Approaching - Tables by Dominic Reyes

Approaching Tables by Dominic Reyes
Copyright 2014 Merchant of Magic Ltd

All Rights Reserved
Introduction
I was panicking like crazy. Why on earth had I agreed to do
this? Thats what was going through my head as I sat at Table
Four and watched my fellow guests finishing their meals.
I had agreed to perform magic at a friends wedding. This
would be the first time I would approach a group of people sat
at a dinner table and ask them if they wanted to see some
magic. I hoped it would turn out fine.
It didnt go well.
I had agreed to do an hour of table magic after the speeches. I
was really nervous. My mouth was so dry, I couldnt even
finish my meal as I waited for that moment when I had to
stand up and start going from table to table.
When it was time, I got up, pulled out my deck of cards, and
looked around the room. I didnt know most of the people
there, and everyone seemed deep in conversations around
their tables. Where should I start? How do I begin? Why on
earth had I agreed to do this?
I randomly picked a table, walked up to it, and waited for
everyone to stop what they were doing and start becoming an
audience. That didnt happen of course. Instead I was left
standing there for what seemed like 10 minutes (although it
was actually only about a minute) whilst everyone continued
chatting around the table. In the end I butted in, apologised for
interrupting, and asked if they wanted to see some magic. The

two people either side of me said that they did, but most of the
guests at the other side of the table just resumed their
conversations. I then proceeded to perform two tricks for the
couple of people nearest me. Halfway through the second
trick, the waiters arrived to clear the plates and pretty much
ended the trick right there and then. It was a total failure and
shook me up quite a bit. I could have easily given up right
there and then.
It was right at that moment, during my first attempt at
entertaining a group of strangers at their table that I realised
that there was far more to being a magician than the magic
tricks I had spent years practising. I was going to have to up
my game!
20 years later, I now see many magicians that have decided to
start performing magic face exactly the same realisation. One
of the most common questions I get asked by the magicians I
coach, or students that come to the magic shop for advice is:
Whats the best way to approach people to perform close-up
magic?
The answer I usually give is it depends. There are as many
ways to approach people as there are situations that require an
approach. There really isnt a single formula that you can
learn and copy word for word.
Why is that?
Every event is different, each magician is different, and pretty
much all spectators are different too. Approaching people
effectively isnt about following a set technique, its about
reading the situation and making sure that you are prepared to
react to what you see happening in that moment. Approaching
people is about people skills. The secret of a good approach is
a combination of self-condence, understanding social cues,
manners, and correctly assessing the environment around you.
There are tools you can use

Having warned you that there is no set patter that will work
perfectly for every approach, the good news is that there are
ways to easily identify the best method for approaching a
group, and several techniques that can make your approach far
easier and more effective.
In this book I will share what Ive learned about approaching
people to perform table magic over the past 20 years.
The tips and advice are intended to give you a feel for what to
expect, ways to be prepared for most situations; practical tips
that will make a huge difference to the reactions you get when
you join a group and the degree of attention your guests will
show you right from the beginning.
If you have any questions, or would simply like to give me

some feedback, or maybe some tips that you feel should also
be included, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me
at www.DominicReyes.me and read the blog at
http://blog.magicshop.co.uk
Close-up magicians
versus
Stage magicians
Close-up magicians have it tough and stage magicians have it
easy. OK, thats not really fair, but magicians that perform
close-up magic have some serious issues that stage magicians
dont face. Im going to start things off by looking at
differences between stage magic and close-up magic, so that
we can highlight some of the specic issues that need to be
handled when you approach a table to perform close-up
magic.
Choice
The audience for a stage show has chosen to see you perform
your magic tricks. With table magic, the audience doesnt
know who you are or even that you will be performing. You
need to win over each table as a new audience. This gets
easier as the event goes on, as tables hear the reactions from
previous tables, but you still have to make a great first
impression over and over again.
Location
The audience visits a theatre to watch a magic show. They
make the decision to come to you to watch your show. With
table magic, you go to them. Because of this, the locations are
very different. With a stage show, you create the environment
that the magic tricks are staged within. Table magicians need
to fit into a larger context, so your magic must be designed to
complement an existing event. You need to be prepared for
surprises.
Lighting
Stage magicians can ensure that the lighting for the show is
perfect for the magic tricks they will present. If you need a
dark area you can make sure that happens at just the right
moment. If you need the lighting to focus attention away from
an object or from you, this can be easily built into the show.
Close-up magic happens in random locations, often in
restaurants and busy bars. The lighting can be too dark, or
very bright, and you will have no control over it. You need to
make sure that the magic tricks you can perform are suitable
for as many lighting set-ups as possible.
Sound
Stage magic is supported by a PA system so the whole room
can hear you. Sound effects can be added, as well as backing
music. This can be used to change the mood and attention of
your spectators when you need that to happen.
Table magic takes place inside a larger event. Its social in
nature and happens in and around conversations. A band or
loud music may be the background to your magic tricks, so
you cant assume that your audience will even be able to hear
you. This creates a real challenge for you as a close-up
magician. You need to engage with the spectators and
entertain them, but, at the same time, you need to make sure
that your magic can be understood even if the spectator cant
hear you very well.
Good table magic is presented in sets of magic tricks designed
for different sound conditions. You should have at least five or
six magic tricks ready to perform should you find yourself in
a situation where nobody can hear what you are saying. If you
dont do this, you may find you are limited in locations that
you can work at a gig.
Set
Stage magic has the advantage of being able to control the
environment to reinforce the magic or the presentation within
a particular magic show. Everything can be arranged exactly
how you want it to present your magic tricks for maximum
impact.
Table magic has no controlled set. It may be in a bar, hall,

caf, or restaurant. This doesnt need to be a disadvantage.
The restaurant has objects, rituals and a structure that can be
used to your advantage.
Choosing magic tricks that complement the situations you
perform in can turn the restaurant or bar into a perfect set. You
need to be much more flexible and design your magic tricks to
use the settings you have access to in a way that will
strengthen and highlight your magic tricks. Part of your job as
a close-up magician is to dene your performing area and
communicate that to the spectators very quickly when you
join each group.
Costume
Stage magicians can tell a story as much through their
costumes as the magic itself. From a Chinese 19th century
royal court, through to a sinister torture chamber; the act is set
in a theme that communicates the story of the show.
Magicians that perform table magic usually wear a suit. They
match the costumes that their spectators wear. The goal is to
integrate rather than stand out. When thinking about approach,
this creates an issue. You will tend to look like either another
guest, or possibly one of the restaurant staff. Ill teach you
how you can deal with this and use it to your advantage later.
Seating
When a stage audience is seated, they have been arranged in a
position to pay full attention to the show. Table magicians
have little control over the seating plan of the restaurant. The
audience isnt going to be seated so that everyone can see you.
When you perform table magic, you need to move around.
You need to engage different groups and capture peoples
attention. Its very important that you take some time to
practice this and examine how your magic will work when
your audience is not all sat directly in front of you.
Beginners often struggle with seating, as they practice their
magic tricks as if the audience is watching a stage show.
When it comes to performing in a real-world situation, they
become confused and unsure how to present their magic tricks
as people move around or are seated in a way that could
expose their magic secrets.
Attention
The moment the lights go down at a stage magic show,
everyone is paying attention. The stage magicians job is to
keep that attention and stop the audience either falling asleep
or leaving.
Table magicians need to win the attention of the group, and
then keep it. Spectators can be interrupted, or become
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distracted by everything else happening. The food could be

just about to arrive, or an argument could be simmering
between the group. Your spectators could be in deep
conversation, or even simply show no interest in your table
magic at all.
Social skills are very important for close-up magicians,
probably more so than good technique. The audience has no
obligation to pay you any attention, so you need to give them
as many reasons to like you and find your magic entertaining
as you possibly can.
Misdirection
Stage magicians are being watched from the moment they
arrive on stage. Many of the techniques of misdirection are
different from those of magicians doing close-up magic.
Close-up magicians, by denition, are closer to the audience.
You will need to use misdirection techniques specically
designed for this situation. Tactics like eye-contact, crossing
gaze, positioning, and questioning can all be used much more
effectively in a close-up magic setting.
Applause
We have all been trained from an early age to clap at the end
of a stage performance. This is not so much the case for closeup shows. Because close-up magic is much more intimate,
spectators tend not to use applause. They simply tell you how
much they liked the magic trick they just saw.
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Unlike stage magicians, close-up magicians need to train their

audience to give them applause.
Do This:
Take a moment to think about these differences. List the
magic you currently perform, and next to each trick or set
answer these questions:
1)
What practical steps can you build into the magic tricks
you already perform that can communicate the need to
clap after you show a group your magic tricks?
2)
Which environmental conditions would be ideal for each

trick?
3)
How can you adapt various performing conditions to

enhance the magic?
4)
What could you say or do to capture attention and keep

the spectators engaged?
5)
How could each magic trick be adapted to increase the

amount of participation and connection from the
spectators?
So as you can see, lifes a bit more complex for us. We walk
up to a table without introduction, and interrupt a meal in
progress. We compete with so many other activities and
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distractions. How can we pick the right moment to approach a

table? What should we look out for in those few moments
before we start performing?
Lets start right at the beginning, when you set off for your gig.
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PART 1
BEFORE THE GIG

