50 ways to make money with magic - emperybooks.com

50 Ways to Make Money with Magicby Andrew Mayne

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Support magic creativity!Thank you for purchasing thisebook. If you didn’t purchasethis, and came by it throughsome “other” means, considerbuying a copy and helpingsupport creativity in magic. It’sonly $5!


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Please don’t make illegalcopies of this material!

Copyright 2004 Maynestream Productionswww.weirdthings.com


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How to read this ebookThis ebook is designed to be read in AcrobatReader in full screen mode. Click “View”and then click “Full Screen” – or just press“Ctrl-L” on a Windows PC. Use your arrowkeys to go back and forth between pages.


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What’s this ebook worth?A lot more than $5! Why $5? I figured I’d make it available asan inexpensive download to (1) Sell a lot of copies and (2)Introduce large amounts of people to my way of thinking.

Other authors offer systems for making money in magic thatcost several hundred dollars. If you’re going to put them towork, many of them are quite worth it. Personally, I highlyrecommend anything by Docc Hilford.

Any one of these ideas can be used to help make you moremoney, or even create a new career as a magician. As ideasalone, they’re a helpful way for you to see other opportunities.As ideas put into practice, their value is huge.


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How this ebook is (dis)organizedThe ideas in this book are purposely scattered around so thatthey might help trigger new ideas in your head.

Why an ebook?Although this ebook may see its way into actual print, I thoughtI’d start it off by putting it online. In some ways it’s anexperiment to see what kind of audience there is for this kindof material.


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50 WAYS TO

MAKE MONEY

WITH MAGIC


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#1 Street Magic for Fun and ProfitBusinesses are always looking for new ways

to get information out about their services. On morethan one occasion you’ve probably been confrontedby a scary street person handing out flyers for autoinsurance or some other product. If streetperforming is your thing, you can use your magicskills to promote businesses by performing forpeople and then handing out a flyer for theircompany. You can do this by performing in oneplace, waiting for a crowd to gather and thenhanding out the flyer. People will be surprised bythe fact that you’re not asking for tips. Your finaleffect should work in a pitch for the company andend with a flyer in everyone’s hands. They’re muchmore likely to remember what you’re selling and tomention you to the business if they decide to gothere.

It’s a gutsy way to do magic, but it’s a way toget paid to perform on the street, without having towork for tips.


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#2 The Velvet Rope MagicianMany cities have a nightclub row. This is a place

where there are several nightclubs all along one street.These clubs are often in competition with one anotherto get business. They’ll have people handing outflyers in front of other clubs, greeting you on the streetand handing out free drink coupons. One way to getpeople into a club is to stop people in front of the cluband to get them to notice that there’s a club there inthe first place. If you perform visual magic, eat fire, orjuggle, you can get people to stop in front of a clublong enough for them to consider going in there. It’snot too difficult to turn the group of people that stoppedto watch you into a line of people waiting to go inside.

Offer a club manager a free hour in exchange forsome club passes and drink tickets. If it works, they’llwant you to do that more often, and will be willing topay you. If it doesn’t, you’ve got some free passesand drinks. It’s a win-win situation if you play it right.


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#3 Crowd ControlPopular restaurants can have waiting times that

last for hours on busy days like Fridays and holidays.Forget working in the restaurant. Offer to work theline and to keep people happy while they wait. Thiswill increase the number of people that stick around,and increase their drink orders if they’re smart enoughto take bar orders outside. Have some effects thatcan be done for a couple people, and some that canbe done for crowds. Don’t use anything too involved,because the person helping you out might have theirtable become available in the middle of that ambitiouscard routine.

Sell the restaurant manager on the idea that (1)You’ll keep people happy (2) Increase reservations,and (3) Increase money from outside drink orders.


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#4 AutomagicCar dealerships are always running promotions.

They spend more than any other business on localadvertising. Their chief goal, once they get a customerthrough the door, is to hold them long enough tomake a sale. If they’ve got some screaming kids intow, they’re not likely to want to stay for very long.Even the slickest salesman finds it hard to competewith a six-year-old who wants to go home and watchSponge Bob Square Pants. That’s where you comein. Offer to set up a mini-stage in the corner of thedealership where you entertain the kids. Instead of aregular kids show, perform a series of effects andactivities that last as long as the kids are there. Youcan do a trick and then have a coloring contest forthe kids. Your goal is to keep them active so theirparents can shop for cars. This is exactly how yousell it to the car dealer. You’re not doing a show tobring in people. You’re using magic to keep the kidsoccupied while the parents look at cars.

Some people might consider this glorified baby-sitting. I see no difference between that and publiceducation – except you’ll make more per hour thanyour teachers did.


