The Approach

Jamie D. Grant

A guide to becoming a working Walkaround Magician

The Approach
Jamie D. Grant

2023 edition edited by

Andi Gladwin and Mike Vance

Layout by
Andi Gladwin
 For the consistently perfect Melissa.

She is the reason. For everything.

For it all. For Ever.

ISBN: 978-0-9937377-0-1
Printed and Bound in China
Third Edition
First edition, 2013
© Copyright 2023 by Vanishing Inc. Magic.

All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced

or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and
retrieval system now known or to be invented, without written
permission.
 Contents
How Many Tricks You Should Know............................ 1
Who Are You?.................................................................. 4
Developing Your Sets Part 1........................................... 6
How to Practice............................................................... 9
Your Magic Fridays........................................................ 12
Business Cards................................................................ 21
Websites........................................................................... 23
How Do You Look?........................................................ 25
What to Wear.................................................................. 28
Funny or Serious............................................................ 30
Are You Any Good Yet?................................................. 32
Starting Conversations................................................... 34
Touching People............................................................. 37
How Much to Charge..................................................... 38
The Cocktail Party.......................................................... 42
Getting Started................................................................ 45
Volunteer Gigs & Charities........................................... 46
What to Say in Emails.................................................... 52
The Telephone Call......................................................... 56
Getting There.................................................................. 58
Developing Your Sets Part 2.......................................... 59
Silence.............................................................................. 63
What Does My Contract Look Like?........................... 65
Transitions....................................................................... 68
Conquering Nerves........................................................ 70
How to Get Gigs............................................................. 73
Getting Ready for the First One................................... 77
Fingernail Care............................................................... 78
How Much Time to Prepare.......................................... 80
Pocket Management....................................................... 82
Your List........................................................................... 84
The Big Secret.................................................................. 85
Your Close-Up Case/Bag............................................... 87
Things to Never Forget.................................................. 88
Hat or No Hat................................................................. 90
The Handshake............................................................... 91
What to Put in the Lobby.............................................. 92
Whom to Approach First.............................................. 94
My First Effect................................................................. 96
What Rubber Bands to Use........................................... 98
Moving Through a Room.............................................. 99
The First Words I Say.................................................... 101
Highs and Lows............................................................. 103
Getting Applause........................................................... 104
More Transitions........................................................... 106
Saying Goodbye to Your Group................................... 108
Tables versus Standing.................................................. 110
Dealing with the Alpha Male....................................... 112
Staying in One Spot....................................................... 115
Busted!............................................................................ 116
Getting Compliments................................................... 119
Letting Spectators Shuffle............................................. 121
Reset - Reset................................................................... 123
The Venue Staff.............................................................. 125
Kids at an Event............................................................. 126
Burning Through Material........................................... 128
How Many Hours?........................................................ 130
Remembering Names................................................... 131
When to Show the Event Planner............................... 135
The Card Force I Always Use....................................... 136
Accepting Tips............................................................... 138
Wallets............................................................................. 139
Handing Out Business Cards....................................... 141
What to Never Borrow................................................. 143
Someone Wants to Show You a Trick......................... 144
A Regular Deck.............................................................. 146
Weddings........................................................................ 148
Large Tables.................................................................... 151
Joining Them for Dinner.............................................. 153
Vest versus Jacket........................................................... 155
The Second Big Secret................................................... 157
“Do It Again!”................................................................ 159
Another Magician Shows Up....................................... 160
Gigs Outside................................................................... 161
When Only Ten People Show Up................................ 163
Do You Need a Stage Show?......................................... 166
Dance Floors.................................................................. 169
Checking Back In.......................................................... 171
Dropping Cards............................................................. 173
Sponge Balls................................................................... 174
Dealing with Disappointment..................................... 175
Hecklers.......................................................................... 176
Open versus Closed Body Language.......................... 179
One-Handed Spectators............................................... 181
Stock Lines..................................................................... 183
Lone Stragglers.............................................................. 185
Journal............................................................................. 186
Leaving Them with Something.................................... 187
Custom Decks................................................................ 189
False Memories.............................................................. 191
Invoices........................................................................... 194
How to Get Testimonials.............................................. 195
Getting ALL the Money................................................ 197
Increasing Rates............................................................. 199
Busking........................................................................... 200
Repeat Gigs..................................................................... 202
Pictures........................................................................... 204
Social Media................................................................... 205
Agents............................................................................. 207
Going Full Time............................................................ 209
Go Get It......................................................................... 212
The Beginning................................................................ 213

The Approach vii

 Intro | Advice

“If you want to get discovered, be awesome.”

—David Moses

Be awesome.

That’s what this book is about. It’s not about getting discovered,
making a zillion dollars, or getting famous. It’s about bringing out
the best in you and showing it to the world; via the greatest art there
is: the art of Magic. That said, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be
able to make money at the same time. And I’m here to hopefully help
you with both.

But how do we do it? I mean really do it. How do we actually get

there? I’ll be honest; we’re going to take different paths. None of us
is going to take the same route to awesome-ville, but I can share with
you my route. I can tell you the exact steps I’ve taken to get to where
I am today and, let me tell you, it’s brought me happiness, joy, and
wonder. I’m excited! It’s going to be fun sharing all I’ve learned with
you!

Before we get started, let’s go over some ideas I have for this work of
mine. I’ll be including a lot of anecdotes, mistakes, stories and lessons.
Hopefully it’ll all make sense by the time this goes to press. So bear
with me as we go along. My plan was to go through my career in
chronological order; from the day I picked up my first effect all the
way through to yesterday. But there are simply too many things that
went on concurrently. So, instead, I’m simply going to give you over
100 things to think about, study, and learn from. They’ll be split up
into:

Advice: Ideas that have worked for me over the years.

Essays: Longer pieces that I believe apply across the board.
Articles: Previous articles I’ve written.
Tips: Quick ideas to apply.

The Approach ix
 Tricks: Secrets to making things easier for yourself.
Study: Introspective work to help make you a better performer.
Anecdotes: Stories from the road.
Lessons: Ideas to take things to the next level.

We may jump around a bit, so feel free to start (and finish) anywhere
you like. And, on that note, let me also mention this: please use this
book. Make it your own. Dog ear the corners, write your name on
it, doodle your logo in it - the one that will one day be splashed across
the TV - put notes in the margins, own it. Help me make it awesome.
You’re the only one for the job.

Finally, don’t let my formatting scare you. As a writer, I hate massive

chunks of text so you’ll see me use a lot of italics, bold, and different
font sizes to help break things up. I’m also going to be highlighting
one sentence in each chapter that I think is the most important. So
have fun and jump right in!

All right, enough preamble, let’s get started.

x Jamie Grant
 Chapter 1 | Article

How Many Tricks You

Should Know
You can’t be a magician without knowing tricks. I think we can all
agree on that, right? Or effects. Or illusions. Or whatever you would
like to call them. A lot of people are very passionate about calling
them one thing and not another; but all I know is that if someone
is hiring you to come to their party and perform magic, you had
better know how to do something. So how many “somethings” do
you actually need to know? It’s easy to get caught up in the latest and
the greatest that the magic world has to offer but, at the end of the
day, how many tricks can you do at a moment’s notice, blindfolded,
while riding a bicycle? I wrote this as an online essay a couple of years
back, so I’m going to put the original here and then we’ll talk a bit
more about it afterwards…

Originally written September 20, 2010

I just thought I’d offer some insight into how many tricks/
effects are actually required to do a working Walkaround
gig. Please let me preface this by saying that this is what I’ve
found, after years of doing every kind of gig conceivable to
mankind, and it is simply what works for me.

Now a lot of people will say it all depends and that each
person is different, etc. Me? I’ll just straight up tell ya...

The Approach 1
 There’s an old saying that an amateur can perform a ton
of tricks with average skill, but a pro can perform three
brilliantly. That’s true, to be sure, but it needs a bit of
refinement...

Basically, I find that you need three sets of three effects.

Here’s why: you’re at the event; it’s a cocktail party type
of setting where everyone is standing and drinking. You
approach a group of four or five people and absolutely kill
it with three amazing effects (tricks 1, 2, and 3). They’re
laughing and screaming and can’t believe you pulled the
card out of their nose.

So what’s next? Well, you take two steps (if you’re lucky
- sometimes you’ll just turn around) and begin for the
group of eight people who were standing behind you and
sort of already watching. And you don’t want to pull a
card out of their nose as well. Remember: Once is magic,
twice is a lesson. This is where you’ll bust out your second
set of three effects (tricks 4, 5, and 6). You’ll show this
group something completely new. This will also help if
any of the people from that first group are still watching.

Next? Same thing. Take a couple of steps and perform

your final set (tricks 7, 8, and 9). By this time you should
physically be far enough away from your original group
that, when you approach your fourth group, you can start
over with your original three tricks (1, 2, and 3 again).

This will also give you the added benefit of, if less people
come to the event than were intended (which will happen
way more often than you think), you will be able to start
over from the beginning by showing that very first group
your second set and carrying on, essentially allowing you
three tours of the room.

~Jamie

2 Jamie Grant
After re-reading that, I think everything still holds true. The only
thing I might add is that, instead of thinking of it as nine separate
effects, start splitting them up into 3 sets of 3 right away. That way
you’ll get an idea of how one trick can flow into another and how they
work together. That’s how I try to learn new magic; whenever I pick
up something new I ask myself:

“If I start using this effect at working gigs, where will it go? Will it be an
opener, a closer, or something in the middle?”

Keep those questions at hand when purchasing new magic. And don’t
worry, we’ll be talking more about what makes great openers, middles,
and closers a bit later.

The Approach 3
 Chapter 2 | Study

Who Are You?

I know that sounds like a weird question, but it’s an important one.
And when I ask, “Who are you?” I’m referring to who you are in
your heart. Who do you want to be? This is the question you need
to start thinking about right away. So while you’re working on your
nine effects, describe your ideal you. Even better, write it down here.
I’m serious! Grab a pen and write down who you are. I’ll give you my
description, if it’ll help. This is how I would privately describe myself
on paper. You’ll do the same in a second:

“My name is Jamie D. Grant and I’m a comedy magician.

Now, before you think I walk around making jokes,
let me give you a better idea. Picture Brad Pitt. Okay,
with a little less hair. Now picture Brad Pitt walking
around a party and showing people amazing card tricks
and sleight of hand illusions. Everyone’s laughing and
talking excitedly. People are making new friends. This is
probably the greatest party these people have ever been to.
It’s the party of the century. All because I’m here helping
them have an amazing time!”

Arrogant? Brash? Absolutely not! You need to get a mental image of

the type of person you want to become. You need to visualize how you
want others to perceive you. Yours might look like this…

“My name is John Smith and I’m a smooth man of mystery.

I float from group to group silently reading minds and
changing people’s lives. Not everyone will know I’m there but
the ones that do will remember me forever.”

4 Jamie Grant
Or,

“My name is Jane Doe and I’m absolutely hilarious. I can

make everyone laugh at the drop of a hat and I drop my hat
a lot. I can also do coin tricks like nobody’s business - all with
a smile.”

So why is this important? Because who you are is going to help

determine what kind of tricks you’ll be learning. Are you a serious
mentalist? If so, one of your 9 effects probably shouldn’t be sponge
bunnies. Are you the funniest guy in the room? Well, putting a spike
through your neck most likely isn’t a great fit. So before you get too
far ahead of yourself, picture who you want to be and then fill this in.

Seriously. Fill this in.

Who Am I (inside)?

The Approach 5
 Chapter 3 | Lesson

Developing Your Sets

Part 1
Okay, now that you’ve got an idea of who you are (and we’ll be
coming back to that) and who you’d like to become, it’s time to start
working out what effects are going to make up your sets. And I’ll be
honest, this list will change many times over the course of your career.
You’re going to be experimenting quite a bit and there will be a lot
of trial and error. But we can do a good deal of pre-planning in the
meantime. So let’s start with writing down 12 tricks that you know.

If you’re already a “worker” (someone who performs regularly), this

is an awesome exercise. It’ll give you some insight into what effects
you’re actually performing regularly. Eight of my 12 regular effects are
ones I started performing over ten years ago, for example.

I know I said you only need to know 9, but you’ve got to have a
couple extra that you learned along the way. If you don’t have a dozen,
then use this list as a list of effects you need to learn. And don’t worry
about whether these are the latest and greatest magic has to offer. Just
get learning. The classics are the greatest place to start but it’s okay
to explore the entire magic world. Some things to consider, though:

• Can they be performed standing?

• Do they have a quick “reset”?
• Are they smaller than a toaster?

6 Jamie Grant
My 12 Tricks:
e.g. Chop Cup by Dennis Loomis

1. by

2. by

3. by

4. by

5. by

6. by

7. by

8. by

9. by

10. by

11. by

12. by

While you’re working on your initial dozen, we’re going to move on

to some other things that you should be working on. Before we do,
though, let me ask you this. Take a look at your 12 effects up there.
Now, ask yourself, when is the last time you performed each and every

The Approach 7
 one of them? Be honest with yourself. If we’re going to pull the best
9 out of there and start charging people money to see them, then we
should probably make sure you really, truly, know them. That’s not
always the easiest thing to do, though. So the question now becomes,
how do we actually do that? In real life?