BEGINS
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Getting to the gig

Practice, practice, practice, thats what good magicians do!
But now the magic is ready, and its time to perform to the
public at their tables. No matter how good your techniques
are, or how well you have marketed your services, its easy to
make a simple mistake just getting to a gig. Heres a few
common mistakes Ive made over the years and learned the
hard way, so you can avoid them:
Not getting there early enough

This goes without saying, but you never want to be late for a
booking. Allow enough time to arrive an hour before you have
to; you can wait in your car or at a coffee shop if you dont
want to enter the venue that early. This way you leave enough
time to prepare in a relaxed and stress-free way. If trafc was
bad, or a travel problem occurred, you have given yourself a
buffer zone. Trust me, feeling rushed or worried you will be
late for most of your journey is far worse than being bored
waiting for your start-time because you are too early.
Forgetting to get the full address

Sometimes clients dont give all the address details correctly,
or just give you the name of the venue and town or village.
This is quite common for large country hotels. Make sure that
you ask for the street name too. If in doubt, Google the venue
and print out the address and directions from its website.
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Trusting your sat-nav with just a postcode

The sat-nav lady says you have arrived, but you are stuck
down a country lane! Large estates and country houses often
have their entrance far from their postcode location. Check
out their website for directions and try to enter a street name
as well as the postcode.
Driving for hours in your suit

Two hours in the car will crumple up your suit trousers. Travel
in your jeans and have your suit in a good-quality travel bag.
You will be able to change there, either in a room reserved for
you, or just in a cubicle in the restroom. It may not be
glamorous, but you want to look your best as you will be
making a first impression at every table you visit. If you
change at the gig, you will look so much better, feel fresh, and
be smartly-dressed. After the gig, its great to be able to get
out of your suit for the journey home.
Not keeping the client updated

Sooner or later, you will be late for a gig. Train cancelled, car
breaks down, sudden heavy trafc... If this happens, phone
your client as soon as you know you are looking at a delay.
Never leave them wondering why you are not there.
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Forgetting to pack everything

Did you put your close-up bag or case in the car? Fresh decks
of cards with you? You dont want nasty surprises like that
once you arrive at the venue.
Not checking parking is available

Usually large venues are fine, but if its a town or city hotel, a
restaurant or private home, check in advance with the client
that a parking space will be available or a car park is nearby.
Dont trust that street parking will be easy to find.
All this seems like common sense and each one is easy to
avoid. The danger happens as you get busy and travel to gigs
every day. Its easy to get sloppy and assume everything will
be OK because it always has been. Thats usually when a
problem pops up.
Being mindful and planning your journey to each gig, you get
there relaxed and with sufcient time to complete the most
important step to a good approach: scouting out the venue
before the gig starts.
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When you arrive scouting out the venue

Setting up a good approach starts well-before the guests have
sat down. The secret is to approach a table without demanding
everything stops to make way for you. In order to do that, you
need to gather as much information as possible about
situations that might have an impact on your time performing.
When you arrive, its important that you take a moment to
look around the area you are going to be working in.
Ask yourself these questions:

The layout - Is there room to move between tables? Some
restaurants pack tables in as much as possible, whilst others
have pillars and archways that can make it very hard for you
to move around the table to find good spots to access the
guests. Make a note of any problem areas and choose in
advance how you will deal with them.
Black-spots - Are there places with limited visibility or bad
angles? If you will be performing at a long table, will some of
the guests be unable to turn around to face you and watch the
magic?
The serving flow - Where do the waiting staff enter and exit
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the room? Will you be in the way when you are standing at
tables near their serving points?
Waiting areas - Where are the best places to wait when
speeches or awards take place? Is a side-room available? If a
speech starts, can you easily leave the room without having to
get in the way of the speaker?
VIP tables - Where will the client be sitting? Where can you
stand so that the VIP table gets to see you working the room
and the other guests enjoying your magic? Can you easily get
to them to give them some extra time?
Bag corner - Where can your magicians case/bag be stored
and easily accessed? Can you find a side-room or quiet corner
where you will have some privacy to set up, yet know that
your bag will be safe?
Table sides - Which side of each table would be best to
perform from to get the best visibility, yet provide shielding
from the other tables?
Table time - How many tables will you need to visit? How
much time should you allow per table?
Once you have made a note of these points and made sure
there are no nasty surprises, its time to introduce yourself to
some very important people.
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Talking to the boss

Take a moment to talk to the event-planner, client, or
restaurant manager. Find out:
Which tables have been served first and which tables will
be next?
In which direction are the waiting staff working through
the room?
Will there be presentations or speeches starting whilst
you are performing?
When will the live music start, and which section of the
room will be hard to perform in once it begins?
Remember to ask the client if they mind you handing out

business cards to guests if they ask you for one. Most clients
will not mind at all and will often ask you for a few cards that
they can give out too.
Dont be afraid to ask as many questions as you like. Be
aware that the client or event-planner may be very busy, so
dont just chat, but its fine to ask for information as it shows
that you are being thoughtful and professional.
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Talking to the staff

When you perform magic in a restaurant you are part of a
team. Youre one cog in the machine that is designed to give
the guests a great experience, a fantastic atmosphere, and a
wonderful meal. Being part of a team means that you need to
consider the other team-members. Sometimes the restaurant
may not have used a magician before. Take a moment to talk
with the staff and reassure them that you will be an asset
rather than a hindrance. Here are some points you may want
to communicate to them:
When will the magician perform magic in

the restaurant?
Usually you will be performing magic in restaurants during
the waiting time between a guest ordering their food and the
meal arriving. Let the staff know that you will not approach a
table while guests are looking at the menus, eating their food,
or once the guests have asked for the bill. Restaurants care
about turning their tables, so your job is to entertain during
the waiting times the guests experience, not when they should
be doing something to move the process of the meal forward.
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How performing magic in restaurants helps

Let the staff know that the magician is a helpful tool for the
restaurant. There are many ways that magic can help things
run smoothly. If a table is facing a long delay getting its food,
the staff can tell the magician to keep the table occupied. Let
the team know they can call you over to a table when they
need this service.
Magic in restaurants is exciting

Suggest that the staff mention to the guests when they are
shown to their table that a magician will be performing magic
in the restaurant. Ask the staff to let you know as soon as
possible if guests have requested to see your magic.
Interruptions
If possible, mention that there are applause moments in the
magic you will perform. In those moments the guests will be
watching closely. Dont boss the staff around, but if you
mention this they will look out for it and soon understand
when its not a good time to interrupt. This is also a good time
to ask that waiters dont offer drinks or canaps to a group if
you are performing for them. Be polite about this and explain
that you will not get in their way. If the staff are aware, then it
will not ruin the magic for the guests.
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Talk about tips

Assuming that you are not working just for tips, I recommend
that you pass on any tips you receive to the main restaurant
staff. Let the team know that a magician may increase tips
because the guests will have a great time. If a guest insists on
tipping, accept the gift, but check if the restaurant has a tip jar
so its shared with everyone working that night.
Let the team know how a magician will help

them
Performing magic in restaurants is a bonus for the whole
team. Let the staff know how magic will help them:
You will entertain the guests and give them a great

experience;
Long wait times can seem shorter if guests are being
entertained;
A guests special celebration can have a magic trick to
mark the occasion;
The magician can identify any guest issues and bring
them to the staffs attention;
Magic in restaurants can increase tip levels for everyone;
Make regular customers feel extra special.
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Its also important to reassure the staff that you wont be a

hindrance. Let them know that you will not:
Disturb the guests whilst they are eating;
Interrupt food or wine presentations;
Take their tips.
You dont need to give a long speech to the waiting staff, but a
quick chat just to mention these points will really help your
interaction with the whole team when you start at a new
restaurant. Performing magic in restaurants can be a fastpaced and challenging experience, so keep the restaurant staff
on your side and aware of the help your magic provides.
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PART 2
YOUR
FRAME OF
MIND
25
Get positive
A good approach isnt just about the things you say and do,
its about how you feel as well. Many magicians get nervous
before they approach a table. Good magic is as much about
the performer as it is about the magic tricks. Being relaxed,
presentable and communicating a positive attitude is very
important. Even today, after many years of performing magic
professionally, I still sometimes feel magicians nerves just
before I start performing. Its usually when there is something
unusual about the gig. I take my time and wander around the
event for a few minutes, getting a feel for the venue and the
situation. After a short tour of the room, I move up to my first
group of spectators and find I relax as soon as I start
performing. Getting ready to perform doesnt start at that
moment. There are things you can do whilst setting up for
your show, or getting your props ready for a close-up session.
Lets look at a few things you can easily do before you
perform your magic:
1) Breathe, relax, meditate