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#5 Magic BartenderWe’re all familiar with the idea of a bartender who

knows a few magic tricks. But what about a magicbartender who only does private parties? If you knowhow to mix drinks and do some card tricks, you canprovide a unique service to people wanting somethingdifferent for their party. This doesn’t have to be anelaborate act built around being a bartender. Keep itsimple. Pour drinks when people are thirsty, performmagic when they want to be entertained.

You can take this to the next level by offering touse your magic skills to help out in a special way. Ifyou’re serving/performing at an event like a singles mixer,you can use your magic to help break the ice andintroduce people to each other.


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#6 Publicity Stunt MagicianWhat many magicians forget when they hear

about David Blaine’s latest stunts is the fact that hedoesn’t do those things for sake of doing them. He’snot the magic equivalent of Sir Edmund Hillary. He’sa showman. He’s using the stunt to get free pressso he can sell something. He sells television specialsto networks. They sell commercials to advertisers.David Blaine spends 40 days in a box so you’ll goout and buy Tide detergent. There’s no reason whyyou can’t just cut out all the middlemen yourself. Ifyou’ve thought about doing some kind of endurancestunt (over a period of time), forget about pitching itto ABC. Go to a local business and pitch it to them.How much is worth it to them to have you spend 3days in a box with a bunch of rabid raccoons? Howmuch is having hundreds (thousands?) of peoplecoming to their location to see the mad magician? Itcould be worth lots.

Pick a stunt that won’t kill you. Understandthat your goal is to get people to come see you, andto bring business to your sponsor. There’s no needto think to grandiose. Keep it simple – and scary.


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#7 Holiday Themed MagicDo you have a Christmas show? How about a

Hanukah show? Do you do anything special forHalloween? Instead of trying to sell the same act to adifferent people at all times of the year, come up withdifferent themes you can sell to existing customers.The people that hire you to perform for their openhouse might like to bring you back to do your Halloweenshow. If you’re in a market with a lot of other magicians,differentiate yourself by being topical. Most magiciansjust have one act. Have several that feature differentthemes. This gives you more product to offer, andincreases the chance that your potential customerswill see something they like. Saying you can domentalism or escapes, isn’t as marketable as sayingyou’ve got a really fun Christmas themed show. Peoplehave a much easier time imagining how they can utilizethat (for their Christmas part) than imagining whatthey’d do with an escape artist.

Photos of what the show looks like will help yourclients better understand what the theme will mean.If it’s a Halloween show, use Halloween props, etc.


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#8 The Matinee MagicianMany movie theaters offer special matinees on

Saturdays and during the summer for children. Theyadvertise to parents and to summer camps. Youcan offer theaters a way to increase the value of theirmatinee by performing a short show in front of eachmovie. You’d do a 10-minute show in one theaterand then hop over to the next when the movie starts.A cineplex with several different matinees might haveyou do 3 or 4 shows right after each other.

You might agree to work for an hour (doingseveral shows) for a fixed fee. The theater can thenadvertise that they offer a magic show and a movie(and make more money). Your show doesn’t haveto be too involved. Keep it to 3 or 4 simple (andvisual) effects that fit into 10 minutes.


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#9 The Spook Show MagicianBefore cable television and home video, there

used to be a whole market for magicians to travelaround performing spooky magic and then showinghorror movies. Things have changed in the lasttwenty years to where that can be possible again.The Internet has brought back an interest in horrorfilms by uniting fans and introducing Americans toJapanese horror movies. Many local art housetheaters frequently play horror movies in double-bills. A magician that performs shock magic canadd to the bill, and increase ticket price and revenue.Die-hard horror fans would love the atmospherecreated by having a magician performing some ofthe horrific things live that they were planning to seeon the screen. It also helps create an experiencethat can’t be matched at home.

With today’s audiences, you can’t get away withbeing hokey. If your idea of a spook show is to dothe zombie with Thriller playing, stay home or prepareyourself for a beat down. Think blood, think gore,think of some of my fine products like Shock FX andShock Magic…


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#10 The Magic Swap MeetIf you’ve got a bunch of magic in your closet

collecting dust and you know a few other magiciansin the same situation, you can set up a magic swapmeet where magicians can get together to trade andsell their wares. You can charge each magician a flatfee for setting up a table as well as a fee at the doorfor other magicians to come have a look at what’s forsale. This can be set up at the local communitycenter for a small cost.

The more magicians you get to come to the event,the more money you’ll make. Magic clubs often setup these kinds of events, but under promote them.They forget that there are far more people interestedin magic in their community than show up at theirmeetings.


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#11 Party Supply ConnectionIf you’re just looking to get more business, there’s

a way to get people to advertise for you. Go to yourlocal party supply store and talk to the staff. Handthem your cards and tell them that you’ll give them$20 every time someone books you on theirrecommendation. The kid working behind the counterputting together balloon bouquets for $6 an hour willbe very happy to push your services on anyone thatwalks through the door. Everyone that walks into thatstore is a potential customer. People will often go intothose stores weeks before a party to have a look around,and then go back a couple days before their party toget what they need. Encourage the staff to approachpotential customers in the planning stages.

