Successful Performercast by Kris Sheppard | Successful Performer Cast | Weekly Interviews with Professional Entertainers | Show Business, Showbiz, Performer, Magic, Magician, Juggler, Comedian, Musician

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In this interview, John Abrams brings us into his business performing assembly shows at elementary schools. He doesn't hold anything back and even gives us some example scripts designed to make his shows more effective in their intended objectives!

John Abrams is a magician, actor, Emcee, husband and dad, who has found his passion, and probably also his calling in performing school assembly shows for elementary schools.

Since 1998, John has performed school assembly shows, starting with his flagship show, Animal Magic, featuring all live exotic pets. He would perform that show an average of 250 times per year. Since then, he’s created countless other shows that bring inspiration and help teachers tackle topics like bullying, drugs, and the importance of good character. He currently performs over 500 shows each year at elementary schools and libraries all over Southern California.

John is also an expert in marketing and has taught his methods of getting shows to other performers over the internet, through lectures, and various information products.  

 

Sponsors:

Click Convert Profit — This episode is brought to you by Josh London's Click Convert Profit and his book Flying Solo, the Smart Solopreneur’s Guide to Making Money Online. Click here to get $10 off and for my listeners only, the free ebook "4 Ways to Find Your Most Profitable Keywords”.  

 

Success Quote:

If you think you can or you think you can't, you're right. — Henry Ford  

 

Assembly Shows

• Tells how he came up with topics to create shows around. 

• Finding out what the teachers need, finding a pain point and building a show around that.  

• Tells how he researches topics.  

• You can look up school curriculums online at the Department of Education Website. 

• Go online and see what other assembly shows are doing. 

• Talks about his website and the elements he uses: benefit-driven headline, benefit-driven content, and market-specific testimonials. It's basically a sales letter website. 

• Pricing on assembly shows: what he charges ($900 for two assemblies) and what someone breaking in should charge ($700 for two assemblies). Mentions other possible pricing structures.

• How he uses Yelp to get testimonials.

• Differences between assembly shows and library shows. They want different results!  

 

Failure Moment

Hear about a physically intense sales letter that he sent out to schools that he'll never send out again!  

 

Favorite Success

A very successful library showcase he did while wearing a space suit and booked 60 shows from it!  

 

Biggest Professional Challenge

Letting the cooperate market go. He discovered that he didn't want to travel and perform on weekends and nights. It was tough for him to walk away from the market and potential money.  

 

Awesome Sample Scripts!

Note: These scripts are tailored to John's performance style and character. Please use these as guidelines to write your own pitches for your shows. 

Pitch for the jumbo dollar bills you give away: "Kids, if you enjoyed yourselves and had a great time, not only are there five magic tricks on the back of this dollar bill, but there's a handsome and good-looking guy on the front here, as well as my phone number and website in case you want to invite me to your party."

At the end of an assembly show after summarizing the teaching: "If you enjoyed the show, here's what you've gotta do. I know you're going to be excited and talking in your loud voices, but I want you to go back to class and talk in your quiet voices for your teachers, because, if you talk in your quiet voices, maybe, they'll invite me back . If you think that's a good idea, everybody shout yay!"

Pitching books at libraries during his animal show: "Who liked the dove? Who liked the snake? Who liked the chinchilla? Who liked the tarantula? If you liked any of these animals, right over there are all kinds of books on snakes, and doves, and chinchillas, and spiders. Do you see that shelf over there? Let's make sure that shelf becomes completely empty before you go home!"

Pitching magic books at libraries: "Do you want to know how I did all this magic? In this library there are books that teach you magic tricks. All you have to do is check them out for free with your library card, open them up and practice them with your mom and dad, and one day you can do a magic show just like I did! Doesn't that sound cool?"  

 

Other Topics Covered

• The importance of marketing.

• Anything you give away needs to be of value, but you also need to pitch it so they know what to do with it!

• Talks about his menagerie of animals and how he handles, cares for, and travels with them.

• Laminate the flyers you give out. If you do that, nobody will ever throw them away!

• Shaping your career around what you want your lifestyle to be.  

 

Parting Advice

You already have enough to shows and sell them. Just do it!  

 

Recommended books and resources:

Note: Many of the links in this section are affiliate links, meaning we earn a small portion of any sales. If you're enjoying our podcast and decide to purchase one of the recommended resources or books, please consider using our affiliate links to help support the work we're doing here at the Successful Performercast. Thanks!  

 

Resource:

Podcasts! Specifically School of Greatness and the TED Radio Hour  

 

Classic Success Books:

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

The Strangest Secret by Earl Nightingale

Success Principles by Jack Canfield

GOALS by Brian Tracy  

 

Newer Books:

The Actor's Handbook by Constantin Stanislavski

The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy

Chasing Cool by Noah Kerner  

 

CALL TO ACTION: Get John to Write a Book on Assembly Shows!

If enough people email John and request him to write a book on assembly shows, he'll do it! Email him now! john@amazingschoolassemblies.com  

 

Where can we find The John Abrams?

