A Place to Work

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[Sound of a dog being crated]

There. Now where were we?

The nonsensical typing came from our new puppy Daphne. She kept running across my keyboard as I tried typing this on the couch. Bad idea. Puppies are awesome but they have bad manners.

Which brings me to this week’s topic. Give yourself a dedicated place for your magic business. Have a dedicated space for all your tricks.

I’m amazed every time I meet a magician and they show me where they store their gear. It’s usually in the back corner of their garage, next to the lawn mower or yard equipment.

And all the tricks are just kind of tossed around.

Many of the folks I’ve seen do that are far busier and richer than me. But I think when you store your tricks and equipment haphazardly, you’re doing yourself a disservice.

What if you have a last-minute booking? Now you have to dig around and scramble to find the equipment you need to put on a great show. And that doesn’t include any wear and tear on your trick when they are lying around like that.

I remember reading a very well-respected magician’s book on kid magic. He was describing how to use Steve Taylor’s wonderful Airhead Rudy in a new way.

The instructions said something to the effect of, “Dig out your Airhead Rudy. Touch up and chips or worn away paint…”

My Airhead Rudy looks as pristine as it did when the props came in the mail. After each show, everything is carefully wrapped in cloth and packed away in the Reading Show trunk of props in my loft above my garage.

Granted if I’m on the road for a few days, the props might get jostled around between gigs. But otherwise, Mr. Rudy lives quite comfortably in that trunk. I know where he is too. That way, if I have a last-minute booking (or I keep putting off packing my gear until the day of the show), I still know right where everything is.

Staying organized saves you time, frustration, and mental energy. And that last one is most important to me. The older I get, the less mental energy I want to burn up wondering where props are.

And because I’m running two businesses (and about to start a third), saving time is important, too.

Having everything in its right place extends beyond just your props.

On the second floor of our house, I have a small office. It has my fish tank in it, along with my desk, dual monitor computer for copywriting, reference books, and all my tax stuff.

In case you’re wondering, I have a dual monitor computer for copywriting so I can have my research on one screen while I write on the other. Not having to switch back and forth on one screen saves me time and mental anguish.

Mounted permanently on my desk is a swing arm with my microphone attached. It’s the mic I use both for the podcast and speaking to my clients on Zoom when we are going over copy.

Mounted on a small tripod right between both monitors is a camera for Zoom meetings. Since most computer internal cameras suck, I bought two good ones during the pandemic for virtual shows. Now that I’ve stopped doing virtual shows, having a camera permanently in place for meetings makes sense.

Above that camera and clipped to one of the monitors is a small ring light. I use it to keep me from looking too ghoulish during Zoom meetings with clients.

My office also houses a cabinet with envelopes of various sizes, postage stamps, mailing labels, and postcards for my upcoming mailings.

I prefer my surroundings as tidy as possible. That way, when my wife invariably catches a mistake I made on my expense sheets, I can grab the receipts I need to check what I need and fix my mistake.

Since I spend a lot of time in my office, I also want it to be warm and inviting. On the floor directly beneath my desk are two large dog pillows where my dog Stanlee can take a nap while I work.

If you want to be a success in this field, you need a place for everything. Treating your business as a BUSINESS is one of the foundational steps to going full-time successfully.

Until next time, have a great week!

--Cris

P.S. By the way…whenever you’re ready, here are 5 ways I can help you grow your magic business to book more shows at higher fees:

 
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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.

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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.