Your Payment Terms

Well, I never heard THAT one before.

I was setting up my Christmas Magic show at school on December 22nd. The principal had just walked in to inform me I wouldn’t be getting my check that day.

Truthfully, I’m used to it in the school market. But that doesn’t mean I just roll over either.

For my money, the school market is one of the worst when it comes to on-time payment.

If the check is coming from the PTA/PTO, there’s almost always going to be a problem. The treasurer is on vacation. Or they did not receive my invoice.

If the school funds its assemblies through the district, they pay via a purchase order. If you don’t know, it means you get a piece of paper saying “purchase order” and your check gets sent a few weeks after the show. It’s a little more complicated than that, but that’s the basic gist of it.

There are other things causing check delays, but today’s was brand new.

When the principal and I first booked this event, it was for two daytime assemblies. Later, they decided to add the local library in on the fun. So my new contract said I’d be performing two shows at the school and a third at the library down the street later that evening.

Here’s where the trouble came in. The district office sent the first check based on the first invoice I sent. After my principal client submitted the second invoice with the extra show, the district added the two invoices together.

So rather than the $1322 I was expecting, the principal told me they sent over a check for $2300.

Well, I didn’t see the problem. (Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.)

So my check was delayed as they straighten this mess out.

What about you? Have you had any mishaps with checks? Because it happens in every market I’ve ever performed in.

I’ve lost count of how many birthday oms told me they “forgot their checkbook” when it came time to pay me after the show. (For context, I did a lot of shows at party centers outside the home when I was doing a lot of birthday shows.)

Same with corporate. The show is almost always offsite, located in a hotel or some kind of banquet facility. My check is conveniently left behind.

I used to be more tolerant of it. These days, not so much.

I think my breaking point came when, while watching over 500 kids enter the gym for a school show, I turned to my client and asked her who I should see regarding my check after the show.

She rolled her eyes in irritation and said, “I have no idea.”

I politely pointed out that since my contract was with HER, it was her responsibility to see to it I was paid on time. I then informed her that if I didn’t receive an answer, I would not be performing.

Miraculously, I had the check in my hand when I took the stage a few minutes later.

Why do I bring all this up?

If you’re a professional magician, you need a payment policy.

It needs to be spelled out clearly in your agreement. You do send an agreement to every client, right?

Too many magicians I have met over the years seem thankful just to be doing gigs. They don’t realize they are providing a valuable skilled service and deserve to be fairly compensated for their work.

So always send a contract to every client. One that requires a signature. Politely state that the date is not secure on your calendar until you receive the signed contract back.

And always state your payment terms. Also, mention your cancelation policy. You get to set terms, and what may be acceptable to me may not be acceptable to you, and vice versa. So I won’t bother detailing my terms.

The point is you need to send out contracts that clearly spell out your terms. Here’s a pro tip: Don’t call them contracts. Refer to them as agreements. It sounds softer.

Of course, some markets will refer to them as contracts, and that’s fine.

Remember too that many markets in magic are not used to putting on shows. It’s up to you as the pro to show the way.

I’ve actually had corporate clients ask me, “Do you prefer to be paid 30 days later or on the show day?”

And these clients weren’t being sarcastic. They were serious! To me, it just reaffirms that unless you’re on a Vegas stage, often you’re not dealing with professionals who understand the ins and outs of hosting a professional show.

Spell everything out to your clients and you’ll run into far fewer headaches when it comes time to get that check.

Oh, and the picture at the top of this article?

That’s the floor of the library I performed at after leaving the school on December 22nd. For some reason, this library had a power outlet right smack in the center of the floor.

Still trying to figure that one out.

Have a great New Year!

--Cris

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