Amazing School Assemblies

California Bully Assemblies

California Character Assemblies

Animals and Magic

Twitter @johnabrams1

Direct download: SPC_058_John_Abrams_-_Assembly_Shows.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

In this interview, The Amazing Allison shares her journey with us and offers some valuable insights into performing in corporate venues.

The Amazing Allison Campbell is considered to be corporate America’s leading female mentalist and infotainer and has performed in virtually all types of venues, including as a magical bartender at America's Top Chef Rick Moonen's RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay and many appearances on national TV & radio.

She’s also a world-class mentalist, spokes-model and presenter for corporate applications working with and breaking sales records for dozens of Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft, Cisco, SanDisk, and Dell-Wyse.

In addition to all this, Allison has lectured on the business of magic and mentalism, being the first woman to lecture at Mindvention and the only person to be asked back to lecture for two consecutive years.  

 

Sponsors:

Click Convert Profit — This episode is brought to you by Josh London's Click Convert Profit and his book Flying Solo, the Smart Solopreneur’s Guide to Making Money Online. Click here to get $10 off and for my listeners only, the free ebook "4 Ways to Find Your Most Profitable Keywords”.  

 

Success Mantra:

Obstacles are those frightening things you see when you take your eyes off your goal. — Henry Ford  

 

Corporate Performing

• Courting clients.

• Staying top of mind with your clients and prospects. 

• Being of value to your clients. 

• "Leading the conversation" with their prospects planting the idea of hiring them in their minds so it seems like their idea. 

• The importance of verbiage and language in your contracts.

• Drawing people to the trade show booths.

 

Biggest Profesional Challenge

Being a female mentalist in the "boy's club" of magic and being taken seriously.  

 

Failure Moment

Tells about a show for a very big client where they changed everything about the show at the very last minute.  

 

Favorite Success

The same show from the failure story above. She tells how they got that client, and that they're still working with them!  

 

Differentiates Herself

The fact that she's a female entertainer. Also, being able to draw the biggest crowds at trade shows.  

 

Interesting Story

Sharing the stage with a paraplegic soldier and all the inspiration gained from him.  

 

Other Topics Covered

• What it's like working with her husband in business.

• How she landed her first restaurant gig.

• Separating business and personal life.

• Her experience lecturing at Mindvention.

• There's always room for improvement.  

 

Parting Advice

Don't ever think that you can't do something.  

 

Recommended books and resources:

Note: Many of the links in this section are affiliate links, meaning we earn a small portion of any sales. If you're enjoying our podcast and decide to purchase one of the recommended resources or books, please consider using our affiliate links to help support the work we're doing here at the Successful Performercast. Thanks!  

 

Resource:

LinkedIn — She gives some tips in using it for business.

Brian The Magic Guy Campbells Magic Business Lessons  

 

Books:
Psychological Subtleties 1 by Banachek
Psychological Subtleties 2 by Banachek 
Psychological Subtleties 3 by Banachek

Verbal Judo by George J Thompson 

 

Where can we find The Amazing Allison?

Amazing Allison's Website

ShowPros

Lecture notes and magic products are available through email. allison@amazingallison.com

Twitter @magicallie | Facebook | LinkedIn

Direct download: SPC_057_Amazing_Allison_-_Corporate_Mentalist.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

In this interview, Canadian magician John Kaplan tells us all about his career in creating fundraising shows! He really takes us into his business and gives some wonderful insight into this specialized niche.

With his Fundraising Magic program, John has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for hundreds of schools and community organizations to use in their worthwhile causes.

Not keeping his knowledge to himself, John also teaches his methods to other entertainers and has gained worldwide recognition for his books and courses and is also a sought-after speaker and trainer when it comes to producing fundraising shows.

 

Sponsors:

Click Convert Profit — This episode is brought to you by Josh London's Click Convert Profit and his book Flying Solo, the Smart Solopreneur’s Guide to Making Money Online. Click here to get $10 off and for my listeners only, the free ebook "4 Ways to Find Your Most Profitable Keywords”.  

 

Success Mantra:

You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want. — Zig Ziglar  

 

Fundraising Shows

• Not just selling a magic show, but a way for his clients to make money as well.

• Tells how he got into fundraising shows. 

• Tells about his second fundraising show which proved to be a flop. 

• How he developed his system. 

• His fundraising shows need to: 1. make sure his overhead os covered,  2. make sure he gets paid, and 3. make sure his client makes a lot of money!

• Three pillars to a successful fundraiser: Planning, Promotion, Profitability.

• How he gives his clients all the tools they need to do the fundraiser. 

• Piggyback fundraisers like souvenirs, local celebrities, and pledge contests.

• How he uses email auto responders to guide his clients along the path to their successful fundraiser.

• What a single-day event looks like for a fundraiser.

• Who his competition really is.

• Using celebrities in his fundraisers.

• Having other businesses like realtors sponsor the events to further increase his client's bottom line.

• The story of a 16 year old girl who started a foundation, used Johns services and raised $11,000 for her cause!  

 

Failure Moment

John talks about his second attempt at a fundraising show that flopped dismally. Good thing it didn't keep him down!  