First and foremost: Always pay the staff personfor getting you a show. Every time you put money intheir hands, you’ll triple their enthusiasm aboutpromoting you. Even if you just get some calls and nosolid bookings, reward them. Second, your goal is notput up a flyer, or to have your business cards put onthe counter. You want real people talking about youto real customers. Don’t even ask the storeowner if it’sokay first. Go directly to the people working in thestore. They’re free citizens living in a free countrywho’d love to make some free money.


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#12 The Package ShowA way to get more bookings without decreasing

the amount of money you get paid to perform, is topackage your show with another entertainer’s show.If you do magic, and you have a friend who is ajuggler, you can offer a split bill. Tell clients thatthey can get two acts for the price of one. You justperform half as long, and so does your friend.Although being a magician and a juggler carriessome weight, to some people it’s like saying you’rea dentist and auto mechanic. Maybe you’re greatat both, but they’d rather have two people whospecialize in one or the other. This way you get tokeep your price the same. It’s also a great way toget those value shopper customers. Two is alwaysbetter than one if it’s at the same price. The factthat your show is only going to be half as long isn’tas important as the fact that your client gets twicethe entertainment.

Another added advantage is that you’veincreased your potential for getting bookings basedupon the aggressiveness of your partner. Justremember to partner with somebody who does agood show and isn’t another magician!


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#13 Sponsored School ShowsIf you like performing for children, and want get

paid to do school shows, there are ways besideshitting up the principal for cash. Set a price for yourshow, and then hit up local businesses to sponsoryour show that promotes some value that encourageschildren not to be homicidal maniacs. Two or threebusiness might be willing to underwrite your show.Put together a presentation, and go to your localchamber of commerce meeting. Explain what it isthat you do, and how they can help schools affordyour program. Don’t mislead anyone about how youmake your living. Be totally upfront about the factthat all proceeds go towards your project to curecancer. Just kidding. There’s nothing wrong withasking a third-party to write your paycheck so youcan bring a wanted to service to a place like a school.

Beforehand, check with some local schools tofind out if they’d be willing to accept your show if itwas totally paid for.


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#14 The Magic PitchMan/WomanMagic shops have evolved into online retailers

and magic kiosks. This may be the natural evolutionof things. One focuses on the devoted magicenthusiast, the other on the passerby who isfascinated by the strange red light coming from thesalesman’s thumb. Magic kiosks have found theirway into shopping malls, flea markets and evenamusement parks. If you’re looking for a way to makemoney selling magic, but don’t want to make the kindof financial commitment required to buy your owndonkey cart and stock it with overpriced magic tricksand rent floor space, you can sell just a couple tricksoff your magic table at county fairs or other specialevents for the price of a vendor fee.

Keep the product line simple. Sell very visualeffects. Might I mention how well my video WizardSchool sells at these kinds of booths?


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#15 The Micro-ShowInstead of putting together a bigger, longer show,

put together a micro-show that’s under 10 minutes inlength, and can be performed in any situation. Thereare thousands of situations where people could usea magician to come in make a point to a group oraudience, and then go away. Luncheons, breakfastmeetings, sales meetings are all potential placeswhere you could perform. Groups that put on thosefunctions may not have the money or time for a wholeshow, but they’d love to have some addedentertainment value. What’s it worth to you to hopinto your car, do 10 minutes and be back home inunder an hour? Your micro-show should be visual,easy to perform and pack a lot of punch. Don’t spendthe 10 minutes doing some elaborate trick with minimalpay-off.

A micro-show enables you to create moremarkets to sell your service. Most magicians reducetheir markets. Think the other way. Create newopportunities to perform.


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#16 The Boardroom MagicianCompanies frequently put on meetings for

executives and managers where they bring cateredfood and open up the expense account to create anice event. You can offer your services as a magicianthat specializes in boardroom magic that helps setthe pace. You might go in and perform a 10-minuteclose-up show or a micro-show for the group. Theshow should be performed out of a briefcase andwith little interruption to the surrounding event. Yourgoal is to provide the meeting planner with “somethingdifferent” that will create a talking point and makepeople glad they attended the meeting.

When performing any kind of corporate show,you have to make sure that your act is “G” rated. Youshould dress professionally, and conduct yourself insuch a way that they’ll regard you as a businessprofessional, and not some kind of dancing monkey.


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#17 The Backroom MagicianBesides performing for boardroom meetings,

other companies have meetings with employeeswhere they might consider hiring a magician to makeit more interesting. Stores and restaurants oftenhave manager meetings on a weekly basis. This isa great opportunity to put on a micro-show to makethe meeting less stressful. The money may not beas good as what you’d get paid working for a Fortune500 company, but there’s a chance that otherfranchises might want to make use of your servicesif it works out well.

