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Paul Harris Presents
 
Everything is Magical

Everything is magical. Children are magical. Cell phones are magical. Music is magical. The mountains in Utah are magical . . . so are the desert plains and the red rocks in the same state. Epiphanies are magical when something (or several somethings) connect together in your brain to form a new idea. Math is magical. Bob Ross is magical. A big long drink of water after a long day out in that Utah desert sun is magical. Snow yesterday and 75 degrees today is magical. My wireless headphones that I’m using to listen to my magical music are magical. [...]

 
Be Who You Are . . . Even if it Sucks

Remember way back when (especially if you lived in California) . . . the peg-leg pant-fold was cool. For those who are fortunate enough to have blocked this tragic choice of self-expression from the front of the mind, basically, the fad was this: donning your best pair of Levi’s you would fold the pant leg cuff over and roll it up. This was big with Levi’s and Bugle Boy pants. Of course, with the Bugle Boy pants you got the additional piece of fashion faux paux that goes along with it. An OP t-shirt with an unbuttoned dress shirt over [...]

 
How To Find Jobs as a Magician

This article is intended for magicians who already are performing and are looking for ways to find places to perform. I am not talking about those that seek after long-running revues in Branson, Las Vegas, Puerto Rico or any other exotic location catering to tourists, but instead, those that are attempting to either make a living doing magic or work a regular job and are seeking opportunities to perform their magic show. There are three steps that, while they are simple, will lead to an abundance of shows. First, you must have a good show. That sounds reasonable, but there [...]

 
QR Codes

Raise your hand if you know what a QR Code is. If you didn’t raise your hand, read on. If you did raise your hand, read on. If it’s some other option, read on. Get it . . . read on. What you see to your left is  called a QR code. They are free to make and have a ton of potential for helping you get clients . . . after all, isn’t that why you read No Stone Left Unturned every month. I’ll tell you how to make one in a second. But first, get out your smart [...]

 
The Magic of Business Cards

Last month the statement/question was, “You don’t have a camera? Really!?” This month it’s “You don’t do magic with your business cards? Really!?” I’m not gonna spend a lot of time convincing you that magic with business cards is critical. However, think of this: you meet someone on a plane or standing in line at the grocery store or at a networking meeting, etc. The guy asks you what you do for a living. You say that you’re a magician (or whatever you call yourself). Then you produce a business card from thin air (back palm or whatever method you [...]

 
You Don't Have a Camera? Really!?

Sometimes the short and the sweet articles end up being favorites of my loyal subscribers. Today I plan to test that theory. It’s simply this: I’ve seen a load of magic websites that a) look like crap, and b) have no video footage of the performer whatsoever. The Lecture Seriously!? You really don’t have any footage!? In today’s world, with smart phones, and inexpensive camera’s, there is no reason not to have footage on your site. Again, I’m speaking only to those who are seeking to land gigs and clients and to make some money. Obviously if you’re a hobbiest, [...]

Oct 262011
 
The Mechanic

I have a good friend who is an amazing mechanic. At least 4 or 5 thousand times a day, someone will discover that he’s a mechanic and ask him a question about a car problem that they’re experiencing. He always has a good answer and some good direction and advice for the curious car owner. Of course, the beauty is that in most cases, this results in my friend taking on a new customer. So the free advice resulted in some cash. Other than the multiple times I’ve used this phrase in an article, how many times have you heard [...]

 
Sweats and a T-Shirt

Really . . . Sweats and a T-Shirt. I know. This month’s No Stone Left Unturned is really simple . . . a lesson I learned a while back. I have custom made Stone Cold Magic ball caps that I occasionally where when I’m out and about. Here’s the thing, however. If you’re going to wear a logo that represents your company, what does the rest of you look like? Well, it was midnight. I had to run to the store and get a few groceries for breakfast the next morning. I was sitting around the house in Sweats and [...]

 
Dedicated To The Art

What follows is a crazy idea that I’m clearly not expecting anyone to do. It’s an essay out of my upcoming book (Working Title: Brain Dump). It’s meant to be a thought exercise as is much of the material in the book. As you read the essay below, however, think of the possibilities. Think of how dedicated to your magic career are you. Are you willing to do what it takes to grow your business? Read some of the past No Stone Left Unturned Articles. Enjoy Dedicated To The Art When I read the Paul Harris trilogy, The Art of [...]

 
Audience vs. No Audience

Let me start by saying that this particular article will likely have a very narrow audience. Let me also remind you that this column (No Stone Left Unturned) is the section where we talk about the business side of magic, making money, getting more gigs, etc. That being said, the subject of this article is magic DVDs. I personally make money from magic in multiple ways: I Teach Magic to Local Students; I Do the Occasional Lecture to Magicians; I Perform the Occasional Gig (I don’t perform much these days); I Create and Sell my Ideas in the Form of [...]

Jun 242011
 
When to Charge

People often ask me the question, “How much should I charge?” Or “What’s a good rate/fee for a show?” etc. While that’s a great question, I think the more important question is “When should I charge?” What makes you think you should charge? Is your show worthy of payment? Are you worthy of payment? Stop and ask yourself these questions . . . better yet, ask someone else who will tell you the truth. I’ve always been frustrated by the person who buys a couple of tricks and then goes out and starts charging people to watch them play with [...]

 
Marketing is For Laymen

March 18th . . . a red-letter day in the Stone family. That’s the day, in 1948, that my father was born. On what would have been his 63rd birthday (he passed away in 2005), I served in my son’s school under the Watch D.O.G.S. program. At the beginning of the day they had me announce my name over the intercom. I mentioned that I was a magician over the intercom. During the day, my job was to be at certain places at certain times and just “help out.” Every where I went, I was mobbed by kids who wanted [...]

 
Publicity Stunts

As Oscar Wilde once stated, “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.” They say that the best form of advertising is word of mouth. That’s more true than most people realize. Think about all of the other forms of advertising: radio, T.V., billboard, etc . . . what’s the purpose of those commercials and ads, etc? Isn’t it simply to get people to think about their product . . . top-of-mind awareness. It’s even more than that. If you see a commercial for a lawn care service – and the commercial is funny or [...]

 
What's Your Market

Nature never deceives us; it is always we who deceive ourselves. – Jean-Jacques Rousseau Are you elegant? Funny? Mysterious? Sexy? Fast-talking? Many magicians get distracted by their fantasies and never take a long, serious look in the mirror. Sadly, this only undermines their ability to make at least some of their most cherished fantasies a reality. Who you are and your particular performance style should play a large part in determining your target market. Corporate clients are looking for one thing, parents of children celebrating a birthday are looking for another, and the owner of a bar/restaurant is looking for [...]

Feb 282011
 
Out of The Box

When I say I want an “Out of The Box” solution to a problem what do you think of? Stop for a moment and think about . . . try to formulate an answer. My guess is that most of you thought about the concept of “thinking outside of the box.” However, maybe I was referring to a package . . . and how when I bought my computer it’s ready to go right “out of the box.” Or maybe I’m referring to an “out of the box” solution meaning that this software solves the problem right out of the [...]

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