Business Card Layout

In January 2014 we briefly discussed business cards as they relate to getting people to your website in Magic Business Cards. The following month, February 2014, we discussed the website sign up form in a little bit more depth with Magical Uses for AWeber. What we didn’t discuss, however, is the actual business card itself.

Many of you have an eye for design. I do not. I’m currently training myself to have that eye, but it’s not there yet. I’m good at programming, creating and performing magic. I let other people do the stuff I don’t know how to do.

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AWeber Again?

Yes. Again. Last month we briefly touched on AWeber in Magic Business Cards. Let’s dive in a little bit more in depth. I’ve been using AWeber for years. I’ve used several other email clients in the past, including Topica, Get Response, Mail Chimp, Constant Contact, and others. None of them compare to AWeber. I use it for three main features, Auto Responders, List Management and Broadcasts.

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Don’t Throw Away my Business Card

You know it happens. You do it all the time. Someone hands you a business card and a few moments or days later, you throw it away. I’m sure it’s happened to you too. You tell someone you’re a magician; they take your card, but they never call you back, and they probably threw the card away. Let’s see if we can combat that problem shall we/

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So . . . I’ve got an iPhone, iPad, PC Laptop, PC Desktop and and iMac . . . yep, and I use every single one of them on a regular basis. The laptop and my iPhone are the most used. The Laptop is my main computer. It’s where I write all my books, keep track of everything, write all of my programs, store my music, etc. The iPhone is with me everywhere and is my personal assistant. I rely heavily on Siri and all things iPhone 5. The desktop is where I do most of my video editing. The iPad is mostly where I do my magazine reading and eBook reading. The iMac is used for APP programming and watching Netflix.

There have been tons of occasions where I was at one computer (or device) and needed a file from another device (usually from my laptop). So I have thumb drives and webmail . . . not exactly the simplest method. Often, I need to quickly look at something in a spreadsheet for just a second. But because I’m not at my computer and only have my iPhone with me there’s not much I can do.

Enter Dropbox. It’s free, and it’s awesome! If you’re familiar with Google Drive, it’s the same thing. However, I prefer Dropbox for several reasons. The main one is the interface is easier and cleaner. For the unfamiliar, Dropbox is online storage. You download a program to your main computer. Then you put whatever files you want into the Dropbox folder on your computer. As soon as you do it, those files are instantly available (securely) at Dropbox’s Website.

You can access the files from any computer in the world from their site. Further, you can download an app to your iPhone and/or iPad (and Droids) that lets you access the files as well. No matter where you edit the file, it instantly syncs up everything. It’s fast, transparent and easy, and did I mention: FREE!

They have paid plans as well if you need more storage. But the free plan is 2 Gigs of storage. That’s quite a bit for what I use it for.

So why am I talking about this? Simple most of you, I presume, have a smart phone and a computer at least. I would also further assume that you use both of them in your magic business whether it’s to track your financial spreadsheets or your show list, or contracts, etc. A big part of being a true pro is to be organized. There is nothing worse than forgetting to bring a document with you to your gig or an interview. This is a short quick reminder that you need to stay on top of things and be organized. I mostly use my account to access my financial spreadsheet (basically my check register). But there are tons of other reasons to use it.

If you use it, post your experience below. If you want to sign up for free, you can sign up here: Dropbox.

Until Next Month . . .

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No Stone Left Unturned . . . it’s all about assuming you have a marketable show. Let’s say that’s true. Then what. That is the question I attempt to answer every month with this column. We cover everything from how to manage your bookkeeping to how to close deals, how/where to advertise, how to upsell, overcome objections, how to get more gigs and repeat customers, etc. I’m by no means the ultimate authority on such a vast subject. However I have at my disposal, things I’ve tried that have worked and failed. I have my close magic friends who have also gained and lost gigs with their experiences. I’ve also published ideas that I’ve never tested, but felt had potential. Further, there are other experts out there who have had a lot of experience as well. On occasion, I’ll bring one of them in and let them write an article.

