The Approach Free First 12.pdf

The Approach

by Jamie D. Grant

The Approach

By

Jamie D. Grant

A guide to becoming a working

Walkaround magician.

The Approach

by Jamie D. Grant

Copyright 2013

Jamie D. Grant

The Approach

1 by Jamie D. Grant

Intro|Advice

“If you want to get discovered,

be awesome.”

-David Moses

Be awesome.

That’s what this book is about. It’s not about getting discovered,

making a zillion dollars, or getting famous. It’s about bringing out

the best in you and showing it to the world; via the greatest art there

is: the art of Magic. That said, there’s no reason why you

shouldn’t be able to make money at the same time. And I’m here to

hopefully help you with both.

But how do we do it? I mean really do it. How do we actually

get there? I’ll be honest; we’re going to take different paths. None

of us is going to take the same route to awesome-ville, but I can

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share with you my route. I can tell you the exact steps I’ve

taken to get to where I am today and, let me tell you, it’s brought

me happiness, joy, and wonder. I’m excited! It’s going to be a fun

journey, sharing all I’ve learned with you!

Before we get started, let’s go over some ideas I have for this work

of mine. I’ll be including a lot of anecdotes, mistakes, stories, and

lessons. Hopefully it’ll all make sense by the time this goes to press.

So bear with me as we go along. My plan was to go through my

career in chronological order; from the day I picked up my first

effect all the way through to yesterday. But there are simply too

many things that went on concurrently. So, instead, I’m simply

going to give you over 100 things to think about, study, and learn

from. They’ll be split up into:

Advice: Ideas that have worked for me over the years.

Essays: Longer pieces that I believe apply across the board.

Articles: Previous articles I’ve written before.

Tips: Quick ideas to apply.

Tricks: Secrets to making things easier for yourself.

Study: Introspective work to help make you a better performer.

Anecdotes: Stories from the road.

Lessons: Ideas to take things to the next level.

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We may jump around a bit, so feel free to start (and finish)

anywhere you like. And, on that note, let me also mention this:

please use this book. Make it your own. Dog ear the

corners, write your name on it, doodle your logo in it - the one that

will one day be splashed across the TV- put notes in the margins,

own it. Help me make it awesome. You’re the only one for the

job.

Finally, don’t let my formatting scare you. As a writer, I hate massive

chunks of text so you’ll see me use a lot of italics, bold, and

different font sizes to help break up the text. I’m also going

to be highlighting one sentence in each chapter that I think is the

most important. So have fun and jump right in!

All right, enough preamble, let’s get started.

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Chapter 1|Article

How Many Tricks You Should Know.

You can’t be a magician without knowing tricks. I think we can

all agree on that, right? Or effects. Or illusions. Or whatever you

would like to call them. A lot of people are very passionate about

calling them one thing and not another; but all I know is that if

someone is hiring you to come to their party and perform magic,

you had better know how to do something. So how many

“somethings” do you actually need to know? It’s easy to get caught

up in the latest and the greatest that the magic world has to offer

but, at the end of the day, how many tricks can you do at a

moment’s notice, blindfolded, while riding a bicycle? I wrote

this as an online essay a couple of years back so I’m going to put the

original here and then we’ll talk a bit more about it after…

Originally written, Sep.20/2010

I just thought I'd offer some insight into how many tricks/effects are

actually required to do a working Walkaround gig. Please let me preface

this by saying that this is what I've found, after years of doing every kind of gig

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conceivable to mankind, and it is simply what works for me.

Now a lot of people will say it all depends and that each person is

different, etc. Me? I'll just straight up tell ya...

9.

There's an old saying that an amateur can perform a ton of tricks

with average skill, but a pro can perform three brilliantly. That's true,

to be sure, but it needs a bit of refinement...

Basically, I find that you need three sets of three effects. Here's

why: you're at the event; it's a cocktail party type of setting where

everyone is standing and drinking. You approach a group of four or

five people and absolutely kill it with three amazing effects (tricks

1, 2, and 3). They're laughing and screaming and can't believe you

pulled the card out of their nose.

So what's next? Well, you take two steps (if you're lucky- sometimes

you'll just turn around) and begin for the group of eight people who

were standing behind you and sort of already watching. And you

don't want to pull a card out of their nose as well. Remember~

Once is magic, twice is a lesson. This is where you'll bust out

your second set of three effects (tricks 4, 5, and 6). You'll show this

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group something completely new and this will help if any of the

people from that first group are still watching.