Suffering from nervousness before you perform can get in the
way of your presentation, but it can also reduce your ability to
perform sleight of hand. If you are stressed and unsure, your
muscles will also be tense and thats not good for your
performance. Take a few moments to stop and breathe. Slow
breaths in and out can really help you to relax. Breathe in
26
through your nose and out through your mouth. Count your
breaths slowly as you do this, counting to ten and then
returning back to one again. As you do this, try to focus only
on your breathing. As your mind wanders, gently return your
attention back to your breath.
Many performers also find that a simple visualisation can
help. As you breathe out, imagine all the fear, negativity and
doubt being breathed out along with the breath. As you
breathe in, imagine condence and positivity are slowly
flowing into you via your breath. Repeat this for a few
minutes and see how it makes you feel.
2) Use an afrmation
Lift both arms up into the air, as if you are running through
the finish line in a race. Say to yourself:
I feel fantastic, and everyone will love my magic.
You will be surprised about how this makes you feel. There is
a lot of research in publication about positive afrmation and
posture to gain condence.
3) Laugh and smile

Before you perform to your first group of spectators, take a
moment to tell yourself a joke, or remember something that
made you laugh. Bookmark a few websites that have funny
memes or stories that you can read just before the show.
27
Laugh and remember that feeling and keep it with you as you
start your show.
Remember to be smiling as you perform. Even if you are
focused on the mechanics or the situation around you,
remember to keep a happy expression. You need to
communicate that you are having a great time, so that those
around you do the same.
4) Act energy
You may be tired, stressed from travelling, or feeling a little
ill, but you should not show it. If you feel tired and have no
energy, fake it! You become how you act. Bound up a few
steps to the entrance to the room, check the mirror before you
walk in. Imagine feeling fantastic and full of energy and you
will really feel it.
5) Be playful
Remember that its really not that signicant. You arent a
brain surgeon, you have nobodys life in your hands. Its just a
bit of fun and entertainment for everyone. Nobody is taking it
as seriously as you do yourself, after all your years of practice
and angst. If something goes wrong, the whole room isnt
going to stop and point at the door for you to leave. In reality,
you can just shrug it off and carry on. Dont give yourself a
hard time. One of the most common reactions from magic
students that do their first live gig is a sense that it was all
worry over nothing.
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Connecting with your

audience
Rapport is one of the biggest things that will distinguish
between a great, memorable performer, and a person who
does a few magic tricks. Think of a couple of your favourite
magicians. Odds are that they have great people skills, the
ability to draw the audience in. How many magicians can you
think of that lack this skill? Personally, I cant remember any.
Why cant I remember them? Because there was no human or
emotional connection. Its not really surprising though, as we
have been brought up never to talk to strangers. How do we
break this and why is it important?
Emotional connection
When we talk about emotional connection, it is too often
immediately assumed that we are referring to the art of
attraction, or upset. Emotional connection covers all areas of
humanity, and the secret to gaining a connection with your
audience is actually easier than you may think. Essentially,
you need the audience to like you. Fortunately you are already
halfway there as the audience wants to like you. People
naturally want to be relaxed. So, smile!
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Happy, smiley people

The first step to establishing rapport is a simple smile. A smile
travels miles. And as a bonus they are free and require very
little practice. A person smiling shows condence, positivity
and requires no words. It is universal and inviting. It shows
you are relaxed and, in turn, this gives the audience
condence in you, so smile as much and as often as you like.
Youll be surprised how many smiles you receive in return. I
find it really helps before I start to have a glass of water at the
bar, and strike up a chat with the bar-staff, then crack a silly
joke. They may not find it funny, but it makes me smile,
which is a great head-start for your first audience.
Maintain eye-contact
Picture yourself sat in an audience, and the performer glances
across the audience and then looks directly at you. How do
you feel? One things for sure, you will feel more involved in
the act than you did moments before. Now imagine youre sat
at a table, and a magician approaches the table and begins his
act. He spends most of his time looking at his hands, and
when he does look up he looks at everyone at the table other
than you. How do you feel? Isolated and uninvolved.
Here, are three simple ways to ensure your

eye-contact is drawing the spectators in:
1)
Every time you are speaking make sure you are making
eye contact.
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2)
Mentally take turns in who you look at. I personally

begin making eye contact with the person furthest away
from me, on the opposite side of the table. This then
involves the whole table. Then I mentally take turns for
who to look to next time.
3)
Talk to the people, not your props. Your props are purely
that, props. You are the magic, not the props.
React and respond

I think its important to ask the audience questions as soon as
possible. Involve them.
Hello there. How are you all this evening?
They have to respond. If there is music playing, or they have
had a meal, ask them how it was. Let them know you are not
there purely showing magic. You are a person, part of the
entire event, and you want to hear about their evening. They
are investing their time in you. Invest some of your time in
them. It will be appreciated. If they like you, they will like
what you do. But first they need to know that you like them.
Also, react and respond not only to the audience, but also to
your surroundings. If something occurs in the background, for
example, a waiter drops a plate, comment on it. Involve the
surroundings. Turn these possible disruptions into advantages.
This will convey to the audience that you are not scripted, you
are human.
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Be emotional
Reveal your humanity with emotions. You need to reveal a
part of you, and you do that by letting us glimpse your
innards, your emotions. To show a passion for something is to
show humanity. To show humanity makes you instantly
likeable and encourages connectivity, which is a natural,
human desire in all of us. So show emotions, be as surprised
as the audience, be as disappointed that you didnt find that
playing card as the audience is. And should any mistake
occur, mock it with the spectators! Share the emotions of your
act.
Leave them wanting more

Always leave the audience with a smile and a laugh. Its true
that if you leave them smiling and laughing this will be the
lasting memory of you. This is also the ideal time to remind
them who you are.
Thank you so much for your time. Ive had such a great
time. Have a few more drinks and I will pop back and show
you the same tricks again. I have been (insert name here).
Have a lovely evening all.
Smile, make eye-contact and shake their hands.
Follow these simple guidelines and you will find your
reactions to be much stronger, and most importantly, the
audience will enjoy you and your time ten times more, which
in turn means that they will remember you as a person.
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PART 3
APPROACHING A
TABLE
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The five-second scan

You walk into the room and see all the tables before you. Each
filled with guests enjoying their meals. Its time to walk up to
your first table. Is it the right time? Which table should you
choose first? How will the guests react?
There are several things that you should do just before you
join a new table that will make your approach a success. It
seems like a lot to look out for, but in practice you can scan
the table in just a few seconds to check the following:
Are any of the guests still eating?

Unless you have been specically asked by the client, its
usually not a good idea to start performing whilst the guests
are eating. Ideally, the guests will have finished one of their
courses and their plates will have just been cleared. Thats the
perfect time to approach a table.
Because of time restraints, you may have to start performing
while the empty plates are still in front of the diners. If this
happens, be mindful of the fact that waiters may appear at the
table to remove the plates. When this happens, step back and
allow the waiters to do their work. You can make a witty
comment such as and now I will make the plates disappear.
The only course which is acceptable to interrupt is the first
starting course. If you are worried that you may not be able to
34
have enough time to visit every table during the meal, you can
perform magic whilst the starters are being eaten. Its not the
best situation and you wont hold the spectators attention
completely. However, starters are often served cold and the
meal has just begun, so many guests will watch your magic
before they begin eating. Never interrupt guests while they are
eating a main course or dessert.
Has the wine been served yet?

Shortly after the guests sit down at the table they will be
served wine. You cant compete with an interruption like that,
so its best to wait until each guest has a full glass. Depending
on the venue, the guests may receive a wine presentation. Find
out if this is going to happen so you dont interrupt it. A wine
presentation is just as much of a show as your magic. When
you spoke to the waiting staff before you started, did you ask
the waiters not to approach the table and offer wine round
whilst you are performing at the table? Its a small point, but it
can make a big difference.
Do the guests have bread on their side

plates?
One of the first things I look out for is bread on the guests
side plates. If the table hasnt been served bread yet, it is
likely that will happen at any moment. The diners will have
just sat down and will be hungry. The ideal moment to
approach a table is just after the bread has been passed round.
35
Guests that are very hungry will have something to satisfy

themselves, so they can relax and focus on watching your
magic.
Have the surrounding tables been cleared

yet?
Its not great when you start your magic only to find that the
waiters are about to arrive to clear all the plates and interrupt
the action. Take a moment to look at the other tables
surrounding the one you wish to join. If they have all just
been cleared, its a good chance that yours is about to be
visited. Try to work the room so that you visit tables just after
the course has been cleared. You will find that the waiting
staff clear a room in one direction, so you can work behind
them, following in their shadow.
Are there quiz sheets on the tables?