This month, at the risk of seeming to cop out, I’m going to recommend a book for you. Further, I’m going to send you off to my affiliate link to it. So if you happen to it, I’ll get a small commission. Hopefully, however, by now I’ve earned your trust. I don’t promote a product unless I feel it’s of real value. I call a spade a spade, and I’m not afraid to say that a product sucks regardless of the author. I’m also not afraid to say that a product is valuable regardless of the author.

The book recommended below is a book that I personally bought and have found valuable. I’ve not completed it yet. However, I’ve already found several ideas and tips and suggestions and strategies that are very much worth the price.

Granted, it has a lot of hype and maybe even some “fluff.” However, it also has a ton of valuable information. Do I think you’ll become a millionaire after reading it? Nope. Do I think you’ll earn more money as a magician after your read it than before you read it? Yep . . . a lot more. So look beyond the hype you’re gonna see when you link off to his site, and take my recommendation. Anyone looking to grow his/her magic business, get more gigs and make more money as a magician should read this book.

• Get Booked: Marketing For Magicians By Benji Bruce

Until Next Month . . .

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Listen folks, I know many of you couldn’t care less about what I’m listening to when I write these reviews in the Gems and Rubble monthly column.

However, a lot you “get” it . . . First, know this: the songs I list truly are the ones that happen to randomly play at the moment I happen to be writing the review.

Secondly, the song title or a lyric from it often helps in the creative process giving me a nice opening line or segue . . . and an alarming number of times, the song could be the theme song for the review or the product.

As further proof of the musical assistance in my writing, read this month’s issue of:

• Gems and Rubble – Minimax Detector, Liquido, Rubik Predicted & Muscle Pass

• The Saga – Money to Burn

In the case of the reviews – particularly Minimax Detector, the songs playing at the time influenced the verbiage of the review. In the case of The Saga story, Money To Burn, I was more influenced by my love of music – particularly the band Warrant. It started as me imagining a dollar bill (Georgie) about to get burned or smoked by some rich guy who had money to burn. That reminded me of the album by Warrant called Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich. That, in turn made me think of many of their other songs (Cherry Pie, I Saw Red, etc). Then as I was discussing “Georgie’s” Uncle Tom (as in Thomas Jefferson . . . the Dude on the $20 bill), I was further reminded of Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Warrant.

And so it went . . . on and on and on until I decided to just fully go with the theme. By the time I was done there were over 30 Warrant songs referenced. It just became a running gag . . . at least for me. So what’s the point of all this rambling. The point is that if I wasn’t a fan of or familiar with Warrant this month’s episode of The Saga would have been completely different. Of course, arguably, it might have been better . . . or worse. Or it might not have existed at all.

So am I suggesting you become a Warrant fan? Of course not. I’m merely recommending that you consider everything you are exposed to in your world to be a source of inspiration: everything you read; every movie you watch; every song you listen to; every person you interact with; every restaurant you patronize; every food you eat; Get my drift?

Root:

Let’s remember our roots. This month’s root: Keep your mind open to the world around you and connect everything to everything.

My father traveled with the carnival for years before he met my mom. In fact, that’s how he met her. She was at the carnival in Florida. Then the carnival moved to California. Coincidentally, my mom moved to California. They met in California at the carnival. That’s magical. Additionally, my father showed me my very first magic trick ever. He sparked my interest in magic without even realizing it. Flash forward to 2006 or so . . . about a year after my father passed away. I was reading Max Maven’s Prism (A compilation of his 5 mentalism color books). He has an effect in there that kind of remind me of carnival games . . . throwing darts at balloons and dart boards, etc.

That ultimately led to the idea of creating a stand up show that is dedicated to the memory of my father. It has anecdotes about my father . . . the magic of meeting my mom and the miracle that story is. Additionally, the show kind of has a carnival theme to it and so forth. Giving you all the details is not the point. The point is that my brain connected a bunch of dots that ultimately created something wonderful for me.

This too can work for you. Just allow everything to connect with everything. I’ve developed many acts or effects that were sparked by a book I read, or even just a sentence or two from a book.  Creativity is a critical component to have a successful magic business. Why? Because one of the things that sets you apart from your competitor is that the person hiring you gets you. Well who are “you?” You are someone who is creative and has a show unlike anyone else. I mean really, who else has a carnival themed show dedicated to his carny traveling father who showed him first magic trick and miraculously met his mother at a traveling carnival twice?