Next? Same thing. Take a couple of steps and perform your final set

(tricks 7, 8, and 9). By this time, you should physically be far

enough away from your original group that, when you approach

your fourth group, you can start over with your original three tricks

(1, 2, and 3 again).

This will also give you the added benefit of, if less people come to

the event than were intended (which will happen way more often

than you think), you will be able to start over from the beginning by

showing that very first group your second set and carrying on,

essentially allowing you three tours of the room.

~jamie

After re-reading that, I think everything still holds true. The only

thing I might add is that, instead of thinking of it as 9 separate

effects, start splitting them up into 3 sets of 3 right away. That way

you’ll get an idea of how one trick can flow into another and how

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they work together. That’s how I try to learn new magic;

whenever I pick up something new I ask myself:

“If I start using this effect at working gigs, where will it go? Will it be an

opener, a closer, or something in the middle?”

Keep those questions at hand when purchasing new magic. And

don’t worry; we’ll be talking more about what makes great openers,

middles, and closers a bit later.

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Chapter 2|Study

Who Are You?

I know that sounds like a weird question, but it’s an

important one. And when I ask, “Who are you?” I’m referring

to who you are in your heart. Who do you want to be. This is the

question you need to start thinking about right away. So while

you’re working on your nine effects, describe your ideal you. Even

better, write it down here. I’m serious! Grab a pen and write down

who you are. I’ll give you my description, if it’ll help. This is how I

would privately describe myself on paper. You’ll do the same in a

second:

“My name is Jamie D. Grant and I’m a comedy magician. Now,

before you think I walk around making jokes, let me give you a

better idea. Picture Brad Pitt. Okay, with a little less hair. Now

picture Brad Pitt walking around a party and showing

people amazing card tricks and sleight of hand illusions. Everyone’s

laughing and talking excitingly. People are making new friends.

This is probably the greatest party these people have ever been to.

It’s the party of the century. All because I’m here helping them have

an amazing time!”

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Arrogant? Brash? Absolutely not! You need to get a mental image

of the type of person you want to become. You need to visualize how

you want others to perceive you. Yours might look like this…

“My name is John Smith and I’m a smooth man of mystery. I

float from group to group silently reading minds and changing

peoples’ lives. Not everyone will know I’m there but the ones that

do will remember me forever.”

Or,

“My name is Jane Doe and I’m absolutely hilarious. I can

make everyone laugh at the drop of a hat and I drop my hat a

lot. I can also do coin tricks like nobody’s business- all with a

smile.”

So why is this important? Because who you are is going to help

determine what kind of tricks you’ll be learning. Are you a

serious mentalist? If so, one of your 9 effects probably shouldn’t be

sponge bunnies. Are you the funniest guy in the room? Well,

putting a spike through your neck most likely isn’t a great fit. So

before you get too far ahead of yourself, picture who you want to be

and then fill this in.

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Seriously. Fill this in.

Who Am I (inside)?

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Chapter 3|Lesson

Developing Your Sets ~ Part I

Okay, now that you’ve got an idea of who you are (and we’ll

be coming back to that) and who you’d like to become, it’s time to

start working out what effects are going to make up your sets. And

I’ll be honest, this list will change many times over the course of your

career. You’re going to be experimenting quite a bit and there is

going to be a lot of trial and error. But we can do a good deal of pre-

planning in the meantime. So let’s start with writing down 12 tricks

that you know.

If you’re already a “worker” (someone who performs

regularly), this is an awesome exercise. It’ll give you some insight

into what effects you’re actually performing regularly. 8 of my 12

regular effects are ones I started performing over ten years ago,

for example.

I know I said you only need to know 9, but you’ve got to have a

couple extra that you learned along the way. If you don’t have a

dozen, then use this list as a list of effects you need to learn. And

don’t worry about whether these are the latest and greatest magic

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has to offer. Just get learning. The classics are the greatest

place to start but it’s okay to explore the entire magic world. Some

things to consider, though:

~Can they be performed standing?

~Do they have a quick “reset”?

~Are they smaller than a toaster?

