Speaking: Poems, Thomas Gardner, $15

Mime Ministry, Susan K. Toomey, $11

Mime Spoken Here: A Guide to a Personal Style, Tony

Montanaro, $20
 Mime Spoken Here; The Performer's Portable Workshop, Tony
Montanaro, $35

Mime Time: 45 Complete Routines for Everyone, Happy Jack

Feder, $11

Talking About Mime: An Illustrated Guide, David Alberts, $15

Clowning

Be A Clown! - The Complete Guide to Instant Clowning,

Turk Pipkin, $8

A Clown (I Want to Be Series), Ivan Bulloch, $5 A

Clown (I Want to Be Series), Ivan Bulloch, $10

Fool of the Kingdom: How to Be an Effective Clown Minister,

Philip D. Noble, $11

I Want to Be a Clown, Sharon S. Johnson, $4

I Want to Be a Clown (Start To Read), Sharon S. Johnson, $6

The Most Excellent Book of How to Be a Clown, Catherine

Perkins, S&L: $22
BUSINESS-SUCCESS & MARKETING BOOKS

Sales and Selling Professional Services

Let's Get Real - Mahan Khalsa – Excellent book if you really can’t
stomach the thought of being a “sales-person”.

Non-Manipulative Selling - Alessandra & Wexler- Effective approach

to selling that provides a ‘breath of fresh air’ when compared to many
other selling tactics.

Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive - Harvey Mackay -
Mackay's first book full of great stories and the "Mackay 66" system
for keeping track of prospects and clients. Another great one is :
Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt.

The New Conceptual Selling - Miller & Heiman - Removes a lot of the
mystery about selling and gives a deeper understanding of what is
going on with the buyer and the whole process in general. Excellent.
Their book The New Strategic Selling is also excellent, with more
focus on selling to corporations.

Selling to Vito - Anthony Parinello - This is a unique book that focuses

on the exact process for selling to VITO - the Very Important Top
Officer. He gives details on everything from sending an initial letter to
following up to closing the deal. Wow.

The Power to Get In – A step-by-step system on how to “get in the

door” with anyone.
203 Ways to Be Supremely Successful in the New World of Selling -
John Graham - The author of Magnet Marketing provides the same
keen insight and understanding to the sales process as he did with
the marketing process. You will make more sales after reading this
book.

I'll Get Back to You - Robert Shook & Eric Yaverbaum- 105 very
useful tips on how to get people to return your calls and other helpful
sales tips. Just one tip could get you in for that all-important
appointment.

The Zen of Selling - Stan Adler - A series of 17 wise stories about

various sales principles. Simply delightful, you will read it over and
over again.

Sales Dragon - John Scevola - It includes over 2,000 aphorisms about life,

success and selling - many based on ancient Chinese wisdom. Very

inspiring.

Mindworks: Unlock the Promise Within: NLP Tools for Building a

Better Life - Anne Linden - A book about communication that explains
NLP in an easy-to-follow style with great examples and insights.
Excellent.

Stop Selling - Start Partnering - Larry Wilson - This book will help you
to stop seeing selling as a collection of techniques and start to see it
as a long-term relationship.
The One Minute Salesperson - Spencer Johnson and Larry Wilson -
This little book distills some of the most important selling concepts
and principles and is a must-read.

Sales and Persuasion Psychology

Influence - The Psychology of Persuasion - Robert Cialdini - This may

be one of the most important books you can read related to selling. It
offers incredible insight on how persuasion works. You will apply
these concepts to your business and increase the response to your
marketing, obtain more sales and build customer loyalty.

The Tipping Point - Malcom Gladwell - Fun to read and will help you
understand persuasion as it applies to marketing.

Earning What You're Worth? The Psychology of Sales Reluctance -

Dudley and Goodson This book will be good for you if you tend to
avoid selling and marketing activities. Outlines both the causes and
cures for sales reluctance in a most compelling manner. Very
insightful.

Books on Positioning Your Services

Rapid Response Marketing - Geoff Ayling – An excellent book that

really gets to the heart of creating compelling marketing messages
that get attention, interest and action. A must-read.

Nichecraft - Susan Falkenstein – This book will certainly help you

promote your services.
Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind - Al Ries and Jack Trout -
A marketing classic.

I also recommend other Ries and Trout Books following and Trout's
"New Positioning." All strongly recommended to the serious marketer.

Marketing Warfare
Bottom-Up Marketing
22 Immutable Laws of Marketing
The New Positioning
FOCUS - The Future of Your Company Depends Upon It

Brochures and Sales Letters

The Independent Consultant's Brochure and Letter Handbook -

Herman Holtz has put together a concise and full of useful, hands-on
tips and techniques for putting together brochures, marketing
materials and sales letters. Also includes lessons on proposals,
newsletters, press releases and graphics.

Sales Letters That Sizzle - Herschel Gordon Lewis – A must-have

book that you will reference every time you write a sales letter.

