In this final episode of this season, Gemma Parker had a brief coaching with Zivi on what to do to manage her tasks effectively, including multitasking and task switching.

Zivi's suggestion could be applicable for your business too, listen now!

Zivi and Gemma share important things about Search Engine Optimization that can help get more traffic to your website.

In this Episode we discuss:

• For some, task switching is now good but it depends on your mindset
• Multitasking is okay as long as you get the job done
• The problems with multitasking
• The book "The Gift of Done"
• From multitasking to single focus
• Some important pointers like pausing your inbox
• How to effectively use the scheduler or calendar
• How to be efficient while having family and business
• When to start hiring help
• There's a TON of VALUE here so make sure you listen to this final episode!!

Directing Traffic to Your Site

In this episode, Paul Cochrell aka Tall Paul had a brief coaching with Zivi on what to do with his his website to drive more traffic.

Zivi's suggestion could be applicable for your business too, listen now!

Zivi and Paul share important things about the email outreach that can help get more traffic in your website.

In this Episode we discuss:

• Paul has been performing since 1998 even before SEO was born
• Paul wants to improve his Google rankings and learn SEO
• What is white hat and black hat approach and which is better
• Why Youtube is the best place to get info about SEO
• What is Keyword and how to best use it and what tools to use
• What are Long tail and Short hand keywords
• The hours that you need to spend for your SEO
• The importance of the number of words in your content with your keyword
• The Skyscraper technique that you can use for the content
• The importance of your site load speed
• The things to do to make the site faster
• What is Google Analytics and how to use it
• There is a TON of value in this episode that you can use to leverage your business in a new market, so LISTEN NOW!
• Links mentioned
  www.boostermonster.com
  www.youtube.com
  
  

Making Your Site Congruent With Your Needs

In this episode, Chad Jacobs had a brief coaching with Zivi on what to do to his website to get more bookings and interest from customers.

Zivi's suggestion could be applicable for your business too, listen now!

Zivi and Chad share important things about the changes that can be made on a website.

In this Episode we discuss:

• Chad's main goal here is get more shows
• How to structure the website so that customers know what they will get
• The importance of the text font size
• The importance of adding a blog in the website
• Ideas for blog posts related to the customers
• How to be social in your blog posts
• The biggest three questions that your have to answer and show in your site
• There is a TON of value in this episode that you can use to leverage your business in a new market, so LISTEN NOW!

Selling Workshops for Corporate

In this episode Jonah Babins had a quick coaching with Zivi on how should be the approach in offering somekind of workshops for corporate teams or business teams.

Zivi’s suggestion could be applicable for your business too, listen now!

Zivi and Jonah share important things about the new market.

In this Episode we discuss:

• Jonah wants to start with small companies and eventually go into bigger market
• Where to start finding companies to offer it.
• The problem that’s going to be fixed by his workshop
• Jonah’s motivation is he knows that he can give better experience in his workshop
• How is the experience going to be better for the customers
• How to effectively do the follow game
• How to start email outreach and what’s effective
• How to evaluate the pricing after the start phase
• There is a TON of value in this episode that you can use to leverage your business in a new market, so LISTEN NOW!

How To Enter a New Market

Once a business is established and thriving in its home market, it is often seen as the right time to branch out into a new market. 

Zivi's guest today is Jelly and Matt Otis who is looking into breaking into a new market, listen now!

Zivi and the couple shares important things about the new market.

In this Episode we discuss:

• The importance of blog posts in your site
• Make sure the important things are seen like the safety procedures
• What is Outbound Marketing and how it can help
• The Email Approach and the Phone Approach
• The power of a follow up call or email
• A book by Jim Kemp that you can read
• There is a TON of value in this episode that you can use to leverage your business in a new market, so LISTEN NOW!

Facebook advertising is an important way to connect with your audience on the world’s largest social network.

Zivi and Julia had a chat about how she can take advantage of Facebook marketing, listen now!

Zivi and Julia shares important things about marketing on Facebook.

In this Episode we discuss:

• Julia posts high-quality photos at least once a week
• The Page name and Topper should look amazing from the get go and answer three questions
• The best graphic that can be used for a post is explained in the show
• There should be a way to measure the result of boosting the post
• The visual elements, how to create them and why they are so important
• The services that you can subscribe to and get good result
• There is a TON of value in this episode that you can use to leverage your business using Facebook marketing and boosting, so LISTEN NOW!