How do we practice?

8 Jamie Grant
 Chapter 4 | Essay

How to Practice
It’s a three-step process:

Step 1:
The first step is reading the instructions. Or watching the DVD. Or,
my favourite, reading the book. Knowing the moves and performing
them on yourself, this is always the beginning.

Step 2:
This is what I personally feel is one, if not THE, biggest stumbling
block that prevents people from becoming working magicians. And
it’s not that they don’t practice, it’s that they don’t practice in front of
other people. But wait! If you’re doing tricks in front of other people,
it’s not practicing, it’s performing, isn’t it? No. And here’s why…

You must find a group of people who you can regularly show magic
to without fearing failure.

You must find yourself a safe environment. What exactly does that
mean? It means if you drop the coin, you can actually say, “Hold on,
I dropped it, let me start over.” For a lot of people, it’s going to be their
wives or husbands, or family, or girlfriend or boyfriend. But it can’t
be just one person - and that’s hard for some. So if you only have one
of those people in your life, go find some others. If you don’t trust
your friends, start going to magic clubs or meetings, socialize, find
someone else.

Who are your three people that you can show new magic to without
stressing yourself out?

The Approach 9
 1.

2.

3.

Step 3:
My final step is taking it out into the real world for people who aren’t
paying you money. And this is where I can give you a solution that
I’ve been doing since 2006.

Magic Friday
If you have a day job, you’re golden. From this day forward, you’re
going to perform magic at work. No job? Time to start visiting friends,
family, baristas at coffee shops, whatever it takes; because the plan to
is to perform one trick, and one trick only, as many times as you can,
every Friday. Do you work in an office with only three co-workers?
Well, you’ll probably only get to do it once. Are you in a warehouse
with over a hundred? You can probably get ten performances out of
it. I’ll even give you the exact script to get you started.

“Hey everyone, I have an announcement. I’ve been studying the art of

magic and, with your permission, I’d like to show you a trick today. Just
one. And I’d like to do this every week. Sometimes it’ll take 90 seconds,
and others, maybe five minutes at most. Whaddya say?”

Homework
Do a month of Magic Fridays.

Done? Really? Don’t lie to me (or yourself )! Come back after a

month…

Congratulations, you’re now a magician. Now before my magic

community starts crying from the rooftops, “What?!? You can’t be
a magician after a single month!!!” let me tell you this: in your co-

10 Jamie Grant
workers eyes you absolutely are. People are like that. Let me put it to
you this way: if you show your co-workers a painting you’ve painted,
I guarantee you that if one of them introduces you to someone else
and it comes up, they’ll say, “Jamie’s a painter!” In their eyes, I am. And
I only showed them one painting. Same with juggling; “Jamie can
juggle!” After only one time! So, the point is, after showing someone
one effect, they’re probably going to label you as a magician. The only
question is: are you a good one? And how do you become a good
magician? By practicing. Practice by yourself, and then in front of
other people.

Learn the moves. Practice. Show your three regulars. Reflect. Practice.
Show your Magic Friday Crowd. Review. Hey, that seems like more
than three steps! Life can be like that.

The Approach 11
 Chapter 5 | Anecdote

Your Magic Fridays

Okay, let’s actually do this right and document it. You’ll be doing
magic every week so don’t lose great information. Write it down! I’ll
provide space to record your first month and then I’ll leave it to you
to carry on your own. Be ruthless! Make notes, write down the script
you used, any changes you made, what the reactions were like, and
how it made you and your audience feel.

I can still remember the rush of my very first Magic Friday. What would
they say? Would anyone actually want to watch? I had no idea! This will
change your game.

Ready?

Set?

Start performing, and writing!

12 Jamie Grant
Week 1
Effect name:

Creator:

How much did it cost?

How long did you practice it?

Times performed on Friday:

What was the best reaction?

What was the worst?

The Approach 13
 What would you do differently?

Your patter:

How did it make you feel?

Did you enjoy it?

Is it a “keeper”?

14 Jamie Grant
Week 2
Effect name:

Creator:

How much did it cost?

How long did you practice it?

Times performed on Friday:

What was the best reaction?

What was the worst?

The Approach 15
 What would you do differently?

Your patter:

How did it make you feel?

Did you enjoy it?

Is it a “keeper”?

16 Jamie Grant
Week 3
Effect name:

Creator:

How much did it cost?

How long did you practice it?

Times performed on Friday:

What was the best reaction?

What was the worst?

The Approach 17
 What would you do differently?

Your patter:

How did it make you feel?

Did you enjoy it?

Is it a “keeper”?

18 Jamie Grant
Week 4
Effect name:

Creator:

How much did it cost?

How long did you practice it?

Times performed on Friday:

What was the best reaction?

What was the worst?

The Approach 19
 What would you do differently?

Your patter:

How did it make you feel?

Did you enjoy it?

Is it a “keeper”?

20 Jamie Grant
 Chapter 6 | Advice

Business Cards
Sweet Marie! Why on earth are we talking about business cards
already?! Well, because people are going to start asking you for them.
Here’s the thing that, for the most part, drives the magic community
crazy. A young person learns a trick (that he probably stole), runs out
to a print shop (knocking a little old lady over on the way), gets business
cards with a rabbit and the word MAGICIAN on them, and then
goes and creates a terrible name for all the rest of us. Well, that may
be true, but that’s not you. Why? Let’s recap…

1) You’ve learned 12 effects that you can do blindfolded.

2) You’ve gone out into the real world and performed for actual
people.

3) People at work are starting to think you’re pretty good.

STOP!!! Read number 3 again. If that isn’t the case, there is no need to
get business cards yet! But, how do we know? How do we really know
if people think we’re any good and not just saying it to

our face? Well, one of the ways is that someone will ask you for a business
card! So for those moments, we must prepare.

This isn’t going to be your final branding. Well, it might, but this is
just to assist you in getting work in the beginning. And a lot of working
magicians might want to take note. The single most important thing
that has to be on your business card isn’t a picture, or a logo, or a trick.
It’s how to get a hold of you. Your contact information. Period.

I’ve seen this mistake time and time again. We get so caught up
in design that we forget that most of the time the person looking to

The Approach 21
 hire a magician is someone who has just been told to organize the
company holiday party, and she remembers getting a card from this
awesome magician one night, and she just wants to get a hold of you.
The ONLY thing she wants is your phone number or email. That’s it.
She couldn’t care less if the card has stripes.

JAMIE D. GRANT

MAGICIAN

604-555-1234

[email protected]

That’s it. Flashy? Nope. Easy to read? Yep. You’ll have to trust me
when I tell you what’s more important. And, make no mistake, if
someone can’t easily find your contact info, they’ll move on to one
that’s easier. Guaranteed. Does this mean that we can’t design super
hip, ultra-cool business cards that do effects and levitate on demand?
No. But, be warned: What impresses you and your pals isn’t necessarily
what will get you gigs. Take a look at every business card you see and
ask yourself: if I wanted to get a hold of this person in the next 3
seconds, could I do it? Always apply that to yourself.

I know what you’re thinking: “But if it doesn’t have a trick, they won’t
keep it!” No, if they don’t want to remember you, they won’t keep it.
Focus less on design and more on making yourself memorable.

22 Jamie Grant
 Chapter 7 | Tip

Websites
Ah, websites. Nothing has caused magicians to lose as much work as
websites. Read that again. LOSE as much work. Websites are almost
exactly the same as business cards. However, instead of looking for
your contact info, they want to see what you look like.

I remember one time I was doing Magic Friday at work, back when I
was a bike messenger, and I would perform for the people I delivered to,
many of whom I had never met before. This particular delivery was to the
office of Canada’s wealthiest businessman. I gave my usual pitch to the
receptionist of, “Sign here, please. And Happy Magic Friday!

“What’s Magic Friday? Well, I’m a magician and I do a super quick

magic trick for people for free today if they’d like to see something.”
Well, the receptionist called out the entire office! Luckily it was a great
trick and had everyone screaming. They were so loud that the Head Office
Manager came running out and, after some explanation, she mentioned
that they were having a holiday party next week and wondered if I was
available to work it. Before I said yes, however, she had one question.
What do I WEAR when I perform...

She had decided that I was a good magician based on the reactions of
her staff, but she still had to decide if I was a good fit for their event.
She obviously couldn’t have someone working the party who wore a
helmet and a messenger bag. So when I replied, “Suit and tie,” she
looked at my website to double-check and said, “See you Tuesday.”

So that is exactly what your website is for. It should start as a vehicle

to get across the best possible image of yourself to the public. Of
course it’ll also be a way for people to find you; but that shouldn’t be
the focus in the beginning. Becoming easily searchable will come later.

The Approach 23
 Image. Think about that word. It’s everything. As soon as people click
on your site, they’ll have a first impression that will probably stay with
them. So what is that image? Clean, cool, and professional? Or busy,
confusing, and garish? Because what they see will be attributed to
you, as well. So, how do we get our best look onto the screen? Well,
you’ll be light years ahead of the competition if you have professional
headshots taken. Just like your phone number and email are the most
important things on your business card, when it comes to websites,
the headshot reigns supreme. I know that will go against what a lot
of people think, that surely it’s flashing lights and things to click that
get people to like your site, but after networking with receptionists
and event planners for years, I can tell you what they say behind the
scenes. And for the most part it’s not pretty. People will talk about your
polka-dot suit (in a bad way) far more than how much they liked
the spades floating down the screen of your homepage. So, before
headshots (which come before website) we must answer something else.

Take a deep breath, and get ready for some honesty…

24 Jamie Grant
 Chapter 8 | Study

How Do You Look?

Put this book down and go look at yourself in a mirror. Go on! I’ll
be here when you get back.

Okay, describe the person you just saw. Tall, dark, and handsome?
Short, scrawny, and in need of a haircut? Describe yourself…

Now is time for some brutal honesty. Is there anything you don’t
like?

I’ll go first. I need more hair. I’m not sure how to get it but I’m
working on it.

Your turn.

I don’t like:

The Approach 25
 Here’s the question of the day: “Can you fix what you just wrote?” Did
you write, “Poor posture,” “Overweight” or “Missing teeth”? If so, fix
it. Make yourself better. Get it done. Being a professional entertainer
is about bringing the best of you to every gig. If you’re not offering
them the best you’ve got, you’re not committing to your art. It’s not
all about tricks, it’s about making people feel amazing. And the first
person you need to make feel that way is yourself.

Okay, now time for something you do like about yourself! My teeth,
for example, are super white.

Your turn.

I like:

Okay, so now the question is, how do we accentuate the positive and
eliminate the negative? Are you overweight and not happy about it?
Are you missing a tooth and it’s been driving you crazy? Whatever
the case may be, if it can be fixed, now is the time to do it. A good
headshot photo might last for a few years, so we’re going to make
ourselves the best we can be before we capture it on paper. But we
need to be specific. Making plans about the future isn’t exact enough.
So write down the date three months from today:

3 months from now:

26 Jamie Grant
That is the day you’re going to get your headshots. And it’s plenty of
time to create a whole new you - if that’s what you need. You need to
be honest, if you saw a picture of yourself, would you hire you?

Three months from now. You’ve written it down. The time to start,
though, is today. Drop and give me twenty!

The Approach 27
 Chapter 9 | Advice

What to Wear
What are you wearing? Not right now! For your gigs. Believe it or
not, this will be one of your most important decisions and will affect
not only how you look (obviously), but also how you feel! Because
now we’re starting to talk about character. What is character? Well,
in essence, it means the role you’re going to play. Is your character
an easygoing, funny personality? Or is he or she the more mysterious
James Bond type? That person you described a few chapters ago, what
do they look like? All of this will be reflected in how you dress.

So go get dressed. Put on the actual outfit you’d wear if you were
going to work a gig today. I’ll wait.

Okay, are you wearing anything with pictures of playing cards on it? If
so, take it off. Why? Because clichés are the bronze standard (if that).
And you are the gold standard. Clients in the corporate, wedding, and
private party world want elegant. Cool. Fun. Not cheesy, outdated, or
dangerous. I know you love your card tie. It says “magician.” But trust
me, we’re going to let them know that in another way.

So where does that leave us? Surely we don’t all want to look the
same? How can you stand out if everyone’s wearing the same suit?

The first thing is to start looking at actors’ headshots. Type

“headshots” into Google and see what comes up. See what doesn’t
come up? No one is wearing a tie that says “actor” all over it. Nor is
anyone holding on to a copy of “Acting for Dummies.” So put that
card fan away. We’re not selling the fact that you’re a magician. They
already know that. That’s why they’re on your website. What we’re
trying to sell them now is you. So take a look online, find someone
you like, and see if it blends with your character. And it’s not just the

28 Jamie Grant
clothes they’re wearing that we’re looking at but also how they stand,
their pose, where they are looking, how they are looking, what angle
their head is tilted at, their hairstyle, etc. Start studying these pictures
and emulating them. Businesses hire models for ads because models
sell things without saying a word. You are the model for your business.
So start selling. And start saving while you’re at it! If your headshot
costs less than $200, you’re probably not using the best there is. No
shots from friends. Hire a professional; after all, that’s exactly what
we want our clients to do.

