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Success in Booking Engagements

By MICA CALFEE

Mica Calfee has been a performing magician and juggler for decades and has been a member of various organizations for magicians and jugglers since 1972. Although he has never relied on the money derived from entertaining as his principle income, he has always considered himself a professional. Like many jugglers, he wondered why the really good jobs with the good fees were so few and far between. If you are wondering the same about your performance fees, then hopefully this article and its follow-up in the Fall issue will lead you to more success in booking engagements.

Has this ever happened to you? You book yourself at a party or festival for three or four hours at a fee of $30 or $40 an hour. When it's time to receive your check, you discover that the magician who was there for two hours was paid $200-$300?

There's a reason for this. It's not that the magician was that much more entertaining. The problem is that your clients expect to pay less for a juggler. What can we do to help jugglers (that is to say, you!) get the performance fees you deserve? Here are some ideas:

1. Stop helping the public believe that jugglers aren't worth much.

2. Appraise your act. Know it's value.

3. Learn how to negotiate higher performance fees.

And last, but perhaps most important...

4. Always conduct business with a high sense of ethics.

This article and its conclusion in the Fall issue will cover these subjects and help you find more information on these topics. Some of the information comes from my own experience, learning through trial and error. But I have also learned much from other performers, and will give them credit whenever possible.

I opened by using a magician as my example of someone getting the big money. The truth is, magicians have the same problem. I know because I work as much as a magician as I do as a juggler. For years I was strictly a magician, and was working for peanuts. I knew I was a good magician and occasionally would receive a good fee. More often, though, I would be paid barely enough to cover expenses and support my "hobby." Once I began employing some of the techniques in this series of articles, the money I received from part-time performing went from $3,000 to $10,000 in one year.

The advantages magicians have, if any, is that there are many more articles like this one and other sources of information on selfpromotion and securing higher compensation for services. Some of the sources that can help jugglers, even though they are written for other fields, include Michael Ammar's audio tapes, "Making Magic Memorable" and "Negotiating Higher Performance Fees," and Zig Ziglar's "Secrets of Closing the Deal."

When I finally began listening to what successful entertainers were saying, I heard many things that I already knew. The one question in my mind was, "If I know this stuff, why am I not doing it this way?" I hope you can use my years of experience and the years of those to whom I have listened. Seek out successful entertainers and profit from the experience they have acquired. Then give them yours in return. Let's get on now with ensuring that you collect the fees you are worth.

1. Stop Helping the Public Believe That Jugglers Aren't Worth Much.

I believe I once heard a very well-known performer say that it was detrimental to the profession for a juggler to work for small fees. It took me a while to understand what he meant.

Each time a juggler works for $20 an hour, he or she has set the price for years to come in the mind of at least one person - or of many more once the client tells friends what a great deal he or she got. One of the sad truths is that it is made worse if the juggler is a good entertainer.

Another problem is tips. I know that there are many jugglers out there who would never trade their tip hat for straight fees. That's fine: But I must caution you that if the public believes you just performed a 20-30 minute show for $5-$10, you just set the price of a professional juggler in their minds at $10-$20 an hour.

There are many checklists to help guide entertainers in establishing goals and developing marketing plans in the book Marketing Your Service by Jean Withers and Carol Vipperman. One important item in this book was a quote credited to marketing strategy consultant Chuck Heinrich. He defines marketing as "The process of making others value your service." I think we can learn from his words.

Another warning - watch out for the "E" word! The instant someone mentions "exposure," an alarm should go off in your head. There might be occasions where you want to donate your services, but look out!

This may sound materialistic and mercenary, but you can't pay the rent or buy beans with exposure points. My suggestion - offer to donate your time if you feel it is a worthy cause, but point out to the client that exposure was not a consideration, and deduct the fee you would have charged as a donation. Then get a receipt for your tax records.

In summary, each time you agree on a price for your services you elevate or diminish the value of live entertainment. That's an awesome responsibility.

2. Appraise Your Act. Know Its Value.

Do you think your act is worthy of $50 an hour? Great! But why do you feel that way? Can you sit down and put the reasons on paper? If you do that, you might find that your act is worth $65 an hour.

Take into consideration your skill level, the variety you offer, your experience, prices in your area and other factors.

One of the most important things to consider is the originality of your act. Will people remember you as just another juggler? You might be very good, but are you so different that people will come to an event or show because your name is on the bill?

Or, you might work from the other direction.

Let's say you would like to earn $55 an hour. In your opinion, or the opinion of agents and colleagues, what would be worth that price? This will allow you to set goals. Once you attain the level of performance you would like, you can ask for your price with confidence.

In order to determine the value of your act it may be necessary to put it to a test. One place to do this is comedy clubs. Many comedy clubs have what is called "open mike nights." Contact the club manager about trying out new material on one of these nights. The managers know that everybody needs a place to work the bugs out of a new act. But be warned, the club managers with whom I have dealt are somewhat afraid of jugglers. Also keep in mind just how ruthless these audiences can be. If they detect fear, they will peck your eyes out!

If you get a spot on open mike night, you will be asked to limit your routine to five to seven minutes. Time the act you plan to do and know its length.

Clubs host open mike nights because club managers believe few people will visit a club on a Monday night. Because of that, you can stack the deck in your favor by enlisting your friends to show up for support. This will control the crowd and will also impress the manager. You may also impress your friends by telling them that you will arrange for them to get in free. You need not mention the fact that open mike night is often free anyway! Stipulate that in return for admission you want their opinions of your act. You will find that if you ask for feedback you will get it. It might hurt some, but do it.

One comedy club manager I know allows comics to videotape open mike night. This accomplishes two things - observing a crowd watch your act will tell you more than you can imagine, and you now have a promotional tape of yourself performing at a comedy club.

You can also get more-or-Iess straight answers from club managers. They have established fees for acts in your area. Ask, "If my act was as good as so-and-so's, what would you pay me?" Don't ask, "What did you pay so-and-so for tonight?" That is none of your business.

Another way to determine your value is to ask your juggling friends what they charge clients, and what they think you're worth.

This can be tough, but if you ask for a truly honest opinion you might get one. Try it! Agents can also give you a good idea of what entertainment is worth in your area. Remember that an agent will tell you what they would like to pay you for your services, not necessarily what they might charge a client for your time.

Competing in IJA or other events can help increase your value. Unfortunately, it will not help you unless you place high, or at least perform well enough to be offered a job. You may be contacted by someone wishing to book you for an engagement at an amusement park or other .big show that might have a set price. Take note of the price they feel you are worth, accept it or not, and go on from there.

Setting a price and getting that price go hand and hand. That will bring us to the subject next time: "Learning how to negotiate higher performance fees."