Choosing Your Next Big Thing

Deciding on your next big move could be hard if you do not know the steps to take.

Zivi and Flossie had a chat about the next best move to do in her business and shows, listen now!

Zivi and Flossie shares important things about deciding you next big move.

In this Episode we discuss:

• The clarity on what destination to choose on her shows
• Deciding on the right time to stop a day job
• How to map your business plan if you have more than one business
• How bundle and packages can improve your income
• Facebook marketing and Google Adwords
• Optimizing marketing efforts
• There is a TON of value in this episode that you can use to leverage your business using email marketing and newsletters, so LISTEN NOW!

Automation is the best thing that happened in online marketing in recent years. It saves time and efforts.

Zivi and Gareth had a chat about how to start automating your business, listen now!

Zivi and Gareth shares important things about Automation.

In this Episode we discuss:

• The process of pre-sale and why to automate it
• The importance of interaction per individual
• Why you don’t want to delay sending your quote
• What tools to start with your automation and when (hint - at least 100 customers per year)
• How to get the attention back by just the subject line you use
• The importance of the metrics to interpret the effectiveness of the email
• What follow up does and the importance of it
• Tips like: Emoji Keyboard, Preview Line
• How to read the parameters inside your email automation tool
• There is a TON of value in this episode that you can use to leverage your business using email marketing and newsletters, so LISTEN NOW!

Getting into Close Up Magic

Magic and Mentalism is two different things but Matan Rosenberg does both passionately.

Matan from Israel shares the interesting story of his journey, listen now!

• Matan has been into magic for 13 years now
• Obsessing into something is a skill for him
• Matan went into military and still had the deck of cards with him
• He was called ‘Matan Houdini’ after the military bootcamp
• Matan practiced up to 8 hours a day and in weekends even more when he was starting
• Matan’s first magician offer was $100 and it boosted his confidence as a magician
• Matan joined the Society of Israeli Magician when he was in the military and 19 yrs old
• Matan’s mentor is a comedy mentalist and a close up magician

With the domination of the digital world, it is important that you innovate, no matter what business you have, you should leverage it.

Kids entertainer Kyle Groves from Colorado, USA had a chat with Zivi about how she how to leverage you business, listen now!

Zivi and Kyle shares important things about leveraging your business through email marketing and newsletters.

In this Episode we discuss:

• Zivi shared tools you can use for email marketing and newsletters
• How your mindset affects the emails or newsletters you send to people
• What 3 topics that is significant to the upcoming events you can use for your business
• Scheduling of events to talk about in the monthly newsletters
• Adding images for the newsletters that add value to the events
• How important 'Call To Action' is and it's purposes
• How adding a story that can attract people to read your email
• How you can you 'Focus on the reader and not you'
• The power of sharing the exciting stuff that happened and how it can be valuable to the reader
• There is a TON of value in this episode that you can use to leverage your business using email marketing and newsletters, so LISTEN NOW!

Handling Negative Reviews

Negative reviews are a part of your growing business but you should know how to handle this. This will help you deal with it now or when the time comes.

Kids entertainer Lauren Ann from Sydney Australia had a coaching session with Zivi about how she how to handle negative reviews, listen now!

Zivi and Stacie shares important things about negative reviews and how to properly respond to them.

In this Episode we discuss:

• Zivi shared processes where you don't have to change your show
• Zivi shared how he does a feedback form that can have a good impact to the review
• How coming early to the show can effect how the guests give feedback
• Why building a relationship with your clients have a very good effect on the reviews
• Why the contractors also need to build relationships with the clients
• How you can deal with contractors to have a good relationship with the clients
• How acknowledging, apologizing and amending works
• There a TON of value in this episode, Zivi did a great job helping Lauren overcome negative review and to minimize the risk of a bad review, so LISTEN NOW!

Google Analytics is an important part of your business especially if you have a website. Kids entertainer Stacie Ashlet aka Hyper Clown had a coaching session with Zivi about how she can use Google Analytics to improve her business. A TON of Value in this episode, listen now!

