How to do Magic Tricks

Advice and Support for Magicians

How to Get Magic Gigs

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how to get magic gigs

"If you have been considering making the jump into part-time or full-time pro status, you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of Highway to Success by Elliott Smith and Ian Quick… 

This is simply one of the best expositions of this type of material that I have ever read.  Whatever your performing area, you'll find information that will move you toward your goals… best book on the nuts-and-bolts of entertaining as a profession that have been published in recent times. Highly recommended." – MAGIC Magazine – Micheal Close

The book originally sold for over £40 and repeatedly sold out. It's not been available for some time now, but because the advice and practical tips are perfectly in line with what we teach here on the blog, the Merchant of Magic has done a deal with the publisher directly, so you can download Highway to Success as a full ebook for just £12.99

Download your copy here

The complete guide to the business of being an entertainer.

Highway to success is the essential business system for any magician or independent entertainer.

HIGHWAY TO SUCCESS was written specifically for entertainers whether you are a magician, clown, juggler or any other type of performing artist. This common sense system will equip you with the knowledge to successfully set up, operate and thrive as a part-time or full-time professional entertainer. Highway to Success will teach you how to get magic gigs.

From basic business structures to legalities, from advertising to closing the sale, this system will refine your business practices and increase clientele, putting more money in your pocket. Based on tried methods and practical experience, this effective system will work!

How to get magic gigs

With over 45 years of combined experience as professional entertainers and businessmen, Elliott Smith and Ian Quick have put together for you an effective business system that works. Based on tried methods and practical experience, this common sense approach will equip you with the knowledge to successfully operate your business.

When you purchase "Highway to Success," you are automatically eligible to receive your Secret Password to access the "Extended Warranty" page including practical, easy-to-use, ready to use business forms and samples in word, excel and .pdf formats.  These include: 

  • Performance Contracts 
  • Entertainment Agreements 
  • Letters of Introduction 
  • Invoices 
  • Business Cards 
  • Sponsorship Agreements 
  • Telephone Scripts 
  • Daily, weekly, and monthly Activity Checklists 
  • Call Tracking Form 
  • Sales Forecasting Form 
  • Expense and Budget Worksheet 
  • Spreadsheets (Excel format):   Call Tracking – Sales Forecasting – Expense and Budget  

Click here to download Highway to Success

Know Your PK Ring Size – Magnetic Ring Size Chart

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Best PK Magnetic Ring for Magicians

How to pick the right size magnetic PK Ring

The magnetic PK ring has become an essential part of every close-up magicians tool kit. Now that the market has been blown out for the water with the release of the Kinetic PK Ring, magicians all over the world are looking to upgrade their existing PK rings, or taking their first jump into using a PK ring in their routines.

Which magnetic pk ring should I choose?

When choosing a PK ring it really boils down to how much you are prepared to pay for your ring. After Jim Trainer made the magnetic PK ring popular with the original Wizard G2 Ring, there have been a whole host of low grade clone versions flooding the magic market. Most of these quickly die away as word gets out about their limited durability and resistance to shattering. Because the best PK Rings are a complete magnet, rather that being just a metal band with a magnet attached, it's well worth investing in the most durable version available. Cheap PK rings will easily shatter if dropped or banged against a hard object.

If you already own a G2 Wizard PK Ring, then you probably don't need to upgrade until your current ring starts to look worn or it cracks/shatters. However, once you upgrade, you will notice a significant difference in magnet strengh and durability.

If you own a cheap clone ring from China/India, then we recommend upgrading to a professional quality PK ring as soon as possible. The difference in performance and durability is considerable.

The Kinetic PK Ring

From customer feedback and our own experience, we always recommend the high grade professional version of the magnetic PK Ring. The best on the market is the Kinetic PK Ring. It's not cheap, but worth every penny. If you are going to wear your ring often, then it's worth spending a little more from the start.

Road test your magnetic PK Ring

It's worth choosing a supplier that will allow you to try out you ring before you decide if you want to keep it. Some magic dealers provide a trial period for your purchase, so you can wear the ring, see how it looks, and make sure it is strong enough for your needs. The Merchant of Magic offer a 365 day return policy on their PK Rings, so you can take up to a year to decide if the ring is right for you!

Which size magnetic PK Ring? – Knowing your ring size

The first step is to either mesure your finger diameter, or go to a jewelry shop and have your UK ring size measured. Once you have those stats you can use the chart below to find out which size ring to order.

magicians PK Ring Size Chart

If you get your measurments wrong, don't worry. Good magic shops will allow you to send the ring back for an alternative size.

 

 

The Best Wedding Fayres for Magicians

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Best wedding fayres for magicians

By Dominic Reyes

Mark writes: 'I plan to advertise my magic using wedding fayres. Can you give me some tips about choosing the right type of fayre?'

There have been a few email this week from magicians wanting advice about hinding the best wedding fayres to attend. So, I recorded this short video answeringsome questionsabout picking the best wedding fayres for magicians:

How many wedding fayres should a magician do?

It really depends on your diary and how much you want to work. Personally I attend around 6-8 wedding fayres over the course of a year. That will usually fill up my dairy for the following year. I don't want to only do weddings, as a great deal of my work comes from corporate entertainment, so that amount of wedding fayres works perfectly for me. I may only get 3 or 4 bookings from each wedding fayre, but each of those gigs will generate more work from referalls. The end result is usually 1 or 2 weddings each week thoughout the year. That consistant work pays my bills and puts bread on the table. The rest of the years diary can be filled with parties and higher paying corporate work. 

How much work do you need for the lifestyle you want? How busy you are happy to be often depends on how much you charge, just as much as the quantity of magic gigs you take on. Check out this post about how much to charge and the amount of gigs you need to make a living performing magic.

The Location

There are large hotel wedding fayres and small independed hotels putting on their own shows. Big isn't always better. It's more important to know the expected footfall at the fayre, and the demographic of the visitors.

Large country houses near wealthy areas are a great bet if you charge a larger fee for your magic. Equally, if you are targeting a lower income audience, you may want to attend less prestigious venues. Who are the clients that most often book you? Where would THEY most probably visit to look for suppliers within their budget? 

Advertising the Wedding Fayre

It's worth talking to other suppliers that attend the wedding fayre that you are considering. Ask them about footfall, and about how the show is promoted. The organisers can also tell you if the show will be advertised on the local radio and in local papers leading up to the day. Go for wedding fayres that invest in good advertising as that directly correlates to footfall on the day.

Get a copy of the wedding fayre mailing list

Many organisers will have a sign-up mailing list for brides to opt into when they enter the event. Good wedding fayres will allow suppliers to get a copy of this list, and it's worth it's weight in gold. If you can get a copy of the list, make sure you use it to send out a follow up email about your services and an invitation to find out more.