Do you 'do a few magic tricks'?

Would you like to turn Professional?

Want to know how? First, look at your performance. Do all of your magic tricks go as planned - and if some don't, can you recover without getting flustered?

Can you put on a half hour performance of varied style? Can you vary your style according to your audience? If you are playing to the same audience again, can you give them a different experience to the one they saw the first time? (i.e. - can you do two half hour performances - or more?)

If you are not sure about any of this, get your best friend - or better, someone who really doesn't like you (we all have at least one 'friend' or relative who is always criticising; make use of them) - to sit through an hour or so of you performing, and give you an honest opinion! Work on the parts of your performance that they suggest are weak, before finding someone else to endure the performance.

You might want to add some humour to your act; this is often lacking in beginners as they are concentrating so much on the mechanics of the magic trick that they forget to entertain. Don't concentrate so much on the 'trick' as on the effect.

If you have, or can borrow the equipment, record your performance on video. Then watch it several times. Be your own fiercest critic.

When you have polished your performance to your own satisfaction, arrange a couple of free performances to raise money for your favourite charity. They should be in different towns; choose large and busy towns as there will be more prospective clients in them. This will give you brownie points in the eyes of the public and bring you to their attention. Make sure your business cards and any literature you have are on display and available for people to take away.

There are three advantages to this method, over newspaper adverts; it is cheaper (cost of the hall comes out of the money raised for the charity) and it means you get to practice your act, and people get to see what you do; they won't get that from reading your ad.

If your aim is to do Stage Magic; make sure some agent(s) attend. If you want to do Kids Parties, invite parents. Whatever your aim, invite the press!

About the Author

Andy Canning has created a Website for fellow magicians - amateur or professional - at http://www.magic.4funandprofit.co.uk where he offers free magic tricks for you to learn and sources for all your magical needs.