Pricing

Million Dollar Consulting - Alan Weiss – If you do consulting, you will

immediately give yourself a raise as soon as you finish this book.

Money Talks - Alan Weiss – This book focuses on making money as

a speaker. Great insight and practical useful tips you will use right
away.
Copywriting

Cash Copy - Jeffrey Lant - An incredible book that will teach you to
write copy that gets attention and generates sales.

Tested Advertising Methods - John Caples - A classics of advertising.

Along with How to Make Your Advertising Make Money (a later book
which is very similar), Caples lays out the principles and techniques
of what it takes to get people to respond to advertising. Just the
chapter on headlines alone (30 pages long!) is worth the price of the
book.

How to Write a Good Advertisement - Victor O. Schwab - Another

classic book on advertising and copywriting with gems of marketing
wisdom throughout.

Service Business Marketing

Marketing Your Services - Anthony Putman - This is a "must have"

book if you want to attract new clients. It is the real deal with nothing
left out.

The Invisible Touch - Harry Beckwith - Beckwith's second book is just

as good as the first (below). A quick read full of insights that apply to
any business.

Selling the Invisible - Harry Beckwith – Fun to read and very valuable
information.
How to Get Clients - Jeff Slutsky – Anything written by Slutsky is
great. Also, check out Streetsmart Marketing. If you can find any of
his out of print work, grab it.

Selling Your Services - Robert Bly - An excellent how-to for anyone

selling services. He has written other excellent marketing books
including

The Copywriter's Handbook and

Business to Business Direct Marketing.

Rain Making - Ford Harding - An excellent book on marketing,

networking, speaking, the media, writing and publishing. A useful
read.

Networking

Endless Referrals - Bob Berg - Lots of great tips and techniques that
anyone can use.

Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty - Harvey Mackay - Mackay's

latest book's subhead is "The Only Networking Book You'll Ever
Need." Not sure if I agree with that, but it is fantastic.

Power Networking - Donna Fisher and Sandy Vilas - 55 strategies on

getting known and building referrals. Goes deep into the service and
relationship aspect of building your business by word-of-mouth. A lot
to think about and tons of great tips you can use.
Secrets of Savvy Networking - Susan RoAne - Also the Author of
"How to Work a Room," Lots of how-to's and tips on getting an edge
in business by developing long-term relationships.

The World's Best Known Marketing Secret - Ivan Misner – An

excellent model for developing word-of-mouth advertising.

Endless Prospects - Richard Weylman - Great information in an easy-

to-read format.

Direct Marketing/Advertising

Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads - Roy H. Williams - Pearls of

wisdom about what it takes to persuade people to do business with
you.

Being Direct - Lester Wunderman – This is an autobiographical story

of Wunderman's life in direct marketing from the '30's to the present
day. He is credited for direct marketing success stories such as the
Columbia Record Club, American Express and Ford.

Ogilvy on Advertising - David Ogilvy - A classic that is full of

illustrations and examples that will give you a lot of valuable ideas.
Another valuable book is his biography, Confessions of an
Advertising Man that is out of print but worth looking for.

Advertising Secrets of the written Word - Joseph Sugarman -

Sugarman made a fortune selling gadgets through direct mail. He
wrote all the copy and shares his secrets here.
Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This - a Guide to Creating Great Ads - Luke
Sullivan – Definitely a fun and entertaining book to read. I am
recommending it with the caveat that the information will likely not
apply directly to the magic business but is inspiring and you will enjoy
it.

General Marketing Strategy

Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got - Jay Abraham –
He is the Gurus, Guru of Marketing who has sold books that cost as
much as $750. The lowest price of any Jay Abraham materials you'll
find anywhere and a bargain at ten times the price of this book.

Permission Marketing - Seth Godin - Tons of great examples for

marketers large and small, both online and off. Excellent!

The New Magnet Marketing - John Graham - A good general book on

marketing for small to medium-sized businesses. Well worth reading.

No More Cold Calls - Jeffrey Lant - Lant is a marketing genius for

small businesses. This massive (675 pgs.) book is filled with more
ideas than you'll be able to implement in years.

Marketing Without Advertising - Michael Phillips & Salli Rasberry –

You will learn how to generate a constant stream of referrals without
spending any money on advertising. Originally published in 1986 and
just released in a new edition.
The New Maxi-Marketing - Stan Rapp and Thomas Collins - One of
the best books on corporate marketing. Their other books are also
worth checking out:

Maxi Marketing,
Beyond Maxi Marketing and
Send 'Em One White Sock.

The One to One Future - Peppers and Rogers - A compelling book

about using information technology to customize marketing
campaigns so that you are literally marketing to individuals but on a
mass basis. Not a must-have but you will benefit from reading it.

Marketing "Tips" Books

Getting Business to Come to You - Edwards, Edwards & Clampitt

Douglas – 686 pages of exceptional, detailed information on every
aspect of marketing.

Other excellent books include:

Secrets of Self Employment and

Teaming Up.