The Approach 29
 Chapter 10 | Anecdote

Funny or Serious
Before we click that camera shutter, we must look a little closer at
what we’re becoming first. Brooding and cool, or smiley and loveable?
Like I mentioned at the very beginning of this book, I’ll tell you what
has worked for me and, believe me when I tell you, I’ve tried them all!

In the end, that age old adage is 100 percent on point…

Funny is money.
I know what you’re thinking, “What about the guys we see on TV?!
The ones making gazillions of dollars!” Well, I can’t speak for them.
All I can tell you is that if I’m in charge of throwing a party and the
president of my company is telling me it better be good (i.e., fun),
then you can safely assume that I’m going to book someone who I
think is going to make the party fun. You’ll hear what workers call
“the trenches.” Working the trenches is how magicians describe the
work that most of us do and which pays the bills:

weddings, holiday parties, birthday parties, etc. The key to all of these
events is that they’re parties. The event planners are not (for the most
part) looking for serious method acting type evenings of enchantment.

So what does this mean? Well, it means that for your headshots – that
will go on your website – which will be visited after someone looks
at your business card – which will be handed out when they ask for
it – which will be asked for when you show them how much fun you
are – should be a picture of you smiling. Having fun. Spreading joy.
So when it comes to funny or serious, let me tell you about the time
three guys walked into a bar…

30 Jamie Grant
Actually, on that note, what’s the best joke you know? Write it down
here. You’ll be shocked at how often you’ll use it.

My very first gig I ever did was for a famous photographer here in
town. She had seen me performing magic in the lobby of an office
tower and asked me if I would do magic at her art opening in exchange
for a headshot. Perfecto! The gig was amazing and soon afterwards she
had me come by her studio. Throughout the shoot, I had my hand to
my head and looked like I was trying to do some complex math in an
attempt to appear “magic-y.” “Jamie,” she said, “you need to smile.
People like you better when you smile.” After a thousand gigs, I
promise you - she was right.

The Approach 31
 Chapter 11 | Lesson

Are You Any

Good Yet?
Remember those 12 tricks you wrote down? Let’s go back and revisit
them for a second. How good is your pass? Are you able to double
lift better than anyone? Awesome! Unfortunately, that tells us almost
nothing…

Ask yourself - what does “good” mean? I’m not talking about method.
I’m talking about “hire-ability” (I think I just made that word up).
Are you hirable? And the answer to this question has (almost) nothing
to do with magic tricks. It has more to do with people. Are you a
likable person? Do people enjoy your company? Do you have stories,
anecdotes, lines, personality?

Make no mistake, this is what will get you hired and invited back.

I still remember meeting Barrie Richardson, who wrote a couple of my

favourite magic books, and he told me his only goal at the end of the event
was for the people who hired him to ask each other, “When can we have
him back?”

So let me ask you, when you leave a room, are you missed? If not, why
not? Are people, instead, happy to see you go? Maybe you’re a mean
person? Or perhaps you embarrass people? Do you make cutting side
remarks to try and be funny? Because, if you do, a few great card
tricks aren’t going to help you. People don’t remember what you
did; they remember how you made them feel. Just like you practice
your pass, you need to start practicing, immediately, making people
feel good. And it’s not just about complimenting them or tossing
out flattery, even though that’s a great place to start. The ability to

32 Jamie Grant
compliment someone, without it sounding weird, is actually hard to
do in a convincing manner. So, without performing a single magic
trick, write down the names of three people and try to make them feel
good about themselves with a single sentence.

1.

2.

3.

I’ll give you a couple of examples. If it’s a male friend I know, but
whom I haven’t seen in a while: “Dude, you’re looking sharp! What
gym have you been going to?” Notice the question isn’t “Have you
been going to the gym?” There’s a difference there. If it’s a woman,
I’ll say something like, “Have I ever mentioned that you have the
greatest smile?”

Don’t forget, we need to compliment without…

• Sounding like we’re kidding.

• Coming across weird.
• Having it followed by awkward silence.

The only way to get good is to practice. Practice being nice. It’ll also
help you find the best in people, which is a killer skill to have. The
key is to find something that is potentially believable that they haven’t
realized themselves. I can’t very well ask someone which gym he’s gone
to if he’s totally out of shape. But even saying something as simple as,
“Man, that is a sweet haircut,” can change someone’s day. For the
better. Start doing this.

Make the day of everyone you meet better.

The Approach 33
 Chapter 12 | Advice

Starting
Conversations
People love to talk about themselves, that’s human nature. So ask
them questions. The key, though, is to ask them questions that they
can answer in a positive way, because for the most part, at gigs, you’ll
be asking them these questions in front of their friends or co-workers.
So asking them how their divorce is going is probably not the best
idea.

And before we go any further, let me tell you right up front that this
chapter is the one that will save you in a future gig. I guarantee it.
Because when you walk into a gig where there are supposed to be
three hundred people and only eight have shown up, it’s the best
conversationalist in the room who is going to be earning the money.

Here are five of my “go-to” questions to get a conversation going:

1. “The Ace of Hearts, right?! Amazing!! I know!!! Hey, you look kind
of familiar, where did you go to high school?”

2. “The Ace of Hearts, right?! Amazing!! I know!!! So, does everyone

work here?”

3. “The Ace of Hearts, right?! Amazing!! I know!!! Hey, who here is

from the groom’s side and who is from the bride’s side?”

4. “The Ace of Hearts, right?! Amazing!! I know!!! Hey, so what exactly

do you guys do here, anyway? I’ll be honest, I have no idea what a
flux capacitor is.”

34 Jamie Grant
5. “The Ace of Hearts, right?! Amazing!! I know!!! Hey, who’s the
biggest troublemaker here?”

Now, anyone can ask those questions. The first question isn’t what
makes a conversationalist. It’s how you respond to their response.

So, what would you say if they responded with the following?

1. Quesnel.

2. Yes. Yes. No. We’re married.

3. Groom. Groom. Groom. Groom.

4. It’s a thing for your car.

5. John.

Write your follow-up question here:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

The Approach 35
 And I’ll give you my responses:

1. “What the heck is a ‘Quesnel’? Spell it for me! Is everyone okay

if I curse? Really? Okay, where the f^$^ is that?!”

2. “Lucky guy! How did you two meet? Has everyone heard this
story?”

3. “Who’s known him the longest?”

4. “C’mon, specifics man! But explain it in twenty words or less.

We’ll count.”

5. “Which one’s John? And, why? What does he do?”

The key is not to let them off the hook. People often only hate
talking at first and feel socially awkward when they feel like they’re in
the presence of a stranger. And the only way to not be a stranger is to
spend time with them. So buy time. The longer you spend, the better
they’ll feel about talking and chatting.

This is what will separate you from everyone else. Because if you can do
this and show them amazing magic at the same time, you’ll be golden.
Don’t forget, your goal isn’t reactions. Your goal is connections.

Ask questions.

36 Jamie Grant
 Chapter 13 | Trick

Touching People
There is nothing in the world like human contact. It’s what most
people spend their entire lives searching for. So by engaging in it in
a very safe, friendly, and non-threatening way, we can help speed up
the connection process that you make with your audience. This is a
technique that is very powerful - especially for helping set up magic
scenarios where proximity plays an important factor (think Coin on
Shoulder) - but this can also become very uncomfortable if you’re
not careful. So what exactly are we talking about? I’ll give a couple of
examples that I use to help build a connection with someone faster
than with no contact whatsoever:

“Hey, check this out, you’re going to love it.”

A very brief, very light touch of my hand on the back of their bicep,
then proceed with the effect

“Boom! Like a boss!”

Fist bump or high five

“Here, hold this card between your hands.”

Very briefly holding their hands in mine

It might seem silly to talk about, but it’s something you need to
practice and you can do so in your regular day-to-day life. The next
time you see a friend on the street, make a conscious effort to touch
their arm at one point during the conversation. The difference between
us, as performers, and others who are headed for a prison sentence is
this is where we’ll stop. One light touch, that’s it. Think of it like
starting a fire - you’re just using a piece of kindling. If you start using
gasoline, you’ll get burned. Don’t become that weird touchy-feely
person. Just send out a spark every now and then.

The Approach 37
 Chapter 14 | Article

How Much to Charge

We’re not at the gig yet, but I think it’s best if you read this before we go
any further.

This will be directed at the Strolling or Walkaround Performer:

I believe, and this is simply my opinion, that you should work at a

level system. The level you’re at will depend on a number of things,
such as:

• How many shows you’ve done.

• Whether any of those shows have booked you again.
• Your popularity, or demand.
• What your clients are willing, or able, to afford.
• How much you want to work.

Based on those factors, you can start to gauge whether you’re a:

1. Beginner: Let’s say 1-25 shows

2. Occasional Worker: 25-100 shows
3. Semi-Pro Worker: 100-200 shows
4. Pro Worker: 200+
5. Superstar: No one cares how many you’ve done, you’re so cool,
etc.

What constitutes a show?

A ‘show’ should be any environment where you’re able to approach

complete strangers and say, “Hi, my name is Jamie D. Grant and
the host of this party has asked/hired me to entertain you for a few
minutes. I’m a Magician.”

38 Jamie Grant
As you can see, showing your family (even if they’re all in the same
room) some card tricks doesn’t count. You have to be there at the
request of the planner.

The Rates
We’ll start at the top - I generally price for 1- and 2-hour shows.

Superstar:
Whatever the heck you can get.

Pro Worker:
2 hours - charge the average rent for a very nice 1-bedroom apartment
in your city.

1 hour should be the rent divided by 2, plus 10% (of the original
rent). So here in Vancouver it would be 2 hours = $1000, 1 hour =

$600 ($500 + 10% of $1000 [$100]).

Semi-Pro Worker:
2 hours - half of the Pro’s 2 hours.

1 hour - half of the Pro’s 1 hour.

Occasional Worker:
2 hours - half of the Semi-Pro’s 2 hours.

1 hour - half of the Semi-Pro’s 1 hour.

Beginner:
2 hours - You shouldn’t be doing 2-hour gigs as a beginner, in my
opinion.

1 hour - Free, volunteer, or exchange for goods. Now when I say ‘free’
I’m not saying that you should approach Apple and offer to do an
hour of magic for nothing at their Christmas Party.

If you’re a beginner, you should be looking for shows at places where

you’re able to volunteer. Old folks’ homes, Scouts, whatever you can

The Approach 39
 find. But it needs to be an event. Maybe an awards ceremony, or their
cocktail party, something that’s organized.

The way I started was at local art shows and I’d trade for art. I think it’s
always important to give your magic Worth - even at the start.

When you go to a volunteer gig, it seems like you’re being generous

and the Worth you’re getting is Satisfaction. But if it’s for an Art Show
or a Play, ask for art or tickets. Never say the word ‘Free’.

I guess that’s about it. According to the above examples, my level

system looks like this:

Beginner: Barter

Occasional Worker:
1 hour for $150
2 hours for $250

Semi-Pro Worker:
1 hour for $300
2 hours for $500

Pro Worker: (this is my current level)

1 hour for $600
2 hours for $1000

Superstar: Thousands!

Of course, all those factors we mentioned in the beginning (A-E at

the top) will play a part in whether you should bump yourself up, or
down - don’t base your level solely on the number of shows you’ve
done. As with anything, Quality is worth more than Quantity. You
need to have a good idea of how you’re viewed by potential clients and
how you’re being received by current ones.

That’s about it. Don’t undercharge, and give yourself credit! And
always remember these three things:

40 Jamie Grant
1. Never listen to what another magician tells you he makes. The
competition will always try to intimidate you by saying they make
more. Don’t worry about it.

2. Be brutally honest with yourself. Are you ready to take on a gig?

If it doesn’t work out, you’ll burn that client forever. I’ve done the
same company’s Christmas party 7 years in a row. That’s several
thousand dollars that could be thrown out the window if you take
the first gig before you’re ready.

3. Send a contract. Read that sentence again.

I still follow this format to this day. I do a bit more bargaining, if

necessary, but that’s because I’ve gotten pretty good at determining
what a client can actually afford and have gotten better at negotiating.
I’ve also bumped up my 1-hour rate to a bit higher than the “Pro”
level. Other than that, this formula has worked for me for years.

The Approach 41
 Chapter 15 | Essay

The Cocktail Party

It kind of feels like I just threw in the “How Much To Charge” chapter
a bit early in our learning process, but we needed to see it in order to
get an idea of the gig itself. After all, we’ve talked a lot about effects,
connections, and personal development, but we haven’t really talked
about where and when we’ll be showcasing all of this stuff!

So welcome to your gig! Unless you are exclusively a kids’ magician,

this is where you’ll be spending the majority of your performing life:
at the cocktail party.

There are a lot of places where you can perform Walkaround magic:
weddings, corporate holiday parties, barbecues, restaurants, etc. The
list is endless. But, for me, I would say 90% of my working gigs
take place in that hour before dinner. And it makes sense that we’re
hired for these; event planners want their guests to have fun and the
beginning of the event is always the hardest. People are gathering who
might not know each other yet and the mingling can be awkward
sometimes. They are looking, and will pay for, someone to come in
and help ease that tension and build up a sense of excitement.