Zivi and Stacie shares important things about how to make use of the free app Google Analytics and how to use it to improve your business and website.

• What Google Analytics is and how it works
• The best timeline to check the analytics, like 30, 60 and 90 days
• Data from Stacie’s March to July was analyzed
• How important valuable content can vastly improve your website traffic
• The time that visitors spent looking at your site and how important that you know how to interpret  the data
• The different things Stacie can do to improve the visual of her website that can greatly affect the time spent by the site visitors
• Zivi gave tips on how to make the website interesting
• How to interpret the bounce rate and the recommendations to improve
• How Google reacts to your improved bounce rate and traffic
• The tabs to focus on when studying the data from Google
• There a TON of value in this episode, Zivi did a great job helping Stacie improve her website and business, so LISTEN NOW!

Packages and Giveaways for Your Show

Planning and branding are a result of your packages and giveaways.

Preparing you giveaways and packages starts with choosing the right materials. Kids entertainer Louis Wells had a learning session with Zivi about how to choose the right materials, being creative and different that will leave a lasting impression.

Zivi and Louis shares the important things about giveaways and packages.

In this Episode we discuss:

• The consideration of biodegradable products for your giveaways
• Giveaways should be something that is related to you show or magic
• The best places to buy your things to be used for giveaways
• Choice of materials that made out of organic and biodegradable products and how you can be creative with them
• The show packages that you should offer to you customers
• The Hotel metaphor on how they decide on their prices
• How you can give your customer to give flexibility
• The value added stuff that you can use for you packages
• What you can create using a Paper that will enhance the audience experience
• The games you can relate to the packages to add value

Every year an opportunity arises to take your magic business to the

next level. Successful corporate entertainer Barry Friedman shares

tips , practical booking strategies and life changing insights from

his Show Biz Blueprint course in this candid chat with Julian Mather

and Ken Kelly.

In this episode we discuss:

Using the network you already have before paying for advertising

Increase your telephone conversions with this simple mindset change

What type of entertainers is showbiz blueprint suitable for?

Do you have to be an experienced entertainer to benefit from this course?

Is showbiz blueprint easy?

Can I get a refund on my money if showbiz blueprint is not suitable for me?

Hear how showbiz blueprint changed Julian Mather's career.

Aside from  cut/ no cut scissors, black capes and the need for a sharp haircut, magicians and hairdressers share the common bond of being small business owners. Hairdresser Greg Whatling shares insights and painful lessons that every magician will benefit from hearing. What can magicians learn from one hairdresser's customer catastrophe?

In this episode:

Greg talks about connectors, people who will be your advocate to get other customers. They love what you do so much, they have completely bought into your story and they WANT to go out and promote you.

The importance of 3rd party endorsement.

Talk strategically to customers, stay on task and on message but do it with integrity ... your guide to staying honest Greg says,  "if you don't believe it, don't say it."

Do you really understand your customer? Greg has a clear mental picture of how his customer dresses , what shoes they wear, what cars they drive.

Are you just employing yourself or are you securing yourself a future?

June's Story: Are you losing your most important customers without even knowing it.

5 things Greg applies to his business daily:

Hone your product

Sales

Education ... Gain knowledge wherever you can

Marketing

Everyone has to have a win .. you, your staff, the media

Success leaves clues. Get in a mastermind group with people who know more than you.

Develop friendships and networks with influential people and learn to listen.

Beware of Google .. it can easily act as an echo chamber and give you back the answers you want to hear.

Andre Grove started as a magician and wanted to be the next David Copperfield until he saw a stage hypnotist and his performing career changed forever.

Does walking on stage with only a microphone as a prop interest you? Then stage hypnosis is possibly a way you can pack theaters.

It takes a lifetime to be an overnight success and there is nothing easy about it.

Developing your brand by paying your dues, treading the boards for many years.

Never take any audience for granted for your next big booking may be watching you.

It is so important that you every show as happy as your audience.

Learning to let go of marketing and hand it over to a professional.

The day to day work schedule of life on the road when touring.

Dealing with theatre owners and local council regulations.

Understanding the attendance habits of theatre patrons.

Listening to your audience's conversations after the show.

Choosing your market and sticking to your market.

Andre tells the reality of a career on the stage.

Don't do a stage hypnosis course if you are not a performer first.