My 12 Tricks:

(E.g.): CHOP CUP by Dennis Loomis

1) ________________________by______________________

2)________________________by______________________

3_________________________by_______________________

4)________________________by______________________

5)________________________by_______________________

6)_________________________by_______________________

7)__________________________by_______________________

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8)__________________________by______________________

9)__________________________by______________________

10)_________________________by______________________

11)_________________________by______________________

12)_________________________by______________________

While you’re working on your initial dozen, we’re going to move

onto some other things that you should be working on. Before we

do, though, let me ask you this. Take a look at your 12 effects

up there. Now, ask yourself, when is the last time you performed

each and every one of them? Be honest with yourself. If we’re

going to pull the best 9 out of there and start charging people money

to see them we should probably make sure you really, truly, know

them. That’s not always the easiest thing to do, though. So the

question now becomes, how do we actually do that? In real life?

How do we practice?

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Chapter 4|Essay

How To Practice?

It’s is a 3 step process.

Step 1:

The first step is reading the instructions. Or watching the DVD. Or,

my favourite, reading the book. Knowing the moves and

performing them on yourself, this is always the beginning.

Step 2:

This is what I personally feel is one, if not THE, biggest stumbling

block that prevents people from becoming working

magicians. And it’s not that they don’t practice, it’s that they

don’t practice in front of other people. But wait, if you’re doing

tricks in front of other people, it’s not practicing, it’s performing,

isn’t it? No. And here’s why…

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You must find a group of people who you can regularly

show magic to without fearing failure.

You must find yourself a safe environment. What exactly does that

mean? It means if you drop the coin, you can actually say,

“Hold on, I dropped it, let me start over.” For a lot of people, it’s going

to be their wives or husbands, or family, or girlfriend or boyfriend.

But it can’t be just one person- and that’s hard for some. So if you

only have one of those people in your life, go find some others. If

you don’t trust your friends, start going to magic clubs or meetings,

socialize; find someone else.

Who are your three people that you can show new magic to without

stressing yourself out?

1)_______________________________________

2)_______________________________________

3)________________________________________

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Step 3:

My final step is taking it out into the real world for people who

aren’t paying you money. And this is where I can give you a

solution that I’ve been doing for the last 8 years.

Magic Friday.

If you have a day job, you’re golden. From this day forward, you’re

going to perform magic at work. No job? Time to start visiting

friends, family, and baristas at coffee shops, whatever it takes.

Because the plan to is to perform one trick, and one trick only, as

many times as you can, every Friday. Do you work in an office

with only three co-workers? Well, you’ll probably only get to do it

once. Are you in a warehouse with over a hundred? You can

probably get ten performances out of it. I’ll even give you the exact

script to get you started.

“Hey everyone, I have an announcement. I’ve been studying the art of

magic and, with your permission, I’d like to show you a trick today. Just

one. And I’d like to do this every week. Sometimes it’ll take 90 seconds,

and others, maybe 5 minutes at most. Whaddya say?”

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Homework:

Do a month of Magic Fridays.

Done? Really? Don’t lie to me (or yourself)! Come back after a

month…

Congratulations, you’re now a magician. Now before my magic

community starts cry ing from the rooftops, “What?!? You can’t

be a magician after a single month!!!” Let me tell you this: in

your co-workers eyes you absolutely are. People are like that. Let me

put it to you this way: if you show your coworkers a painting you’ve

drawn, I guarantee you that if one of them introduces you to

someone else and it comes up, they’ll say, “Jamie’s a painter!” In

their eyes, I am. And I only showed them one painting. Same

with juggling. “Jamie can juggle!” After only one time! So, the point

is, after showing someone one effect, they’re probably going to label

you as a magician. The only question is; are you a good one? And

how do you become a good magician? By practicing. Practice by

yourself, and then in front of other people.

Learn the moves. Practice. Show your three regulars. Reflect.

Practice. Show your Magic Friday Crowd. Review. Hey, that seems

like more than 3 steps! Life can be like that.

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Chapter 5|Anecdote

Your Magic Fridays.

Okay, lets actually do this right and document it. You’ll be doing

magic every week so don’t lose great information. Write it down!

I’ll provide space to record your first month and then I’ll leave it to

you to carry on your own. Be ruthless! Make notes, write

down the script you used, any changes you made, what the reactions

were like, and how it made you and your audience feel.

