| Magicians LOVE restaurant work. They flock to | | | | marketing is showing the potential client the |
| restaurants like sea gulls to the sea shore. | | | | 'benefit' of your services. It's not |
| Of course, the reason is obvious.. | | | | important that you're the club 'magician of |
| restaurants have been, and continue to be, | | | | the year', or the former magician at one of |
| one of the primary venues where magicians can | | | | their competitors. It's not important that |
| perform their magic and earn a substantial | | | | you're super friendly, talented, |
| income. Restaurants have also long been one | | | | multi-lingual, or ambidextrous. What IS |
| of the primary training grounds for good | | | | important is - what can you do for the |
| close-up magicians, who develop their | | | | restaurant to justify their paying you to |
| routines and performing personas while | | | | perform. How can your performance put money |
| entertaining strangers in a public | | | | in THEIR pocket. It's that simple.If you can |
| setting.Why the relationship between | | | | convince a restaurant owner/GM that you have |
| restaurants and magicians? Restaurants, like | | | | the ability to prevent potential customers |
| all businesses, are constantly striving to | | | | from becoming frustrated by long waits and |
| bring customers through the door, especially | | | | long lines and taking their dollars |
| during the mid-week. Mondays, Tuesdays, and | | | | elsewhere, that you can keep customers "in |
| Wednesdays are typically slow days for | | | | line and happy" - you have your foot firmly |
| restaurants, and the idea of having a | | | | in the door.Propose to the owner/GM that they |
| performer, such as a magician, clown, or | | | | hire you to keep waiting customers |
| baloon artist, on site to entertain and | | | | entertained. How many parties do you have to |
| encourage customers who may not otherwise | | | | persuade to stay to pay your salary? With the |
| come to the restaurant mid-week, is the sole | | | | average bill for a party of four at a |
| reason why many magicians have a job at | | | | national chain running from eighty to one |
| all.For the magician, this has meant a | | | | hundred dollars - not many.Entertaining |
| variety of work during the early part of the | | | | waiting guests is an ideal situation for |
| week, and then a hustle toward the weekend to | | | | magicians. Now, your job is more that of a |
| line up profitable gigs. This lack of work on | | | | strolling entertainer than a table-hopper. |
| Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays has led | | | | You can entertain customers without the |
| many a magician to continue to hold down | | | | distraction of food, drinks, and wait staff. |
| full-time jobs to make ends meet...Maybe... | | | | You can develop a rapport with your audience, |
| just maybe... I can change that trend in your | | | | since you should have their undivided |
| life and get you on the list of 'full-time | | | | attention.You will help customers pass the |
| professionals'.Restaurants that have empty | | | | time, and turn their wait into a (hopefully) |
| tables during the week typically have long | | | | memorable experience. Restaurants will see |
| lines waiting on those same tables on the | | | | customers returning weekly for the enjoyment |
| weekend, at least at most national chains | | | | of both good food and good entertainment. |
| like Outback, Applebees, Ruby Tuesdays, and | | | | This should be a win-win-win for the |
| TGIF, for example. Of course, most | | | | restaurant,the customer, and YOU.Working as a |
| communities have locally owned restaurants | | | | strolling magician may require you to alter |
| that face the same 'problem'.. if you want to | | | | your routine somewhat, but it'll be well |
| call it that...Restaurants love 'problems' | | | | worth it. I think you'll find the change |
| like this. Customers waiting outside their | | | | re-invigorating. Working table-hopping during |
| doors are a sign, of sorts, that their | | | | the week and strolling on weekends adds a |
| establishments are popular eateries. But... | | | | certain diversity to your performances that |
| there IS a downside that many restaurants | | | | will actually make you look forward to both |
| fail to address, in part because they don't | | | | styles, and make you a more well-rounded |
| know HOW to address it.Dollars are dollars, | | | | performer as well.Depending on the type of |
| and any time potential customers walk away | | | | waiting area your restaurant has, you may be |
| from one restaurant and go to another, the | | | | able to sit up a small table and perform a |
| first establishment is a loser, regardless of | | | | more 'parlor style' of magic, and let the |
| how many customers they have waiting in line. | | | | waiting customers come to you to be |
| You never want your customers to eat anywhere | | | | entertained. This would extend your |
| else.As wonderful a car as a Mercedes can be, | | | | repertoire and allow you to control angles, |
| Mercedes dealers don't want you to ever test | | | | but, alas... not all restaurants have the |
| drive a Jaguar or a BMW. They want you to | | | | room to accommodate this style.Since you will |
| come back to their dealership, without | | | | not solicit tips, the restaurant will have to |
| hesitation, every time you're ready to buy a | | | | pay for your services directly, which should |
| new car. There may be something as simple as | | | | be the case anyway. But the amount of money |
| the way a Jaguar's motor purrs, or the new | | | | you can save the restaurant should FAR more |
| car smell of the BMW that entices a Mercedes | | | | than cover your income.Take this idea, add |
| owner to switch brands. Dealers don't want to | | | | your personal twist to it, and see if it |
| take that chance, and they will bend over | | | | doesn't have the power to change the way you |
| backwards to make sure you make their | | | | look at restaurant work.Rick Carruth is the |
| dealership your first, and only, | | | | editor of Magic Roadshow... magic's Premier |
| choice..Restaurants have the same problem. | | | | Free newsletter. A selection of articles, |
| They can lose a customer to a competitor over | | | | tips, tricks, interviews, and resources are |
| a piece of cheesecake or a choice of | | | | included in each issue. |
| music.One of the first rules of successful | | | | |