Learn the ropes in comedy clubs.

2% of stage hypnosis are actually hypnosis skills. 98% is showmanship.

John Kaplan has been touring Canada for 35 years riding on the back of the fundraising needs of schools and community groups. These groups get a  fun way to raise their much needed funds and John gets to sell his family show at corporate rates to a market used to budgeting lower fees. Maybe this win / win business model will appeal to you.

In This Episode We Discuss:

• Understanding the old tele marketing approach to promoting fund raising shows to better understand why there are better ways to approach this market.
• Understand the apprenticeship system that can exist in magic
• What sort of show do you need to enter the fundraising market?
• Do your need to tour a show? or can you make this work for you locally?
• How to get into doing fundraising events
• What different ways are there to financially structure fundraising events
• What is the market for fundraisers?
• What are the methods that best reach this market?
• Who is your competition?
• What options to you give your clients to raise money?
• How do you create a compelling reason for your potential clients to book you.
• How to brand yourself in the fundraising market
• What do you need to bring for the event.
• What do you provide to clients to help them market and raise money
• Why testimonials are so important
• What paperwork is required & how do you manage it
• The importance of auto responders

Feeding a Hungry Media The Sensationalism They Thrive On

What are publicity stunts and where can they benefit magicians? Magician Joe Diamond shares his tips on capitalizing on the media's insatiable need for content.

You don't need to go over the Niagara Fall in a barrel or stay for 44 days in a box like David Blaine did to get the media's attention so you can get a free ride on their extensive reach into the audience who you want to serve with your magic.

Joe Diamond shares his wins and losses at this aspect of marketing his magic career.

In this Episode:

How to use publicity stunts to benefit you and the venue hosting the stunt

Do you have to be a big personality to do stunts?

Understand the difference between radio, newspaper, TV and online media platforms

Do you have to be a BIG personality?

What type of personality works best?

What do you think it is that stops people trying stunts?

Where do they sit in your arsenal of marketing tools?

How do you come up with ideas?

How much money do you have to spend on creating a publicity stunts?

What makes a good trick suitable for the different media platforms?

What are the downsides to stunts? What happens if they go wrong

How do you get the attention of the media?

What's the best time of day to send press releases?

How do you write a press release?

Tips for getting the medias attention: radio: TV: press: online

How do you turn press into bookings and/or ticket sales?

How do you use press to negotiate prices.

How do you use radio & press appearances in your social media.

The importance of creating a 'hook' to hang your story on

How to play to the media's need for content

What tricks should you use in your stunts?

David Ranalli started young performing magic in restaurants. From age 14 he has been table hopping building up strong work practices and an appreciation of the restaurant industry and how magicians can better position themselves to get the most value from a restaurant gig.

In This Episode We Discuss:

• Is there a personality type best suited going table to table?
• Acting as an ambassador for the restaurant.
• How restaurants have changed.
• Some great ways to get started
• The dangers of talking to 'assistant managers'
• How to get paid
• How to make the restaurant work to your full advantage
• Setting up a contract.
• Where to find restaurant associations?
• The rise of chain and franchise restaurants and how this can work for you.
• Using local media to benefit the magician and the restaurant owner.
• Using the restaurant as a showcase for your magic skills to private clients.
• Use the 'selfie' craze to your advantage

When you are talking about getting to know someone new you often hear it's what's on the inside that counts. If you want to take your magic into the festival and fairs market then it's what's on the outside that counts and by that we are talking about the weather. 

Kevin Heller weather proofed his act and put his mind into all seasons thinking to create a business that capitalises on the fair and festival market for spring and summer and works equally as well when the weather turns him indoors.

In this episode: 

Just what is the fair and festival market

What type of act works for the fair festival market

Flash is Cash ... a truism for this market

The value of creating an outdoor act

What a fair/festival audience looks like

The types of stages you can expect to perform on

How to turn your $300 kids show into a $1000 festival show

How to take your and 'tailor make' show for this market

Who books the acts for fairs and festivals?

What is the importance of building long standing relationships in this industry?

How many festival/fairs are there in your area? You might be surprised.

What are Fair Festival Associations and Fair Manager Associations?

How to stand out at your trade show booth while pitching to Festival Bookers

How improve your VALUE in the eyes of festival bookers.