So what’s a cocktail party like? Generally, there will be anywhere from 20

people (very small) to several hundred. And if, on the invitation, it says:

Dinner at 7:00 p.m. Cocktails at 5:30 p.m.

then people will start showing up at 5:30 p.m. Typically an event
planner will want to book you for 5:30 on the nose, but you’ll want to
suggest between 6-7 p.m. You need to leave time for people to show
up and I guarantee that dinner won’t start on time. The timeline will
generally look like this:

42 Jamie Grant
100 Guests.

5:30 ~ The Keeners show up (5-10 people). These are the people that
don’t go to a lot of functions and don’t want to be late. Generally a bit
shy or potentially awkward.

5:45 ~ The Smart Set (5-10 people). This group has done this before,
knows where to park, and wants to get a good seat if there’s seating
available.

6:00 ~ The Couples (10-20 people). The married groups know how
to plan, travel, and arrive when they want. And no one wants to be
there at 5:30.

6:15 ~ The Office Singles (20-30 people). They want to get there in
enough time to grab a drink and an hors d’oeuvre and find their
friends before dinner.

6:30 ~ The Cool Kids (15-25 people). They never show up early.

6:45 ~ The Stressed Out (50 people). They always show up late.

So, you can see how when you book a gig for 100 people, you’re not
actually going to see a hundred. By 6:45 p.m. (and 45 minutes into
your hour gig) you could have as few as 40 people there. Split them
into big groups and you could have as few as 6 groups. Not a ton
to work with. But don’t worry, we’ll be going over how to make the
most of it.

And what about the party itself? Just because people walk in the
door doesn’t mean they’re ready to pick a card. So let’s look at the
schedule from the guests’ perspective.

Arriving for 6:00 p.m.

4:45 ~ Start getting ready.

5:25 ~ Head out the door.

The Approach 43
 5:45 ~ Arrive at the venue - look for parking.

5:55 ~ Head to the bathroom to make sure you look okay.

6:00 ~ Walk into the room and look for the organizer (probably a
co-worker).

6:05 ~ Say hello, find someone else to hang with.

6:10 ~ Go to the bar and get in line for a drink.

6:15 ~ Drink in hand, standing with your friend. Try to sound

interesting.

6:20 ~ Get approached by a magician!

On this timeline, you can see that people aren’t really ready to be
shown anything for about 20 minutes after they’ve been in the room.

Things to know
They’ll have only one hand free (because they’ll be holding a drink in
the other).

They need at least 15 minutes to settle in.

The first groups will be spread out because there aren’t that many
people in the room yet, so the first groups are the ones you’ll spend
the most time with.

That should help paint the picture a little bit. The other thing to
think about is what the room itself looks like. Are there corners and
aisles? Or is it a big football field? Are there places to sit? And where
are the washrooms?

All of these factor in to how you approach the room, and we’ll discuss
some of these features in the following chapters.

44 Jamie Grant
 Chapter 16 | Advice

Getting Started
Okay, let’s recap. We haven’t actually booked a gig yet, but let’s make
sure we’re getting ready.

• We’ve learned 12 effects, 9 of which will be our main ones.

• We’ve performed them for friends, family, and people out in the
real world.

• We’ve got a good handle on who we are, as a person and a

performer, and what our character is and how we want to be
perceived.

• We’ve also got a good idea by this point if we’re actually any good
or if we need more work.

• We’ve got some business cards.

• We’ve got a great headshot and a website with contact info.

• We know how much we’d like to charge.

• We’ve got a handle on what a gig would look like.

What’s the next thing to do?

• Do a few free or volunteer gigs to get some testimonials and to see

how you do in the real world.

Okay, we’ve got a few things to go over before we actually go to the

gig, but we can get started by trying to find a few events to perform
at.

The Approach 45
 Chapter 17 | Advice

Volunteer Gigs &

Charities
When I say charities, make no mistake: friends count. I’m sure a lot of
people have a friend or two they could put into the charity category
right now. And we’re going to need them. This is the hardest part, yet
the most exciting, of any new magician’s career: the first gig. And I
believe 100 percent that your first gig, or even your first several gigs,
shouldn’t be paid. Here’s why:

• There’s too much pressure. You’re not ready.

• You must fail privately.

That last one might seem scary but it’s important. If something goes
wrong and you’re not as good as you think, or as people told you that
you were, you don’t want to find out in front of a paid client. No
way. I want you to walk into your first gig with confidence, ability,
and a great product (yourself ) already in hand. So how do we get
those things? We volunteer. So what does that really mean? Let’s get
specific.

Homes for the Elderly

As crazy as that sounds, it’ll be the easiest gig to get. They are usually
looking for safe, family-friendly entertainment to help ease the
monotony of day-to-day activities. Not only that, but they almost
always have an hour during the day to block off for free time.

Beware, though, this isn’t going to be a happy, screaming, high-fiving

gig like you see in the magic trailers. This is going to be a real world
wake-up call. A lot of these kinds of homes can be very depressing.

46 Jamie Grant
You will not walk away from this gig on top of the world, but it’s
training. I promise you’ll get to do magic for the most famous people
in your town – or the world, but you’ve got to pay your dues first.
And this is the place to do it.

Key things you’ll learn here: How to do magic when people can’t
hear you that well. What to do when people don’t react.

Friends’ Birthdays
In a room of 75 people there’s a 99.9% chance of two people having
the same birthday. Madness, but true. What does that have to do
with birthday gigs? Nothing, but it’s an amazing fact! Okay, back on
track…

Volunteering for a friend’s birthday is another way to get great

experience, but it won’t be the same as working a gig at a home for
the elderly because you’ll probably already know a lot of the guests.
As well, birthday parties can be a bit weird when there’s no timeline.
People often show up, eat and drink, have cake, maybe see the host
open a present or two, leave. So at what point during the party would
you perform? This is the place where you’re going to work on your
stand-up material. Basically, you’re going to pitch the idea to your
friend that you’ll do a 10-minute stand-up set and then Walkaround
after. Some things to know:

• You need to be introduced, e.g., “Okay everyone, come into the

living room or backyard, Jamie’s going to do some magic for
my birthday!”

• You need to be clear that this isn’t a full-blown Las Vegas show.
You’re going to do a couple of things, one for the birthday person,
and then tell everyone to come find you and you’ll show them
something more. To be clear, it would go like this (after your
intro):

“Hello everyone! Thanks for coming to Steve’s birthday! Happy

Birthday, Steve! For those of you who don’t know me, my name
is Jamie D. Grant and I’m a magician! So I’m just going to do

The Approach 47
 a couple of quick things and then, if you like them, you can
come find me and I’ll show you another trick or two.”

For the stand-up set I usually do Rope Trick, Bill in Lemon, and
Invisible Deck for the birthday person.

Key things you’ll learn here: Your stand-up material. How to be

introduced.

Charities
In the world of social media, this is now easier than ever. And it is as
simple as posting:

“Hi everyone, I’d like to offer 1 hour of free Walkaround Magic to

a local charity for any event they’re having. Does anyone know of
someone looking for some amazing magic to help get their party
started? Please send me an email.”

Trust me, you’ll have something in your inbox within a few hours.

Do a bunch of these. Actually, let’s be more specific: let’s do three.

Charity gigs I’ll be doing:

1.

2.

3.

And what about if you’re already a working magician? Should you

work charity events? Absolutely. There is always the fear that all a
charity gig will get you is more charity work, but I’ve never felt that
to be the case. We’ll talk more about it later, but I personally feel that
charity gigs are the perfect place to network. If you think about it,
for the most part, you’ve got a room of wealthy, kind people. Exactly
the kind of client I’m looking for. I do limit it, though. I do 12 a year
(around one a month) and use those to leverage more gigs. Come
back to this throughout the year and write down twelve that you’ve
done.

48 Jamie Grant
My 12 Charity Gigs This Year:

1.

Gig booked from it as a result:

2.

Gig booked from it as a result:

3.

Gig booked from it as a result:

4.

Gig booked from it as a result:

5.

Gig booked from it as a result:

The Approach 49
 6.

Gig booked from it as a result:

7.

Gig booked from it as a result:

8.

Gig booked from it as a result:

9.

Gig booked from it as a result:

10.

Gig booked from it as a result:

50 Jamie Grant
11.

Gig booked from it as a result:

12.

Gig booked from it as a result:

The Approach 51
 Chapter 18 | Tip

What to Say in Emails

Currently, email will be the number one way you’ll be corresponding
with clients. I’m sure one day we’ll all be able to speak telepathically
to one another, but until then you’re going to have to do something
that, for some crazy reason, a lot of people don’t do…

Spellcheck.

This is so important I’m going to write it again.

Spellcheck.

Seriously. My old cycling coach had a great quote that he used to tell
me:

“When you’re a champion, you’re not a champion some of the

time, you’re a champion all of the time.”

What does that mean? It means that from this day forward, you’re
going to act like a pro in every aspect of your life. You’re not just a
professional magician when you’re at a paid gig, you’re a professional
magician when you’re in the shower, when you’re at dinner, and
especially when you’re sending emails to anyone and everyone.

Eliminate “U”, “r”, “BTW” and every other acronym from your
lexicon immediately. Corporate clients are used to reading emails
that are written professionally and that are grammatically correct.

Even a single spelling mistake can send you from the invoice file to
the trash bin.

52 Jamie Grant
Let’s take a look at an example email:

Received July 10, 2013.

Dear Jamie,

We are looking for a magician for our annual barbeque

and would like to know your rates for 2 hours of your
Walkaround Magic.

Thank You,

Jane Susan

This is fairly standard. I’ll tell you up front; the first line of my reply
is the same for every email I’ve gotten related to work and it is a great
question to have answered. It also implies that you work a lot and
have a great reputation…

Hi Jane!

Thanks for your email! May I ask how you came to hear
about me? Was it a referral perhaps?

With regards to my rates, for Walkaround magic I charge

$750 for one hour and $1000 for two hours. How many
people are you expecting?

Jamie D. Grant
Master Magician
www.Professional-Magician.com

There are a couple of things to keep in mind here:

• I say Thank You first.

• I ask about the referral.
• I don’t waste time and I answer her question directly.
• I end with a question, encouraging further communication.

The Approach 53
 • I also (and this also drives a lot of magicians crazy) end with
“Master” Magician.

Actually, let’s talk about the last one for a second. I know a lot of
magicians hate it when others use the word “Master.” I’m not sure
why. Maybe they think,

“Who the heck does he think he is, saying he’s better than Dai
Vernon or something?”

But I think a lot of those people that complain might not be working
the Walkaround set, because I can’t tell you how many times in my
career I’ve had people tell me, “I knew you were good when I saw that
you were a Master. Did you have to study hard for that or pass some
sort of test?”

It gives the illusion that you’ve already been judged as great by your
peers. And if they say you’re great, well, you must be! I always reply
to this question with, “I actually can’t tell you, but thanks for
noticing!” There are hundreds of thousands of college graduates that
have earned their Master’s Degrees through years of toil, study, and
heartache. No one says, “Ah, man, don’t give him a Master’s degree!
We’ve got too many doctors and scholars floating around here already!”
Instead, colleagues appreciate the hard work it took to get there. But,
as magicians, we don’t have to answer to a governing body, at least not
yet, so we’re able to jump the line and call ourselves whatever we want.
Is it presumptuous?

Maybe. But if it can help me book gigs, I’m taking it. No apologies.
Why? Because, like you, I’m going to do our art a service by being
professional, fun, and awesome!

I told you I was going to be 100 percent honest with how I’ve done
things, so there you go. I guess the thing to take away from this is not
to be terrible and, if you’ve read this book, you won’t be. Why?

Because you’re not going to be booking gigs until you’re ready! We’ll
make sure.

54 Jamie Grant
Side note over!

Okay, back to a couple of other email tricks.

Before I answer an email, I Google the sender and look at their

company. Most of the time it’s right there in their email address.
[email protected]. I head off to www.ABCProducts.com and
learn all I can. I’ll also search their “About Us” or “Our Team” and
see if I can find Jane somewhere on the list. This will help me with a
follow up email or a phone call. We’re going to use this information
to make sure we get the gig and all the money we can.

One of the things to remember if you’re booking charity gigs is to

still quote your normal fee and see if they offer tax receipts that you
can use for later. So if you’re just starting out and this was a charity,
and they were asking you to donate your time, your reply would look
more like this:

Hi Jane,

Thanks for the email! May I ask how you came to hear
about me? Was it a referral perhaps?

With regards to charity work, I normally charge $150

for an hour and $200 for two, but since I’m such a big
believer in your cause, I’d like to waive my fee and do
your event free of charge. Would you be able to offer
a tax receipt, however? And how many people are you
expecting?

Jamie D. Grant
Master Magician
www.Professional-Magician.com

They might have to write you a cheque that you’ll turn around and
donate to make sure everything’s on the up and up with the books.

And remember the rates will change over time; what you charge in
the beginning will be drastically different further down the road.

