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. If the photos on the web site mostly show just the performer holding a fan of cards and smiling at the camera then be cautious. All this proves that they can hold a deck of cards and not verify they have a quality act that can entertain, amuse and amaze an audience.

* 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 / function.

* 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. For your money you deserve the best magician you can get.

* Professional:
The word professional is very much misused. Some part-time magicians call themselves professional because they charge money for a non-professional act where 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.

* 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.

* 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?.. Well the truth is that every job has to be taken on it's own merit and requirements. 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 is a Train Ticket?"

* Your budget:
As with all products at the end of the day you get what you pay for. If your budget is very tight then hiring or booking a magician may not be the answer. If another magician has quoted you an enticingly low price then you can almost be sure that they are either a kids entertainer or amateur who is not a specialists in the field of entertaining a sophisticated, grown up audience. Their fee reflects the quality of their work and the lack of experience and confidence at entertaining at a high level.

* 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 one could well make you hate magic altogether and not want to ever see another magic effect again. They would treat your guests or clients like fools which would create a bad experience for everybody.
The UGLY truth is that there are some unscrupulous magicians who claim to be full time professionals 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-traveled 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.

* 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.

* Well traveled:
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.

* 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.