How to Hire a Magician…You’re Doing it Wrong!

Multiple times a week, I get THE call. The call that reveals how serious a person is in hiring a magician. “How much do you charge for a show?” I don’t think I will ever get to a point where I’m not amazed by this question. To me, that’s like walking onto a car lot and asking the salesman, “How much do you charge for a car?” Can we agree, there’s a lot of factors that come into play? One of the biggest mistakes people make when they hire a magician is they make the assumption that all local magicians are the same. They’re definitely not! Some are really good and some are really not. I’m going to show how you can very methodically rule out the bad ones and settle on a good one. This is best process to go through when you hire a magician.

What type of event are you having?

Ok, maybe you don’t need David Copperfield, but if you have a corporate function, the last thing you want to do is hire some inexperienced magician that may say something inappropriate or just come across as extremely unprofessional. If it’s an important event, get the best you can afford. Don’t bring $300 to the table and expect a performer that will get a standing ovation.

Know your audience?

This seems like common sense. However, I walked into an all-adult corporate event one time and saw a clown walking around, pulling gags on people. There was such an awkward feeling everywhere the clown went. Don’t hire children’s entertainment for adults. And in the same way, don’t hire adult entertainment for children. Again, know your audience!

Avoid low-budget “party companies” like the plague!

I’ve never seen one source be more responsible for bad magic shows than low-budget party planning companies. They boast providing everything from pony rides, to cotton candy, bounce-houses, face painters, magicians, and more. I actually met a “magician” from one of these companies. It was high school kid that told me it was “easy money” on the weekend. Because I knew an owner of one of these companies, I learned that in most cases, he doesn’t know which “magician” he’s going to send out to do the show. So in other words, if you saw a certain magician at party that led you to call the company in the first place, you may not get the person you were interested in booking. That really cheapens the idea of a professional magician.

Read reviews!

Once you’ve narrowed down your search for magicians, start looking at reviews. Reviews can tell you so much about a performer. A lady last week called and booked me for a very high paying event. I asked her specifically if she had seen my promo video. She replied, “No. I didn’t need to after I read your reviews.”

One small piece of advice. If you’re able to, read reviews on third party websites. I also call these “reviews the performer has no control over.” Reviews on Google are good. Also, a website like Gigmasters/The Bash is a third party booking site that has reviews from verified clients.

Don’t wait to book!

Once you have found the right magician, I have some disappointing news. Chances are, they’re already booked. If you take one thing away from what I’m saying, let it be this: Don’t book the entertainment last!

This past week, I had two people try to book me on two of the most in demand nights of the year. The problem is, we’re less than two months out. Entertainment is the first thing you should book after the date and venue. I can almost guarantee, if you try to book a true professional just a few weeks in advance, you won’t get them. I’ve had major corporations contact me 8-12 months in advance. I’ve even had them ask my availability before booking the date. So, if a multi-billion dollar corporation is willing to base the date of a 6 figure event around an entertainer, that should tell you what level of importance they place on entertainment.

Don’t be discouraged!

Even if an event is sprung on you last minute, you can sometimes book a magician if they have a gap in their schedule. Remember, get the best you can afford! It just might save you a lot of disappointment! Make all your events great ones!

Of course, if you’re interested in possibly having me at your event, contact us!