You never know how many people have been given the job of
providing entertainment at the venue. There is a good chance
that somebody has decided that a quiz throughout the meal
would be a good idea. Nobody told them that a magician
would be table-hopping whilst the guests fill in their quiz
sheets. If a quiz hasnt been arranged, theres a good chance
that a collection, sweepstake, rafe, or auction has been
planned in its place. Try to find out if there will be an activity
suggested during the course breaks. Factor in this distraction
when you plan which table you will visit next.
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Are all the guests still seated, or looking like

they are about to leave for the restroom?
Check that all the guests are sat at the table. Do any of them
look like they are just about to leave? One of the guests may
be waiting for the course break in order to visit the restroom.
If one guest gets up to leave the table, theres a good chance
that another will follow. If you see guests gathering up their
possessions, pause for a moment to observe. If some guests
leave before you approach you may want to choose a different
table for now.
Can you easily move around the table, or is

part of it out of reach?
Dining rooms are designed to hold tables of guests and allow
the waiting staff to serve those tables. Not a great deal of
thought is put into access for entertainers. Check that there
will be enough room for you to reach all sides of the table as
you perform. Ideally, you would like to be able to move all
around the table, making sure that every guest gets to see
some magic close-up and participate in the fun. If the table is
close against a wall, you may not be able to go behind the
guests on that side. Equally, there may be points around the
table where chairs are too close and you would need to try to
squeeze through to get past. Knowing whether you have full
access will allow you to choose spectators in such a way that
you can easily reach them without having to ask people to
move.
37
Is the table located near any large mirrors

that could make sleight of hand an issue?
Its very easy to approach a table and start performing only to
find that youre standing in front of a huge mirror. If angles
will be an issue, double-check whats behind you to make sure
you dont give anything away. Mirrors arent the only danger.
If the tables are very close together you may find you will
have your magic watched by the tables around you. Make sure
you dont give anything away to people sat directly behind
you.
Are the guests drinks running low?

Is there plenty of wine still on the table or do guests have
empty glasses? If it looks like they need topping up, you can
approach the table and tell them that you have asked the
waiter to refill the drinks. Alternatively, you can flag down the
waiter and ask them to top-up the guests drinks before you
approach. Always remember that you are not just a magician,
you are one of the hosts of the event as well. Its your job, just
as much as the waiters, to make sure that everything runs
smoothly. That means making sure drinks are flowing,
everybody has a seat, and people know where the restrooms
are.
38
Is there an obvious alpha spectator at the

table?
Just like any social group, a table of guests has its own
politics. There will usually be a leader, who in magic
terminology is often called the alpha spectator. How you
deal with that person can greatly inuence how well your
magic is received. Its important to identify which spectator
tends to be holding court around the table. They are usually
very easy to spot as the conversation will be directed towards
them or their reactions to another guests anecdotes. Well talk
more about alpha spectators and how to deal with them later
in this book.
Are there elderly guests at the table?

Notice if there are any elderly guests sat around the table.
When choosing your position, bear in mind that they may
have impaired hearing or eyesight. If you stand directly to the
left or right of them, they may not be able to comfortably turn
fully to watch you. Think about your positioning around the
table so they get to enjoy the show as well.
Do the guests have name tags?

We all know that its very important to use a spectators name
as much as possible. Take a moment to glance down at the
table and check if each place setting has the guests name on a
small card. This is really valuable information. Youll be
39
surprised how often you can use a spectators name, and have
them completely amazed that you just knew it straight away.
They will often ask you how you know their name, so its a
great chance to play with that and have some fun.
Do guests have jackets on their chairs?

Its really not cool to knock things over as you move around
the table. Double-check that there are no bags or coats
hanging over chairs to get in the way. If the guest has hung
their jacket onto the back of a chair, take a moment to think
about possibly loading a playing card into one of the pockets
as you pass.
Do the guests look relaxed?

Dont approach a table without first checking the mood of the
guests sat around it. You really dont want to approach a table
if there is a drama going on. An argument might have started,
the guests may have complained about something to the
waiting staff and be having that resolved, or some negative
information may have just been given to the guests sat at that
table. Check that people are smiling, happy, and look ready
for some entertainment to begin.
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Is there an involved conversation in

progress?
If the table is involved in a deep conversation, you may want
to wait a while before approaching. Its not good to interrupt
somebodys anecdote, announcement, or business deal.
Approach at a natural break-point, so you dont have to wait
too long to introduce yourself.
Are there table decorations in the middle of

the table?
Sometimes tables will have elaborate decorations in the
middle of them, menus standing up, balloons or central lights.
Tall items can block the view of guests sat on the other side of
them. It may not be appropriate to adjust the table to allow for
a better view, so if you do see an obstacle, use that
information to pick the best location around the table to
approach.
Is the noise level okay for the whole table to

hear you?
Tables located near the edge of the room may be positioned
near a music speaker. Notice the noise levels around that
table. Will everybody be able to hear you? Its important that
you speak clearly and project your voice when you approach a
table as you will want to capture everybodys attention.
41
Yes, I know thats a lot to notice in the few seconds youre

standing around waiting to approach the next table. In reality,
it only takes a few seconds to do this and it very soon
becomes second-nature. Removing surprises is key to a good
approach. Scout out the table just before you make your
approach and youll always be prepared.
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Introducing yourself
Magicians that havent performed to the public often tend to
worry about how they are going to start off their performance.
They may be condent in the magic tricks they perform, but
approaching people isnt a magic trick, its about condence
as a performer and overcoming fear of being rejected.
As a magician, you are there with an ofcial role to play. Your

job is to approach guests and show them something amazing.
Its just as valid as any other person at the event and you
should take comfort in that. You have a purpose for being at
the event and you are no more an interruption of the guests
43
time than the waiters that offers them drinks or canaps. Relax
into the role of the magician you are playing.
The three keys to approaching people to

show them magic tricks
Approach a table with a relaxed smile and a condent stride.
Do these three things:
1)
Tell them who you are;
2)
Let them know what you do;
3)
Engage them in a conversation or activity.
Hi, Im Joe Bloggs the magician. Ive been asked to show

you some magic.
Thats a really simple introduction. You told them who you
are and what you do. However, adding in a question or an
activity will make the introduction more effective:
Hi, Im Joe Bloggs the magician. Ive been asked to show
you some magic tonight. Do you believe in magic?
Good evening, Im Joe Bloggs the magician. Ive been
asked to show you some magic tonight. Do know why I carry
these strange coins?
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Its really as easy as that. Just like any introduction, its about
the APPEARANCE of condence and purpose. It doesnt
matter if you are feeling nervous about the approach, so long
as you dont show it. If you edge slowly up to a table and fail
to make eye-contact or smile, you are giving signals that you
dont want attention and so thats exactly the result you will
get.
Approach with purpose. Speak clearly and with enough
volume in your voice that everyone will hear you. You have
something very interesting for them and they are the lucky
people to get to see you next.
Check your appearance

Before you approach a table take a moment to check your
appearance and make sure everything is as it should be:
Is your tie straight?
Is your shirt tucked-in fully?
Is your shirt collar down?
Check your pockets

You may look great, but are you really ready to go? Are your
playing cards and other props in the correct pockets? Is your
sharpie pen where its supposed to be?
45
Always double-check your pocket management to make sure

you are completely reset before you approach a table. Theres
nothing worse than making a great introduction and then
fumbling around in your pocket to try to find the first prop
you want to use. Your introduction should be smooth, stylish,
and professional.
Always be upbeat and have a smile

Its important that you look like youre having a great time
and enjoying yourself. The spectators around the table will
take cues on how to behave from you. Make sure that you
dont approach with a frown on your face, a shifty look, or
nervous expression. You want to appear as if you are
absolutely delighted to be at their table. Check that you are
smiling, not just with your mouth but also with your eyes.
Eye-contact
Make eye-contact with people all around the table. Pay special
attention to people sat on the opposite side of the table.
If you approach looking down at the deck of playing cards in
your hand, or only at the people to your immediate left or
right, you limit the range of attention you are applying to the
table. Address everybody and make eye-contact around the
whole group.
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Speak to the other side of the table

In just the same way as eye-contact, your words need to be
addressed to everybody around the table. If you speak too
quietly you will lose the attention of most of the people in the
group. Make sure that you dont mumble, stutter, or speak too
quietly. Match your voice level to the sound around you, and
project your voice to the far side of the table.
Use an opening gambit

Some magicians like to use an opening gambit when they
approach a table. This might be a surprising magic trick which
starts the moment the magician arrives. For example, you
might approach a table asking if somebody has dropped wallet
then proceed to make it burst into flames or disappear. There
are many magic tricks on the market designed specically to
be used as an opening gambit. Although I dont use this
method myself, it can be successful if done well. However, it
doesnt suit every magician, and there is a moment when
spectators suddenly realise that theyre seeing a magic trick
which some magicians feel conicts with their performing
persona. Try out opening gambit tricks yourself and discover
whether they suit you as a method of approach.
Interrupting conversations
Its very unlikely that the table of guests will all be sat in
silence waiting for you to arrive. Conversations will be taking
47
place, so you need to pick the right moment to make your

introduction. If conversation is taking place, wait a few
moments for a natural break. However, dont wait too long; if
you spend more than a few moments waiting for a break,
youll start to lose condence and appear to just be standing at
the table staring at the guests. Some of the guests will notice
that youre waiting and this may be awkward, as the speaker
will feel natural pressure to stop what theyre saying and pay
attention to you. If the speaker is the alpha spectator of the
group, and youve stolen the attention of a group from them,
this can really work against you.
Use group words