I’m pretty sure I’m the only one. So what’s your angle? What gives you the competitive advantage over your competition? Your creativity will lead you there. Everything links to everything else.

Branch:

Let’s build our branches. Try this exercise . . .

Open up the dictionary to a random page and close your eyes; then point to a word on the page. Do this twice. You know have two words. The two words I got were (believe it or not): “Demand” and “Spam.” I was actually surprised to find Spam in the dictionary. Funny.

Anyway, so what do Demand and Spam have in common? What links them? Well when I think of Spam, I think of Monte Python; I think of grilling; I think of the time I tried a shish-ke-bob of Spam cubes and pineapple cubes . . . it was delicious. When I think of the word demand, I first think that it’s both a verb and a noun. So I went with the noun as in what were the kidnapper’s demands? Then I imagined a strange scene of a bank robber holding hostage a bunch of bank patrons demanding 221 cans of Spam . . . why 221? Because 221b Baker St is Sherlock Holmes’s address. Why Sherlock Holmes? It was in my head . . . probably because I was thinking of Monte Python (British) and Sherlock Holmes is a British thing.

So now the scene is developing into some sort of crazy guy in the bank who is being observed by a Holmes-like hostage negotiator . . .

Anyway, I think you get the point. Try the experiment yourself. See how far you can take it. The whole point is to open your mind and see how creative you can become . . . being creative in general will ultimately lead to creativity in your magic life; your patter; your effects; your methods; your shows; etc.

Now go study the classics and go discover your true magical self.

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What your health goals happen to be is between you, your belly and your trainer. Your spiritual goals are between you and your god, and your relationship goals are between you and your friends and family. Wealth goals, however, are the ones where I’d like to intrude.

In a world where binary code rules, eventually everything comes down to a game of numbers. Just as a for-instance, the company that I work for does seminar events all over the United States. We have a website for people to register for events in their areas. We know, through experience, that for every 100 people who register, 50 will show up (50% attendance rate). We also know that for every 10 people show up, 2 people will enroll in our training course (20% conversion rate). Thus, if 200 hundred people register for the event, we will get 20 enrollments:

200 people register at 50% attendance = 100 attendees.

100 attendees at 20% conversion rate = 20 enrollments.

There are a few ways to increase the number of enrollments.

1. First, figure out ways to get more people to sign up (advertising, marketing, etc).
2. Secondly, figure out how to improve the attendance rate (incentives for showing up, better dates or times, etc)
3. Third, figure out how to improve the close rate (sales training, improve the product, etc)

There are other things, but those are the major ones. Notice, however, that #1 is the only one that doesn’t require any change to the process. Number 2 requires changing the reasons for coming to the event. Well that can be dangerous because the reasons may deter people rather than attract them. You need some educated testing and research, etc for that to work. Same with #3. Changing the product, the price, etc is risky and requires research and testing. Training the sales people is, of course, always on going, but expecting them to suddenly go from 20% to 30% at their next event is not a simple request.

However, running more ads, thus having more people see the ad will, by its nature, get more people to register. Of course, nothing is just as simple and cut-and-dried as that, but for the most part, this is the simplest method and most reliable method for getting more enrollments. We just stuff more people in the top of the sales funnel. We already know that on the other end of the sales funnel we’ll end up with a 10% closing rate (10% of the people who register will ultimately enroll). So if we can just get more people to register, we don’t have to change anything else.

What does all this have to do with No Stone Left Unturned? Well, this column is all about improving the business of your side of your Magic Business. Improving the Magic of your Magic Business is the job of Roots and Branches and other parts of this magazine. So, you need to take a good hard look at your advertising efforts. What is your funnel?

Think through all the angles. Do you know how many phone calls it takes for you to get a gig? Every 10 people who call to ask for a price or other info decide to hire you? What’s the number? If you don’t know, start keeping track. Next question, do you know how many fliers, postcards, ads, commercials, etc you have to make to get X number of calls? If not, start keeping track.