The Approach 55
 Chapter 19 | Trick

The Telephone Call

This is going to be a bit anticlimactic. Why?

Because I send everyone to voicemail. I never answer my phone.

Period. That is going against the grain of a lot of salespeople out there,
but what can I say? It’s always worked for me. I’ll give you my personal
reason:

1. I hate talking on the phone.

There you have it. I also have a couple of what I think are really good
reasons.

2. I can reply to their voicemail on my time schedule.

3. I have a long voicemail that I paid a professional voiceover artist

to record for me. “Hello, and welcome to the world of JDG
Enterprises, where Anything is Possible…”

4. The voicemail outlines a couple of my accomplishments.

Basically, it’s an illusion. Do I have an assistant and an office? Nope.

Well, I have an office at home. But my voicemail makes it sound like
I have one on Wall Street. Will that eliminate some of my potential
(cheaper) clients? For me, yes, but that’s okay.

That’s not to say I won’t talk to a client on the phone, it’s just that
I never let that be the initial volley. I want them to have to go to my
website and look around; because my website has a better sales pitch
than I can ever give on the phone. If, after a couple of emails, they
still haven’t booked the gig, I’ll give them a call. My go-to phone
line is, “What can we do to make this work?” The one thing the

56 Jamie Grant
phone does is help you judge if they simply can’t afford it. I find that
once you have person-to-person interaction it’s harder for people to
be vague. So if there’s a problem with rates, you’ll usually find out on
the phone.

So, let’s be specific (as always!): When do I actually call?

Going back to the “Email Chapter,” I’ve just quoted my rates and
asked how many people were attending. I get the following reply,

“Hi Jamie, I’m afraid that’s out of our budget right now.
We’re only expecting 50 guests so we’ll have to find
something else. Thank you for your time.”

My reply,

“Hi! Thanks for getting back to me and, I have to say, I

totally understand. That said, can I give you a call? I may
have some other ideas for you.”

My other ideas are simply lowering my rates (if they truly don’t have
any more money), but that’s something I need to judge during the
phone call.

The other thing I’d like to mention is that there is no magic line or
hook to get people to book you over the phone. The “one thing
you can say that will guarantee a booking every time!” is, in my
opinion, an absolute myth. If someone’s already emailed you, they’ve
made their initial decision. They’ve seen you or your website and have
made the inquiry. Now it’s about price. You can use the phone call to
make them feel better about paying it (especially when they get into
the $1000 an hour range) but you’re not going to convince someone
to pay you money they don’t have.

The Approach 57
 Chapter 20 | Lesson

Getting There
We’ve gone through a fair amount but still haven’t done a gig yet. We’re
getting close, though, so let’s make sure we keep a record. Already a
worker? Check off how many of these items below you have done…

Along with the “Getting Started” chapter, you’ve now:

F Sent out some requests for free work.

F Recorded a professional voicemail.

F Replied to emails, spellchecking every word and proofreading

them.

F Booked a charity event to do some volunteer work.

So that’s enough business stuff, let’s get back to magic.

58 Jamie Grant
 Chapter 21 | Article

Developing Your Sets

Part 2
So, what goes into a set?

Well, this is where you, as a magician, choose how you want to entertain
people. Are you an expert card handler? Or a funny, extroverted,
rubber-band illusionist? Perhaps an elegant coin manipulator? Or a
serious mentalist? This is the time to decide on how you want to be
perceived. On that note, this is how I do it:

Set One
1. The first trick in this set needs to be fast. You need to establish
yourself as a paid entertainer immediately. In my opinion, this
is not the time for a 10-minute story effect. You can also start
small here, because odds are that not everyone in the group will
be paying attention. It’s almost like fishing; you’re going to catch
a few small fish here to get the big one in a minute.

Think: Flourish.
Example: One coin routine.

2. If you’re good, other people in the group will have noticed you and
will now be watching you like hawks. You’ll hear, “Do that again!”
a lot here, not because you were blowing minds, but because they
just caught the end of that first effect, and now want to see what’s
going on. So this second trick should encompass more people,
and needs to be a bit higher up with regards to visibility.

Think: Card trick.

Example: Be Honest, What Is It?

The Approach 59
 3. By this time, everyone in the group should be having a great time
and you should be a welcome addition. You should have learned
some names by now and everyone should be praying that you stay
with them, as they’re so lucky to have the coolest guy in the room
as a part of their gang. This third trick should be high and mighty.
You also want to leave them begging for more. Literally.

The “I’ve got to entertain others,” (said loudly) “but I’ll be back!” are
the words of the day.

Think: Rope effect.

Example: Cut and Restored.

Set Two
1. With any luck, there are more than five people at the party and it’s
wall-to-wall people. If that’s the case, the next group you hit will
already have figured out that you’re a magician and is anticipating
your arrival. This is where you can start opening your doors a bit.

Do you love cards? Bust out some moves here. Mentalism? Hit
them with, “Can I try something different with you guys?”

Think: Mind reading.

Example: Positive/Negative.

2. Odds are that this second group will have more people in it than
the first, and now it’s time to start including everyone. Cards are
perfect for this.

Think: Multiple Selection.

Example: Four people pick cards, and they all find each other’s.

3. By this point, you should have everyone in the room waiting for
you to join them. Just like the first set, leave this group wanting
more. Bring your trick up in height and get ready to leave on a
high note.

60 Jamie Grant
 Think: Bill Switch.
Example: Four Quarters.

Set Three
1. Hopefully people’s anticipation will now be crazy high, so bring
your heavy artillery to this set! Even though this same group will
also be seeing sets 1 and 2 as the night goes on, don’t let that
dissuade you from frying them right now with your best material.
This is where you are shining, and you should be physically nearer
to the center of the room (and, as a result, more people will be
watching).

Think: Something they can all see.

Example: Arm Twist.

2. If you’re rocking it (and you will be!), keep it going. Pull out your
best stuff and take no prisoners. Keep it high and mighty all the
way through Set 3.

Think: Visual Cards.

Example: The Restoration.

3. Have you ever had eight people chanting, “Ja-mie, Ja-mie, Ja-
mie!” in unison? If not, here’s where it will happen (especially if
your name is, in fact, Jamie).

Think: Closer.
Example: Bill in Lemon.

There you have it. Of course, those tricks are just examples and
guidelines. There are better, and worse, tricks out there - but these
choices will depend entirely on you. Don’t forget, anyone can do a
French-Drop. But they’re paying you to do it. With good reason. Be
yourself and be fantastic!

In conclusion - my sets are organized, as I walk through the room:

The Approach 61
 small, medium, high
medium, medium, high
high, high, high

and then repeating, but changing the sets for the groups, obviously.

62 Jamie Grant
 Chapter 22 | Advice

Silence
Here’s the kicker that no one ever told me: it’s important to know
more magic than we’ll use. It helps us delve deeper into the art and
to experience it. So I’m excited that you’ve got 12 tricks down like
nobody’s business! But here’s the thing…

Go back to your list of 12.

Erase 6 of them if they can’t be performed without words.

Read that sentence again. You must be able to have two sets that can
be performed without uttering a single syllable. No, shh, stop it,
don’t. Stop talking. You are going to do so many gigs in your career
where either:

1. Everyone in the room is deaf.

2. The music is so loud you won’t be able to hear for a week afterwards.

But “No!” you cry, “I’m only going to be working in lush piano
parlors where celebrities are all drinking cocktails and exchanging
anecdotes while hanging on to every word I say!”

Hah.

Don’t get me wrong; some of your gigs will be like that, but not most.
So, get ready. Be ready. Write down six effects that can be performed
silently. And just because you can’t speak (or be heard) doesn’t mean
you can’t communicate. Head nods, pointing, body movement—
these things all count.

The Approach 63
 1. by

2. by

3. by

4. by

5. by

6. by

On that note, you’ll never know until you try. So write down one
trick here that you think can’t make the list (as it needs words) and go
try it on someone without saying anything. Just say, “Hey, can I show
you something? I’m trying to perform this new trick in silence.”

Trial effect by

64 Jamie Grant
 Chapter 23 | Anecdote

What Does My
Contract Look Like?
I’m just going to put my contract here for you to see and we’ll talk
about a few things.

WARNING: I am not a lawyer. Heck, I had to just use spellcheck to

make sure I spelled “lawyer” right. I accept no responsibility if you
copy and paste this and then something goes wrong and you have to
give up your legal name. Actually, this isn’t even a contract. Nope.
Let’s just say that it’s a thing I send out before every gig. A fancy
letter. That said, it’s gotten me paid for every gig I’ve ever done. So it’s
an effective fancy letter.

Some things to note:

• No crazy fonts.
• Use proper letter format.
• Use an “RE” which includes the event name. Contains date and
location of the gig.
• States price.
• States length of time.
• States what you will be doing. Asks for deposit.
• Has “Acknowledgment” line that requires a signature.

I have never done a gig without a contr… sending this letter. And,
luckily, it has gotten me out of a couple of sticky situations. The key
thing is that deposit. If I haven’t received the 50% deposit, then I’m
not going to the gig. Nor should you.

The Approach 65
 Date (Month, Day, Year)
ABC Co.
123 Street City, State Zip Code

RE: CHRISTMAS PARTY

Dear Sue,

Thank you for expressing interest in hiring me for your event on

Saturday December 8 at the Grand Hotel in Vancouver.

I understand that finding professional, quality entertainment can

prove a daunting task, but here at Jamie D. Grant Magic I solve that
problem by providing a unique, fun, and memorable experience for
you and your guests.

As we discussed, my fee for the event will be $1000 for two hours of
Walkaround magic.

So what exactly happens when you hire me as a magician for your

event?

• I perform Walkaround magic for your reception, going from

group to group, performing various sleight-of-hand effects and
illusions.

• I dress, act, and entertain with the highest ideals in mind: suit and
tie, clean act, non-intrusive, and high energy.

• You will have the peace of mind that I am on your side to ensure
that everyone has a great time, all thanks to you!

I will also provide a satisfaction guarantee. If you feel my contribution

to the event’s success was unsatisfactory, I will waive my fee minus the
initial deposit of $500.

Please let me know that you would like to confirm your booking for
Saturday, December 8, 2013 by signing where indicated below and

66 Jamie Grant
returning a copy to me at your earliest convenience, along with the
booking deposit of 50% ($500).

Magically,

Jamie D. Grant
(Address)

Acknowledgment

This ____ day, November 2023

Per: _____________________

The Approach 67
 Chapter 24 | Advice

Transitions
Back to the magic. Even though we’ve talked about what goes into a
set, a big thing that never gets talked about is how do we actually get
from one trick to another? Let’s take a look…

1. You’ve done your opening effect.

2. Everyone’s laughing and high-fiving.
3. They look at you for more.

How do you get there?

“Would you like to see another?” seems too needy.

“Here, you pick a card now!” appears too rushed.
“Thanks. Think of someone you once loved,” just doesn’t feel right.

What do I do? I converse. I ask questions. I try to connect. I joke.

And I buy time. Actual time. If you start moving from trick to trick to
trick with no break, not only are you burning through your material
but you’re also not giving the audience time to get to know you.
Remember, we’re trying to build connections. How do we do that?
There are two ways:

One way is to draw attention to yourself in order to let your audience

know that it’s okay to have a good time.

The other is something we’ll explore later with regards to creating false
memories.

For now, let’s start with drawing attention to ourselves. And, again,
this isn’t the technique used at a private one-on-one moment where
you’ve got someone hanging on to your every word as you expose

68 Jamie Grant
their innermost secrets. This is the kind of thing I do at parties where
it’s loud, exciting, and the energy needs to build.

1. I’ve done my opening effect.

2. Everyone’s laughing and starting to really pay attention.
3. They look at me for more.

ME: “Holy smokes, THAT was amazing!! Even I don’t know how I
did that!! Hey! (I look around the room.) Did anyone else see that? I
just made a monkey appear and tap dance across the ceiling! Whoa!”

Now, granted, I realize everyone is not me (hence this is in the Advice

category), but it’s a technique I’ve used thousands of times. Self-
aggrandizement works wonders if done with a seriously tongue- in-
cheek tone. It seems like I’m bringing the attention back to me, but in
reality, I’m saying to the rest of the party, “Hey, look at how much fun
OUR group is having.” And, in doing so, you’re making your group
the “cool kids.” And everyone loves being in the cool crowd.

So the technique I use is almost like a Shakespearean “aside”. Think

of it as if you and the group you’re performing for are now the ones
on stage. The rest of the room is the audience. Even though we’re on
the stage talking to one another, it’s okay to let the audience watch a
bit and, at times, explain to them what’s going on. They’re not onstage
themselves yet, but they’re getting excited that they soon will be. And
the rest of my actors on the stage love it. It’s like making them part of
the cast of a hit show.

From there, I can move on to Deflecting Thoughts (Chapter 90). The

thing to know is that your goal is to build energy and have fun. The
key to a good gig is to let everyone else in the room know you’re doing
exactly that.

The Approach 69
 Chapter 25 | Article

Conquering Nerves
We’ve all been there. All of us.