When you address the table make sure that everybody feels
involved. Use words like:
Everybody
Everyone
All of us
All of you
When people overhear you using these words they will tend to
pay attention and look up.
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Dont rush in
Earlier we talked about using an opening gambit; one of the
disadvantages of this is that it reduces your ability to create a
connection with your audience. Rushing straight into a magic
trick prevents you from creating a bond, a common point of
view, and a connection greater than the magic trick you use to
introduce yourself. You may find that taking a few moments
to ask how everybody is, whether people are having a good
time, or simply if they have any idea who you are, will win
over the table very quickly. Being interested in how the table
is enjoying the evening will get everybodys attention. It
removes the moment of confusion when spectators suddenly
find out that you are an entertainer as a result of a magic trick
being thrust upon them.
Approaching strangers to show them your magic tricks is one
of the most common areas of fear for magicians, but its as
simple as any introduction. Taking time to practice
introducing yourself will be time well spent. As you gain
experience, you will discover that its not as hard as you
imagine.
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Delivering your character

When you approach a table you are making a first impression.
You are introducing yourself. If youre going to do that well,
you had better understand exactly what you will be
introducing and how to convey that very quickly to your
spectators.
Canned introductions
Your well-rehearsed magic tricks shouldnt be presented in a
canned fashion. In just the same way, your introduction
shouldnt appear to be scripted or canned. That is quite hard
to avoid.
Like everything, a good approach doesnt sound fake. Your
introduction may have been worked out in advance, but it
should appear to be honest, natural and fresh. That can be
achieved by good scripting, as long as you put in the time to
work on its delivery.
Be yourself
Although it can be done, when magicians try to present
themselves in a character that is different from their natural
selves it usually looks fake. Successful magicians tend to
present their real selves, albeit a polished version of them.
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In just the same way, when you approach a table, relax and be
yourself. Be happy and full of energy, but dont try to play a
character that isnt an aspect of the real you. Imagine you are
approaching a table of your family and friends. They all love
you and cant wait to see you again. You dont need to be
anything other than yourself.
By making the commitment to be honest in your approach,
you will avoid the mistake that many magicians make when
they start performing magic:
The stepping on stage persona

If you script your introduction, but dont spend the time to
rehearse it enough so that its completely natural, you can
appear to be stepping on stage. Thats when at one moment
you are yourself, then you suddenly switch into magician
mode and become someone completely different. Changing
character like this is really noticeable. Especially if you switch
in and out of character between magic tricks. The way to
avoid this happening is to make your performance style as
close to your real self as possible.
If you relax and be yourself, you dont need to script every
introduction you are going to use. You simply walk up to a
table, with a nice smile, and explain who you are and what
you do.
Its as simple as that.
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Annoying people
Whats the difference between an annoying show-off and a
highly successful entertainer? Why do some magicians
constantly annoy people?
Have you ever seen skilled magicians that you simply dont
like? They may be highly recommended magicians, but, for
some reason, they rub you up the wrong way. Why are some
magicians great at entertaining people, whilst others simply
come across as show-offs?
I dont think the difference is talent. There are hugely talented
magicians who seem to be nothing more than self-promoting
egos. Yet at the same time, there are highly successful
magicians who only perform very simple techniques, yet hold
everybody spellbound.
I suspect its about the choices that the magicians have made
when they have developed their performing characters.
Without thinking about how they come across to spectators,
some magicians fall into the trap of believing their own hype,
whist at the same time becoming generic and interchangeable
in their performing persona.
Ive found that the following characteristics can be common
in many magicians who have not taken the time to think about
their performing character:
52
Irritating
Attention-seeking
Cheap and tacky
Patronising
Annoying
Self-promoting
Arrogant
Superiority complex
Fake
Generic
Lets look at a few ways to avoid these characteristics that

lead to magicians annoying people with their magic:
Use your natural personality

Be who you really are. Develop a stable, consistent version of
your own characteristics that you can project into your
performing style. This will give you a unique and predictable
character that audiences will believe in.
Dont annoy people

Your goal is to entertain and delight people. Its not a game
between the spectator and yourself. Try not to push yourself
into peoples conversations, force magic down peoples
throats or demand to be the centre of attention.
53
Avoid being arrogant

You may be a skilled performer, but that doesnt mean you are
better than your spectators. You dont know who they really
are, or what skills they may be an expert in. It doesnt matter
how many years you have been practising your sleight of
hand, or how good your misdirection may be. Its totally
trivial to anyone who doesnt care about it. Dont fall into the
trap of thinking that you are special, simply because you are
really good at fiddling with playing cards, following magic
trick instructions, or because you can be charming. Respect
everyone you show your magic to. Dont let the status of a
magician go to your head. There are experts in their own
fields everywhere. Looking down on people is a sure-fire way
to lose work, and fail as a magician.
Never be tacky
Avoid terrible jokes and one-liner gags as much as possible. It
makes you look cheap and generic. Add your own humour
and style. Be witty and comic if that suits you, but smutty
jokes and put-downs make you look low-rent.
Do this:
Think about all your best characteristics. Take a moment to
write down all the best things people like about you. If you
are feeling brave, ask some trusted friends to write a short
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paragraph about what they like about your character and

personality. Once you have this list, look at ways that you can
communicate these characteristics into your performing
persona. Perhaps the back-story to your magic powers?
Maybe by using presentations that describe a story about you,
and how you reacted to a specic situation?
Look at one-liners that you may use, and the jokes and gags
you like using. Do they fit with the description of the person
your friends have described? Decide WHO you want to be.
You are what you do, and because of that, you have control
over how you will be perceived by your spectators. Its a
fantastic opportunity.
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Alpha spectators and

how to take control
Have you ever wondered why some tables that you approach
are more responsive than others?
Its understandable that some individuals may be less keen to
watch magic than others, but why would a whole group act
that way together?
There could be several reasons for this reaction to your magic.
The group could have just been arguing, or they may be deep
in a conversation that they are all enjoying. If your magic
usually gets great reactions, its the group that is generating
the negativity rather than yourself.
However, one very common reason may be because the group
has a dominant member that is controlling the mood and
behaviour of the group and you have not approached the
group in a way that takes this into account.
The next few times you approach a table to perform your
magic, pause for a moment. Watch the group before you join
it and take over as the centre of attention. Theres a
fascinating social dynamic for you to see.
Typically, one person in the group will be holding court and
dominating the group to some extent. Once you start looking
56
out for this it becomes extremely easy to spot, even though

the other members of the group may not be aware that it is
happening themselves.
The alpha spectator will be receiving the most attention. Even
if another person is talking, the other members of the group
will pay attention to the alpha spectator from time to time and
notice his or her reactions. The mood of the alpha spectator
can be mirrored in the whole group as they take cues on how
to react from his or her behaviour.
This group dynamic is remarkably subtle, but its inuence on
your performance can be profound. Alpha spectators can be
either a magicians best secret weapon or a real challenge for
them. It often depends on how the interaction between the
alpha spectator and the magician plays out in the first few
moments of meeting.
Ways the alpha spectator can work against

you
When you join a table, attention is taken off the alpha
spectator. They are no longer the centre of focus for the group.
Should he or she feel unconsciously threatened by this, they
can make things quite difcult for you. Heres a few of the
most common behaviours this perceived threat to their
dominance may produce:
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Distracting
Example: Offering wine around the table, asking the group if
they want drinks or making a phone call in the middle of your
trick.
Cutting out group members

Example: As you ask another spectator a question, they
answer instead, cutting out other enthusiastic group members.
Over-examining
Example: Asking you to give them the deck of playing cards
to shufe at inappropriate moments.
Excessive joking
Example: Making wisecracks that attempt to draw the groups
attention back to them.
Cross-conversations
Example: Starting a conversation with part of the group or
telling an anecdote in the middle of the magic trick.
Inviting non group-members to gain attention

Example: Suddenly noticing a new arrival, calling them over
and starting an introduction to everyone in the middle of a
trick.
All very annoying, but this can be avoided quite easily if you
remember to use a few basic techniques to handle alpha
spectators that will get them on your side.
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Ways they can help you

Getting the alpha spectator on your side right from the start is
the goal here. As well as avoiding the annoyances mentioned
above, there are advantages to be gained by having the leader
of the table watching your back, initiating applause from the
group, and focusing the attention of the group onto the
activity of watching the magic show.
Handling the Alpha spectator