What extra services you can offer to make yourself more attractive to festival bookers

Understanding hoe fair managers think

How to move away from 'pitching' merchandise to 'performing' merchandise

The psychology of pitching merchandise

Recognizing outdoor opportunities

Outdoor Audience Management

Mega-merchandising – “The Pitch” Selling the Experience!

Adjusting and modifying your props and clothing to endure the unpredictable

Preparing for “natures great heckler” – the weather!

The Marketing - how do you get into this market   

This is a story about Caroline Ravn's focus, drive, ambition, self discipline as much as it is about strategies that magicians and other entertainers can employ to effectively use social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Youtube.

In This Episode We Discuss:

• Making weekly and monthly plans for social media
• What to avoid posting on social media accounts
• Separating your personal and social media accounts
• The importance of hash tags
• How to evaluate the effectiveness of your posts
• How to identify potential customers through social media communities
• How often to reach out to journalists to feed them possible stories about you
• A great tip for giving good interviews to journalists
• How to maximise relationships with journalists
• Hear Caroline's story of getting to perform at the Magic Castle in Hollywood in less than a quarter of the time she had planned to it.
• How many hours a day do need to rehearse to fast track your performing ambitions?
• The benefits of using a manager
• Mentoring with Tom Stone

Agree or disagree with Roger Blakiston, he raises interesting questions that we all can benefit from by finding answers to them.

Can finding a sense of inner peace make you a better magician?

Hear about Roger's commitment of service to the field of magic

What happened when Roger met Tina Turner and Bob Hoskins?

What part do humbleness and humility play in being a magician?

What happens when Prince William of  England injures himself at Jolly Roger's magic show?

What does it take to write a book? Tips to self publishing

Living in the moment to get the most out of your magic

What can taking the word 'worry' out of your language do for you?

Is fear inhibiting you? What can you do about it?

The influence of Field Marshall Slim ... always take the bold choice

How do you find success? It's easier than you think.

Roger Blakiston's book 'The Spiritual Stage'

Mark Williams is a LinkedIn trainer for top level business executives. Mark shares cutting edge ideas and strategies that magicians can use to bypass some common mistakes and to speed up your networking that leads to bookings.

In This Episode We Discuss:

• Where does LinkedIn fit?   Is it a social media tool?
• How important is building relationships and growing a network?
• What has LinkedIn got in common with a pirate ship?
• Mark's business card story that explains some of the benefits of having a LinkedIn account.
• This can be your first impression for many business deals. Make sure you make a good one.
• How to set up your LinkedIn account so you craft and build an effective profile
• What image should you use in your profile?
• Should you use your stage name or your birth name?
• How you should optimize the 120 characters in your headline?
• What are first tier and second tier connections ?
• Can you use your promo video more effectively?

Have you ever wondered what an agent thinks, what a booking agent wants, what will turn a booking agent away from wanting to represent you? In this episode Ken Lindsey from Dreamtime Agencies in South Africa ,who wears two hats as performer and agent,  tells all.

In This Episode We Discuss:

• Becoming a magician is more about applying a process than having the ability to do magic.
• Selling yourself in the third person. The pros and cons.
• What do you need to know before approaching a booking agent?
• Is there a relationship between entertainer and agent?
• How to set up your own booking agency for entertainers
• Clients always wait till the last moment to book. Be prepared.
• What regulations exist for starting an agency?
• What tax implications are they?
• Contracts and what you need to know.
• Dealing with refunds to clients
• Can you hand out your business cards if you have been booked by an agent?
• Entertainers have a gift. You have a skill that you can always use to earn you money. Never forget how valuable that is.

Will magic support you and your family well into the future? What can you do to branch your magic business into other areas? Paul Romhany is a performer, creator of magic effects, lecturer and he edits and produces VANISH magazine. He’s also a parent (as you will witness at the beginning of the podcast). Listen in as he shares insights and tips that might get you started creating extra streams of income.

In This Episode We Discuss:

Paul’s Charlie Chaplin act that has been the backbone of his performing career.

What is the ‘real magic’ that Charlie Chaplin capitalised on all those years ago? What can you learn from this too?

How long does it take to create and episode of Vanish?

What is the future of niche / magic publications?