“Pick a card!” we joyously pronounce, only to look down at our

shaking hands and think, “What the ^#^* is going on? I can’t control
my own mitts!”

Why? What is it about performing magic that makes us so nervous?

Well, before we get to the obvious answers, let me give you some
good news first:

It goes away. Absolutely - I promise. It might take a few hundred gigs,

but it will stop. So stop worrying - that’s Step 1!

Let’s look into why it starts in the first place, though. Without getting
too medically technical, we all have what’s called “The Sympathetic
Nervous System,” also called our “Fight or Flight” response.

Basically, when we get into trouble (e.g., being chased by a saber-

toothed tiger), our bodies react to help us find ways of either fighting
the tiger (not the best idea), or running away (is that any better,
actually? Maybe just try not to run into any tigers.) How does this
response work? By dilating our pupils (helping us to see our imminent
death more clearly or, hopefully, seeing the victim’s jugular) and by
dumping adrenaline into our system, thereby giving us that extra kick
to do our two-inch punch/finger strike.

70 Jamie Grant
When we perform close-up magic, however, we don’t generally:

A. Run away.

or,

B. Two-inch punch our spectators.

So we channel that energy into other available outlets - namely our

hands. And that’s when we get the jitters/shakes/heebie-jeebies. I
remember when I first started, I was worried people were going to
think I had some sort of crazy contagious disease! But that stopped
long ago. Here’s how:

1. The more gigs you do, the more times you’ll see the same situations
pop up and, as a result, you’ll know how to handle them. Not
worrying about things = steady hands.

2. This brings us to Confidence. Here, let me make that a bolder

font to accentuate my point: Confidence. This is key! Know in
your heart that you’re good; you’ve put in the practice and you
know the moves. You’re not going to screw up! And what if you
do, you ask?

3. Realize that they have no idea what’s supposed to happen. If you

drop a card, make it part of the effect, the audience has no idea
how your story unfolds! You can make it up as you go along, they
don’t know!

And my final two, which got me through my first years...

1. Eliminate caffeine (e.g., Cola, pop, coffee) before the gig, or before
you’re going to show someone something.

2. Play psychological warfare with yourself. My technique is to

convince myself that I’m the biggest celebrity in the room. If I’m
doing a gig with Sir Bob Geldof (true story), I simply tell myself,
“What do I care if he’s a Knight and has raised millions of dollars
for famine relief. I’m Jamie D. Grant! And in about 2 seconds I’m

The Approach 71
 going to melt his mind and make him laugh! He should be thankful
to have such a wonderful entertainer here to make sure he has a great
time!” Egotistical? Absolutely not. Because it’s simply a tool to
make sure he does have a good time. After all, no one wants to
watch a terrified performer.

So the next time you start to feel nervous, look into the mirror and
say, “Listen self, I’m the one doing them the favour. They should be shaking
when they see me! I’m giving them the gift of wonder and they should be
thankful. Man, I look good!”

And, to sum up, at the end of the day, you’re doing an awesome card
trick. No more, no less. If you were asked to walk up to a group of
strangers and perform an emergency tracheotomy, nerves might be
in order. But when it’s showing some people a good time? The only
people that should be nervous are your audience – because they’re
worried that you might leave too soon.

72 Jamie Grant
 Chapter 26 | Essay

How to Get Gigs

Okay, raise your hand if you turned to this page first. A-Ha! Caught!
This is the question I get asked more than any other from aspiring
(and other working) magicians. And, believe it or not, it’s the easiest to
answer. Not only that, but I can do it (I hope) with a single question:

How many people know you’re a great magician? Or, simpler still,
how many people know that you perform magic for money?

I know for me, the answer is everybody. Every single person I talk to,
chat with, or have any sort of interaction will know that I perform
magic tricks for money. They might not know how much, but they’ll
know I do it for work.

Imagine being an amazing plumber but you currently work as a

stockperson at ABC Warehouse. Plumbing is your passion and it
makes you way more money than the Warehouse. When you meet
someone and they ask what do you do, do you say you work at ABC
Warehouse or do you tell them you’re a plumber? Even though I’m a
paramedic, artist, and a bunch of other things, I always bill myself as
a magician first, foremost, and always. Not only that, but I’ll always
incorporate where that actually takes place.

Them: Nice to meet you, Jamie, what do you do?

Me: I’m a professional magician, actually.

Them: Seriously?

Me: Yeah! I perform at corporate events, VIP functions, and weddings.

I walk from group to group and show people magic to build the energy.

The Approach 73
 Them: What? That’s amazing! Can you show me something right
now?

Me: Of course!

I’ve probably said that exact script word for word a thousand times.
And I credit it to probably 80% of my working gigs. But what’s the
trick in that sentence? It’s the word “thousand.” Because I meet
thousands of people…

You cannot, and will not, get gigs being at home.

When people ask me how they can book more gigs, they’re usually
asking, how can they get their phone to ring or email to go off while
they’re surfing the net. And at this point I’d like to obliterate the myth
that salesmen have been pitching for years: that whole, “Here’s the
secret to the one thing you need to do that will guarantee you bookings
right now!” There is no trick. You simply have to go outside.

How, though? You can’t very well start introducing yourself to people
at random. Or can you? Here are some ideas to let people know you
perform magic for money:

1. Open mic nights

2. Busking
3. Social media posts
4. Emailing
5. Posters
6. Media
7. Restaurant gigs

There is no easy way to get people to miraculously start booking you.

It’s not easy, but it’s very simple. People need to know what you do.
If they don’t know you’re a magician, how can they book you?

Okay, now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk about a way
that people will find you:

74 Jamie Grant
Google.

• Is your name easy to remember? Is it easy to spell?

• Is your website easy to spell?
• If you type “[Your Town] Magician” into Google does your name
come up on the first page?
• Do you know what SEO optimization is?

For me, I’ve used the first path, of meeting people face to face, more
than the Internet method. Back in the day, bands used to play clubs
in every city in the country. They would physically travel across the
country to shake hands and build fans. And that’s what I’ve done
across my city. I’ve treated every person I’ve ever met as a potential
fan. I go out of my way to meet people, shake their hands, and make
sure they leave my presence:

1. Feeling better about themselves.

2. Kn​owing that I would be great at their party.

So let’s start building our fan base and getting work. We’re going
to make this month the one where we make what the sales world calls
“impressions.” An “impression” is a new face exposed to our product
(us). The goal is to make as many impressions as possible. In your first
months, it’ll only be a few. But when you’re famous, it’s thousands.
And the more people that know what you do, the more they’ll know
they can book you for work. Impressions, impressions, impressions.
Make a goal every month. How many new people know you do
magic tricks for money? And as you make goals, you can now see how
important it is actually to perform. Whether it’s on TV, at events,
or at parties, every gig I do I’m making a hundred new impressions.
Work gets you more work. As long as you do it well.

One month homework: List the names of 12 people who now know
you do magic for money, that didn’t know that before. These are
your new impressions for this month. If it’s a group (like an open
mic night), jot down the location and the approximate number of
people in the room. When it comes to rooms, as opposed to one-on-
ones, try and get a total of 100 impressions in one month.

The Approach 75
 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

Did you fill every line? AWESOME! Now for the bonus round: give
out 100 business cards. Here’s the trick, though, business cards only
count (in this circumstance) if you’ve given it to someone that’s had
an impression - meaning someone that saw you perform.

F Yes, I gave out 100 business cards to people who now know they
can book me for their wedding or corporate party.

F No, I still need to get more!

76 Jamie Grant
 Chapter 27 | Essay

Getting Ready for the

First One
Here we are! We’ve learned a dozen tricks, we’ve broken them down
into sets, and we’ve performed in the real world. Now it’s time to get
paid. Here is our checklist to date:

F Received an email about a gig.

F Responded, ending with a question.

F Your email was replied to; and they agreed to your services!

F You’ve sent the contract.

F It was sent back along with the 50% deposit.

F You’ve blocked it off on your calendar.

F The day has arrived!

F You’ve put on your suit and filled your pockets.

F You’ve emptied your pockets so you can still drive.

Let’s look at a couple more chapters before crossing this last one off
our list:

F You’re heading out the door!

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 Chapter 28 | Trick

Fingernail Care
I have to admit that some of these chapters feel pretty silly but I
told myself I would include every single thing I know about gigs in
this book, and this is one of them. So, get ready: you’re going to start
buffing your nails.

Waaaaay back when I was thinking about running away and joining a
circus, I got my tongue pierced. I know, crazy. But I thought it would
make me edgy. Ah, youth. And if you met me now you probably
wouldn’t believe it. I market myself as very “Johnny Carson-ish” so
to think of Johnny having a tongue piercing is pretty strange. But
anyway, when I went to get it done, the piercer had the cleanest, most
impeccable hands I had ever seen. They practically glowed! And it gave
me confidence. I thought, “Here’s a guy that takes care of himself
and is obviously good at this.” His choice to take care of himself
gave me confidence. Think about that for a second. In this anecdote,
he’s the performer. Yet I’m the one feeling confident in the experience.
Don’t let that slip by you.

You want to give your audience confidence in you. So, after that day, I
started buffing my nails before every gig. Not only that but I use clear
nail polish after I buff them.

Let me make this as painless as possible as you step across the

threshold into metrosexual territory. You need two things:

1. Four-sided nail buffer - available at almost any drug store.

2. Clear nail polish.

Scrub your hands and clean under your nails. Buff your nails, using
the four-sided block, until they shine. Then use the clear nail polish.

78 Jamie Grant
That’s it, really. And please make sure your nails are dry (approx. 10
minutes) before you start rehearsing your sponge ball moves. Don’t
ask me how I know that.

While we’re here, prepare yourself for when someone comments on

them. Especially your friends. “Dude?! Did you get a manicure or
something?” they’ll say.

“Of course! I had to do a show last night.” You’ll reply. (Getting an

impression; if they didn’t know you did magic for money.)

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 Chapter 29 | Tip

How Much Time to

Prepare
If your gig starts at 8PM, how much time do you need to prepare?
(Not including actual travel time.) I’m talking from the time you put
down this book until the time you lock your front door behind you.

From personal experience, I’ve found an hour and half to be the time it
takes. That includes everything from showering, putting on the clothes,
filling the pockets, a couple of mirror practices…you know what? Let’s
not be lazy; let’s write down what our exact routine is. I’ll go first.

1. Check what time it is, put down the book, and allow a few nervous
heart palpitations (we all have them!).

2. Google the location and note the directions to the gig.

3. Get my close-up case and line everything up on the table.

4. Replace anything that’s missing (lost cards, etc.).

5. Fill my pockets to make sure it all feels right.

6. Take everything back out and put it in a travel bag.

7. I then do a mental “floor to ceiling” check starting from the

floor and working up to my head. It’s a trick I learned from my
days as a bike racer; it only takes one time of showing up to a
race without your bike helmet to come up with a better way of
ensuring you have everything required. Start from the ground
up - so the first thing to touch the floor is shoes, then socks, then
pants, then what’s in the pockets, etc. Floor to ceiling.

80 Jamie Grant
List everything you need for your gig, not just tricks, but
everything, keys, wallet, phone, socks, cash, etc.

1. 16.

2. 17.

3. 18.

4. 19.

5. 20.

6. 21.

7. 22.

8. 23.

9. 24.

10. 25.

11. 26.

12. 27.

13. 28.

14. 29.

15. 30.

As crazy as that looks, my list has 28. Write it down once and then
you can just use it to review every time.

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 Chapter 30 | Article

Pocket Management
So where do we put it all? This is a huge topic for the Walkaround
performer and is probably one you won’t appreciate until you’ve done
a few gigs. But it’s a question that has gone on for, I’m sure, hundreds
of years. Even court jesters were probably trying to figure out why
they made chalices so big.

Well, how about we start off where we don’t put things. Unless you’re
busking, no fanny packs, please. No, I don’t want to hear about how
practical they are. Take it off.

Also, no visible cell phone on your belt. A case for cards, yes. Even
a cell phone case is okay, but no actual cell phone hanging there like
a walkie-talkie.

So how many pockets does that leave us? Less than you think:

Front Left pants pocket.

Front Right pants pocket.
Back Left pants pocket.
Back Right pants pocket.
Possible front shirt pocket.
Front Left vest pocket.
Front Right vest pocket.

Or

Front Left suit pocket.

Front Right suit pocket.
Inside Left Suit pocket.
Inside Right suit pocket.
Belt case.

82 Jamie Grant
That looks like a lot, right? But, in reality, it’s only 6 locations. Why?
Well, for starters, don’t put anything in your back pockets. You will need
to sit at some point and nothing is worse than hearing the crush of
your cell phone or having a deck of cards back there. Plus, it looks
really bad. So resist the urge to load the back right off the bat. And
if, like me, you opt for a vest instead of a suit jacket, you lose three
pockets. So how do I do it? I use a pocket divider to split my front
pants pockets into two separate compartments. A pocket divider is
anything that, well, divides your pocket. Take a piece of plastic or
cardboard and cut it in a “pocket shape.” I then use that to separate
my props once they’re inside my pants. It just keeps the end of my
rope from getting lost amongst the sponge balls.