1001 Ways to Market Your Service - Rick Crandall - Another

encyclopedia of small business marketing ideas. Fantastic.

Marketing Your Services - for people who HATE to sell - Rick

Crandall There is something in this book for every small business
marketer. Other good marketing books are:
 Marketing for People Not in Marketing.

Celebrate Marketing Celebrate Selling

Guerrilla Marketing - Jay Conrad Levinson - This is his original book,

where he emphasizes low-cost, close-to-the customer tactics for
getting attention and getting sales. His other books are also highly
regarded and include:

GM Attack,
GM Weapons,
GM Excellence,
The GM Handbook,
Guerrilla Trade Show Selling,
Guerrilla Marketing Online ,
Guerrilla Selling,
GM for the Home-Based Businesses
GM Online Weapons
GM with Technology

301 Do-It-Yourself Marketing Ideas - Sam Decker – Innovative and

under priced.

101 Ways to Promote Yourself - Raleigh Pinskey - Another

inexpensive book with tons of good, solid ideas on marketing for
small businesses. Well organized with resources listed after each
technique for more in-depth information.
Marketing through Speaking

Marketing with Speeches and Seminars - Miriam Otte - This book is a

must have if you want to succeed at attracting new clients with
speeches and seminars.

Marketing With Letters

The Ultimate Sales Letter - Daniel Kennedy - Covers everything

about what to put in sales letters, how to write them and how to
design an effective mailing campaign.

Customer Service

Raving Fans - Ken Blanchard - Blanchard is excellent at providing

examples that drive home the point. He teaches you that by going
beyond good service you will find your most powerful marketing tool.
Practical techniques that you will profit from using.

The Pursuit of WOW - Tom Peters – I highly recommended this book

if you are serious about providing excellent customer service.

Entrepreneurship

Growing a Business - Paul Hawken - Anecdotes and timeless

principles that are excellent.

Pour Your Heart Into It - Howard Schultz – Covers a lot of ground and
is truly inspiring and useful. Absolutely wonderful.
The E Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber is what inspired me to "work
on my business - not in it" and create systems to automate my
business. If you have staff, also read The E-Myth Manager.

Visionary Business - Marc Allen - Told in the form of a story of a

struggling business owner and his wise mentor, the narrative covers
the essential principles of business success from goal setting and
planning to core beliefs and higher purpose. Influenced by New Age
thought, this is a fun, inspiring and practical book.

Motivation/Success

Play to Win! - Larry Wilson, Hersch Wilson - A beautifully designed

book that distills the fundamentals of success and fulfillment into an
easy to understand and follow philosophy.

How to Be a Star at Work - Robert Kelley - Hard to put down, it

relates the key factors in keeping ahead of the pack, whether you're
self employed or working for someone else.

How to Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie – If you

don’t own this book, do not pass go, do not collect $200, just get it
now.
MY LINKS:

Discover how to own you own entertainment agency at:

http://www.synergytalent.com

Profit from your own corporate gift company at:

http://www.synergycorporategifts.com

Learn Insider Secrets of Internet Marketing at:

http://marketingmagician.com

Earn Large Fees as a Corporate Speaker at:

http://speakermagic.com

Accelerate your Business and Personal Success at:

http:/magicianmarketing.com

To send your much-appreciated testimonial for this course:

mailto:testimonial@charach.com

To be kept up to date on new information and opportunities, be sure

to join my free e-newsletter. Just send a blank email to:

news@showbizonly.com
Conclusion (Back to Index)

I hope you have enjoyed this book. It is full of information and

resources that can really make a difference in your career. Be sure to
use and profit from them.

So, where will you go from here?

Will you implement some of the ideas that were presented to you in
the book?

Will you utilize the resources?

Make some new contacts?

Put more effort into planning?

Go out of your way to create a "wow" experience for your clients and
your audiences?

Or,

Will you just feel inspired for a few weeks and then keep doing
exactly what you were doing?

Perhaps, you were doing just fine. Great. Please keep in mind that
many very successful entertainers have implemented practices
contained in this book, with great results.

Perhaps you are a very successful entertainer already. Remember

what Ray Kroc said about learning:

"When you're green you grow, when you're ripe you rot".

Personally, I am in a constant state of "green". And proud of it!

The wealthiest and most intelligent people I know are the most willing
to listen to other viewpoints, take risks, and try new things.

Okay, so go for it. Don't be lazy or closed minded. Pick something

from the book to implement each week. I suggest you start with what
is least appealing to you. This technique of indulging in that which
you do not "like" holds incredible power. You can only understand this
by trying it yourself. Try it, the results are awesome!

Our relationship does not have to end here. Take some time now and
explore the other offerings I have set up specifically to help
entertainers expand and grow in show BUSINESS.

Take advantage of these unique opportunities and prosper. I look

forward to speaking with you, or meeting you soon!
P.S. Recoup your investment in this book and start your own new
stream of income at: http://www.millionairemagician.com/partners.htm