Like corporate events, it’s a good idea toremember that if you screw up or unduly embarrasssomeone, you might get the person who hired youfired. Always be tasteful (unless you’re asked not tobe).


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#18 The Magic-GramInstead of performing shows for groups of

people, you can use your skills as a magician todeliver messages to an individual. A Magic-Gram isa version of a singing telegram where you perform atrick for someone and then deliver a message. Thiscan be for birthdays, anniversaries or other specialoccasions. You can offer special services likeproducing flowers at the end of the effect. Yourclients would be people who are looking to surprisesomeone with something different. You can talk to aflower shop about setting up an arrangement wherethey can offer your services to customers who arelooking for “something different”.

The magic should be quick and flashy. In mostcase you would want to look like an exaggeratedcaricature of a magician. The point of it is to surprisethe person with your presence, your magic, and yourmessage.


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#19 The Magic LecturerYou can use your knowledge of magic to talk

about magic. Magic has a vast and colorful history.There are lots of potential audiences that mightappreciate a slightly more cerebral discussion ofmagic with a few demonstrations. The academiccommunity, the art world, and society events all providevenues in which you can use your role as a magicianto provide a service. If you have the opportunity toperform for a group that might provide a lot ofbookings, you might consider accepting the invitation,even if it means little or no money. Instead of puttingyourself in a situation where you are getting paid toperform for nothing, and having people ascribe littlevalue to your services, you can talk (and perform alittle), and present magic in a different way – that’seffectively a sales pitch.

Be sure to know what you’re talking about! A lotof magicians have very little knowledge of the historyof their craft. If you think Robert-Houdin was Houdini’sbrother, crack open the books!


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#20 Be a Miracle Worker for HireIf you’ve got a good mind for magic methods,

you can put your skills to work developing innovativeways to attract attention using magic. Store displays,trade shows, and special events have all made useof magic technology to capture eyeballs. Talk toadvertisers and promotions specialists about yourskills. Many of them have a roster of clients that theyhave to keep bringing new ideas to. Come up with acouple solid concepts and present them to them asways in which you can help create the impossible.

There are tons of good ideas that haven’t seenuse in years. The art of the window display is a lostart in many ways. It’s become very easy to put aDVD into a player, press play and expect that’s visualenough to attract attention. At first it was, now it’sone more thing we tune out. Create a visual illusionthat promotes a product, and you’ll soon have acrowd gathered around.


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#21 The Commercial MagicianEvery city has two or three car dealers that run

“wild and wacky” commercials to get attention.Approach one of them and ask if they’d like to makeuse of your services as a magician. Maybe they’dlike to have you cut them in half to show how seriousthey are about cutting prices. There are as manybad puns as there are magic clichés. The possibilitiesare endless. If you have a few different big magicprops, you might be able to sell them on the idea ofrenting them (and you) to do a series of commercials.

Usually the car dealers want to be the center ofattention. Your goal is to offer them your magicexpertise to enable them to show off in yet one moreway.


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#22 Open House MagicianAlmost everyday, some business near you is

throwing an event to attract people, and to informcustomers about their services. You can provide twounique services for these businesses; you canentertain their guests, and you can entertain theirchildren while their salespeople talk to the parents.All too often magicians miss out on the most effectiveways to sell their skills. If it’s a business that wants topromote its services, they often don’t want to cloudtheir message with a magic show. However, the ideaof having a magician to entertain people while theywait to take a tour of a model home, is one that abusinessperson can put a value on. Your goal is tohelp them keep customers. Like working the line at arestaurant, you can help them keep potential clientsaround.

Pick up your paper, and look to see whatbusinesses have scheduled open houses. Look andsee what homebuilders are planning to showcasenew homes. Call them up, or visit in person and offerthem a way to increase their sales. Remember, toooften magicians make the mistake of trying to selltheir services by presenting magic as a way to attractcustomers. This is often a mistake. You should offermagic as a way to turn customers into sales.


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#23 The Demo MagicianIf you’re good with your hands and at attracting

a crowd, you could have a big future in magicdemonstrating products for companies. Theflourishes and bits of business we use to add flashto our acts can also be used to make the mundanelook exciting. In the hands of a skilled performer, aNo. 2 pencil becomes a magic wand capable of manyincredible feats. A set of Ginsu knives becomes anarmory of precisely balance implements of wonder.You can use your verbal skills to develop snappypitches that get laughs and make a point.

We magicians often overlook the variety of skillswe rely upon as performers. Besides our knowledgeof how the brain is fooled, we know how to gathercrowds, make the simple look cool, and communicatecomplex ideas to average people. These are skillsworth millions in the right hands.