 

Favorite Success

He created a big campaign for Merlin Motors around a "car vanish" which ended up being a wild success bringing people to their car lot.  

 

What's worked best in growing his business?

Over-delivering.  

 

Biggest Professional Challenge

Replacing long-term clients that for one reason or another aren't using him anymore.

 

What would he have done differently?

Nurture relationships with agents and event planners more.  

 

Other Topics Covered

• Market first, product second. Sell the show, then if someone buys it, produce it.

• Going the extra mile.  

 

Parting Advice

1. Invest in yourself.

2. Work diligently.

3. Over-deliver.  

 

Recommended books and resources:

Note: Many of the links in this section are affiliate links, meaning we earn a small portion of any sales. If you're enjoying our podcast and decide to purchase one of the recommended resources or books, please consider using our affiliate links to help support the work we're doing here at the Successful Performercast. Thanks!  

 

Resource:

Google Maps for helping in planning his tours.  

 

Books:

Biographies:
The Great Houdini by Beryl & Epstein
Jimmy: an Autobiography by Jimmy Pattison

How to Master the Art of Selling by Tom Hopkins
How to Sell Yourself by Joe Girard
Secrets of Closing the Sale by Zig Ziglar

Steinmeyer Books
Paul Osborne Books
The Great Illusions of Magic by Byron Wels  

 

Where can we find John Kaplan?

Fundraising Magic Website

John's Products for Magicians

John's Business Building Resources for Entertainers

John on Facebook

Direct download: SPC_056_John_Kaplan_-_Fundraising_Magic.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am PDT

In this interview, singer/songwriter Julia Othmer talks about her career as a musician as well as her experience with her successful (and over-funded Kickstarter) campaign!

Julia has been captivating audiences for the past decade with her energetic performances. She’s shared the stage at the Lilith Faire Tour with the likes of Sarah McLachlan, Emmylou Harris, Heart, and Ingrid Michaelson, and shared the stage with artists like Regina Spektor, Amos Lee, and John Waite.

She’s won numerous awards for her songwriting including several Honorable Mentions at the Billboard World Song Contest, Semifinalist at the International Songwriting Competition, and Runner-Up at the Singer/Songwriter Awards.

You may have heard one of her songs featured on TV on shows like Witches of East End, Switched at Birth, The Lying Game, Army Wives, Party of Five, or DeGrassi: The Next Generation.

Be sure to check out her critically acclaimed album Oasis Motel as well as keep your eyes peeled for her followup album nearing it’s release very soon!  

 

Sponsors

Click Convert Profit — This episode is brought to you by Josh London's Click Convert Profit and his book Flying Solo, the Smart Solopreneur’s Guide to Making Money Online.

Click here to get $10 off and for my listeners only, the free ebook "4 Ways to Find Your Most Profitable Keywords”.

 

Success Mantra:

Living in the question.

"How does it get better than this?"
"What else is possible?"
"What could be missing?"

Remaining in a state of questioning helps to keep creativity open.  

 

What She Learned from her Kickstarter Campaign

• Tells how she went about her campaign.

• Reaching out to fans to find out what she could do for them.

• It's not just a way to raise finds, but also a way to connect with and communicate with your fans.

• Tells how she figured out the different tiers of support and the rewards for such.

• Great way for your supporters to feel intimately involved with your art.

• Knowing what you want to accomplish with Kickstarter.

• Some of the underlying benefits of her Kickstarter campaign.  

 

Working as a Muse

She's had the opportunity of being the vehicle to help others with their own creative endeavors. For example, overcoming writer's block, starting/finishing projects, or inspiration.  

 

Favorite Success

Playing for a benefit at the Philadelphia Zoo and then getting to go backstage and see the big cats up close.  

 

What's worked best in growing her business?

Learning from her mistakes and valuing her audience.  

 

Biggest Professional Challenge

Creating a workable business plan in an ever-changing industry.  

 

Other Topics Covered

• Being creative when you don't feel inspired.

• How she goes about begin creative.

• Allowing yourself to be steered by your creativity.

• Authenticity in what you build.

• Moving to LA and some of the things she did to get the ball rolling on getting gigs.

• Create things for yourself. Things you love and that you believe in.

• Not losing yourself in your process.  

 

Upcoming Album

Julia talks a bit about her upcoming album which has yet to be named.

Here's her current album: Oasis Motel  

 

Parting Advice

Follow your joy.  

 

Recommended books and resources:

Note: Many of the links in this section are affiliate links, meaning we earn a small portion of any sales. If you're enjoying our podcast and decide to purchase one of the recommended resources or books, please consider using our affiliate links to help support the work we're doing here at the Successful Performercast. Thanks!  

 

Resource:

Pen & paper  

 

Books:

The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp  

 

Where can we find Julia Othmer?

www.juliaothmer.com Julia's Overfunded Kickstarter Campaign Twitter @juliaothmer | FacebookInstagram | Youtube

Direct download: SPC_055_Julia_Othmer_-_Singer_Songwriter.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

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