If you want to hire a Magician the process can be quite daunting.
How much should you pay?
Is expensive better?
Where do you find Magicians near me?
What qualifications should they have?
How long have they been performing?
Are they full time?
Does any of this really matter?
Most people will jump on Google and search up local Magicians or Magicians near me – A lot of people book me by searching for “Magicians in Berkshire or “Magicians in Hampshire” or Magician Surrey as that is where I am based.
You are then faced with about 20 Magicians to choose from, so you start clicking on the websites and seeing if any have videos you can watch, you then find one you like and send them and email and you hear nothing back!
So you email another and you don’t hear anything.
My advice is to phone the Magician
Straight away you can hear what they are like, are they personable, do they engage well, are they cocky or easy to talk to.
You will be inviting this person to your wedding or party and they will be mixing with your friends and family so you want them to be nice.
So once you have found a Magician you like these are the 7 questions I would recommend you ask them.
7 Questions to ask a Magician
- Are you available on my date?
- How much do you charge per hour, do you have any packages?
- Are you in the Magic Circle?
- How long have you been performing?
- Can we meet you before booking?
- Do you perform for Children?
- What happens if you are unable to perform at our event?
I will now expand on each question and explain the best or worst responses you can get.
Are you available on my date?
This one should be the first question and most obvious, it’s pointless continuing any conversation if your chosen Magician is already booked on your date. It may seem obvious but you would be surprised how many clients contact me and just say “How much to perform at my wedding?”
How much do you charge per hour and do you have any packages?
Once you have established your Magician is available you want to find out how much it’s going to cost, this will either be an a per hour basis or most Magicians have a few set packages they offer.
I personally offer a 2 hour, 3 hour and 5 hour package for weddings and then work on an hourly basis for all other events.
Are you in the Magic Circle?
Whilst the answer to this question should not really affect your decision to hire a Magician, being in the Magic Circle, the most prestigious Magic Society in the world especially in the UK establishes the Magician as having a certain level of credibility.
It’s not easy to get into the Magic Circle, you have to be nominated in and pass an interview and a performance audition so it does provide a certain level of assurance that the Magician you are hiring will be of a certain standard.
But if you have seen the Magician perform and you are happy with their style and ability not being in the Magic Circle should not be a negative point.
How long have you been performing?
This question is probably a bit more important than the previous one. Just as you don’t to hire a plumber who has just started learning last week, you don’t want to hire a Magician who has only been doing a card tricks for a few months.
Most professional Magicians have been performing since they were children and it’s more of a passion than just a job.
Can we meet you before booking?
This is a good question to ask as most Magicians if they are able to will be happy to meet before a client books to show them a few tricks and let them get to know you a bit better.
Sometimes it’s just not practical and most of my clients are happy to watch my Magician Videos to get a good idea of the type of performer I am. Some will be weary that all you want is a quick free magic show and have no intention of booking you.
If possible I am always happy to meet clients for a coffee if I am in the area. Especially for weddings, you want to make sure you are hiring the right people.
Do you perform for Children?
The correct answer to this question is “Yes I am more than happy to perform for children if there are any at your party / wedding”
The wrong answer to this question is “No, I am an adult magician and I don’t perform for children”
This should raise alarm bells as unless it’s a corporate event, every party or wedding I have been to has some children in attendance and children love magic.
I am personally not a children’s entertainer and will not sit a group of 5 year old’s on the floor and deliver a 45 minute magic show.
I will however be more than happy to perform any of my tricks to any children that are at a party or wedding.
What happens if you are unable to perform at our event?
This is a VERY important question and one that most people never ask.
And they should.
You have planned your party or wedding and are expecting a Magician to provide some amazing entertainment for all your guests, what you don’t want is a phone call on Saturday afternoon saying.
“Really sorry but I can’t make it tonight, I’m not feeling very well or I’ve double booked myself, hope you have a great party”
I personally work with many Magicians and most of my best friends are Magicians.
Now, life happens and people get sick, you get stuck in traffic etc. This cannot be avoided.
If I am unable to get to an event due to sickness of family emergencies I will make a few phone-calls and be able to supply a replacement magician to take my place.
If you are hiring a young magician just starting out who does not have this support network, you have to accept the risk that they might not turn up and if they can’t who can they send in their place.
2 years ago my father had a heart-attack (he’s fine and is still going strong) but I got the call on Friday afternoon when I was due to attend a Christmas Party that evening and then another on the Saturday evening.
I got straight into my car and headed to the hospital which was a 3 hour drive. On the way I called my best friend and said “Do you want a Christmas Party tonight and tmw night?” He was not working and said yes please happy to help out and he took my place for both events and the clients were very happy.
I was also sure of his abilities and would be more than happy for anyone I work with to replace me at any event.
Conclusion
So I hope these questions will help you in the process of Magician Hire and you feel more informed about the kind of questions you need to ask a Magician you are looking to book for your next event.