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#24 Photo MagicYou’ve probably seen photographers at outdoor

events with cardboard replicas of Bill Clinton andGeorge Bush. Sometimes they have murals peoplecan poke their heads through and be a fisherman or amermaid. People pay five or ten bucks for the privilegeof having their picture taken in some silly way. There’sno reason magic can’t be that silly either. There’s noneed to expose people to the secrets behind stageillusions to create a photo of a man levitating his robustwife. You can use forced perspective to create theeffect of a giant kid pulling a miniscule parent from ahat or cutting them in half. With a little bit of carpentryskills, you can create some fun visual gags that peoplewould be willing to pay $5 to have some kid you payten bucks an hour, to snap a Polaroid.

The key is to create visually cool gags, and to getcustomers in places where they’d most likely be willingto pose for a fun photo. You might try building acouple and going to your local shopping mall and seeif they’d let you use some floor space on a weekendto see how well it works out.


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#25 The SéanceDocc Hilford has a number of booklets on

performing séances. His $1,000 Secret Séanceshows you how to create potential customers, closethe sale and then perform the show. Séances are agreat product to pitch to people who might considerthemselves too sophisticated for a magic show. Aséance is a night of dramatic parlor entertainment.You’re not performing a magic show. You’re bringingtheatre into their living room. Being a moresophisticated show, it also gets more sophisticatedprices. The key is to identify potential clients. Thisis ideal for people who like to throw dinner parties.You’re more likely to find customers in the expensivewine section at a gourmet market than in the candyaisle at Wal-Mart.

A successful séance requires a convincingperformer. It’s no accident that the pros that makethe most money doing these also have deep voicesand somewhat sinister looks about them. It’s allabout theatre.


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#26 Theme Park MagicFor the aspiring illusionist, theme parks are one

of the best places to get lots of experience. Thetypical theme park performer finds themselvesperforming several shows a day, everyday. If you’regetting your start, this is exactly what you want. Thebiggest problem with up and coming illusionists isnot enough time on stage. It’s easy to get a lot ofexperience performing close-up magic if you’reambitious. It’s not as easy to get that kind ofexperience with your sub trunk and sword basket.You can’t exactly carry them around in your pocketlike a deck of cards. Performing at a theme park willput you in front of a lot of people in a short amount oftime. It’s hard to appreciate what that kind of pacecan do for you as a performer until you’ve donesomething like it.

Theme parks want tasteful, family orientedshows. Your magic should be colorful, fast pacedand the humor broad enough to appeal to both youngand old. For more information, check out Handbookfor the Theme Park Magician by Wayne Wissner.


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#27 Graphic MagicIf you have a practical artistic streak, you can

make some extra cash providing full-service graphicdesign for other magicians. For a fee you can designa logo, create their business cards, and put togethertheir promotional material. Have a few ideas alreadyin hand when you present them to other magicians.Part of your service is to provide the printing of thematerial. You might want to consider offering severaldifferent packages that range from just doing businesscards to taking care of their web site.

Make a presentation to your local magic club toget clients. You can also make a deal with a localmagic shop where you’ll cut them into a percentageof every client they bring you.


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#28 Roller MagicAnywhere there are people, there’s a potential

audience. Despite the advances of the modern world,many towns still have ice-skating and roller-skatingrinks. A roller rink provides an opportunity to performmagic for a young crowd in the middle of the rink,between ballads and rap songs. Tricks like the subtrunk, sword basket and the Zig-Zag can be pushedout there quickly, and performed totally surrounded.Like theme parks, this provides young illusionistswith a place to perform and gain experience.

Obviously, a roller rink isn’t interested in payinga whole lot for having a magician come out andperform. However, it is a venue that most magicianswould never even think about. Roller rinks oftenrent themselves out for special events. You can cuta deal with the owner so they can offer an illusionshow for an extra fee. If you’ve got a couple illusionscollecting dust, think about taking them down to theroller rink and putting on a fun show.


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#29 The Literate MagicianMany public libraries have small auditoriums

that are well suited for performing platform magicshows. You can approach your local library with avariety of different opportunities. You can use theirspace to put on a magic show where a portion ofthe proceeds will go to benefit the library. You canoffer to perform for free for benefits so you can getexposure to the people that have the pockets tohelp fund the library. You can do free shows for theexperience and the advertising potential. You canalso use shows as a way to generate birthday partybookings.

Figure out what they want, and what you need.Somewhere between the two, you’ll find a way towork together. If they question the relationshipbetween magic and a library, point out that a libraryisn’t just a place for books, it’s a means of preservingand communicating culture.


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#30 The Gymnasium IllusionistMost small towns don’t have theatres. Almost

all of them have high schools with gymnasiums. Ifyour goal is to perform a full-scale illusion show, youcan make a living taking that show to places thataren’t on Copperfield’s tour schedule. Provided youhave your own backdrops and lighting equipment,you can turn a gymnasium into a your own theatre.Advertising in a small town is a lot different and mucheasier than advertising in the big city. Performingfor Middle America requires a certain sensibility, butit can be very rewarding. Your illusion show is likelyto get a pretty warm reception from an audiencethat considers the opening of a Wal-Mart a significantevent.