What opportunities are there for magicians in niche / magic publications?

If people want to start a newsletter, blog, video blog, niche publication … What are some of the steps they should take?

Do you have to know your audience and their needs?

What do contributors to VANISH magic magazine need to understand?

Should contributors be expected to be edited?

What are the common mistakes you see with contributions?

What makes a good piece?

If listeners want to market a magic trick, how important is the promotional copy?

What tips can you give listeners on writing for their websites / copy / blogs?

Who makes the biggest cut of the money from a trick you put onto the market?

How much money can you expect to make from releasing an effect onto the market?

What can Bill About teach you about releasing effects onto the market?

Piracy in magic? How does this affect you?

All this and more about Magician Business ideas and tips.

Stephanie Lee Harper aka. Super Steph was driving to gig in her signed up van. At a traffic light a car pulled alongside and the man driving enthusiastically waved a balloon sword at her. She could have driven off but she didn't. This strange meeting led to Stephanie creating a business where she recruits, trains, books and takes a cut of the performance fee of Super Hero party characters. Find out the nuts and bolts of ....

running a business model like this and discover the importance of 'outsourcing', whether it is finding people to take extra bookings you have earned or finding people online who will do administrative tasks that you dislike doing. Lots to learn in this information packed episode withe Stephanie Lee Harper.

In This Episode We Discuss:

How to move towards a protected income as an entertainer

Should you create different price points between a magic act and super hero characters

Can you outsource your phone enquiries? Playing to your strengths ... can you actually get someone to take phone bookings because you don't like phone work

Where to find entertainers to be on your books

Who are the best type of people to hire?

Which age is best?

How to interview entertainers for the positions.

How much should you pay 

The first steps you should take to begin outsourcing bookings to other entertainers

Secret Tip to help you secure more bookings

Eric Citron went from doing corporate trade shows to performing kids and family shows, the opposite of most magicians stories. The life on the road worked until the stresses on family life made him seek work closer to home.  Then the  300-500 show a year workload of the kids/family market wore him down too. Looking for a happy medium Eric found mentalism . He discovered local hotels had empty function rooms that were not bringing in money. He simply asked if he could play his Totally Mental Show in these empty rooms. The answer might surprise you ....

In This Episode We Discuss:

• Working and travelling with a wife and a young family ... the upsides and the downsides
• His Totally Mental Show he does weekly at a local hotel
• It's a one-man, family friendly mind reading  parlour show
• Finding venues for your show is probably easier than you think
• What do hotels want?
• "Cure For The Boring Mondays" ... What is this?
• Starting at the top with the general manager and working down
• How long should your show be?
• Creating the opportunity for hotels to serve food and drinks
• How to split the money between the performer and the hotel
• Using the hotel facilities to market in-house
• Using 'rack' cards to market outside the venue
• How to create 'ambassadors' for your show
• Using your local chamber of commerce
• Using the hotel's mailing list to your advantage
• Getting paid to showcase your act for private bookers

Dominic Reyes set out to help people improve their magic performing skills and to earn a little money on the side. Sales took off and the all consuming work of fulfilling orders and getting them out the door squashed his immediate dreams of helping other magicians. After 14 years in the magic shop business he has found ways to create a good balance between giving and providing security for his family. There is so much we can all implement contained within this interview with Dominic Reyes ...

In This Episode We Discuss:

• How helping others is good for you both ethically and to improve sales / bookings
• The concept of reciprocity in business
• A KILLER email tip that you can use today
• Are you struggling maintaining your interest in magic? Are you alone on this?
• Mentoring is vanishing along with brick and mortar magic shops. Are you affected by this and don't realize?
• Hear Dominic's advice for magicians starting out
• His relationship with TV magicians like Dynamo and how he got to be in this position
• Do you want to start a magic shop? What are the hurdles? What are the benefits?
• The biggest problem beginners face
• Dominic talks candidly about his biggest failure in online business and what he is doing to overcome it.

In 1992 James Songster went to Disneyworld. Something happened and he was taken with the 'Disney Philosophy'. 23 years later he left. In this episode of the Magician Business Podcast James lets us in on the 'team spirit' that Disney expects all its employees to adopt; the focus being on the customer experience. What can we as magicians learn about customer relations from this? Ask yourself this question right now ...

