List

In my last post I mentioned the use of the newsletter. I found this to the sole reason of the increase in business the last few months of 2008. By simply creating a generic newsletter using Word I've been able to keep in contact with former clients and potential prospects. This seems like a bunch of work scratch that is a lot of work but I have to be honest with you it's completely worth it. When I began my newsletter and a potential client list of about 45 people. I just prepared to send out first thing Monday morning approximately 120 newsletters. In this post will be discussing how to increase your client list. These are a few proven ways I have used the last few months. Please get any input or any other techniques that name may be useful to me or other readers feel free to share.

How to increase your client list? The first technique I've come across that works very well came from a book called “endless referrals” by Bob Burg. The basis of this book is in reference to making a list of endless referrals. I suggest that you buy this book but I will go over the basic principles that I have found appropriate for my situation. When I first decided to enter the world of being a professional magician I instantly had to have my own business card. No matter who I met they would instantly receive my brand-new business card. I ordered a box of 1000 cards. Within five months they were all gone. Oddly enough my business barely increased. That was approximately 5 years ago. I bought this book shortly after. After reading I learned one basic principle that I swear by now. People love to talk about themselves. People are happiest once they tell the world about there achievements the wonderful things they have done. How has this helped me? I have learned to play off of this. My new way of introducing myself as a magician is by listening first. When a conversation begins with someone, I continuously ask about there situation. I ask what they do for a living, about there family (depending how personal I want to get), and I keep the conversation focused on them. Then at the end I simply say this” how can I help you improve your business” (depending on what they do I reword this statement). This shows that I care. I want to help this person. I then ask for there information/business card. What does this do? This makes a new friend. And by friend I mean the other individual in the conversation doesn’t see you as a sales person. They see you as someone whom they opened up to. Someone who they discussed there lives with. By taking this relationship into a friends zone, you have just received business yourself. 99% of the time, after I ask for there business card, I then receive the same request. For mine. They are more than likely to keep a friends information rather than toss it into a drawer with others. When the time comes to find someone to entertain at the business Christmas party, they will remember there good “friend” with whom they had a wonderful conversation with. The best part about this friend technique is the fact that everyone has access to 250 other individuals. At least that’s what the theory states. In your daily life, you have aprox 250 other individuals the regularly come in and out of contact with you. From your direct family members, to the kids school teachers even to the friendly worker at the post office, there are 250 other individuals you have somewhat of a conversation with. With every new friend/client you come in contact with and use this technique, you instantly have access to there 250 friends. Within that 250 friends it’s more than likely that someone will need your service soon. So get out there and make some friends!

Another technique that I swear by was also brought forth by Eric Anderson at MAES. This is the use of a free trick card. What do I mean by a free trick card. I have designed a survey card with the Title FREE TRICK at the top. Under that there’s room to fill out : Name, Address, Email, Phone Number. These cards are mostly used during walk around gigs, or after large shows. Above I discussed the ability to make “friends” with potential clients. These cards are used for situations where that is not possible. A prime example: I have worked at an upscale restaurant in Cleveland Ohio for aprox 2 years now. If I perform at a table and I hear mention from a person at the table “My son loves magic” or “that would be great for so and so” I pull these cards out. I state” really, well if you fill this out I will send you a brand new magic trick to show them. You can impress them with this mini miracle”. The minute I get home I then print out the directions for the Houdini jumping rubber band trick. It goes directly into the mail. To me, this approach is much more subtle than stuffing a business card into there hand. You are giving them something to impress there family with.

Well hopefully this helps someone out, if not at least I wrote it out on paper. I have finally prepared my newsletter to be sent out. At 6:00 today I have a lunch meeting with my graphic designer. I will let you know how that goes in my next post,

Jason

www.JasonAlanMagic.com

Where to begin?

Where do I begin? Well..... Lets start with the things I learned last year. To begin with, in September I attended the MAES (Magicians Alliance of Eastern States) convention in Carlisle PA. I was fortunate enough to meet two individuals there. The first, a magician whom seemed to know a good bit about marketing, Eric Anderson. I bought is lecture notes on marketing and how to increase my business. This is what I learned and put into action, I think you should consider this.
Newsletters. A big topic I found interesting from Eric is that of Newsletters. His theory was putting yourself infront of your client more often, with a newsletter. At the first of every month take former clients and send them a newsletter informing them of your well being and upcoming events they maybe able to attend. This might seem like much but I have to be honest, in the month of October I doubled the amount of shows strictly with a newsletter. All of a sudden I received phone calls from former clients whom I thought would remember me saying" I just received your newsletter on my desk. We are getting ready to have our Halloween Party/ Christmas Party and I completely forgot about you." This just goes to show that people do not remember you from the year before, unless you give them a reason to remember you. In this newsletter I never directly post " Book me now for your next party" or anything of the nature. Imagine writing to a friend and letting them know whats going on in your life. You are not begging for work, your just updating everyone on how you are. I also began informing clients of things going on in the Magic world. They love to be in the know. Tell them when a new magic special is coming on ( Not the Masked Magician!) or of a local live performance they might be interested in. By becoming friends with these people they will be more than likely to remember you and want you around. I always address my envelopse a few a day prior to the first of the month. That way you arent waiting until the last minute. And I always try to send it out on the 31 of the prior month. That reminds me, its the second of January and I still have to write out my envelopse, and send out my newsletter. Oooops.

As I mentioned above I met two individuals at this convention who left large impacts on me. I do not think its approrpiate to write about the other now. I will leave that for another post. I have way to much to talk about. Please feel free to let me know what you think and I will try to post everyday. This keeps me motivated. What have I done today to take that step forward towards my goal?
- called 10 party planners
- Collected information on Fairs and Festivals coming up
-Emailed 10 former and potential clients with my information

See you again tomorrow!

-Jason

60,000 in one year.

Hello. For those of you that don't know me, my name is Jason Alan. I am currently a full time performing magician living in Northeastern Ohio. How about some background on me!
- I am 25 years old and have been performing magic for some 13 years now. I have been working professionally as magic being my sole income for almost 4 years now. If you are interested in my act take a look at my website at www.JasonAlanMagic.com

Anyways, the purpose of this blog is to motivate myself and others into a successful living doing what i love, magic. By constantly updating my blog with information in regards to my goal and how I am reaching such a goal, I will constantly be moving forward. I almost forgot, what is my goal? My goal is to earn at least 60,ooo dollars as a perform by January 1, 2010. How did I come up with this goal? Every year I try to increase my income the following year aprox 50% to the previous fiscal year. Also, this seems like a reasonable amount to shoot for as a somewhat new to the industry magician. This idea of updating a blog in regards to my success is not new to me. Please check out the 80,000 blog by Kevin Viner. I will provide a link to his blog soon.

Hopefully you enjoy what I have to say and I can help you somehow and in someway. If anyone has any comments or tips please feel free to post them,


Sincerely,

Jason Alan