If there’s a potential audience, find a way tobring your show to them. Magicians think toonarrowly and don’t realize that there are millions ofopportunities waiting to be discovered.


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#31 Children’s TheatreIf your city has a children’s theatre that

specializes in putting on shows for young people,you might want to talk to them about the possibilityof using your show as one of their events. On aweekend that they might normally be dark, you canoffer another reason for their members to come tothe theatre. You can split the door and make somecash. You can also put yourself in front of lots ofparents and increase your birthday party bookings.Another benefit is the opportunity to work with peoplethat have an interest in entertaining. You’ll probablefind several people willing to work as assistants andhelpers who already have theatrical experience.

Sometimes the children’s theatre is part of alarger theatre program. You might find that workingwith the children’s theatre opens up otheropportunities (like getting you access to the biggerstages in town).


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#32 Magic NightOne way to create a regular venue to perform

is to get together with a few other magicians andcreate a “magic night” at a local restaurant or club.On a night that the restaurant is not that busy, youcan offer tableside and platform magic to visitingpatrons. This is done quite frequently by comedianslooking to create a regular place to perform andwork on new material. You can make money byeither getting the restaurant to pay you, or bycharging a cover at the door for the entertainment.If you charge a fee at the door, you have to makesure that everyone actually gets to see plenty ofmagic up close.

The key to making this work is providing varietyin performers and in promoting the event. It’s notas fun to perform for two people in an emptyrestaurant, as it is to perform for two hundred.


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#33 The RV MagicianComedian Rich Hall first got the inspiration to

do comedy when he saw a magician perform at hiscollege campus out of an RV. If you want to takeyour show on the road, think about taking the stagewith you. There are thousands of outdoor eventsacross the country where you can provideentertainment by pulling up in your own magic RVor van with backdrops and a stage. The goal is tobook a bunch of events in a single trip. Driving 500miles to pick up $750 is not worth it. Driving 500miles and making $5,000 by performing at severalevents is much more appealing if you’re looking totake your show on the road.

You can schedule through promoters, or trycontacting civic clubs that have chapters in multiplecities. A few tours a year can provide a nice incometo a magician that really wants to see America. Bythe way, the magician Rich Hall saw perform lateron went on to become Harry Anderson.


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#34 Make Money in PromoEvery professional magician should have a

promo video. Many don’t, and the majority aren’t allthat good. Although home video editing programscome standard on every PC, not even iMovie canmake poorly shot video footage look good. The firststep is to have video shot that looks professional.The biggest problem is that professional = money.There’s a way to get it done a lot cheaper and evenmake some money getting your video shot. Youcan hire a professional (broadcast quality) crew forabout $1,000 a day. If you plan right, you won’tneed them for a full day. You can shoot everythingyou’ll need for a 4-minute video in an hour. Getseven other magicians to chip in $200 each to havetheir act shot professionally, and you’ve made $400to get your act taped.

The next step is to edit the videos. You canoffer to do this for other magicians if you feelcomfortable enough to try your hand at it. A programlike iMovie will allow you to do basic cuts, add music,and create titles. It’s ideal for putting together videos.Try offering magicians a package price. $250 for aprofessionally shot video is a great deal.


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#35 Kung Fu MagicKarate and martial arts schools have both space

and young people to perform for. Contact yourlocal martial arts school and offer to do a showwhere you split the door. What’s cool about thisarrangement is that it doesn’t cost them any money.They get to make money, and provide a neat extrafor their students. Also, unlike school shows orother kind of events with built in audiences, a karateschool is much more likely to aggressively promoteyour show to their students. The people runningthe school are the ones that will pocket the cashyou split with them. It’s a win-win situation (providedyour doesn’t suck). They’ll market it to their studentsas a fundraiser and handle all the promotion.

Once you come up with a solid show that playswell in karate schools, put together some standardpromotional material and hit every school in town(and in neighboring towns). Always make use ofthe instructors in the show in a fun way. Just don’tembarrass them too much or they’ll use their ninjaskills to strike you down.


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#36 Magic MasterBesides using karate schools as a venue to

perform, you can use them as a place to solicitstudents to teach. Kids go through phases. Martialarts schools are always looking for new programs tokeep kids involved. A karate school provides a ready-made place to get students and promote your servicesas a magic teacher. You’re going to find far morestudents there than at the local magic shop. Parentswho send their kids to karate classes have pre-qualified themselves as people are interested inhelping their children develop skills, and are willingto spend money doing so.

Like the martial arts, create a system ofadvancement. This gives kids something to worktowards. It also creates a reason for kids to comeback and take more classes from you.