I can still remember the rush of my very first Magic Friday. What would

they say? Would anyone actually want to watch? I had no idea! This will

change your game.

Ready?

Set?

Start (performing) and writing!

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Week 1

EFFECT NAME:

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CREATOR:

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HOW MUCH DID IT COST?

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HOW LONG DID YOU PRACTICE IT?

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HOW MANY TIMES DID YOU PERFORM IT ON FRIDAY?

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WHAT WAS THE BEST REACTION?

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WHAT WAS THE WORST?

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WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY?

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YOUR PATTER:

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HOW DID IT MAKE YOU FEEL?

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DID YOU ENJOY IT?

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IS IT A “KEEPER”?

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Week 2

EFFECT NAME:

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CREATOR:

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WHAT WAS THE WORST?

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YOUR PATTER:

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DID YOU ENJOY IT?

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Week 3

EFFECT NAME:

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CREATOR:

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WHAT WAS THE WORST?

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YOUR PATTER:

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DID YOU ENJOY IT?

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Week 4

EFFECT NAME:

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CREATOR:

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WHAT WAS THE WORST?

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YOUR PATTER:

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DID YOU ENJOY IT?

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Chapter 6|Advice

Business Cards.

Sweet Marie! Why on earth are we talking about business cards

already?! Well, because people are going to start asking you for

them. Here’s the thing that, for the most part, drives the magic

community crazy. A young person learns a trick (that he probably

stole) runs out to a print shop (knocking a little old lady over on the way),

gets business cards with a rabbit and the word MAGICIAN on

them, and then goes and creates a terrible name for all the rest

of us. Well, that may be true, but that’s not you. Why? Let’s

recap…

1) You’ve learned 12 effects that you can do blindfolded.

2) You’ve gone out into the real world and performed for

actual people.

3) People at work are starting to think you’re pretty good.

STOP!!! Read number 3 again. If that isn’t the case, there is no

need to get business cards yet! But, how do we know? How do we

really know if people think we’re any good and not just saying it to

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our face? Well, one of the ways is that someone will ask you for a

business card! So for those moments, we must prepare.

This isn’t going to be your final branding. Well, it might, but

this is just to assist you in getting work in the beginning. And a lot of

working magicians might want to take note. The single most

important thing that has to be on your business card isn’t a picture,

or a logo, or a trick. It’s how to get a hold of you. Your contact

information. Period.

I’ve seen this mistake time and time again. We get so caught

up in design that we forget that most of the time the person looking

to hire a magician is someone who’s just been told to organize the

company holiday party within 15 minutes, and she remembers

getting a card from this awesome magician one night, and she just

wants to get a hold of you. The ONLY thing she wants is your

phone number or e-mail. That’s it. She could not care less if the

card’s got stripes.

JAMIE D. GRANT

MAGICIAN

604-555-1234

[email protected]

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That’s it. Flashy? Nope. Easy to read? Yep. You’ll have to trust

me when I tell you what’s more important. And, make no mistake, if

someone can’t easily find your contact info, they’ll move on to one

that’s easier. Guaranteed. Does this mean that we can’t design

super hip, ultra-cool business cards that do effects and levitate on

demand? No. But, be warned. What impresses you and your pals isn’t

necessarily what will get you gigs. Take a look at every business card

you see and ask yourself: if I wanted to get a hold of this person in

the next 3 seconds, could I do it? Always apply that to yourself.

I know what you’re thinking: but if it doesn’t have a trick, they won’t

keep it! No, if they don’t want to remember you, they

won’t keep it. Focus less on design and more on making yourself

memorable.

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Chapter 7|Tip

Websites.

Ah, websites. Nothing has caused magicians to lose as much work as

websites. Read that again. LOSE as much work. Websites are

almost exactly the same as business cards. However, instead of

looking for your contact info, they want to see what you look like.

I remember one time I was doing Magic Friday at work, back when I was

a bike messenger and I would perform for people I delivered to, many of

whom I had never met before. This particular delivery was to the office of

Canada’s wealthiest businessman. I gave my usual pitch to the receptionist

of, “Sign here, please. And Happy Magic Friday!

What’s Magic Friday? Well, I’m a magician and I do a

super quick magic trick for people for free today if

they’d like to see something.” Well, the receptionist called out

the entire office! Luckily it was a great trick and had everyone screaming.

