How to do Magic Tricks

Advice and Support for Magicians

Approaching Tables – How Magicians Approach People

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Approaching Tables

Approaching Tables – How to approach people to show them magic tricks.

A lot of magicians worry about how they will approach people and start performing magic. There are ways to easily identify the best method for approaching a group, and several techniques that can make your approach far easier and more effective.

In this free book Dominic Reyes shares what he has learn’t about approaching people to perform table magic over the past 20 years.


The tips and advice are intended to give you a feel for what to expect, ways to be prepared for most situations, practical tips that will make a huge difference to the reactions you get when you join a group, and the degree of attention your guests will show you right from the beginning.

Topics include:

  • The challenges faced performing magic at tables

  • Why the work starts before you get to a gig

  • The best way to talk to client

  • Ways to work with the resturant staff

  • How to create energy

  • Ways to overcome approach nerves

  • Techniques to build confidence

  • Tricks to connect with spectators

  • Ways to approach tables

  • How to Introduce yourself

  • Introductions and dealing with alpha spectators

  • Tips for approaching long tables

  • Approaching clients by email

  • How not to be annoying

  • The best trypes of magic tricks to perform

  • How to improve the impact of your magic

  • much much more

 

'Great eBook on "Approaching Tables". Good tips that all magicians can use.' – Marcus Bailey

'Very thorough on all aspects of close up at tables. Every magician should read this. There is something for everyone!' – Ricky Morgan

'The ebook is very useful raising points I probably would never have considered years ago.' – Boris Leistikow

 

Ready to be a Magician for Hire?

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Magicians for hire - Ready?

By Dominic Reyes

How can you know when you are ready to become a magician for hire?

Many magicians struggle identifying when they are ready to start performing magic to the public for money. Being a magician for hire is very different from performing magic for fun to your family and friends, and it may not suit you. The process of practice is so long, and without defining waypoints, that there is no feedback or signal that your magic has reached a standard to start performing. Here's some pointers to help you know when you are ready:

Being good at sleight of hand is not enough.

It doesn't matter how many colour changes you can do, the quality of your shuffles, or the height of your muscle pass. The number of sleights you master has little to do with your ability to entertain people with your magic tricks outside of your circle of magician friends. Double check that you have done the following:

  • Have you developed a few sets of magic tricks that go well together and have complete presentations?
  • Did you check that the tricks are entertaining and that a live audience of NON MAGICIANS enjoy them?
  • If you have built up a collection of tricks that are grouped together as opener effects, middle tricks, and closers?
  • Have you practiced them as a group, moving from one trick to the next with a smooth transition?
  • Did you work on your pocket managment for the sets of tricks? 

To move from practicing magic tricks and performing them casually, to becoming a magician for hire, you need a fully developed 'act'. A selection of strong magic tricks that an audience will really enjoy and that work well together, not just in isolation.

What does 'ready' to be a magician for hire really mean?

'Ready' means that you have thought about how you present your magic as a PRODUCT. Your magic is ready to be presented as a form of entertainment to groups in a professional manner. You have practiced and worked though a period of rehearsal to perfect the flow of the performance and it's transition both in and out of play. 

Being ready means that you have worked on your appearance, your marketing, your website, and identified your client base. You have researched who will book you and how you can contact that market to offer your services.

The switch from development to business.

A magician for hire becomes a business. Have you created a business plan? Thought about the fee you will charge for your magic and how you will pay tax? How will you advertisie and promote your services locally? Turning your magic into a commercial activity is 90% business and 10% delivery. When you started developing as a magician, 100% of your effort was focused on creating your product. Now that should be ready, so you switch attention to business development whilst ensuring that you keep fresh, grow and focus your skills. 

If you have only worked on your performance, it's time to start learning about marketing. Read as many books as you can on the subject. Attend local business networking events. Talk to your bank and create a business plan. You will be starting your own business as a magician for hire, and there is as much to learn in that area, as the magic you have already spent your time mastering.

You have developed your character and style as a magician.

What will make you stand out as a magician? Why should people book you as their entertainer rather than all the other magicians for hire in your area. 9 times out of 10 the reason will be your character and personality.

  • Have you developed a performing persona that is communicated through your advertsing?
  • Does the persona really suit you and do you feel natural performing in that character?

Clients book magicians to compliment their event and to fit in with the guests they will be entertaining. If you identify your target client base, you can ensure that your character and persona is attractive to that market. Have you given this much thought yet?

Your personality as a performer.

Are you really a likable person? When you are with a group of people, can you hold their attention and be missed when you leave the group? Your social skills are key to your success as a magician if you want to be anything other than an average magician. Magicians that get a lot of repeat bookings tend to have very good social skills. You don't need to be a natural at this, but you DO need to have worked on it. Read books on networking, social skills, and how to hold a conversation. Practice your conversation skills as much as possible and find ways to become better at public speaking and socialising. 

Have to tested your performance?

How do you really know you are ready to become a magician for hire without getting feedback? Your family and friends will rarely give you useful or honest feedback. Perform for the public in not commercial ways, perhaps going charity events, community projects. Have your performance filmed and watch it back with a critical eye. Check that you are the best you can be.

 

How to Approach People to Show Them Magic Tricks – Video

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How to approach people to show them magic tricks

Magicians worry about how to approach people to show them magic tricks, but it's much easier than they think.

Practice, practice, practice they tell you in the magic books, but there's never much information about how to start your magic tricks off. How do you approach a group of people and start performing your magic?

Dominic Reyes recorded this short video about how he approaches people to show them magic in a close up magic setting.

Magicians that haven't performed to the public often tend to worry about how they are going to start off their performance. They may be confident in the magic tricks they perform, but approaching people isn't a magic trick, it's about confidence as a performer and overcoming fear of being rejected.

As a magician, you are there with an official role to play. Your job is to approach guests and show them something amazing. It's just as valid as any other person at the event and you should take comfort in that. You have a purpose for being at the event and you are no more an interruption of the guests time than the waiters that offers them drinks or canapés. Relax into the role of the magician you are playing.

The three keys to approach people to show them magic tricks.

Approach a group with a relaxed smile and a confident stride. Do these 3 things:

1) Tell them who you are.

2) Let them know what you do.

3) Engage them in a conversation or activity.

'Hi, I'm Joe Blogs the magician. I've been asked to show you some magic'

The line above covers the first 2 keys to an introduction, but it doesn't invite engagement. Adding in a question or an activity will make the introduction more effective:

'Hi, I'm Joe Blogs the magician. I've been asked to show you some magic tonight. Do you believe in magic?'

'Good Evening, I'm Joe Blogs the magician. I've been asked to show you some magic tonight. Do know why I carry these strange coins'

It's really as easy as that. Just like any introduction, it's about the APPEARANCE of confidence and purpose. It doesn't matter if you are feeling nervous about the approach, as long as you don't show it. If you edge slowly up to a group and fail to make eye contact or smile, you are giving signals that you don't want attention, that's exactly what the group will offer you. Approach with purpose. You have something very interesting for them and they are the lucky people to get to see you next.

Approaching strangers to show them your magic tricks is one of the most common areas of fear for magicians, but it's as simple as any introduction. Taking time to practice introducing yourself will be time well spent. As you gain experience, you will discover that it's not as hard as you imagine.