I also use two discreet belt holsters for my cards. So I end up with 9
pockets: 4 pants (no back pockets used, but using the dividers in the
fronts), 2 belt, 2 vest, and 1 shirt (make sure this is a flat object).

Front Left pants/Compartment 1: Trick #1

Front Left pants/Compartment 2: Trick #2
Front Right pants/Compartment 1: Trick #3
Front Right pants/Compartment 2: Trick #4
Belt pouch 1: Trick #5 + cell phone
Belt Pouch 2: Trick #6 + Driver’s license and one credit card
Vest left: Trick #7
Vest right: Trick #8
Shirt pocket: Trick #9

The great thing about this, of course, is that one of my “tricks” is a deck
of cards, so even though I’ve only got 9 items on me, I still have a whole
reserve of 9 effects on board if I have to resort to straight card magic.

A great amount of time, money, and energy will be devoted to how

you store things on your body. And it will take a while to feel at ease
not carrying an entire magic store on your person. My advice to you
is: how do you look when you look in the mirror? Do you look like you’re
carrying things? My goal is to be very James Bond-ish: I have nothing
that can be noticed from the outside; yet have everything I need to
destroy an audience at my disposal.

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 Chapter 31 | Study

Your List
Pants front left:

Pants front left 2:

Pants front right:

Pants / front right 2:

Pants / rear left:

Pants / rear right:

Vest left:

Vest right:

Jacket left:

Jacket right:

Jacket inside:

Belt holster:

Belt holster 2:

Shirt:

84 Jamie Grant
 Chapter 32 | Trick

The Big Secret

I called this book “The Approach” because that is the one thing most
people have problems with—opening lines, the first thing to show,
say, or do, and how to get our magic into the hands, eyes, and ears of
the audience. When it comes to gigs, I do it one way, the same way,
for every single group. Whatever we end up charging for this book
will be worth it for this secret alone. No kidding. What is it?

A lanyard.
I actually don’t know how I kept this secret for so long. I suppose I
didn’t want anyone to know about it because it makes everything so
easy. But I was being selfish; so let me lay it out.

I stumbled upon the realization that everyone in a position of power

wears a lanyard. VIPs, doctors, politicians—they all wear lanyards.
And, just in case you don’t know what a lanyard is, it’s a credit card-
sized sign that hangs from a cord around your neck.

It’s not a sign. It’s not a badge with flashing lights. It’s a pass. It
acts as a gateway past security. It’s also the easiest, sure-fire way to
approach a group you’ll ever find. Why? Because of what it says…

JAMIE D. GRANT
MASTER MAGICIAN
VIP ENTERTAINER

That wording took me years to work out and, in my opinion, is

absolutely priceless. I just walk up to any group, hold up my lanyard
with my left hand, catch someone’s eye, and point to it with my right.
I let them read it as I watch their expression go from, “Are we in
trouble?! Someone important is approaching us,” to, “Ah, yeah! A
magician!”
The Approach 85
 And if the Alpha Male of the group says, “VIP Entertainer, huh?”
I say, “Yeah! You’re the VIP, and I’m the entertainer!” This brings
them 100 percent on board. I don’t even think I need to elaborate any
more on this. Just try it—you can find lanyards at any office supply
store. And make sure it’s a nice one, please, no crazy colours. Google
“lanyard pass” and you’ll see what it looks like. I can’t believe I’m
letting this out!

Just a reminder – this is not a nametag, or a sticker on your shirt.

It has to be a lanyard that hangs around your neck. It’s a HUGE
difference. Rock stars don’t get past security with a nametag. Also,
make sure you print on both sides so you’re not constantly flipping it
over.

While the lanyard does a lot of the work for you, you also need to
consider how you’ll present it. How are you lifting it up for them to
read it? How fast are you lifting it, how far away are you holding it,
your smile, your posture—all of these things will determine how well
it works for you. If it works even half as well for you as it has for me,
you’re golden.

86 Jamie Grant
 Chapter 33 | Advice

Your Close-Up
Case/Bag
You actually need two of them.

One bag should actually be a storage-type case, where each trick has
its own slot and can be found at a glance. Mine is a briefcase that I’ve
filled with something called “pick-and-pluck” foam and looks like a
case from Mission Impossible.

The other case is actually a bag. Almost like a lunch bag. Why two?
Because I hate driving with full pockets. It’s way too easy to have a
Chop Cup ball roll out of a pocket when I’m driving. So when I get
ready for a gig, everything comes out of the first briefcase and goes
into my pockets to make sure it all feels right, but before I get into
the car, I empty everything into the lunch bag, which goes onto the
passenger seat.

Now you can arrive at the gig, load up the pockets and head inside.

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 Chapter 34 | Tip

Things to Never
Forget
These are all things I’ve forgotten at least once. Don’t be me.

1. The location of the gig.

2. The date of the gig.
3. The name of the company.
4. The name of the contact.
5. Your close-up bag.
6. Your driver’s license.
7. Your cell phone.
8. A credit card.
9. My own name.

So, here’s the question. If you arrived at a gig and forgot your bag with
no way to go back and get it, what would you perform? What would
you do? Thinking on your feet is a crucial skill in magic. The main
thing to remember is that almost every convenience store in the world
will sell a deck of cards. And every clerk has a couple of elastic bands.
Combine those with a couple of coins and a pen and you’ll probably
be okay. Or you can take this piece of advice, which is worth the
price of the book again (in my opinion). See your close-up case? The
beautiful one you made with the suitcase and the foam that holds all
your tricks so well? Make another one. Go out, or go online, and buy
all those tricks all over again and put that case in the trunk of your car.
You’ll thank me one day, I guarantee.

88 Jamie Grant
But, just in case (ha!) you don’t take advice well, write down 9 effects
you could do with only items found at a convenience store. They
might not be chop cup and rope, but they should be passable. Use as
many from a single deck as needed.

1. by

2. by

3. by

4. by

5. by

6. by

7. by

8. by

9. by

Bonus: by

The Approach 89
 Chapter 35 | Essay

Hat or No Hat
This may sound like a strange chapter, but I distinctly remember
wondering at one point if I should start using a cane.

What?!?!? I felt like I needed something to make me stand out and be

recognizable. And the irony was that a cane was exactly what I didn’t
need: a crutch. You need to stand out with your personality, your
demeanor, and your attitude. Blinking lights, crazy hats, and bizarre
suits shouldn’t be what you are using to get attention. You shouldn’t
be looking for attention in the first place. You haven’t been hired to
create a spectacle; you’ve been hired to entertain the guests. There
is a difference there.

And I feel this also applies to hats. It doesn’t work well for photos and
it’s too easy to date yourself.

Basically, don’t look for crutches when you’re not injured.

The exception to this is, of course, busking. In that case, a hat is a

must!

90 Jamie Grant
 Chapter 36 | Tip

The Handshake
When I said I was going to cover everything, I wasn’t kidding. It’s
amazing how often I shake hands and it just feels wrong. My rules:

• I don’t grab someone’s fingers. (Often done to gain power.) I’m

not weak. (Seriously, be firm; enough that if their hand wasn’t
attached to their body, you wouldn’t drop it.)

• When someone shakes my hand, I’ll often comment. (“That is

a great handshake!”)

• I also comment if someone shakes my hand strangely. (“We

need to do that one again.”)

Believe it or not, grabbing someone by the fingers is a trick often

used by the alpha male in the group to try and gain some sort of
edge over you. I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve had some
guy purposely try to grab my fingers rather than my actual palm. It
took me a while before I started addressing it, and once I did that I
found it would change the dynamic in my favour. “Dude, that was a
terrible handshake.” (Laughing) “Let’s try that again.”

The same goes for when it just “feels right.” Shaking hands, often
when in a group and you’re going around in a circle, can make people
nervous. So I’ll make a nice comment and try to lighten the mood
immediately. “That’s an awesome handshake!” will often break the ice
and help loosen people up. My goal, from the moment I walk up, is
to put a smile on their face any way I can.

Lastly, try to avoid the one-arm “bro hug” or any high/low/side-side

patty cake hand dances unless you already know the person.

Keep it simple.
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 Chapter 37 | Trick

What to Put
in the Lobby
I wish I could remember who told me to do this. If someone buys this
book and is saying to themselves, “Hey, I told Jamie that!” please let
me know, because this is one of the greatest things I ever started doing
to make my gigs even better.

Have a 2-foot by 3-foot picture of yourself made (your headshot that

you worked so hard to get right) and place it on an easel in the
lobby or the entranceway to your gig.

A couple of things to note:

1. I have it printed on what is called “foamcore”, so it won’t bend

and doesn’t need to be framed.

2. I added text across it saying:

Here tonight!
Master Magician
JAMIE D. GRANT

Not only does this let people know who you are (priceless), but it
also allows you to try a new line if you want to mix up your openings.

“Sorry to interrupt, but has anyone seen my poster?” They’ll look

confused if they haven’t seen it and I say, “There’s supposed to be a
huge poster of me around here letting you all know how amazing
I am. My name’s Jamie, I’m the magician.”

And, if they have seen it, I ask, “Isn’t it great?! I look amazing!”

92 Jamie Grant
I don’t ask the event planner if it’s okay, either. I just bring it into the
event and ask, “Where’s the best place I can put this for you?”

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 Chapter 38 | Article

Whom to Approach
First
This will be the hardest part of your night. You’re there at 6:00 p.m.
but not many people have shown up yet; there’s a couple of people
milling around, not knowing what to do, and you’re trying to decide
if now is the right time to get started.

Obviously, the first thing to do is to see who looks the friendliest. If

there is already a group that’s loud and having fun, it’s easy to walk up
and say, “They told me you were the trouble group,” as you point
at your lanyard.

But the other tactic I use is to look for the people who are the loneliest.
The exact opposite of the first group, and, preferably, a couple.
They’re the ones that I can spend 10 minutes with while I wait for the
boisterous crowd to show up. This won’t be a yelling, high-five group,
but will be people that I can show some of the lower tone effects to
and get to know before the place catches fire.

This approach is even better if they’re sitting at a table. If there is

a table for 10 and only two spots are taken, that’s the first table I’ll
go to. I’ll sit down in the chair next to them and say, “I think you
guys are the only ones that have shown up on time. I’m Jamie, the
magician.” I promise you they will be so relieved that you’re there
that you could do the 21 Card Trick and they’ll be jumping for joy.

People I don’t approach first:

• Someone by himself or herself.

• The boss or the planner.
• The staff.

94 Jamie Grant
I don’t approach singles because odds are quite good they’re actually
with someone and that person is just out of sight for a second. You
want to eliminate the chance of being interrupted and this is exactly
what will happen, forcing you to start over. As for the boss and the
planner, we’ll show them something later, but at first they’re paying
you to entertain the guests, not them. You’ll show the staff something
as well, but not right off the bat as they’ll be busy setting up.

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 Chapter 39 | Advice

My First Effect
This will just give you an idea of what the first magic effect is that my
audience will see.

It’s always the same; astronauts, lawyers, servers, chimney sweeps,

everyone gets the same first effect: Crazy Man’s Handcuffs. I find
that it’s a perfect fit for me, can be done silently, and I know it so well
that I can do it in my sleep. Just in case you don’t know, it’s an elastic
band effect. So how does it look?

Basically, I walk up to the group, smiling and confident, and with

open body language. I hold up my lanyard with my left hand and
point at it with my right. People start to smile as soon they begin
reading and I say my opening line (Chapter 42).

By the time I have the elastic bands off my wrist, the group has
formed a super tight circle with everyone looking down at my
hands, which are at waist height. This is a great image for the rest
of the party too. Imagine: all over the place, people are laughing or
talking and drinking, but in the center of the room are five people
looking intently towards the ground, silent and waiting. What are
they doing over there? And then, all of a sudden, they burst into gasps,
screams, and laughter. It’s perfect.

And don’t forget, nothing sounds more out of place (and awesome) at
a party than applause. That just doesn’t happen at normal parties. So
when people hear clapping, it’s a shocker.

96 Jamie Grant
What’s your opening effect? Come back here in a few years and see if
it’s still the same.

My Opening Effect is:

by

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 Chapter 40 | Tip

What Rubber
Bands to Use
Yellow #19. That’s all there is to say about that. They’re bright, easy to
see, and have great tension.

As for where to keep them, I’ll let you decide which camp you fall
into:

F On my wrist!

F Never! In a pocket, or around a deck.

98 Jamie Grant
 Chapter 41 | Article

Moving Through
a Room
I find this an interesting subject because of something that happens
to me all the time:

I can’t remember whom I’ve shown magic to or not.

Think about it, at a company party with over two hundred people,
especially with groups constantly ebbing and flowing, it’s really hard
to keep track. People change groups, go off and join others, and very
few people stand out in a crowd. So after a few years of bouncing
around the room like a pinball, I now start on one side and work my
way around the room, clockwise.