Some magicians prefer to dominate the group right from the
start and in doing so, they replace the alpha spectator for their
time in the group. However, there is another way, and the
principle is easy. The most important feeling for the alpha
spectator is that they are getting attention from the group, and
that their status is not at risk. Communicating that their status
is not under threat and that your introduction to the group will
strengthen that position, will signicantly reduce the risk of
being rejected and receiving a cold reception from the group
members.
Three basic techniques you can use in these

situations:
Acknowledge - Notice the alpha member of the group and
subliminally seek permission to take over control temporarily.
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As you approach a table, make eye-contact with the person

you identify as the alpha spectator and smile as you do so.
The idea is to make it appear as if you are approaching the
table directly to ask that person a question. The goal is to get
his or her attention first, so that you arrive at the table with the
alpha spectator already paying attention to you.
Question - Ask the alpha spectator a question first. He or she
does not need to be your first helper, so it can be a general
question such as Is everyone having a good evening?. It
could also be your introduction as a magician. This is done
subtly, with eye-contact on him or her first, just for a moment,
then moving around the group as you address all the group
members.
Focus attention - Your opening trick could be done with the
alpha spectators help or that of his or her partner. This
ensures their attention and support, making sure the group
pays attention. Use a magic trick that makes the spectator
achieve something remarkable or demonstrates a skill the
spectator has suddenly developed. The goal is to show,
without being too obvious that he or she will remain the most
inuential person in the group and that magic adds to this
feeling.
Giving signals like this to a group leader is not being
subservient, or passing on control. Its simply acknowledging
that you are new to the group and it has already developed a
structure. Identifying and handling the alpha spectator as you
approach a group will not always guarantee you get a warm
reception. Human beings are extraordinarily complex, with far
60
too many variables at play to control consistently. However, if

you bear these points in mind when you perform, I think you
will be surprised at the difference it can make to being
accepted into a new group quickly.
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Approaching long tables

The worst table a magician can ever work on is the long table.
Its easy to approach a small table of foursix people, but
what happens when you have a large table of more than ten?
This is a popular room set-up for very large events, and can be
a particular challenge for new magicians. Often, one side of
the table is close to a wall, so its not possible to travel all
around the group. In these situations, its best to break the
table into distinct groups and work your way down the table.
Treat each section of eight people as their own group. Perform
different tricks to each section.
Where to stand
When you walk up to a table, look for a gap between two
people that are not in conversation. If you suddenly appear
between two people who are talking, there is a chance you
will be ignored. Not being noticed by the guests next to you is
a strong signal to the whole table. Not the impression you
want to communicate. Find a space which isnt hidden by
large objects on the table, so everyone can see you. A visible
space, between two people who are not already engaged will
mean that they both stop and look at you. Everyone else can
see that you have arrived, and that people are paying
attention.
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Capturing attention
A large table, by its nature, has a lot of people around it. That
means that it will have plenty of stuff happening just as you
approach it. Its easy to go unnoticed, unless you make sure
you can capture the attention of the group.
When you walk over to a table, some people will notice you
and stop their conversations to pay attention to the new
arrival. Some may think you are a waiter and have come to
bring something to the table, whilst others will simply ignore
you because they are deep in conversation. Its vital that you
are condent at this point. If you sneak up to the table and
stand there waiting for everyone to stop what they are doing,
you may be in for a long wait.
Your introduction
Its time to say something. Address the people on the opposite
side of the table. Introduce yourself and say briey what you
are about to do. Make eye-contact with several people as you
do this. Your introduction is about starting a conversation with
the whole table.
If conversations continue
Resist the temptation to ask people to stop what they are
doing. Instead, use an indirect way to gather everyone into the
show that is starting. One way to do this, is to pick a volunteer
63
and ask the whole table to give them a round of applause for
helping you, this will politely end most conversations that are
happening because something very interesting is going on
with the rest of the group. Its also very enjoyable for the table
and a great signal to give to the rest of the room.
Involving everyone
Use magic that gets people involved. Ask questions and get
people interacting with other people around the table.
If you need a card signed tell a few people to sign their

name on it or draw a silly picture on it.
Ask a question for a show of hands: So, who here, has
ever been a magicians assistant?
Get people voting : Please put your hands up if you
believe in magic?
Move around
Dont stay in one spot through your whole act. Circling the
table as you address people between tricks will make people
track you. As you move, ask a question or tell the table
something, so they follow you. Moving around keeps the
energy going and captures the attention.
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The secret
Its all about giving people something to do. They clap, put
their hands up, volunteer someone else, answer a question,
follow you as you move to another spot, or get involved by
holding an object. If you engage people ALL AROUND the
table, you can easily hold the whole groups attention.
Performing your magic tricks at a large table is not as hard as
it looks. Its all about audience control, and that is 99% about
giving people fun things to do, a reason to participate, and the
social signals that a show has started for them.
65
PART 4
GENERAL TIPS
66
Emailing a client
In this book we have discussed approaching tables, but there
is another approach that magicians have to make thats just as
important.
The main sales funnel for magicians is their website. Clients
wanting to hire a magician will usually check out your
website before they contact you, which means that most
clients will make their first contact to you via email. Its
important to know how to answer emails from people that
want to hire you. Here are a few tips:
Keep it brief
The client contacting you has already checked out your
website. If your website has been built correctly it will already
have all the information needed, including a section on
frequently asked questions. Your response email isnt the time
to bombard your client with lots of information about you.
Keep the email professional and brief.
Thank them for their time

The first part of your email should thank the client for
contacting you. Make sure you don't miss this out.
67
Answer their questions fully

Read through the email carefully, making sure that you have
fully answered all of their questions. If you cant answer one
of the questions because there is not enough information
provided, make sure you ask for more information and
explain why.
How did they find out about you?

Its important to ask how the client found you. Your contact
source information is valuable for identifying where your
leads are coming from. Its also a subtle way of suggesting
that you are very popular, and that its highly likely that
somebody will have referred you to the client.
Use a call to action

Make sure your email includes a call to action. A call to
action is something that you are asking the client to do. This
might be to answer a question, download an e-book about
hiring a magician, or to fill in a booking form. By giving the
client a call to action you are creating continued
communication past this initial email. Your goal is to keep the
conversation going.
68
Use a third-party if possible

Is it possible that you could use a third-party to reply to your
emails? Many professional magicians use agents that act as a
third-party. If you dont have an agent you may want to get
your partner or a trusted friend to act as the third-party and
answer your enquiry emails. This allows the quotation to
come from somebody other than yourself. That person can
answer enthusiastically about your performance skills, talk
about your fees, and recommend your services in a way that
you wouldn't be able to do yourself without coming across as
slightly big-headed. Its very hard to say to your clients that
you are an amazing magician. Its much easier if a third-party
can explain just how awesome you are. If some negotiation
about fees needs to take place, a third-party can make a deal
without you having to seem mercenary or confrontational.
Heres a typical email from a client wanting to hire a magician
that you may receive:
Hi Dominic
I'm planning a 40th birthday party on the 25th July in Walton
Ash. I thought having a magician to entertain the guests
would be a great idea. Can you please let me know the cost
for a couple of hours of magic.
Thanks
William Spiget
69
This would be a typical reply to the above email:

Hi William,
Thank you for contacting me about attending your party on
the 25th July. Ive checked my diary and I am currently
available.
How did you hear about me? Was I recommended to you?
My fee to provide walk-around close-up magic is xxx for one
hour or xxxx for 2.5 hours.
Will your guests be having table service, a buffet, or will it be
drinks and canaps?
Best wishes
Dominic Reyes
www.dominicreyes.com
Follow up
Its vital that you remember to follow up after you have sent a
quotation email. Wait one or two days and then send an email
checking that they have received your quotation, and asking if
they have any further questions. I cant stress how important
this is. So many magicians dont follow up. They send out a
quote, sit back, and hope that it will lead to a booking. Taking
just a moment to follow up will often be the difference
between a booking and a missed opportunity.
70
The seven habits of

successful magicians
Over the years, I've had the pleasure of working with some of
the most talented close-up magicians in the world. By viewing
these successful working magicians in action, its possible to
spot several factors that they all have in common. We can
copy these habits and add them to our own practice and
performance of magic. Lets look at the seven performance
habits most often found in the behaviour of successful
magicians:
1) Keeping control of the audience

Its important to learn how to control and direct your
audience. Successful magicians take time to learn how to
capture attention, foster interest, and control a group of
spectators.
Reading books on direct sales and showmanship just as much
as you read magic books can help you learn ways to gain
control of your audience and keep their attention throughout
your performance.
Discuss audience management with other performers. Take
note of what works well in a live situation. Successful
magicians will often spend just as much time relating to their
71
spectators as they do performing the mechanical aspects of

their magic tricks. Time is taken to perfect posture, eyecontact, and pacing, to control how a spectator reacts.
Learning how to control an audience will ensure that you
dont hesitate if a spectator suddenly asks you a question in
the middle of your trick. You learn to keep your cool by
anticipating this behaviour in advance, whilst not appearing to
ignore the interruption that may have taken place.
2) Punctuality
Successful magicians make a habit of arriving in plenty of
time for their shows. Being on time is vital if you want to
build a great reputation. In fact, being on time is not good
enough. Arriving early to a gig gives you time to check out
the venue, chat with the client and the event staff, and address
any unexpected problems that may have occurred. If you are
booked to start at 8pm, make sure you arrive by 7pm. An
extra hour may seem excessive, but it pays off over the long
term. Being relaxed, ready and prepared is far more important
than an extra hour before you set off for a gig. That hour is
usually spent in preparation limbo anyway, so spend it at the
venue instead. Being early means that you stay calm and
relaxed.
3) Pocket management and resets

