How to Hire a Magician

Having performed magic for children for over 25 years, here are some suggestions on how to find the best magician for your audience:

1) Are they a children’s magician?

If you’re looking for a magician to entertain an audience of children, make sure this is what they primarily do. Magicians are like any other professional, they tend to specialize. Make sure you’re hiring a magician who specializes in entertaining children.

2) Can they provide a video of their show?

Seeing is believing! In today’s day and age it’s a lot easier for a magician to pull out their phone and provide potential clients with a sample of their performance. If they can’t provide a video, but you think they’d do a good job, make sure they can at least provide pictures from a number of their shows.

3) Did you speak directly to the magician?

Insist on speaking directly to the entertainer. Just because you liked the person who answered the phone, there is no guarantee that you’re going to like the person who they send out to do your party. Believe it or not, some of these magicians can be real prima donnas—you should know that before they get to your party.

4) Did they provide reviews?

Can they provide tons of reviews for the specific magician who will performing at your party? If not, why not? Great entertainers get tons of reviews and they’re smart enough to make them readily available to prospective clients.

5) Do you know who they really are?

When my plumbing breaks, I want ask the people I trust to recommend a plumber they trust. The same holds true for a magician. Check your neighborhood bulletin board, and ask your friends for a referral. If you can’t find a magician through a referral, make sure you know WHO they are. With social media today, it’s very easy to get a 360 degree  view of this person. Insist on being provided with their first and last name, not just their stage name. You may even find that you have some mutual contacts on LinkedIn.

6) Do they offer a guarantee?

The best, most confident magicians offer a guarantee. They either have absolute confidence in their ability to delight every audience or they don’t. If they do, why wouldn’t they provide a guarantee? If they believe in their product/service, it’s just good marketing sense to provide a guarantee. If they aren’t wiling to do it, then don’t hire them.