This article is for those that haven’t hired a magician and are unsure of what to expect. Once you start shopping around and discover how prices vary you can get even more confused and overwhelmed.
Hiring a Magician can be a difficult and confusing process, which is why I am writing this.
With so much choice, it’s tempting to pick the cheapest. After all, spend less on entertainment and you have more for other costs such as your venue and the catering etc.
But (as with anything) opting for ‘cheap and cheerful’ can be a mistake.
That’s because when you hire a performer, you’re paying for more than a few tricks. Let me explain…
What a top-notch close-up magician actually does
A mentalist/magician should bring more than entertainment to your event.
When I show up at a private party or a corporate event, I need more than a few good magic tricks to give an amazing experience.
I’m here to not only entertain but to have you and your guests question if what I do is real or not. Leaving your guests with their dropped jaws, astonished expressions, and whispers of “How on earth did he do that?” And that means I need performance skills too.
Unless a performer can work an audience, mingle confidently, and respond to what’s happening in the moment, the magic and mystery won’t work. You can’t show up and rely on a trick or effect from a store or book. Mentalism/Magic doesn’t work that way because it’s reliant on audience interaction and engagement too.
That’s why personality is key.
You want someone who is personable and relevant. Someone who can slot into any conversation, immediately put guests at ease, and engage them with magic that gets them talking.
This is where my background comes in to play. My diverse experience includes being married with a family, a U. S. Marine, flair bartender, working in radio, DJ, obtaining an MBA in finance, business consulting, experience traveling, and more. All of these experiences allow me to fit in with your guests and engage confidently with them.
Magicians that can’t work a crowd and interact make the audience cringe and can make the magic and effect unimpressive and boring. Where exactly the opposite can happen, a performer with entertaining skills can turn a “simple” effect into something that draws applause.
Imagine how you’ll feel as the party host when word gets around that the entertainment is a little bit rubbish.
And that’s why I encourage you not to compromise on your entertainment. Instead, pay a fair price to get the confidence you need that your performer won’t let you down.
This is what you’re actually paying for
At first glance you may think you are paying for that one hour of performance, however, there any several other factors that go in to the performer’s fee. Travel time to and from your venue, buying props to use or refills of props for your event, the hours and hours and hours of practice that has been put in to the show and script.
You’re paying for more than a few tricks and this can sometimes be revealed in the price of the performer. . Let me break it down for you… this is what you get when you hire me:
Personality
I'm the guy who can mingle with anyone, ad-lib at ease, and make even the hardest to please party guest smile!
A Party Starter
Demonstrations and magic that adds to the atmosphere, creates a vibe and transforms the mood of any party, celebration, or event.
OMG moments!
A collection of relevant, jaw-dropping, spellbinding magic and myster that will wow your guests and leave them wondering how if what they just witnessed was real.
Shared experiences
For your guests that get people talking, laughing and smiling!
Memories
of an awesome experience that lasts long after your event has finished
Ice-breaker!
Entertainment that brings people together - even strangers
Awesome host!
The satisfaction that you're an awesome host because you took time to research and found the perfect performer.
Peace of mind!
...that your guests are being expertly entertained - so you can relax and enjoy the show too
Impressed guests!
there are never any clichés, cringes, or tackiness when I’m in the room
A bespoke experience!
every event is unique, which means every close-up show I perform is subtly different from the last
Experience
I've performed at thousands of event and I'm currently
That’s why a hiring a good Magician can costs more than $75-$150 per hour. It’s also the reason why you should ask more questions if you’re given a rock-bottom quote – so you can understand exactly what entertainment to expect from your investment.
How to tell if your chosen magician will be AWESOME:
Please don’t pick a performer on price alone. Remember, you’re paying for a lot more than a few magic tricks so you want to ensure you choose the right person for your event.
If you’ve got a short-list of people who’ve been recommended to (or you like the look of), I suggest you narrow it down with these three things before hiring:
1. Look at videos and photos – in particular, check out the guests’ reactions. Do they look impressed and amazed or are they bored and cringing?
2. Check out independent reviews – testimonials on 3rd party review sites such as Yelp, Google, Thumbtack, GigSalad, or GigMasters will give you a good insight as to what audiences really think.
3. Have a chat with the performer – and see that your instincts say about which one is right for you.