Hey,

my name is Dan Berlin, I am a full time magician & travel at the moment around the world. I design a promotion package at the moment and created a promotion demo video over the last weeks. I want to use it to get gigs in restaurants, events etc. What do you think about the video? I know it is too long, I will cut it to a 3 min version. But otherwise: I am excited about positive and negative feedback!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt8nWp_z7NQ

Thanks very much!

Dan Berlin

Hey Dan,

Here is my honest opinion:
The demo does not capture my attention. It is more "performer" focused rather than "client" focused. Everything is stated from your point of view rather than thinking about what the client wants to see.

Your first step is to determine who your target market is. General Managers at restaurants will not view your demo because they are too busy so there is no reason to create one for them. "Events" is not a target market because it encompasses everything. A target market is something like "companies with over 500 employees located within 50 miles of my area."

Here is a link to my blog that talks about how to create a good demo and gives you two examples...
http://paidtoperform.blogspot.com/2010/ ... video.html

Benji is right on with his review. I have a couple of other things I saw.
First, Dan, is the opening, I thought the accent was fake because you're trying to be funny so hard. Just my observation.

Second and most important, this is SEVEN minutes long! You have 30 seconds to get their attention and the MAX they want is a 2 minute promo. This would get thrown out.

Hey Dan, CONGRATULATIONS to you with the opportunities and experience you have achieved.

Benji and Paddy's suggestions are excellent.
In addition, I would take out the "stripper" references and I would edit out the testimony of the second gentleman where he states that you are moving on to "bigger and better things".

Ok I cut the video now to a 3 min version. I have 2 different videos and want to know which one you like better.

Here is number one (the original 7min version cut to 3 min):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm-yAJut71s

And here a different version where I switched clips and changed any things:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hhg6rg24r8

So please tell me which one you find better and negative & positive feedback again for both!

I also changed the testimonial video – I cut it to 1 min and added text:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgj4kcFAsMs

@ Benji: You wrote “It is more "performer" focused rather than "client" focused. Everything is stated from your point of view rather than thinking about what the client wants to see.”
So what does the client want to see besides of that I can perform magic (this is why I include a few short flasy tricks) & amazed audiences & flexibility of performance styles ( as seen in pictures and videos)? So what is missing?

I travel around the world and have no fix target market. I get bookings from restaurants, hotels, night clubs, etc. This is the reason why the video cover almost everything. When you travel you need to be flexible – it’s different when you live in one place. My video would look different then.
You think general managers are too busy to watch a 3min video? You have a lot of restaurant experience so I trust you in that but I think it’s still good when you walk in a restaurant and have a promotion package (Flyer, references, DVD with the trailer).
I actually watched your videos and you gave me the idea to create a promo video – thanks for that!

Thanks so much!

Dan Berlin

danielboden02 wrote
The client doesn't care about you performing. What he wants is HOW DO I BENEFIT? i.e "you will have more customers come to see me; I keep kids entertained and moms like this so they will return. That's what Benji is saying, stress how the client can benefit from using you, not what you can do.

Hey Dan,

What I mean is that clients do not care that you can perform magic. That is a "given" if you are a magician. What they want to know is how easy it will be to work with you, or that you can bring people in the theater, or that you can make their event very memorable by customizing your show to make the company stand out, etc.

Big companies like Lexus, Mercedes, etc figured this out a long time ago. They realized that people do not buy cars, they buy the status associated with the cars.

You will notice that in your interactions with clients they say things like, "I want something different for our party" or "I want people to get involved." They do not say "I want magic" because they want what the magic does, not what it is.

And I understand that you need to be flexible in your performance but if you do not define a target market then you will find it very hard to do any kind of marketing. Having a target market is the deciding factor in whether or not you get booked. I travel a lot and my stage show fits in a suit case (most of the items can be bought at Office Depot). Being flexible as a performer does not mean you can't define a target market (btw...you can have several target markets but each one needs to be talked to differently).

You need a target market so you can determine how to market to them. You would never talk to a corporation the same way you would talk to an event planner or a restaurant GM. The corporation wants a show that is interactive, etc. The event planner wants you to make them look good because you are a representation of them. The GM wants people to come into his restaurant and have a great time while they're in the establishment. When you define a target market you talk to them differently.

If you are too general then you will not be able to charge more than a couple hundred bucks for a show. By trying to please everybody, you please nobody.

And I know that GMs are too busy to watch the demo . They will simply glance at your material because they are not hiring entertainment. They are hiring someone to "attract customers and add to the experience of the customers while they are dining." GMs want to see you in action. But you can try it yourself and see. Hand a GM your packet with your demo and call a couple days later to see if they watched your demo; they will say no. Call again a week later and they will still say no. Its not that they don't want to watch it, they just realize that the demo is a VERY low priority.

Wow Benji very good reply! So new demo video 1 (mix) or 2?

Dan I think mix 2 is better but you still need to change a few things.

Right now it seems like you have a slideshow rather than a demo video. Do you have more footage that you can put in? Footage of you performing or testimonial videos needs to be added (less photos, more video).

I would also take the ending of part 2 and put it at the beginning. You need to show buyers that you do this for a living and the ending clip is a lot better at communicating that. So start the video by saying "make your event very special" and then you get introduced...applause...and bam, you show a clip of you performing for people, cut to a clip of people reacting, etc.

Hope that helps.