Where does my customer service begin?

In This Episode We Discuss:

• the value of storytelling
• the importance of showmanship
• the importance of building an emotional connection with your audience
• how Disney doesn't have jobs, it creates 'role' for its employees
• how to create magical moments
• understanding the customers point of view
• don't alienate your audience
• the traps of working with other people on your team
• what you do is not who you are

We're seeing 2 common themes emerging:

1. People only spend an hour a week doing marketing so  they don't get work so they lower their prices then it is a big chase to the bottom.

2. they are spending lots of time doing the wrong stuff, year in/year out.

We like to say are you spending time on the hamster wheel going round and round in circles or are you digging an oil well for yourself.

so if you only spend a small amount of time, what can you do to make that time more productive for yourself?

If you are doing the same old stuff and you are wondering why things aren't improving. And it's not good enough to stay steady, you need to be growing, to stay ahead of inflation at least.

You know hat they say about the past?

The only usefulness for the past is to mine it for raw material to build the future

Don't walk into the future looking backwards telling everyone how much better it was in days gone by.

If you are listening to then YOU are different .... No one is listening to MB because of where they've been they re listening to it because of where they want to go

So lets do some digging. One of the best places to start is with what you already know. How can you squeeze the most out of what you have before you go chasing the next thing.

Stephen Cloete is a Cruise Director (Entertainments Director) for the 3rd Largest shipping line in the world.  Stephen has great insights into the Cruise Ship industry and just where the magic act fits in. 

This episode will put wind in your sails if your are thinking that being a cruise ship magician is right for you. You do need, however, to understand some fundamental differences between land based magic shows and cruise ship based magic shows. Stephen Cloete helps you navigate some of the icebergs that might otherwise scuttle your maiden voyage ….

In this episode we talk about:

Just because an act works land side doesn’t mean it will work on a ship.

Cruise Act … passengers don’t go cruising for the acts … entertainment is secondary …

Reactions from audiences are different between land and cruise and how to know what type of act works best at sea

Cruise you can build rapport with audience … variety shows are like advertisements … if they like what they see they will come and see you but it can work the other way

Much more feedback on a ship … audiences will complain about acts which they wouldn’t don’t bother doing on land side acts …

Closed community that can be hard to break into …. shipping lines will keep using the proven acts as it is a safe option

Cruise needs to be adaptable and adjust their show style.

Cruise acts need a 40 min headliner show plus 8-10 min guest spots

Cruise ships have a budget … won’t pay for 10 minute fantastic acts if there is still 50 minutes to fill on the program

Cruise ships are not training grounds for magicians and magic acts

Get a great show reel. Still needs to be presented as a DVD

Auditioning acts live can be a problem .. references, show reels can be doctored.

Theater on the ship holds 1000 people or more. You need to be able play BIG.

Long Term contract magician works 4-10 months as a crew member … need to attend crew meetings and safety drills. Need to be certified in fire fighting, first aid, survival techniques, crowd control and security threats. Then you need to be medically fit, have the correct passport. Can’t be claustrophobic, need to be able to socialize, need to be able to perform in rough seas.

Short term contract. You come on as a guest. No crew responsibilities. Eat in guest restaurants.

Marvin Berglas is the man behind the number one brand in magic worldwide, Marvins Magic. Marvins Magic develop, manufacture and  distribute magic products in 64 countries to a range of people from beginners to executives. The company has been in existence for 25 years and has outlets in some of the most prestigious retail outlets in the world including Harrods and Hamleys Toy Shop. Marvins Magic sets have set so many youngsters on the road to magic and I am sure some of you reading this will have started with a Marvins Magic kit of your own.

Marvin Berglas shares his experience and insight in this interview on the Magician Business Podcast. This is a value packed episode lead by a man who has taken his love for magic and turned it into a multi million dollar business. Marvin shares so much in this episode as we journey from the importance of branding to your most valuable commodity, your own intergraty.

Listen, learn and share your comments in the comments section below.

In this episode we talk about

• Marvin's full name and who he is named after.
• Learn how attention to detail can take you from good to being the best.
• The importance of having a sales process that includes asking for business.
• How to walk in the shoes of your booker and set yourself apart.
• How to deliver what your booker wants by doing a needs analysis.
• Multiple revenue steams, what they are and how to create them.
• The importance of marketing to your existing customer base.
• How giving credible and honest advice can increase bookings.