They were so loud that the head office manager came running out and,

after some explanation, she mentioned that they were having a holiday

party and was wondered if I was available to work it. Before I said yes,

however, she had one question. What do I WEAR when I perform...

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She had decided that I was good based on the reactions of her

staff, but she still had to decide if I was a good fit for their event.

She obviously couldn’t have someone working the party who wore a

helmet and a messenger bag. So when I replied, “Suit and tie.”

she looked at my website to double-check and said, “See you

Tuesday.”

So that is exactly what your website is for. It should start as a

vehicle to get across the best possible image of yourself to the public.

Of course it’ll also be a way for people to find you; but that shouldn’t

be the focus in the beginning. Becoming easily searchable will come

later.

Image. Think about that word. It’s everything. As soon as

people click on your site, they’ll have a first impression that will

probably stay with them. So what is that image? Clean, cool, and

professional? Or busy, confusing, and garish? Because what they see

will be attributed to you, as well. So, how do we get our

best look onto the screen? Well, you’ll be light years ahead of the

competition if you have professional headshots taken. Just like your

phone number and e-mail are the most important things

on your business card, when it comes to websites, the headshot

reigns supreme. I know that will go against what a lot of people

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think, that surely it’s flashing lights and things to click that get people

to like your site, but after networking with receptionists and event

planners for years, I can tell you what they say behind the scenes. And

for the most part it’s not pretty. People will talk about your polka-dot

suit (in a bad way) far more than how much they liked the spades

floating down the screen of your homepage. So, before

headshots (which comes before website) we must answer something

else.

Take a deep breath, and get ready for some honesty…

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Chapter 8|Study

How Do You Look?

Put this book down and go look at yourself in a mirror. Go

on! I’ll be here when you get back.

Okay, describe the person you just saw. Tall, dark, and handsome?

Short, scrawny, and in need of a haircut? Describe yourself…

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Now is time for some brutal honesty. Is there anything you don’t

like?

I’ll go first. I need more hair. I’m not sure how to get it but I’m

working on it.

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Your turn.

I don’t like:

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Here’s the question of the day, “Can you fix what you just

wrote?” Did you write, “Poor posture?” “Overweight?” “Missing

teeth?” If so, fix it. Make yourself better. Get it done. Being a

professional entertainer is about bringing the best of you to every

gig. If you’re not offering them the best you’ve got, you’re not

committing to your art. It’s not all about tricks, it’s about making

people feel amazing. And the first person you need to make feel

that way is yourself.

Okay, now time for something you do like about yourself!

My teeth, for example, are super white.

Your turn.

I like:

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Okay, so now the question is, how do we accentuate the

positives and eliminate the negatives? Are you overweight and you’re

not happy with it? Are you missing a tooth and it’s been driving you

crazy? Whatever the case may be, if it can be fixed, now is the time

to do it. Because a good headshot photo might last for a few years,

we’re going to make ourselves the best we can be before we capture

it on paper. But we need to be specific. Making plans about the

future isn’t exact enough. So write down the date three months from

today:

3 months from now:

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That is the day you’re going to get your headshots. And it’s plenty of

time to create a whole new you - if that’s what you need. You need

to be honest, if you saw a picture of yourself, would you hire

you? 3 months from now. You’ve written it down. The time to start,

though, is today. Drop and give me twenty!

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Chapter 9|Advice

What Are You Wearing?

Not right now! For your gigs. Believe it or not, this will be one

of your most important decisions and will affect not only how

you look (obviously), but also how you feel! Because now we’re

starting to talk about character. What is character? Well, in essence,

it means the role you’re going to play. Is your character an

easygoing, funny personality? Or is he or she the more mysterious

James Bond type? That person you described a few chapters ago,

what do they look like? All of this will be reflected in how you

dress.

So go get dressed. Put on the actual outfit you’d wear if you were

going to work a gig today. I’ll wait.

Okay, are you wearing anything with pictures of playing cards on it?

If so, take it off. Why? Because clichés are the bronze standard (if

that). And you are the gold standard. Clients in the

corporate, wedding, and private party world want elegant. Cool. Fun.

Not cheesy, outdated, or dangerous. I know you love your card tie. It

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says “magician”. But, trust me, we’re going to let them know that in

another way.