You also should know how much money you spend on advertising. If you don’t . . . SHAME ON YOU! You need to read these articles:

• Taxes For Magicians, Part I
• Taxes For Magicians, Part II
• Receipts?
• Eye Dee Ten Tea

Once I’ve convinced you to start tracking stuff (a simple spreadsheet will do), then you should be able to get this down to a science. You’ll be able to know that for every $1000 you spend on advertising, you’ll get 20 phone calls and thus 4 gigs. Each gig pays, let’s say, $700 bucks. Thus for every $1000 you spend, you will earn $2800 bucks. Subtract out your advertising cost, and your net is $1800. Of course there are other expenses involved (travel, disposable props in your show, etc), but if it’s costing you $1800 bucks to perform those four shows, you probably should reconsider your show structure, travel costs and fee.

I think you get the message here. If you want to earn more money in 2011 than you did in 2010, then you need to take the advice of the great religious leader Thomas S. Monson (President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). He stated that “Where performance is measured, performance improves. Where performance is measured and reported, the rate of improvement accelerates.” So step one in your improvement . . . measure your performance as we’ve discussed. Step 2, find someone to be accountable to, someone you need to report to. Your spouse, another magician friend, anyone who has a vested interest in your success; it can even be yourself.

It’s been said that merely writing a goal down and throwing it in the trash puts you miles ahead of 80% of the human race because those 80 (ish)% don’t even take the step of writing things down. Write down your goals for this year. Make one of them to be better at tracking your business. Just knowing where you’re “at” will drastically improve your business. Once you know that, you’ll know what areas need improvement, and you’ll be able to, in a very scientific, manner improve the money you make from your art. Until Next Month . . .

The post Magic: Art and Science appeared first on Stone Cold Magic Magazine.

That’s a disease many people suffer from . . . Eye Dee Ten Tea. I’m no exception. Last year (2009), I invested a lot of money in my business. I spent a lot of money on advertising, marketing, product, travel, etc . . . I often spent money during periods of slow sales and slow gigs. That’s not so bad, but what makes me an I D 10 T sufferer is that when I spent money, I just threw the receipts and invoices, etc into a box.

When it came time for taxes (April 15, 2010), my “paperwork” was such a mess that I had my Accountant (Bill Brough) file an extension, which gives me ’till October 15, 2010 to get everything in order for him. Of course my box o bookkeeping was a disaster, so I waited until the last minute to get everything to him.

So my taxes were filed on October 15, 2010. The last possible minute that they can be filed without a fee. Here’s the kicker – because I wasn’t paying much attention to managing my books, I was investing personal money into my magic business when I didn’t need to. In the past couple of years I’ve pretty much stopped performing gigs. I still perform for friends and family, etc, but very rarely do I take a paying gig these days.

I’m enjoying the life of writing a monthly magic magazine, selling my creations, writing books (and DVDs), and doing the occasional lecture. That being said, the money is no where near as rewarding as when I was performing. Because of my shift in focus, most years in my business I take a loss or barely make a profit. This year was the first year I really made a profit, but I didn’t even know it until 2 weeks ago when I finished taking care of my books for my tax preparer/accountant. Sad. So of course, I’ve resolved to take much better care of the business of my business. Of course, 2010 stuff is just as bad as 2009, but moving forward, things will be much better. Basically, all I did was create a spreadsheet for my three major accounts. One for my bank account, one for my PayPal account and one for my cash account.

Basically you just need a few columns:

• Date
• Category
• Dollar amount

Everything you spend or receive is just entered into this spreadsheet. Then you can create sum calculations to keep you informed how much you’re spending and earning. It’s simple advice and simple to do, but that didn’t stop an I D 10 T like me from screwin’ it up. It all comes down to “just do it.”

If you want to read my tax man’s perspective on this very issue, check it out on his site: Bottom Line SLC.

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Do you get this nervous when you perform? Or are you pretty confident, calm, cool and collected when you perform? If you’re this nervous when you perform, then you’re not ready to go pro and have a magic business, and thus you shouldn’t be reading this column. However, if you’re relatively relaxed and comfortable on stage (whether your stage is a close up mat or an arena), then you’re obviously in good shape to grow your business.

