Profitable Performances Newsletter
February 2009
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'Helping to put the PRO in Profit'
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Happy Groundhogs Day!
(One of my favorite movies is Groundhogs Day
with Bill Murray. Do you like it?)
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In This Issue:
1) Strategies for the Recession: Restaurant Workers
2) A Clever Trick: Table Manners
3) MagicBase Pro News
4) A practical gift for you
5) See the Trailer for The Comedy Bill Bar-B-Que
6) Looking for part-time work?
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#1 - Dealing with a "Recession" - Restaurant Magicians
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I heard of one magician who was at a restaurant that wanted to cut
his services. How did he deal with it? He took a temporary pay cut,
working the same hours, for less money.
Is this the best way to handle a potential cut from a restaurant?
I'll tell you my ideas, then I'd like to hear from you.
If you work the same hours for less pay, then you're telling the
restaurant that that is what your work is REALLY WORTH.
And you may also be telling them that you were ripping them off by
charging them more.
Of course, if you need the work, then you may not want to just
completely walk away from the restaurant. But I'd start looking
immediately for a different restaurant. But, while you're looking,
you could offer to PERFORM LESS hours FOR LESS PAY.
That's a more equitable solution for you, and it continues to
keep up the value of what you're offering a restaurant.
A different solution is to tell the restaurant, that, in order to give
them some financial relief, you will occasionally be taking other
jobs on the same night as your restaurant gig. So they would save
a few dollars when you're not there. Of course, the danger of
this approach is that they may decide that they can run their
restaurant without you. -- But you're doing this because they
are already thinking that. So, it may be a strategy that keeps
you on there for awhile.
What ideas do you have about fighting a potential
cancellation of a restaurant job? Send your answers
by email to me.
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#2 - Table Manners by Sean Carpenter
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The January issue of The Linking Ring had a British Ring Parade.
There is a GREAT trick in it by Sean Carpenter.
I was struck immediately by the clever obfuscation of this
table-hopping trick:
Effect: A spectator selects an unknown card from one regular
deck and places the card under any object on the table
(for example a bottle.)
Then the second special deck of cards is shown:
There is a different word written on the back of each card. The
words are objects that are likely to be found in a restaurant
setting. The card with "bottle" written on the back is turned over
to reveal the face of the card. Then the card under the bottle
is shown- and the faces match!
To get the full description and the method of this trick, I'll
point you to p.83 of the January issue of TLR.
When I read it, I immediately developed my solution to it.
But the method that Mr. Carpenter created is much more
direct then my initial guess.
What I like about this trick is that there are two different
variables that the magician apparently had no control over:
which card is chosen AND which object the card is placed
under. Even if a spectator were to decide that the
magician influenced the card choice, he certainly
wouldn't conclude that the magician also influenced which
object was selected.
Try this trick. The reactions are very strong!
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#3 - MagicBase Pro News
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MAGICBASE PRO IS FOR SALE FROM
MAGIC DEALERS AROUND THE WORLD NOW.
The wholesale company, Murphy's Magic is now offering
MagicBase Pro to all of their dealers. Tell your performing
friends to ask for it at their favorite dealer's.
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YOU COULD BE IN A MagicBase Pro AD:
Would you like to have your face and your review of MagicBase Pro
in a magazine ad? You could: Just send us your review.
See the website for more information.
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Do you have MagicBase Pro yet?
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#4 - MagicBase Pro News
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I often get hired for special birthdays like someone's 40th, 50th
or 75th birthday.
Here's a trick that you can do, and the computer file to do it:
I say to the audience that "Sometimes people choose cards that
have a special meaning for them. Like, a woman who likes jewelry
might choose diamonds, or someone in love may choose hearts."
Then I have the birthday guest of honor (celebrating her 50th
birthday) to choose a card from the deck and to show the
audience. And, amazingly, she chooses a card that has special
meaning to her: The 50 of Diamonds!
I have computer files for you to have if you'd like to try this trick.
The cards are digital files that you can print. They are designed at
300 dpi and will be just the right size to paste onto the
face of card.
It doesn't matter to the recipient that this is just a made-up
card because it gets a good laugh and is a memento of
the celebration.
To get yours, I just ask for one thing in return: send me the
email address of a performing friend that you think might
be interested in receiving Profitable Performances eNewsletter.
When you do, I'll send them a welcome email and an offer to
subscribe. And I'll email to you a digital file, either the 40, 50,
or 75 of diamonds. Just tell me which one you want.
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#5 - See the Preview of The Comedy Bill Bar-B-Que video
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Are you looking for a great audience tested routine with
guaranteed laughs?
I've been performing the Comedy Bill Bar-B-Que for a decade.
I just posted a digital version online now.
See a preview of this hilarious routine at this link:
http://www.bobmillermagic.biz/BillBBQ.html
If you buy this download, you also get a bonus eTrick
'Knot LInked!' It's a close-up rubber band trick.
One band disappears and only a knot remains.
So you can get a great closing routine and a
bonus trick for only $10.
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A word from our sponsor:
Is your club looking for a UNIQUE LECTURE THAT HAS NEVER
BEEN DONE BEFORE?
I'm starting to book dates for my Borrowed And Memorized Deck
Lecture. It is an introduction to how to memorize cards on the fly
while you do card tricks.
I have an eBook on the subject. Read about it here:
http://www.bobmillermagic.biz/BAMad.html
Request information by email.
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#6 - A Great Part-Time Job
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Would you like to have an additional income source?
Magic is my main source of income, but not my only source.
One of the reasons that my income has increased in the
last year is because of diversification.
I'm looking for performers who want to make residual income
showing people a program that will help them to get out of debt
quickly, pay off their mortgage and manage their finances.
Are you that person?
Here is the link to the company that I'm working with.
If you're interested, please contact me:
http://www.unitedfirstfinancial.com/moneymergepage.html
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YOU MAY FREELY DISTRIBUTE THIS NEWSLETTER-
It's recommended!
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Bob Miller
P.S.
Are you looking for a great shopping cart
and email broadcasting service?
Check this out:
http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?pr=1&id=74266
I use it all the time!
