Booking / Hiring a magician Tips and Advice

* Photos, Photos, Photos:
Check that there is photographic evidence on their web site and the magician can be seen performing and getting a positive reaction from the people being entertained. There should be a good variety of photos taken at many different functions and venues. This web site (dorianmagic.com) has in the region of 80+ different photos spread out throughout the site that show magician Dorian performing.

* Lights, Camera, Action!
Video clips of the performer interacting with the audience are ideal. As with photos be sure the audience is reacting in a happy, excited and positive way. If the spectators are having a ball and really enjoying themselves in the video's then it's a good indicator of how they will enjoy themselves at your party or function.

* Money Back Guarantee:
If an entertainer doesn’t guarantee his work, there may be a reason they are not prepared to do so!

* Professional:
The word professional is very much misused. Some hobbyist magicians call themselves professional because they charge money for what they do. They basically just ‘show tricks' and not perform and entertain. A genuine full-time professional will have a highly polished act. If magic is the only source of income then the act must be nothing less than fantastic and amazing.

* It’s good to talk:
Talking to the entertainer on the telephone about your requirements can help you gauge their personality and experience.

* Recommendation of quality:
If possible ensure the Magician's testimonials, references and appraisals are legitimate and can be proved if necessary. It is a well known fact that appraisals can just be made up and not necessarily true (e.g. “You we're amazing, many thanks” from Mr. Evans) A quality entertainer should be able to back-up/prove the appraisals and pieces of kudos he has gained.

* The Price:
One of the most common questions is HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO HIRE A MAGICIAN?.. Well the truth is that every job has to be taken on it's own merit and requirements. Many people make the error of allowing the fee be the only deciding factor. There are a number of factors that have to be taken into consideration before a fair and accurate quote can be given. Things such as the date, performance times, location etc. Asking the question "how much does a magician cost to hire" is a bit like asking how much does a train ticket? or how much does a car cost?

* Your budget:
As with all products at the end of the day you get what you pay for. If you have been quoted a very low fee, this may well reflect the quality of their work and the lack of experience and confidence at entertaining at a high level.

* Full time, all the time:
Is the magician a full-time professional? or does he just do a bit of magic on the side? Remember a professional has to be good at the job and absolutely dependable if it's what feeds the family and keeps a roof over their heads.

In most cases if a magician/entertainer isn’t full time, it may mean he:
1. Does not have a good enough show.
2. Is lacking in experience.
3. Is simply not proficient and dependable enough to support a full time career as a magician.

Generally those who make their living as magicians have got to be good enough to carry on receiving great appreasals and repeat bookings. They will tend to be more talented and more professional than those who merely do it as a sideline.

For your money you deserve the best you can get, so don't be afraid to ask if your magician is a full-time professional.

* Insurance Assurance:
It's a very safe bet that nothing will go wrong during a close-up magicians act, but it's good to know that all the angles are covered. Make sure you book / hire a magician that has Public Liability Insurance.

* Easily accessible:
It's always best for piece of mind that the performer has a land line telephone number as well as a mobile number. It establishes they have some kind of base. It's also the best back-up should their mobile phone get lost, stolen or damaged, especially if you need to speak to them urgently.

* The Good, the Bad and the Ugly:
What’s the difference between a good close up magician and a bad one?
A GOOD close up magician will give you a highly entertaining experience you will remember for a very, very long time. They will have years of experience and have performed at many thousands of events and would be willing to share their knowledge with any prospective clients to enhance the success of your event.
A BAD magician could well make you hate magic altogether and not want to ever see another magic effect again. Due to their lack of experience, expertise and terrible social skills they would treat your guests or clients like fools, insulting guests, turning up late, upset people with inappropriate material and generally create a bad experience for everybody.
The UGLY truth is that there are some unscrupulous magicians who claim to be full time professionals and are delivering a sub-standard service and these individuals are damaging the industry.

* Try before you buy:
It is often possible that you can meet the magician and see him perform before committing to hire. Any magician that is confident in his work would be more than pleased to meet up with you to give you a demonstration of his performance. One thing to keep in mind is that if they are a busy full-time professional it may be difficult to arrange. On the flip side a well-travelled magician that works all over the country might be right on your doorstep in the near future and can pop around at little or no expense at all.

* Well travelled:
A top class professional magician will travel the length and breadth of the country and indeed all over the world. The place where the magician lives has no bearing on where he works.

* Experienced:
Don't be afraid to ask the magician how the magic can best work for your event. An experienced magician will have performed thousands of times under many different circumstances and should be able to advise how they can perform to the best of their ability for your event.

* Memberships:
Keep in mind there is no recognised body that guarantee the quality of magicians in the UK. There are many clubs and magic circles that have magicians as members, but there is no club or society that regulates or can certify the quality of magicians. For example anyone can buy membership to a motor club, but it does not make them a better driver.

* The bottom line...
... is that there are a lot of pretenders out there that are advertising themselves on the web as pro magicians. You want your event to be remembered for the right reasons. Hopefully the above information will guide your hand to a well informed and wise choice.