So where does that leave us? Surely we don’t want to all look

the same? How does one stand out if everyone’s wearing the same

suit?

The first thing is to start looking at actors’ headshots. Type

“headshots” into Google and see what comes up. See what

doesn’t come up? No one is wearing a tie that says,

“actor” all over it. Nor is anyone holding onto a copy of

“Acting for Dummies.” So put that card fan away. We’re not selling

the fact that you’re a magician. They already know that. That’s why

they’re on your website. What we’re trying to sell them now is you.

So take a look online, find someone you like, and see if it blends with

your character. And it’s not just the clothes they’re wearing that

we’re looking at but also how they stand, their pose, where they

are looking, how they are looking, what tilt is their head at, how they

have their hair, etc. Start studying these pictures and emulating

them. Businesses hire models for ads because models sell things

without saying a word. You are the model for your business. So start

selling. And start saving while you’re at it! If your headshot costs

less than $200, you’re probably not using the best there is. No shots

from friends. Hire a professional; after all, that’s exactly

what we want our clients to do.

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Chapter 10|Anecdote

Funny Or Serious?

Before we click that camera shutter, we must look a little closer at

what we’re becoming first. Brooding and cool, or smiley and

loveable? Like I mentioned at the very beginning of this book, I’ll

tell you what has worked for me and, believe me when I tell you;

I’ve tried them all!

In the end, that age old adage is 100% on point…

Funny is money.

I know what you’re thinking, “What about the guys we see on TV?! The

ones making gazillions of dollars!” Well, I can’t speak for them. All I

can tell you is that if I’m in charge of throwing a party and the

president of my company is telling me it better be good (i.e. fun)

then you can safely assume that I’m going to book someone who I

think is going to make the party fun. You’ll hear what workers

call “the trenches”. Working the trenches is how magicians

describe the work that most of us do and which pays the bills:

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weddings, holiday parties, birthday parties, etc. The key to all of

these is that they’re parties. The event planners are not (for

the most part) looking for serious method acting type evenings of

enchantment.

So what does this mean? Well, it means that for your headshots –

that will go on your website – which will be visited after someone

looks at your business card – which will be handed out when they

ask for it – which will be asked for when you show them how much

fun you are – should be a picture of you smiling. Having

fun. Spreading joy. So when it comes to funny or serious, let me tell

you about the time three guys walked into a bar…

Actually, on that note, what’s the best joke you know?

Write it down here. You’ll be shocked at how often you’ll use it.

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My very first gig I ever did was for a famous photographer

here in town. She had seen me performing magic in the lobby of an

office tower and asked me if I would do magic at her art opening in

exchange for a headshot. Perfecto! The gig was amazing and

soon afterwards she had me come by her studio. Throughout the

shoot, I had my hand to my head and looked like I was trying to do

some complex math in an attempt to look “magic-y”. “Jamie,” she

said, “You need to smile. People like you better when you

smile.” After a thousand gigs, I promise you- she was right.

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Chapter 11|LESSON

Are You Any Good Yet?

Remember those 12 tricks you wrote down? Let’s go back and revisit

them for a second. How good is your pass? Are you able to double

lift better than anyone? Awesome! Unfortunately, that tells us

almost nothing…

Ask yourself- what does “good” mean? I’m not talking about method.

I’m talking about “hire-ability” (I think I just made that word

up). Are you hire-able? And the answer to this question has (almost)

nothing to do with magic tricks. It has more to do with people. Are

you a likeable person? Do people enjoy your company? Do you

have stories, anecdotes, lines, personality? Make no mistake, this is

what will get you hired and invited back.

I still remember meeting Barrie Richardson, who wrote a couple of my favourite

magic books, and he told me his only goal at the end of the event was for the

people who hired him to ask each other, “When can we have him

back?”

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So let me ask you, when you leave a room, are you missed? If not,

why not? Are people, instead, happy to see you go? Maybe you’re a

mean person? Or perhaps you embarrass people? Do you make

cutting side remarks to try and be funny? Because, if you do, a few

great card tricks aren’t going to help you. People don’t

remember what you did, they remember how you made them feel.