Jason and Stacy Alan discuss magic marketing strategies to keep their relationship strong. Another Magician Business podcast

Jason and Stacy Alan from Akron, Ohio – the rubber capital of the world – put into practice what Ken and I call the trio that is becoming a common thread among the success stories we are hearing from people on the MB journey:

Educate …make foundational mind shifts

Activate … take action

Evaluate … measure and adjust your course

In this episode we talk about

• How listening to 3 teenage girls helped them fill a 400 seat theatre.
• Hashtags, touchpoints and Machine Gun Kelly: do you know how they can help you get more bookings?
• 90% success with a client is about your relationship
• How to make a magic marriage work
• How to leave your job to pursue your magic dream
• Clever ways to use Instagram, Twitter and Facebook
• Some super tips for setting up your own show
• The benefits of having your family support you
• How to improve your act a minute a month

Most successful magicians eg. Mac King and Lance Burton could make a living doing something else because they have understood the fundamentals of business.

Magic is simply a tool to make a living. In this episode of Magician Business podcast, magician/business owner /business lecturer Jim Keplinger takes us through the all important first steps of making a business plan. 

How To Make Money As A Magician is a fair sub-title; you are really planning out how you are going to make your money. The value of a business plan is that is a roadmap for your success. Just like a Monopoly board.

In this episode we talk about:

Creating an executive summary ( a big name but super simple to do)

Mission statement .. keeping them simple and placing them where you can see them

About honesty and how it can only benefit you

A list of the top things you can do right now

Setting goals as part of your plan

The importance of Google +

The importance of having a good email address

Should you incorporate as a company?

A simple way to do market research

Knowing the true costs of your business

Expenses vs. investments

How much are you really worth?

Insurance or no insurance?

Barry Friedman shares his thoughts and philosophies and the wisdom flows freely.
Believe me you don't want to miss this episode of the Magician Business Podcast.

You may know Barry Friedman best as one half of the Raspyni Brothers.

Since 1982 the Raspyni Brothers have appeared at sales meetings, product launches, trade shows, and user conferences as emcees or headline entertainment. They have kicked off morning general sessions, and entertained after-dinner for meetings in every industry imaginable from pharmaceutical to financial, from insurance to automotive. 

Barry speaks honestly about what it takes to work the corporate market. 
He shares how the biggest barrier between the high ticket gigs and the big pay checks is ourselves.

In this episode we talk about

•Taking personal responsibility by owning what you say. Does the example Barry gives sound like you?

•How using free Google Alerts     http://www.google.com.au/alerts  can give you the competitive edge when pitching to potential clients.

•The use of funnels, especially after the show. You are missing golden opportunities if you don't do this.

•why producers need you as much as you need them

•why you should get a Linked In Business Account to research potential clients

•Remove limiting beliefs by addressing the stories you carry through your life that hold you back

•The value of mastermind groups

Have you ever had an idea for a new trick and wondered how you would go about getting the idea out of your head and into the magic shops? Or have you ever felt you have something to share with other magicians and wondered how you would go about planning a lecture?

I spoke with Trevor Duffy, a South African magician who is known for his quality range of magic products and for his informative and entertaining lectures. Trevor and I chat about how he got started in magic and he shares where the insertion came from for some his products. Trevor speaks openly about getting a product to market and gives some tips on how to get dealers to carry some stock.

Trevor Duffy travels the globe lecturing and sharing his unique philosophy of magic and sharing some of the bread and butter routines that have served him well. Trevor tells it as it is, sharing some actionable tips on lecturing including how to get on the circuit. 

In this episode we talk about

Where Trevor started magic and why a pack of cards was his only prop.

Why entreating magic competitions is useful for a professional magician.

How reciprocity underpins Trevor’s philosophy in magic and in life.

How a log term residency hones skills and how these skills transfer into valuable experience.

Trevor’s thoughts on packaging and quality when bringing a product to market.

How innovation is constant and the evolution of Smokey Magic V2.

The important things to consider when entreating the lecture circuit.

Trevor Duffy’s top tip that you can action now.