The funny part is that although we as magicians can easily entertain an audience without the butterflies, we get nervous when it comes to selling ourselves as good performers. Granted, not all of you have this concern, but many do. So what’s the remedy? The answer can be found in the headline of this article . . . Fake it ’til You Make it. Your nervousness when meeting with a potential client is all due to one thing. You’re not confident, so how do you get confident? You fake it, ’til you make it. Confident people look a certain way, act a certain way and sound a certain way.

Remember, as a magician, part of your job is to act. You act like you have magical powers. You act like the card really rose to the top of the deck. You act like the coin is in your left hand when it’s really in your right hand. You act like the card changed into a red-backed card, so why not act like you’re confident. It’s sounds easy . . . because it is.

Start with the way your dress and groom yourself. Dress in clean well pressed nice looking clothes. As my mom would say, “comb your teeth and brush your hair.” Take a shower; use deodorant, etc. Take the time to look and smell nice. Doing this alone will boost your confidence, but even if it doesn’t, you’ll look confident to others. It’s a start. Next, act like a confident person. How does a confident person act? He looks you in the eye. He gives a firm handshake. He holds his head up. You don’t have to be confident to dress this way and act this way . . . just fake it. Pretend like you’re confident.

Finally, sound like a confident person. Speak loudly (not shouting) and clearly. Articulate; think before you speak. Again, you’re just pretending to be someone who’s confident. But think about what happens . . . you look confident; you act confident; you sound confident . . . therefore you are confident. Trust me, this little exercise works wonders. I’ve used it in so many situations in the past. You merely need to play the part of the confident salesmagician, and bam, you are the confident salesmagician. Until Next Month . . .

Please take a moment to reply and “like” this article.

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Also, in the world of magic, the term “full-time” doesn’t even really mean “full-time” in most cases. Usually it refers to someone who’s sole income is magic. It does not refer to someone who is doing magic 40 hours a week. That split hair aside, let’s use the more common definition for our discussion . . . sole income from magic.

1. Is it possible to be full time and suck?
2. Is it possible to be part time and not suck?
3. Is it possible to be a pro (short for professional) and suck?

The answer to #1 and #2 is yes. The answer to #3 is no.

If you are a professional magician the amount of hours you perform is irrelevant. The title of “professional” is simply a reference to quality. Basically “pro” is the opposite of “suck.” Let’s remember the purpose of this column . . . it’s all about the business side of magic and not the magic side of magic. So for those of you out there who are thinking of going full-time, you need to go pro first. Take me for example. I’ve got a good act and I’m a good performer (if I can say that without sounding arrogant). In my opinion (which is certainly open for debate), I’m a professional. However . . . and a big fat however, I make the majority of my income from two other sources:

1. A full time job as the internet sales manager at an accounting school. Click here and scroll to the bottom: Senior Staff.
2. Freelance Web Programming

I still make a decent chunk of money from my magic business which consists of several things:

1. Gigs
2. Magic Products
3. Lectures

So, I’m a part time magician, or more specifically, a part time professional magician. Of course part time in this case means someone who’s sole income is not magic, but is partly from magic. So what’s the point of all this? Simple. If you’re considering “going pro” as many say, you need to understand that “going pro” is all about improving your act. It’s about quality. Sometimes, however, the best way to go pro (read: improve your show) is to get more gigs. However, take it slow. I’ve gone through various phases over the past several years. This year I’ve probably had the least amount of gigs (by design) compared to previous years. However, next year I’ll be back to giggin’ again.

Take your time and stay part time until you are “pro.” Once you’re pro, then go full time. How to go full time, of course, is a whole other subject. For now, just grasp the simple concept that you need to get professional before you can go full time. Improve your act (by reading Roots and Branches every month and performing and practicing).

Also consider the fact that you don’t have to ever go full time. There’s nothing wrong with being a part time pro who has other sources of income. You don’t have to quit your job to be a professional magician. Until Next Month . . .

Please take time to reply below and “like” this article:

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