I had a client who wanted to get an agent. She was disappointed with the auditions she had gotten from other agents because they weren’t right for her and she didn’t land them. She was getting auditions with a lot of dialog and competing against people who were generally younger than her. She wasn’t being appreciated for her true value – her charisma, positive energy, body awareness, and sense of humor.
Many agents told her to strengthen her weaknesses – English and genericness – instead of exploiting her awesome traits.
Process
We didn’t go broad, we went narrow and bold. We contacted agents with this message…
“
Hello, I’m █████. I have:
🔥 A Japanese accent
🔥 A dark sense of humor
🔥 Crazy Physicality
🔥 Hot flashes
Would you consider representing someone like me?
Thank you so much!
█████
“
Resistance
This was scary for her. She imagined how many bridges would be burned by people who saw her embracing her accent instead of getting dialect training. How many would turn away from her based on her age. How many people would black-list her for being a little wild. She went for it anyway. It went out to every agent she could find.
Result
She got an agent that was Chinese American, understood her, and landed her two great auditions within a month.
The lessons to learn
we can look at the big picture of what we really want. Do I want an agent (not necessarily helpful) / do I want perfect gigs (not necessarily in my immediate control) / do I want good job opportunities?
we can figure out what that means and get specific about what that looks like
we can ask for exactly what we want
we can seek out the right people, not just people in general (she didn’t need all the agents. She just needed one)
Here’s my advice for a magician who wanted to make a general marketing video to progress a sales process…
Maybe having a video about how to hire a magician with a lot of transparency (here’s how different magicians price themselves (I price myself based on the amazing value I provide. Some other magicians price themselves this way too. Other people prioritize taking every gig that comes in so they can offer lower rates and are less specialized.), here’s how different magicians perform(my pristine presentation is important to me, other magicians are highly skilled at jumping in to disorganized events and trying to make it work)) would be helpful to your prospects and help them make a decision. They might be looking for a super funny and sloppily dressed magician. In which case you’re not worth the money. Or they might need someone that really breaks peoples brains and elevates an elegant experience.
Educating them (even before the sales call) could be really helpful and it means you’re a trusted source. Then, they and their friends will always come to you first.
We put a lot of work into talking to clients, and offering them proposals or invitations to work with us. We want to get closure or continue the conversation at the least. We don’t want to be ghosted.
There are a multitude of reasons that someone might not respond…
the event was canceled
the budget changed
they have a friend who can do the job instead
they got distracted
they aren’t in a rush
they got overwhelmed by the decision
they feel insecure about making the decision
they have to run it by a committee
they thought they already confirmed
Followup emails often sound like this… “Hi! I never heard back from you. Checking in on that proposal I sent you. Do you have any questions?”
The problem with these emails is that they’re negative and requesting.
Instead I would find a way to be generous and empathetic and positive.
Positive:
Because people want to be around positive people that make them feel good. They book us, they and their guests get more of that positivity
Empathetic:
People have their own interests and they buy for themselves not because someone wants them to.
Generous:
If we’re showing up at every turn with some new gift, they know that we’re on their side and that our performance is also going to be above and beyond what they expect.
Pressure:
The mistake that many followups make is that they are solely focused on pressure. Pressure is very helpful in making a human take something seriously. Our attention is evolutionarily biased toward danger. Social pressure is the danger of being rejected from the tribe and sent to die. Any interaction adds pressure. We don’t need to worry about applying pressure in the content of the message.
The alternative message
So, don’t refer to any missteps on their part. Use positive language. Think of ways to add to their life.
Even if it gets no response, this approach feels better to do anyhow!
Maybe a message like “You just came up in my thoughts. It sparked an idea of an other option for you… in my experience some people planning parties like yours are not as concerned with __ (the main value being offered… eg “a memorable experience” / “guests bonding together” / “elevating the experience with world-class entertainment”) as they are with saving money. Sometimes peoples budgets change suddenly. If you just wanted someone who can do some tricks, I know some high school age magicians who are not very experienced working with crowds and may love giving your event a try. I’d be glad to connect you or help you look at other options. I love getting people the entertainment that best suits their needs.”
The Hollywood Magic Castle is an incredible private club. It’s a really special experience. I’ve helped people get in. I am writing this article to inform people that it’s complicated.
It’s a private club and i’m not a member. I am connected to many performers and members.
Protecting people’s careers
Anyone that i get in would be putting my reputation on the line as well as any member or performer that puts you on the list. Many people – even some of my friends – drink too much or get wild. Then, it’s not good for my business relationships. We in showbiz need strong relationships and we need to be dependable. When I promise someone that folks are cool, I want to come thru on that promise every time.
The castle also has many rules that need to be followed.
So, you could try to develop a friendship with me where I trust you to behave well and inspire me to go through the work of getting in you in to the castle, or you could become a member. The membership would probably be faster.
Guest openings are scarce
When I performed at the castle last time, I was able to bring in 6 guests on a wednesday night for free. Anyone after that needed to pay full door fees and have dinner reservations. Most of these spots are saved for close friends and industry contacts. Since a person’s list is limited they also want to be assured that every guest will show up. If a guest doesn’t show up, or doesn’t follow the rules including the strict dress code, it’s a waste of a valuable pass.
Many people want to come to the castle and it’s a great place for a performer to be showcased. So, they usually want someone who’s good for them to come to the show.
It’s challenging
The way guests are managed is very old school. There isn’t a ticket system or any digital way to organize the guests. That means that a performer or a member must talk to someone about their list. They need to keep track of their own guest list, and the person managing the whole list needs to organize it.
Performers must submit their lists 24hrs in advance
It’s also an option for a member to walk people in. I think they have 4 guests allowable for free each night. After that maximum, the guests each need to pay $25 for entry.
Valet for non-members is $25 + tip
Even the people with dinner reservations who are paying for entry will need to be on a list. After they’re added to the list, they’ll need to call the reservations line and announce they’re on a guest list before making their dinner reservation. Dinner reservations are limited also. Food is not at a competitive price.
If you come to me, I need to…
figure out what connection I have to get a person in.
I have to then figure out how to communicate with that connection.
Then, get approval from them.
check back in with you
introduce you two
make sure that any questions are answered
The connection person needs to…
check with their current list counts for each night
communicate with me
communicate with you
add you to the list
they might feel obligated to say hi to you after the show too
I’m your friend
If you’re already someone whom I trust and like, and you want me to introduce you to a performer, the only performers that can get you on the list are the ones performing the night you’d like to visit. I don’t know the booking schedule in advance. So, you’ll probably need to check in with me the week of your visit so that I can check the lineup and see if I can connect you.
Other people will get ahead because you won’t do the work you hate.People say they have to deal with a lot of to be able to do the fun stuff. What if it was all fun stuff? I think it’s possible. Less crappy, more happy!
Many great entertainers are underpaid because they can’t talk to someone who wants to book them. I did the research for you on how to sell so you don’t have to deal with it. if you’re losing possible pay because of your sales, let’s fix it now. Hire me to be your action partner and I’ll take away your sales issues.
to be able to do the fun stuff. What if it was all fun stuff? I think it’s possible. Less crappy, more happy!