Do you remember your first magic gig? I remember my first
time performing as if it were yesterday. I took way too much
stuff with me, and loaded my pockets with as many magic
72
tricks as I could carry. I remember laughing after the gig that I

really only needed 20% of the items I carried with me that
night. In fact, the gig was harder because of all the equipment
getting in the way. Successful magicians know exactly what
they will need for each gig and streamline their pocket
management, so every item has its place. The magic tricks
that successful magicians perform tend to be built into
working sets. Each set is designed to have the right resets and
the magic props have locations on the magician which allow
him or her to move through the set without fumbling for pens,
cards or any of the props needed for the set. Good pocket
management will make your magic seem effortless and
spontaneous.
4) Knowing when to arrive and leave

The best close-up magicians know just when to join a new
group and when to leave. They dont just plough into a new
group as they stumble through the room working. They look
for in moments, when there is a break in the conversation,
and they can engage the group without interrupting a guests
anecdote or joke. Successful magicians know how to leave a
group wanting more. Their magic is constructed to:
Introduce;
Engage;
Create energy;
Build to an applause cue.
73
Knowing when to stop performing is just as important as the

choice of magic tricks that you perform. Successful magicians
perform just enough to entertain the group, but not so much
that they are taking over the whole event. The secret is to
leave them wanting more. Perform a few tricks, and promise
that you can return later if they request it.
5) Effective use of space

Close-up magicians dont use a stage for their shows. The
magic happens right in the thick of the action. That means
there is little or no control over the performing environment.
Successful magicians will have already scouted out the venue
before they start performing. They know the blind spots in the
room, the walkways, serving points and access channels
around each table. When they perform, skilled magicians
move around through the show, making sure that everyone is
engaged and gets to see the magic tricks up close. Motion is
life, and motion creates energy. Standing in one spot through
your whole set of tricks doesnt help build energy. Its one of
the reasons modern comedians tend to pace up and down the
stage as they deliver their stand-up comedy. Movement keeps
peoples attention.
6) Simplication
There are commercial magic tricks, and tricks designed for
entertaining magicians. One of the most common differences
between the two forms of magic is simplicity. Successful
74
magicians understand that the magic tricks they perform need

to be simple to understand. A general rule of thumb is: A
magic trick should be easy to explain in a single sentence.
When it comes to casual walk-around magic, effort = boring
to the spectators. That doesnt mean that the magician cant
perform magic that touches on complex concepts, but the
presentation needs to be clever enough to reduce the
complexity to its simplest form, so most of the thinking has
already been done for the spectators. A great example of this
in action is the work of Derren Brown. Many of his
performances involve quite heavy theories or concepts.
However, his entertaining presentations simplify this for the
audience, so they dont feel like they are having a mental
workout.
7) Timing
Probably the most important skill of successful magicians, yet
one that is so often overlooked, is timing. Knowing just when
to pause, when to speed up, and when to pass a cheeky smile
to the spectator. Timing is everything, once the mechanical
aspects of a magic trick have been mastered. Despite this, its
not discussed in the instructions for most magic tricks. Timing
comes from rehearsal of the whole trick, including the patter
and physical actions. Its then developed through live
performance and remains in a constant state of development
throughout the magicians whole experience performing the
act. There are many courses and books for actors on timing,
and its effort well spent building up as much knowledge as
possible on this key skill to becoming a successful magician.
75
Where the seven habits of successful

magicians come from
What do all seven habits of successful magicians have in
common? None of them are found on the instructional DVD
that comes with most magic tricks. They develop through
performance. Not necessarily live to the public, as
performance can be simulated in rehearsal, but they only
develop through applying each magic trick into the
environment that it will be presented within.
To develop the seven habits of successful magicians, I
recommend getting as much experience as possible,
performing your magic to strangers in a social setting. This
doesnt need to be paid gigs, you can do charity events, fundraisers or community social gatherings. The key is to get out
and find out how magic is presented in the real world, with all
the distractions and interactions that provides. The rewards
you will gain, in the development of your magic performance
will be limitless.
76
Choosing the best magic

tricks to perform
This book is about approaching tables, so it assumes that you
already have a well-constructed set of magic tricks ready to
perform. However, Im always asked to give some
suggestions about the types of magic tricks that are best suited
for performing at the tables. I couldnt begin to suggest a list
of specic magic tricks, there are just far too many and every
magician is different. However, I can give you some advice on
the types of magic tricks that are most suitable.
Sets of tricks
As a basic framework you probably want to create three
different sets of magic tricks. Each set has an opener, some
middle effects, and the closing trick. Its a good idea to have
three different sets because you may be performing in a
restaurant with tables very close together. You can rotate the
sets so that you not performing the same magic tricks if a
table you have already visited decides to overlook the next
tables performance.
77
Types of tricks
Try to select tricks that dont require the use of a table surface.
Once objects are placed on the table youve limited their
visibility for most of the guests. You also dont want to spend
any time rearranging the table surface to make room for your
props. Keep the magic in your hands or in the hands of your
spectators as much as possible.
Ideally the trick should be able to be reset very quickly. You
want to be able to move from table to table without having to
leave the room to reset. If a reset is required make sure that
the magic trick can be set up discreetly, so that you dont have
to hide away to do the necessary work.
The props should comfortably fit in your pockets. You can
carry around an item between tables, such as a chop cup, but
most of your props should be able to be hidden away about
your person.
Try to avoid long-winded multiphase routines. These are great
for showing other magicians, but you may find it hard to keep
peoples attention at the tables. Ideally, choose easy to
understand tricks that have a surprising and visual climax.
Avoid magic tricks that could be regarded as offensive. You
cant assume that everybody has your great sense of humour.
You are representing both the venue and the client, so you
need to be mindful of any message your magic is sending.
Performing at tables can be very demanding on the props.
Make sure you choose items that are going to be durable and
78
easy to replace. Playing cards get dropped in food and

handled with dirty hands. Almost every prop you own will be
dropped on the floor at some point during their ownership.
You need to take pride in the appearance and quality of the
props you use, and be able to replace them often.
Make sure the tricks dont rely too much on angles. You are
going to be performing surrounded, and have little control
over who will be watching you. If you do use magic tricks
that have a bad angle, make note of where they would best be
performed when you scout out the venue.
Try to select magic tricks which work just in the hands and
ideally can be placed in a spectators hands as well. The more
you have spectators interact with the show, the more
engagement you create, and the more attention your magic
will receive.
Not every magic trick will be able to meet all of these criteria,
but its a good general guide to go by. Sometimes you'll find a
trick that you absolutely love and would be perfect for you. In
that case, throw all the suggestions out of the window and
perform it. It might be the trick that makes your reputation, as
nobody else can be bothered to do it. There are so many great
tricks available that require a lot of effort to set up. They
never get used commercially. Those can be the tricks that
separate you from the average magician.
79
Creating interest through

variation
Times have changed, and audiences simply dont have the
attention spans that they did in the age before the internet, TV,
and smartphones. Popular culture has taken its toll on the
ability of an audience to hold fixed attention for any extended
length of time.
The mission of the press is to spread culture while
destroying the attention span. Karl Kraus
The problem of reduced attention spans is only going to get
worse over time. Kids are growing up in a new type of
society, where they are focused more on screens than real
world interaction. Children are developing their minds in a
world where everything is a quick Google search away.
For table magicians, this situation is pressing. The performing
conditions at a dinner are filled with competing draws on the
spectators attention. How should magicians deal with this
problem?
The secret to holding a spectators attention is VARIATION.
Its use within your close-up magic act is a powerful way to
keep your audience engaged with the show you are presenting
80
to them. People get bored quickly, and that leads to

distraction. Making sure that you add enough variation into
the magic tricks you perform is a powerful way to keep them
interested and involved with your magic.
Variation isnt speed

