5 Tips For How To Get The Most Out Of Your Magician

Magicians, like Jeff Newman, will have plenty of suggestions about how to make your shows the most engaging, memorable, and enjoyable.

So, you’ve hired a magician or mentalist for your event. Yet, it still seems stressful…after all, you’ve shelled out the big bucks for entertainment for your guests, and you want it to be amazing, right?

I get it…you want your event to be as memorable as possible, including the entertainment. And while most professional magicians can put on an incredible show, there are some things that you can do to make sure your entertainer has the best chance to wow your guests. So I thought I’d share some tips to make sure your entertainment is spectacular!

1. READ. THE. RIDER. ​

When you hire a top-tier entertainer, they will have a rider. This document outlines the needs, requirements, or expectations of the performer and generally covers things like lighting, sound, stage setup, and more. This document is essentially a checklist for what the performer needs to put on a great show for you and your guests. Generally, these riders are relatively simple, especially for corporate events or audiences. But, in some cases, some things may need addressing before the event to make sure everything goes off without a hitch.

Make sure that you read the rider thoroughly, from beginning to end. Most entertainers (the good ones, at least) will be more than willing to help if you have any questions or work around any limitations you, your event, or your venue may also have. And make sure you reach out with plenty of time to make any necessary adjustments or arrangements.

2. Set The Stage…And The Room

The hardest corporate events or shows I’ve ever performed at have been the ones where the audience is a mile away from the stage. Or where the audience is set up in a way that they can’t see or interact with the show in a meaningful way.

Examples of this include things like a dance floor between the audience and the stage, giant table centrepieces that block the view from the guests’ tables, seating arrangements where a large chunk of the audience is facing the other direction or things like pillars or walls that obstruct the view of the show.

Now, understandably, some of these factors are tough to avoid…but the best way to handle it is to reach out to your magician before your event and even supply a floorplan if you can. The more notice, the better, so if something needs to be adjusted, there’s plenty of time to make any changes.

3. Prep Your Audience

Even if you’ve hired the best magician in the world, it won’t matter if your audience isn’t paying attention. So, how do you fix this?

First, give ample warning that the show is about to start. Give your guests a ten-minute, five-minute, and two-minute notice that the performance is about to begin and to take their seats. Second, don’t introduce the entertainment until everyone is seated, paying attention, and their seats are turned towards the stage. Lastly, make sure someone of authority (an MC, your CEO, a manager, or a guest of honour) introduces the magician.

This may seem like a lot, but it’s far simpler than a lot of people realize…in fact, a lot of entertainers send step-by-step instructions with their intro along with their rider or other information and are more than happy to go through it with you to make sure it’s good to go!

4. Nobody Likes Surprises

I’ll say it again. Nobody likes surprises.

Some of the most difficult audiences I’ve had were those who had no idea I would be there.

Magic, by nature, is an interactive show. And, for many people, that’s enough to be turned off before the show even starts.

Maybe they’re shy. Maybe they’ve had a bad experience on stage or in front of people before. Maybe they’ve been embarrassed on stage by a sub-par performer.

A good performer will be able to alleviate most of these concerns, but it’s much, much harder when the audience has just found out, and the panic that they feel hasn’t had a chance to pass. So, if you plan on making a magic show a surprise, I highly recommend you reconsider and give your guests ample time to adjust before the event.

In fact, telling people that you’ve hired a magician or a mentalist for your event can actually increase the excitement around an event, resulting in an even higher number of guests attending.

5. Hearing And Seeing Is Paramount

For small groups, a small open space in a room is usually enough for a performer to be easily seen and heard by the crowd. But, as the event scales up, more accommodations are likely needed for the audience to enjoy and engage with the show.

This may mean things like risers or a stage, an upgraded sound system, a projector, or more. Generally, these requirements will be in the performer’s rider (see point number one) and outline the requirements for different sizes or types of events. Check in with your performer to see what is required, and how you can work with them and your venue to set up the space for success.

While the performer is the one responsible for setting up and performing for your guests, there are plenty of things that you can do to set up and plan your event so that you and your guests get the best value out of your entertainment. True pros will have no problem working with you to make sure your event is a success, and, in fact, most expect it. Many experienced performers will have plenty of suggestions about how to make their shows the most engaging, memorable, and enjoyable. So be sure to follow the tips above, and you’ll have a show at your event that your guests will not stop talking about!

Message me and I'll make sure you get the most out of my performance.