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#37 The Magic StudioA lot of magicians would love to have a rehearsal

space bigger than their living room. Although it maynot be economical to rent out a $900 a monthwarehouse to practice your act that you only performonce a month, it might be worth $150 to six othermagicians to have a space they can use to perform.Musicians and other artists set up thesearrangements all the time. As magicians, we canbenefit from having both a performing environmentand a situation where we can interact with othermagicians.

If people want to use the space to store theirprops, you’ll need to figure out a way to make sureeverything is kept secure. You don’t want to beheld responsible in the event that $20,000 of illusionsgoes missing.


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#38 The eBay Magic BrokerEverybody has something they want to get off

their hands, or something they’re looking to buy.eBay is an incredible system for commerce. It’s somassive; people are only beginning to grasp itssignificance. A number of people make a livingtrading items on eBay among buyers and sellers. Away to make some extra cash is to offer to serve asan eBay broker to other magicians who have itemsthey want to sell. For a 15% commission you canoffer to handle all the transactions and make theirlife easy. Most people don’t even want to botherwith the trouble of listing an item and followingthrough on the auction. If you have several peopleusing you to list a number of items, you can make anice little side income for just a little time spenteveryday. The more items you have to list, the higherthe price you’ll get on your auctions. You’ll be ableto help others get more for their stuff than theywould on their own.

Experienced eBay merchants know that it’s agood idea to provide good photos and honestdescriptions of the quality of the stuff you’re selling.A good reputation will help you sell lots more stuff.


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#39 Magic Web MasterMost magicians’ web sites are pretty bad. If

that’s how tacky their site is, one can only imaginewhat their show is like. If you have taste, and knowhow to code in html, you can create simple, elegantweb sites that help magicians communicate theirservices. The key is to keep the site simple. A website should be like a well put-together brochure. Itshould be visual and professional. Flashing imagesand tacky backdrops make the person look like anamateur. It’s not difficult to communicate aprofessional image with a little careful attention.

Advertise to other magicians a package price.For a fee, you’ll set up their domain and put up awebsite. To streamline the job, put together aquestionnaire and have them give you any photosthey want used. The secret is in knowing whatmaterial they need to give you. Often they won’tknow. Treat it like a brochure. Create a standardtemplate and plug in their material. You can thenadd signature touches that make their site unique.


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#40 The Magic CamperEvery year, millions of Americans vacation at

campgrounds across the country. Often, groupsfrom churches and civic organizations rent outcampgrounds for big events. If there’s acampground near you that hosts these kinds ofevents, you might want to talk to them about offeringyour show as an additional service. Ideally, yourshow would be suited to the outdoor environmentand have an outdoor theme. Groups will love itwhen you make use of lots of audience involvement.

For large groups, you’ll need to use materialthat can be performed totally surrounded with nobackstage to set things up.


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#41 The Magic ArchivistIf you have a large collection of magic books

and notes, you might want to consider offering yourservices as a magic archivist to other magicians.When David Copperfield adds a trick to his act, heresearches everything that’s ever been done in thatarea. Many other professionals have a similarapproach. For a fee, you could gather information,find sources and provide other magicians withinformation that can help them make their magicbetter. Magic authors (like myself) would love tohave the ability to use researchers to help find outthe history of an effect.

You’ll need three things to make this work: (1)Access to lots of magic information, (2) Access topeople who know a lot about magic, and (3) A loveof solving mysteries.


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#42 The Magic PhotographerMagic is a visual business. We sell ourselves

on what we can show people. Despite this, manymagicians have less than professional photos theyuse to promote their act. If you’re good with acamera, and know your way around Photoshop,you can provide other magicians with much neededmagic photography services. You might want toset up a studio for a magic shoot and get severalmagicians to have their photos done in one day.Provide plenty of examples to them of what can bedone. Besides magic photos, cut out magazineads and other images that might provide inspiration.

Offer magicians a CD with all of the photos onit in digital form. You can also offer to take care oftheir printing needs if they want as well. There area variety of online companies that do publicity photoprinting at great prices.


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#43 Stopping Traffic with MagicYou don’t have to reinvent magic, or devise

new store displays to use illusion to attract attention.If you have a Super-X, a Zig-Zag, or some othervisual illusion, you can offer a store a great way toattract attention instead of putting an employee ina silly costume or sandwich board. Levitate yourassistant on a street corner and you can geteveryone to notice that Bob’s Mufflers is having ahalf-off sale. Cut your assistant in thirds in thestreet meridian, and everyone will want to knowwhat you’re selling (please check local ordinancesfirst!).

There’s no reason why you can’t advertise yourown services. Have plenty of fliers handy, and youmight get more potential leads in 30 minutes than ayear of phone book advertising.