Just like you practice your pass, you need to start practicing,

immediately, making people feel good. And it’s not just about

complimenting them or tossing out flattery, even though that’s a

great place to start. The ability to compliment someone, without it

sounding weird is actually hard to do in a convincing matter. So,

without actually performing a single magic trick, write down the

names of three people; and try and make them feel good about

themselves with a single sentence.

1) _______________________________________________

2) _______________________________________________

3) _______________________________________________

I’ll give you a couple of examples. If it’s a male friend I know, but

whom I haven’t seen in awhile: “Dude, you’re looking sharp!

What gym have you been going to?” Notice the question isn’t

“Have you been going to the gym?” There’s a difference there. If it’s a

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woman, I’ll say something like, “Have I ever mentioned that

you have the greatest smile?”

Don’t forget, we need to compliment without…

1) Sounding like we’re kidding.

2) Coming across weird.

3) Having it followed by awkward silence.

The only way to get good is to practice. Practice being

nice. It’ll also help you find the best in people, which is a killer skill

to have. The key is to find something that is potentially believable

that they haven’t realized themselves. I can’t very well ask someone

which gym he’s gone to if he’s totally out of shape. But even saying

something as simple as, “Man, that is a sweet haircut.” can

change someone’s day. For the better. Start doing this. Make

the day of everyone you meet better.

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Chapter 12|Advice

Starting Conversations.

People love to talk about themselves, that’s human nature. So ask

them questions. The key, though, is to ask them questions that they

can answer in a positive way, because for the most part, at gigs,

you’ll be asking them these questions in front of their friends or co-

workers. So asking them how their divorce is going is probably not

the best idea.

And before we go any further, let me tell you right up front that this

chapter is the one that will save you in a future gig. I guarantee it.

Because when you walk into a gig where there are supposed to be

three hundred people and only eight have shown up, it’s the best

conversationalist in the room who is going to be

earning the money.

Here are five of my “go-to” questions to get a conversation going:

1) “The ace of hearts, right?! Amazing!! I know!!! Hey, you look kind

of familiar, where did you go to high-school?”

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2) “The ace of hearts, right?! Amazing!! I know!!! So, does everyone

work here?”

3) “The ace of hearts, right?! Amazing!! I know!!! Hey, who here is

from the grooms’ side and who is from the bride’s side?”

4) “The ace of hearts, right?! Amazing!! I know!!! Hey, so what

exactly do you guys do here, anyways? I’ll be honest, I have no

idea what a flux capacitor is.”

5) “The ace of hearts, right?! Amazing!! I know!!! Hey, who’s the

biggest troublemaker here?”

Now, anyone can ask those questions. The first question isn’t

what makes a conversationalist. It’s how you respond to their

response.

So, what would you say if they responded with the following?

1) Quesnel.

2) Yes. Yes. No. I’m married to her.

3) Groom. Groom. Groom. Groom.

4) It’s a thing for your car.

5) John.

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Write your follow up question here:

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5)_____________________________________________________

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And I’ll give you my responses:

1) What the heck is a “Quesnel? Spell it for me! Is

everyone okay if I curse? Really? Okay, where the

f^$^ is that?!”

2) “Lucky guy! Where did you guys meet? Has

everyone heard this story?”

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3) “Who’s known him the longest?”

4) “C’mon, specifics man! But explain it in twenty

words or less. We’ll count.”

5) “Which one’s John? And, why? What does he do?”

They key is to not let them off the hook. People often

only hate talking at first and feel socially awkward when they feel

like they’re in the presence of a stranger. And the only way to not

be a stranger is to spend time with them. So buy time. The longer

you spend, the better they’ll feel about talking and chatting.

This is what will separate you from everyone else. Because if you can

do this and show them amazing magic at the same time, you’ll be

golden. Don’t forget, your goal isn’t reactions. Your goal is

connections.

Ask questions.

I hope you've enjoyed these first free dozen chapters.

As with everything I do, I don't want there to be any

"surprises"- I want you to know exactly what you're

getting. And these first 12 are just the beginning. As

we go along further into the book, I'll tell you

everything I know about my work as a professional

Walkaround magician, from what my contract looks

like to how I approach groups. Not only that, but I''ll

also be telling you a couple of my secrets that I've

never shared with ANYONE.

I'm super excited! I hope you decide to continue our

journey together.

Your pal,

jamie

[email protected]

www.SendWonder.com

The Approach Free First 12.pdf

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