Magician For Hire: Notes To Consider
Before You Book a Magician for Your Event
A lot of people searching for a magician for hire or a corporate magician are looking for the first time, and, understandably, they have no idea what to look for. Just searching “Los Angeles Magician for Event” or “Corporate Magician for Hire” may not lead you to the right person. So I thought I’d give some advice to help in your search for the right magician for your event.
Obviously, if you have a referral, start there; qualified event and meeting planners know how magicians and mentalists contribute to an event and often know which performers fit which event. But if you are starting from scratch, searching online is just the start. Many vendor websites (eg. Gigsalad or Gigmasters) aggregate talent, but don’t actually vet the magicians. That said, if you have a low budget, such as under $1,000, these websites can help save you time. Any professional magician—be them a corporate magician or a private party magician—should have their own website with current photos, testimonials, and promo videos. First ask yourself: are their marketing materials consistent with someone who’s performing regularly and at events like yours? If not, they may not be the right magician for you. Consider where each performer performs, who are their corporate clients, who are their private clients, who’s giving them testimonials: do they even have testimonials? Look at the entertainment options each magician offers. For example, if you’re looking to hire a magician for a kids party and you visit my website, you’ll see quickly that I do not perform at kids parties; rather, I offer corporate entertainment. Consider your event type (corporate event, wedding, 4th of July party, etc): what you are looking to get out of an entertainer, and see if the magician’s services are a good match—don’t assume every magician performs in every situation.
Any corporate magician or private event magician worth their salt should have won an award or two, have good reviews online (such as google or yelp), and a client list that reflects their rate. If in your search for a magician for hire you find someone who matches these general guidelines, you’ve probably found the right magician for your event.
If you have a specific event in mind, contact the magician or mentalist directly to discuss your entertainment needs. A simple conversation with a performer will let you know if they are the right magician for your event. Talk to them about how they approach performing, the kind of effects they perform, and your entertainment goals. It’s also worth considering what technical requirements each magician has and if they’d work in your event venue.
In general, price is reflective of quality. Depending on your event, you may be prioritizing other areas of your budget, but if you want the entertainment to really impress your audience, hire a magician who’s rates reflect your priorities.