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#44 The Magic WeddingWeddings are very special events that only

happen two or three times in people’s lives. That’swhy it’s important the second go-around to make ita unique occasion, and to distract people from thefact that the pregnant bride is wearing a white dress.There’s a variety of ways in which magic can makethe event extra special. Magic can make the ringsappear; doves appear, or create a special moment.Come up with a few different ways in which magiccan be used for the occasion, and present them toa wedding planner.

It’s important to remember that emotions arevery charged at weddings. Make absolutely surethat everything will work the way you promised.The last thing you want is to set the bride on firewith your dove pan. This isn’t the Middle East wherethat’s sometimes a tradition.


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#45 Half-Time ShowLocal sports teams are always looking for ways

to create a great experience for their fans. A fast-paced magic show that can be performed in themiddle of the field or stadium can provide yet onemore justification for paying high ticket prices tobuy expensive beer. You can offer your servicesdirectly to the team management, or you can talk totheir dance squad or cheer leading team aboutincorporating your magic into one of their routines.

You have to be able to set up very quickly, andleave the stage very clean. You don’t want to beknown as the magician that paralyzed a pro athleteby leaving a four of clubs mid-court (at least youshouldn’t want to be known as that magician).


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#46 The Flea Market MagicianSouth Florida is home to the world’s largest

flea market – the Swap Shop. One of the attractionsto the Swap Shop is the free circus. Most fleamarkets can’t afford to have their own on-staff circusact. However, your local flea market might be willingto pay for regular live entertainment if it will bring inmore customers. If they don’t want to pay your fullfee, work out a deal where you get free space tosell simple magic effects.

You can create your own performing zone, andhave your own theatre and magic shop just like thebig boys in Vegas. The money might not be thesame, but it’s still a regular venue and can bring ina lot more money than you might think.


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#47 Magic Mystery ToursMany cities with historic downtown districts have

tour groups that take people on walking tours of thecity. Some cites offer special themes. In NewOrleans you can take a tour through gothicdowntown areas and experience something out ofan Anne Rice novel. In Boston you can take ghosttours, as well as visit famous places from Americanhistory. If your city isn’t that exciting, you can offer amagic tour where you’ll shuttle groups from streetperformer to street performer. On one corner youcan watch a fire-eater. Another one might have anescape artist. A half dozen performers (all workingfor you) can help provide a fun night ofentertainment.

You might want to attractively price the tourwith the idea that your tour group might tip each ofthe performers as a way of paying them for theirservices. For added value, you might want toincorporate a bit of a storyline into the tour like amurder mystery.


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#48 Magic Prop RentalIf you have a few illusions, or know other people

that do, you can provide a service to magicianswhere they can rent your illusions for specialsituations. Put together a list of illusions withphotographs, and hand them out to other magicians.You might also want to offer the services of yourselfor your assistant to help the magician pull off theeffect smoothly. Some magic illusions are easier toperform than others. Make sure the person rentingyour sword basket knows how it works.

Some people might consider this empoweringyour competition. That’s a rather dim view. Manyperformers have regular clients that they are alwaystrying to come up with something new for. By rentingyour props to other magicians, you can get a pieceof their action without stepping on their turf.


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#49 The Magic WriterSome magicians have the gift for gab and

coming up with clever things to say. Others aregood at remembering clever things other peoplesaid. It’s my opinion that not enough time is spentwriting material for magic acts. Maybe it’s becausethat’s the last thing magicians ever notice (exceptwhen a really good joke is involved). I’ve beenhired on more than one occasion to develop materialfor other magicians. I’ve ghost written stories andpatter that you’d probably never suspect I’d have ahand with – some of it actually quite serious.

Once you figure out a plot, it’s not too difficultto write material that makes sense and increasesinterest. Try writing some scripts for yourself andoffer to do the same for others if they begin to lookgood.


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#50 Magic by PhoneHow’s this sound for a novelty gift? A person

gets a birthday card and inside of it are a few playingcards and message to call a number and leave atime when they’ll be able to partake in a magicalexperience. At the arranged time they get a call froma mysterious magician who offers to perform a magicshow over the phone. Over the span of 10-minutesthey proceed to have their mind read and miraclesoccur in their hands. Thought of objects are namedand cards are caused to teleport from miles away.

There are a number of cool effects that can beperformed over the phone. A good selection can befound in Jim Steinmeyer’s book Impuzzibilities. Ifyou can make four phone calls in an hour at $25each, that’s $100 for sitting at home. You’ll probablywant to provide clients with a card and any necessaryprops like playing cards. Always check beforehandto make sure that the person you’re calling is capableof following simple directions!


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Finally…

I hope this got you thinking abouthow you can make more moneywith magic!

Best,

Andrew Mayne

www.weirdthings.com


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Andrew Mayne is the author of several dozen books andmanuscripts on magic. He’s toured world-wide with his illusionshow and can currently be seen on television in Wizard School.


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50 ways to make money with magic - emperybooks.com

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