Lets say your trying to do a magic trick to someone. How should I engage them into seeing my tricks? What should I say or do??

P.S I hate saying, "Hey you wanna see a magic trick"?

It can depend on the trick, for example the trick "Hot Leads" one possiblity is "Here's my card", or you could just walk up to someone and go "Excuse me" then performing the trick immediatly.

There are many tricks which are just very attention grabbing, like the Floating Dollar Bill trick. It doesn't involve any audience participation, so you don't need to ask anyone to already be there to assist you, and if people see something floating they will be immediately just stop what they're doing and watch. Then you can just go into more routines. By that time you have their attention and you're all set.

Three card monte routines are also a crowd gatherer, as long as you're not doing anything illegal or it might attract some unwanted policemen.

Ok what I do is I ask if they wanna see a magic trick unstead of just saying magic or something because then they know what you are talking about

I normally do hotshot cut and long distance spinner, if they turn and keep looking means they are interested in you handling those cards, or you could use Humming Bird. Those are very good attention grabber, if they don't look means they aren't really that interested, so just look for someone whom keep watching your humming bird or LDS. Good luck

You need to show them first something that 's quick and visual.

The hummingbird crd for exmple.

''Hello, have you please got a minute? I want you to inspect this card and tell me if you see anythin strange about it.''

Take the card back and do the effect. Believe me, they will be impressed at that point.

Then say to them '' You wanna see some more magic?''.
They 'll say yes and slowly you will gather up a crowd.

( if this is happening in the streets )

not necesarily just in the streets... it could work in a, cafeteria, at the mall, even in the hallway at work or school too. just make sure you have a lot of space or you might destroy the trick if you do the hummingbird card...

I like just doing something without any warning like Snap Change, they look you in the eyes, do snap change, they're amazed and want to know how it's done. Ignore that and start a new trick. Works for me. Or I start to wave a silk around, stuff like that. If they know the trick they'll ask to see it again, if not they'll most likely ask what you're doing.

If I could do the long distance spinner, that would definatly be what I'd use but I can't seem to get it to work.

Start with something very visual to start out with, what I do is say: exuse me, do you have a minute or can I show you something?

I use this all the time i stole if from greg wilsons OTS walk up to someone and say "Excuse me do you wanna see a trick or a Miracle!" and most people will say miracle and the bust out your best trick and then your set. hope that helped

just start doing somthing VERY visual. don't even ask anyone if they wanna see it. you WILL gather a croud. dependign on where you are, it will be big or small

ex. the mall. friday night (most places) you will get a lot of punks/goths

I can't imagine more fun then doing magic for punks and goths. Maybe you can do a card to impossible location--like hanging from their pierced tongue.

I do think trying to get a crowd is more polite than pestering people, but many places will frown upon that course of action. You might need a license to perform, because with a crowd you will look like a street performer. Don't cry if you get booted from the mall. It will be the same thing outside.

Well, for me, it all depends on how I'm feeling, sometimes I just be like "Can I ask u something, U seem like a thinker, Do u beleive in magic?" and depending on their reaction and gestures, then I know if I they could be interested or not, most of the times they're going to say no and I always ask "Do u think I can make u at least think about it twice if I show u some?" or If I dont feel like asking anything, just do something that grabs peoples attention and thats all, 90% of the times, with Humming Bird somebody is going to stay or come up just to look at u, and theres ur first spectator Just gather some more

use a big fire effect (like fire from card box or inviso tortch)