Business Methods for the Aspiring Magician
Most amateur magicians begin by doing magic for friends and family. These typically evolve into free shows, and there is nothing wrong with doing free shows for friends and family.
Many amateur and professional magicians will perform on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok or YouTube to name a few. These are great marketing platforms and a good way to let others know what your talents are. Many performers make a large portion of their income thru these or similar platforms. During the pandemic many performers used Zoom, Discord, Skype, FaceTime or other platforms to reach their audiences remotely.
As word gets out, amateur magicians will expand these shows and begin to perform in person, while continuing to preform for free. These are good and desirable if performed for your close friends and immediate family or organizations to which you belong. Charities may also be legitimate, provided all parties who are involved are donating their time and talent. Fund raising is big business and fund raisers typically spend a lot of money to raise money for their cause, they can be a very lucrative market which is often ignored or overlooked by businesses.
Free shows destroy business that you or other professional magicians depend on to make a living. When you perform shows for free, people naturally devalue your work and worth. Because they paid nothing, they assume it is worth nothing. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, but it is how the human brain works. Whenever services are provided for free, provide a bill at your normal fee and discount it as a donation. This provides proof for a tax deduction, and the customer will know the true value they are receiving.
Determining how much to charge is always a perplexing challenge, particularly for a new professional magician. Consider what your time is worth. It takes practice; trial and error to develop routines that flow together; the cost of props; costumes and clothing; set up and tear down before and after the performance; milage, meals and per diem; and consumables (flash paper, OOM, balloons, even cards as they wear out with frequent use).
It is better to be performing than not performing, else you wouldn’t be a magician in the first place. Price may be dependent upon the customer’s budget. Less for a private party than for a club; less for a small group than for a larger group. If performing in a theater, is there a percentage of ticket sales? Busking is another way to bring in income, just ensure you are familiar with the local laws before you start busking.
Once you set your price, don’t lower it. Better to perform for free than to be someone who can be beaten down. Better to uphold your reputation and quality of your performances than to perform for a lesser fee. If you’re competing with other performers for a job, never attempt to underbid them or meet a lower bid. The only thing you have to sell is the quality of your performance. If there are other magicians, who perform professionally, see what the market is for performers. Note, just because someone has been doing something longer than you, doesn’t mean they are better than you. Remember, your time is just as worthy as someone else’s. If a potential customer tells you they already have someone, just leave them a card and ask them to consider you if their regular entertainment isn’t available for a future event.