In an attempt to be interesting, some magicians simply try to
increase the pace of their magic. In the hope of keeping the
audience on the edge of their seats, those magicians try to
cram in as many different tricks and flourishes as possible,
and perform them at breakneck speed. The result isnt usually
good. Speed can cause confusion, which in turn leads to
boredom and frustration. Its important that you do vary your
pace and keep the energy up throughout your act, but
sometimes slowing down can be just as engaging for
spectators. The key is to have a variation in both speed and
pace, as well as in the types of magic tricks you perform.
You can present only card magic tricks and

still have variation
In order to vary the content of your act, you dont have to
change the style of magic you perform. If you are a card
magician, its fine to only use playing cards. If you are a mind
reader, there is no need to switch to coin tricks in the middle
of your show, to give your act variation. The props can remain
the same, but the presentations that you use should have
variety. Adding in fast, punchy magic, slow emotional pieces,
81
and a little comedy, can provide variation to an act which has

a strong common theme running through it. A great example
of this can be seen in the work of Derren Brown. His shows
are all mentalism, but he plays with pace, comedy and style in
a way that creates variation within his show.
Core techniques to create variation in a

magic act
There are many ways to mix things up in your magic tricks
set.
Speed - Change the speed of your presentations and actions
within specic tricks, and also within the framework of your
whole act. This gives your magic a dynamic quality and keeps
the audience focused on you and your magic.
Duration - Work through each of your routines and try to
identify any slow or dead parts where nothing is happening.
Think about how you could change the routines to reduce
these dull moments as much as possible. Ensure that each
magic trick has a punch quite quickly in its performance.
Pay attention to how your spectators react when you present a
magic trick to them. Could you bring the moment of magic
forward by a simple change to the method? Could you
introduce a little magical event that occurs before the main
effect, so the audience gets magic along the way? As you
develop as a magician, your magic will go through a natural
process of culling. The tricks become tight as you remove
unnecessary parts, pauses and procedure from each
presentation.
82
Shock - The best magic routines add a little shock or surprise

into the mix. The audience is led down a false path, an
outcome suddenly changes, or something simply appears or
vanishes. Structure your act so it becomes hard for your
audience to guess what is coming next. Nobody wants to be
watching a magic trick when they know what the outcome
will be.
So you see, its quite possible to build a successful act with a
specialised theme like mind-reading, playing cards or coin
magic. Any collection of magic tricks can be as engaging as
the next. Variation is the magic secret to ensure that the
shrinking attention spans of your audience dont work against
you. Adding variation techniques to your existing magic act
can breath new life into your show, and ensure its suitable for
a future audience that have been raised in the age of Google.
83
Being asked to teach a

magic trick
Sometimes, you may be approached by a guest and asked if
you will teach them a magic trick. You should have an
approach prepared for this situation, as its a possible point of
conict between you and the guest. I was recently asked this
question:
Im often asked if I can teach a magic trick to one of the
guests when Im performing at a party or wedding. What
should I do? Id like to show them a simple magic trick that
they can do, but at the same time I dont want to expose magic
secrets.
- John
Teaching a simple magic trick may not be right for you, but
some magicians do like to do it, so they do not disappoint a
guest. Its fine so long as you very careful about what you
teach. As magicians we promise not to disclose secrets, we
also dont want to reduce the impressiveness or importance of
our own magic by showing that it is only a collection of easy
tricks.
Technically, its fine to teach them a magic trick so long as it
is in the public domain and doesnt reveal one of the core
principles of magic technique. So what sort of tricks are okay
to teach?
84
The perfect magic trick to teach a spectator is one where the

secrets of a magic trick are revealed as part of the ending
anyway. Bar bets or proposition cons are ideal examples of
this. The conclusion of the trick automatically shows the
method so youre not exposing any secrets. There is a huge
range of magic tricks like this that you can use. They may not
be magic in the strictest sense of the word, but they are
entertaining and will satisfy your spectators curiosity and
desire for a trick that they can do themselves.
Pushing an object through a cup

A simple magic trick that you could teach spectators would be
a demonstration of how you can push an object through a cup.
You take a coffee cup and place it on the table, You announce
that you will be able to push a large borrowed object (such as
a mobile phone) through the small handle of the cup. It seems
totally impossible. The huge object, such as a phone, or
maybe a wine glass couldnt possibly fit through the small
handle of the cup. When they ask you for the solution, you
place the object in front of the cup, put your finger through
the handle hole, and push the object with your finger. There...
you pushed the object through the cup!
It might not be a stunning example of sleight of hand, no real
magic has taken place, but it will satisfy the spectators,
entertain them and give them something to try out on their
friends later.
85
There are lots of books and DVDs which teach bar bets or
puzzles like this, and youll be able to find them free of
charge at your local public library. Being armed with just a
few small easy to learn magic tricks that you can teach will
mean that you never have to disappoint spectators.
86
Approaching agents
Mark asked for help finding an agent or entertainment agency
that provides work for magicians.
Mark writes:
I am trying to get an agent. I have a pretty good website, but
I dont know how to go about making a magicians showreel. I
have a resume that my magic teacher made for me, and I
think it looks pretty good. I really dont have much experience
performing professionally, but I have performed magic at
several weddings. Please can you give me some advice and
guidelines for contacting entertainment agents or getting
discovered.
Well done on building up your magic training to the point
where you want to make the next big step and start
performing magic for the public on a commercial basis!
The next step is to start building relationships with either a
single management agent or a collection of entertainment
agents. Lets look at some ways to get started:
Create a list
A quick Google search should be your starting point. Start
compiling a list of agencies that list acts similar to your own.
This is a perfect time to make a note of the average fees for
87
magicians working in your area. Many sites dont show

prices, some show a range, and others will give you the
specic fees for each performer. This is very useful
information, to that you charge the right level of fee for the
market you wish to work within.
The difference between an agent and a

website advert
You should note that there is a difference between an agent
who will find you work, and a commercial website that
charges you a fee for listing an advert on their site. Look for
an agent who does not charge you a fee to be included in their
list of artists. The goal is to be promoted by the agent in return
for a cut of the performing fee, rather than simply being
charged for a listing on their website.
Walk before you run

Many of the large management companies may be more
suitable later on in your magic career. The goal initially is
simply to create a list of agencies and get listed on a few. The
more prestigious companies may not be interested in working
with you right away until they notice you and approach you
themselves. Dont worry about aiming at the most prestigious
agencies at first. Instead, we will work on getting you noticed
by a few general agencies, so you can build up a reputation.
88
Make it a daily project

To find a reputable agent in your area, talk to some other
magician friends and research on Google. Most areas of the
country have agents who can get you gigs.
Contact an agent each day via email or by post. Give a brief
outline of your services, experience, and an invitation to look
at your website, showreel and testimonials. Follow up with
each agency seven days after you have made initial contact, to
check that they have received your introduction letter and to
ask if they have any questions. Dont be a pest, or take up too
much of their time. Simply make initial contact, then follow
up a week later.
Systematically contacting agents in this way will give you the
best chance of one agreeing to discuss giving you work.
Basically, its a numbers game until you hit one that has need
of a magician to fill in a gap in their work diary, or that
connects with you and decides to give you a go.
Do you need a magicians showreel?

You dont have to have a showreel to be signed by an agent,
as long as you have built up some experience and testimonials
that prove you deliver the goods.
I didnt have a showreel for many years, but that didnt stop
me getting work. If your website is professional, and you have
plenty of performing photographs showing your audience
having a great time, that can be enough to start getting work.
89
Over time your reputation becomes far more powerful for

getting noticed. Whilst agents do LIKE watching a showreel,
its not going to necessarily break your chances if you dont
have one.
A good showreel can really help you, but a bad showreel can
work against you too. You will be judged on the quality of the
editing, presentation and footage, just as much as the magic. If
you do invest your time and money into making a magicians
showreel, make sure its the best you can make.
Keep getting experience

Whilst you approach agents in this way, try and get as much
experience performing magic as possible. Approach local
venues to see if they have need of a magician for an upcoming
event. Perform at local community events. Contact local
student film societies or media departments and offer your
services to student film-makers. Magic is an interesting topic
for them, and a great way to build up some footage for a
showreel. The more experience you can gain as a magician,
the more attractive youll be to an agent.
90
Conclusion
I hope this book has given you some useful information and
tips about how to approach tables. The key message is very
simple. Approaching a table is much easier than most people
think. You dont need to worry about it. Its simply a process
of walking up to a table with a smile, waiting just a short
moment for a break in conversation, and introducing yourself
with condence. There really isnt anything more to it than
that. However, things go wrong when magicians dont take
time to check the situation at the table before they approach it.
The main message of this book is that you should pause for a
moment and study the table you are about to join. Try to
understand the group dynamics going on around the table, and
anticipate any interruptions you may face. This becomes very
easy over time, and will soon become second nature.
Please let me know what you thought of this e-book. I would
like to add to it over time and expand the content.
You can leave me feedback and suggestions for improvements
here:
Click here to leave me feedback
91
If you have any problems or questions, the team at the

Merchant of Magic is here to help. We produce a range of free
e-books that cover all aspects of both practice and
performance for magicians. You can get the books and also
read hundreds of articles giving advice about all aspects of
training and performance on the Merchant of Magic blog.
You can find the blog at http://blog.magicshop.co.uk
The Merchant of Magic also produces video tips, guides,and
advice, as well as a podcast recorded live at the magic shop
where we discuss questions that magicians have asked us.
Good luck with your magic!
Dominic Reyes
Web: http://www.dominicreyes.me
Twitter: @dominicreyes
92
Click here to download this free e-book
If you enjoyed this book please tell your friends about it,
and spread the word on facebook or magic forums. You
can send magicians the following link to download their
own copy:
http://magictricks.magicshop.co.uk/magicians-approachpeople-advice-guide-ebook
93
Copyright 2014 Merchant of Magic Ltd. All rights reserved.

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permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to
the publisher, addressed Attention: Permissions
Coordinator, at the address below.
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Produced and published in the United Kingdom.
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