3 Ways to Improve Your Magic Business

Crap.

I looked at my screen and shook my head in disbelief.

A recent subscriber to this newsletter had just informed me that the link to one of my free gifts wasn’t working.

“No problem,” I assured him. “I’ll get it fixed ASAP.”

Turns out I had put the wrong link in the page’s button. When I was finally able to get ‘under the hood’ of my site, it was literally a three-second fix.

But that wasn’t what bothered me.

While I was looking at that page, I took a quick look at how it looked in responsive mode. Or, for the non-techies reading this, how the page looked when viewing it on a cell phone.

As it turns out, it didn't look good at all.

The platform I build my sites in usually does a great job of automatically making sure the pages look great whether you’re viewing it on a laptop, tablet, or phone.

But I had been using a new design for many pages. And that page looked like garbage on a phone.

So I spent the next few hours combing through over a hundred pages on The Professional Magician Club site to make sure everything looked good on mobile devices.

It was a lot of work.

But those first impressions count. I don’t want anyone viewing any part of my business and getting a bad first impression.

That goes for my shows, too.

A few days ago, I was setting up my Read Across America show. For that show, one of my props sits on a black table for display during the routine.

The tabletop is just a simple wooden board I had spray-painted black. I mounted a flange for a Eureka table-style stand, making this an easy ‘pack flat’ solution for setting up that prop.

But on this day, I noticed a corner of my board had been chipped. I could now see the natural wood color underneath.

It was only an inch or so long, and maybe a third of an inch wide. It bothered me.

Before the kids started filing in for the show, I grabbed my handy black Sharpie and filled in the spot. Problem solved.

Truthfully, I doubt anyone would have noticed that spot. But I’m a big believer in neatness counts. Details matter.

All these little things add up to an impression clients have of you. They may not notice these things consciously. But they will pick up on them subconsciously. And they’ll color your client’s impression of you.

So here’s your action plan:

• Look at every one of your props. Are there any chips, dents, or damage you need to repair?

And I extend this to mundane things too. Whenever I do card magic with an ungimmicked deck, I always use red-back Bicycles. (No, I’m not a fan of the trend of specialty decks.)

I find taking cards in and out of the box wears out the little flaps much more quickly than the cards themselves. So I save empty card boxes and switch them into a working deck when those little flaps start looking too worn.

(For context, I teach magic workshops and often give away cards in small packets, so I wind up with extra card boxes.)

To me, those beat-up flaps paint a negative picture I try to avoid.

So look at all your props, even the disposable ones. Make sure they look spiffy.

• Look at how you transport your props into the gig area.

I’ve seen magicians carry their props into shows in cardboard boxes. Unless the box is part of an intentionally organic-looking prop (like Bill Abbott’s wonderful Five Card Box), I’d never let anyone see me carrying or wheeling in props in cardboard boxes.

I’m not a snob, though. I’m not saying everything should go into expensive road cases. Several of my shows are transported into the performing area in those black plastic footlockers you see at Walmart. It looks professional yet doesn’t cost a lot.

• How does your website look?

Boy is this a biggie.

Having a great-looking website is an absolute must for today’s magicians. It’s your digital business card. Unless someone has seen you perform before, it’s likely your site is their first impression of you.

Are there spelling errors? How does your site look on a cell phone?

And PLEASE for the love of Vernon, Please Don’t capitalize Random letters In A sentence Like This. I see so many magicians doing this and it drives me bonkers.

But I get it. I still miss stuff on my sites, too.

Sometimes we need a fresh pair of eyes to comb through your site and let us know what can be improved.

Fortunately, I offer a service for this. Check it out HERE.

Not only do I comb through your site in this service, but I examine every part of your business. And I summarize my findings in a 100% custom video for you. I make recommendations for improving your site, marketing ideas, and much more.

Best of all, it’s less than 10% of what other professional digital marketers charge for a similar service.

All the details are HERE.

Check it out – it Never hurts to Have Someone else Look at your Website…

Have a great week!

--Cris

P.S. By the way…whenever you’re ready, here are 4 ways I can help you grow your magic business to book more shows at higher fees:

 
1. Grab my FREE report for professional working magicians.

It’s called “The 2-Word Secret to Eliminate Your Competition & Become Your Area’s Busiest Magician.” This report reveals a strategy that almost NO magicians are using (and the ones who are don’t use it correctly). Get your free copy HERE.

2. Get my website video training for under $10:

 
In this 2-hour video training, I’ll reveal exactly what your website needs if you want to succeed as a professional entertainer in the 21st century. Get all the details HERE.

 
3. Get a complete business-building plan handed to you on a silver platter.

 
Not sure how to move your magic business forward? I’ll analyze your complete magic business (website, market, competition, and more) and give you a complete game plan for getting your performing business to the next level. Find out how HERE.

 
4. Work with me privately.

 
Need help in multiple areas? I can help you with your website, direct mail, email, or other marketing strategies. I also offer consulting services for crafting magic routines or even entire shows. Want to find out more? Shoot me an email at cris@theprofessionalmagicianclubpro.com.

To find out more how I can help you book more shows at higher fees, click the button below to see my list of services.

© Copyright Cris Johnson, Inc.