There is an exception to this rule, and that’s when there are tables.
If I’m at a wedding and I’ve been hired to work the hour or two
between the ceremony and dinner, it can get a little tricky. Half of
the people will be out at the bar and the other half will be seated at
their table trying to kill time. Generally, the table crowd is super
excited you’re there but it’s very rare that you’ll find a table with
everyone who is supposed to be at it, present. So you’re going to have
to make a choice; if it’s a table of ten and there are only five people
sitting, do you entertain them? Because, if you do, odds are you won’t
be back, thereby shortchanging the people who aren’t there yet of
your amazing entertaining skills.

My general rule is if more than half of the table is there, I’ll approach
it. But I will pinball around the room approaching the full tables first.
The reason I can do this is because, unlike crowds, I can remember
which tables I’ve been to and I know the seating won’t change.

The Approach 99
 The other thing I do is to start at the opposite side of the room from the
bar. That’s where it’ll be noisiest, people will already be talking with
other people in line, and they’re generally busy. Since we’re essentially
interrupting people, make it easier on yourself and do it where people
can hear what you’re saying.

Try not to pinball. Come up with a routine and circulate around the
room in a fashion that will help you remember where you’ve been.

100 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 42 | Essay

The First Words I Say

If you have read ‘The Big Secret’ chapter, then you’ll know the first
words out of my mouth aren’t words at all; it’s just me walking up to
a group, holding up the lanyard and pointing at it.

But you’re going to have to speak at some point, and I’ve never been
one for, “Hey, did you drop this knife?” I think the first words out
of your mouth should be the same for every single person you meet:

“Hi, my name’s Jamie.”

People are only going to respond two ways.

“My name’s John!”

Or,

“And, who are you?” (If they’re too drunk to read my lanyard.)

Either situation will get the same response:

“You know, the magician! The VIP entertainer! You’re the VIP,
and I’m the entertainer. Here, let me show you something super
quick.”

The key to this is the phrase, “Let me show you something super
quick.” It’s integral to give them a time frame of your departure
so they don’t think a stranger is trying to join their intimate group.
Letting them know that you’re not going to be there for an hour really
opens the group up.

The Approach 101

 And it sounds like I’m asking for permission, but not really. If you say,
“Can I show you something?” it’s a lot easier to get a “No.” But by
using the word “let” they get to feel like they’re in a position of power
and, as a result, never refuse. That said, the elastics are already off my
wrist at this point, so they don’t have a choice.

And, if I can, I don’t let them introduce themselves either. I’ll say, “I’m
Jamie. Here, let me show something to you super quick. I’m the
magician,” without getting their names in return, if possible. I’ll ask
their names after the first effect. “Holy smokes, that was incredible.
And I’ve seen it thousands of times. Okay, who are all of you?”

It’s at this point that I start to build relationships and make

connections. I’ve already established myself as nice, talented, and
(this is important) non-threatening so everyone is now ready to get
to know each other. I find that if I do introductions right off the bat,
and people don’t like the look of you or feel like they don’t need to
know you (it can happen), it can kill the vibe. So I walk up, interrupt,
introduce, and perform.

Once people get a feel for why I’m there, it’ll be easier to keep a hold
of them and show them a great time.

102 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 43 | Anecdote

Highs and Lows

A gig is a rollercoaster ride. It’s going to have peaks and valleys but, at
the end, it’s going to be an overall awesome experience.

You’ve got to let the low parts of the night, however, go. Push them from
your mind. Don’t spend time berating yourself over one bad moment.
Learn from it, for sure, but once you know what happened, forget it.

I remember one time, I did a gig, and it just didn’t have that same
“punch” as usual. Everything just kind of fell flat and there was just no
energy anywhere. I wish I could say it was the group, or the venue, or the
heat but, to be honest, I have no idea. Maybe it was me? And it really got
me down for a couple of weeks. I just couldn’t figure it out. And then I
realized, I’d never know the answer. Ever. Who knows, maybe the entire
company had a terrible day, maybe someone passed away at the office
that morning. I would never know. And if that’s the case, I can’t worry
about it. If it was something I did, I’ll fix it. But if I did my normal gold
standard job and it just didn’t pan out, I let it slide off me like water.

There’s nothing else you can do.

And this won’t happen once or twice - it’ll happen many times. Over
the course of time, the more gigs you do, the more good, and bad,
experiences you’ll have. Just make sure the good outnumber the bad.
Hopefully by a long shot.

And remember:

Tragedy + Time = Comedy.

You’ll laugh about it later. Tell yourself that. Did you just have a
terrible night? Come back to this chapter and re-read that equation.

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 Chapter 44 | Essay

Getting Applause
People need release. If you show someone something that they have
never seen before in their entire lives, they will have no idea how
to react. Some will laugh, others will scream, some may comment,
faint, or start doing jumping jacks. But, for the most part, they won’t
applaud. And when you stop to think about it, applause is the perfect
thing for them to do.

• It releases energy.

• It doesn’t require thought. It’s not embarrassing.

• It lets the other groups know that something special is going

on.

• The list goes on…

But how do we get people to applaud?

Well, I don’t know about everyone else, but I use a stock line that’s
probably been used for a few hundred years:

“I know how you feel, the first time I saw this I, too, was too
amazed to applaud.”

And then I start to applaud for myself. I do this a lot. If you’re good,
they’ll want to show their appreciation and start clapping with you.
Plus, it’s kind of funny to start applauding for myself. Will it work for
you? I’m not sure. It definitely fits my personality and I have never had
it backfire. Everyone just starts clapping immediately. They need that
release and like you for giving them the go-ahead.

104 Jamie Grant

And as I mentioned a couple of chapters back, there’s nothing stranger
than hearing a group in the middle of the room start to clap and
laugh. It’s awesome.

You just need to let them know it’s okay, however you can.

What’s your applause line? It can be as simple as, “You’re allowed to

clap if you feel like it.”

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 Chapter 45 | Study

More Transitions
We’ve talked about transitioning from trick to trick within a set, but
we need to talk about transitioning from group to group. For every
gig where you have everyone standing in perfect pockets of groups in
one large open space, you’re going to have a gig where the audience is
sitting, standing, hiding around corners, lying on sofas, and generally
being all over the place.

I just had a gig like that last night, and I did the only thing I could:
I made friends. There will be times when, as soon as you walk in
the door, you’ll realize that you’re not needed. That’s a tough thing to
acknowledge, but it’s the honest truth. As much as we love magic,
there are times when it just won’t work. And you can’t ram it down
people’s throats. Imagine: you walk in, the room is packed, the music
is blaring, people are dancing and everyone is already having a great
time. It’s at this point where your heart sinks as you realize how hard
your night is going to be.

When this happens I’ll find a table in the quietest corner and make
some new friends. And this is when your gig has to develop its disaster
plan - because you have to know your escape route.

Even though I’ll spend way more time with a tabled group (in this
scenario), I have to keep an eye open for where I’m going to go next.
The bar is too busy, the dance floor is a no-fly zone, and there are
people having dinner at every other section. Keep looking. And what
are you looking for? Instead of people to show magic to, look for
people that will welcome your company. Is there a table of 4 with
only 3 seats taken? After making sure no one is coming for that fourth
seat, take it. Make introductions, ask questions, and, if you can, show
magic.

106 Jamie Grant

That’s the worst-case scenario.

The best case is a huge open room where the music isn’t too loud,
there’s no dancing, and people are just hanging out and having a good
time. So if you’ve just shown some magic to a group and they’re all
laughing and having a blast, what do you say to your next group,
assuming they’re right behind you and have heard what’s been going
on?

I turn around, enter the new group, try and look exhausted, while
saying,

“Holy smokes, what a wild bunch! I’m surprised I made it out of

there alive. What are you guys like?”

Don’t forget, they’re close enough to probably have already figured

out why you’re there, so take advantage of that.

What’s your “about face” line? Give it some thought…

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 Chapter 46 | Essay

Saying Goodbye to
Your Group
This will help you with the preceding chapter as I think a lot of
performers have trouble with it. Walking away. For me, it’s all about
implying that I have to go. I don’t want to because this is the greatest
new group of friends that I’ve ever made, but that I have to. So my
key phrase is always the same,

“I have to go, but just yell for me if you

want to see more.”
Everyone understands that I’m being paid to be there and I have to
entertain others, so by saying I “have” to go is telling them I don’t
want to go, but I’ll be in trouble if I don’t. I also don’t say “I’ll be
back” but rather let them know that it’s okay to request me. You
would be surprised at how often they will. It’s also a good idea to leave
them with a compliment. Saying, “I have to go but just yell for me if
you want to see more. Man, you guys are awesome!” goes a long way.

This is especially the case if they know that the group you’ll be
approaching next has just heard you say that. They get to be part of
the “in” crowd; after all, the entertainer just said they were awesome.
And if the group you’re now entering heard you say that, they’ll be
looking forward to it, too.

It’s about joining the room together.

You’re the glue, or the spider web, or the link. At a perfect gig, everyone
in the room enters as strangers but leaves as friends because of one
common connection: you. They’re all talking about the amazing

108 Jamie Grant

magic they just saw and they can’t believe what just happened. They’re
interacting and building new relationships. So anything you can do
to facilitate that will be in your favour.

Also, if I’m showing a group something and I see a lone partygoer

walk past, I will 100 percent invite them in. “Excuse me, sorry, you
have to watch this. I’m absolutely blowing these people’s minds
right now. Who are you? John? Does everyone know John?”

When it’s time to leave a group, let them know how much you
appreciated their time while letting the next group know how amped
you are to join them.

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 Chapter 47 | Advice

Tables versus
Standing
This is a standard format for Walkaround magic. The guests will
always be either standing for the cocktail hour, or sitting after dinner.
Is one better than the other to perform for? I don’t think so, but they
both offer distinct challenges and things to consider, especially in the
table scenario:

• How big is the table?

• Are there empty seats?
• Who’s sitting with whom?

As a general rule, when performing for a table I will still stand at one
end and perform for everyone at once. This can be hard, though,
when a table seats ten people and is the size of a private pool. This is
when I start to mix up my sets and it becomes almost a mini-parlor
show. Waist level card tricks go out the window and I’ll do Rope, Bill
to Lemon, etc.

The exception is if it’s a table of ten and it only has five people sitting
at it. In this case, I have no problem sitting next to them and doing
table work. The one concern with sitting down at a table is that if there
are people on the opposite side of you and they can’t hear, they’ll lose
interest. Things you can do to help:

1. Tell people to move in closer.

2. Move the centerpiece to the side.

3. Sit in the center (even if there are empty seats on either side) of the group.

110 Jamie Grant

Another option is the kneel. This is where you’ll use one leg on an
empty chair; it’s almost a cross between standing and sitting.

Sometimes you might not want the table behind you to see what’s
happening yet, so you can use the back of a high chair as a sort of
backdrop.

Do whatever it takes to ensure everyone at the table can see and

hear you. Move things, shuffle chairs, suggest, arrange, manipulate,
and control.

This is your room. Make it work for you.

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 Chapter 48 | Article

Dealing with the

Alpha Male
Originally published in 2010

Do you perform magic to make yourself feel good or to make others feel
good?

Take a minute and analyze that for a bit. There’s no wrong answer here
(at all) but it might help you on the way to understanding yourself
and your audience. Me? I’m extremely lucky, as nothing makes me feel
better than making someone feel good. Truly. It gives me an absolute
high to see people having a great time. Especially if I had something to
do with it. I’m simply not in this business for a sense of empowerment
or to help my ego. Don’t get me wrong though, I don’t judge people
who are, as those aren’t always bad things and are necessary for our
sense of self-worth. I just personally don’t look for those results from
performing magic.

Now that we know why I perform magic (to make people feel good),
we also need to look at my selfish motives: money. I mentioned earlier
that Barrie Richardson told me years ago that his only goal after an
event was for them to say, “When can we have you back?”

This brings me to a true story:

Picture about eight alpha males standing around. Some are celebrities,
some are hangers-on, but they’re all real money. It comes up that I
don’t drink...

112 Jamie Grant

Alpha Male: You don’t drink?! Ha! You probably don’t have sex either.
(Everyone laughs ~ including me.)

Me: Well, actually I’m married.

Alpha Male: Yeah, what’s his name?! (Everyone laughs harder.)

Me: Holy smokes, that was a fast comeback, you’re awesome! “His”
name is Melissa.

Alpha Male: His name’s Melissa? That’s pretty good. You know, you
can take a joke. You’re hired.

Me: For what?

Alpha Male: For everything.

Now it’s not often I talk about how much I make, but I’ll tell you
that from this one guy I took home $14,500 in just one year. 14K
from one client who got to be the center of attention for, what, three
minutes?

So, the next question is: who do you think people will want back?
Someone who put them in their place? Or someone who let them
have their moment?

Which brings me straight back to why I’m here:

1. To make people feel good.

And,

2. To make money. As much as possible.

Does one contradict the other? I don’t think so, and I’ve done
everything in my power to make them coincide. But you know what?
They do, naturally. Because people will always hire the person that
makes them feel good. And that’s the most important thing about
this business that no one will tell you. People don’t hire me because

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 I have a great double lift, they hire me because of how I make them
feel. And for every hour that someone spends rehearsing lines that will
destroy a heckler, I’ll spend ten hours thinking of ways to compliment
someone without them consciously realizing I did it. From how I look
to how I talk, everything in my being is focused on making people feel
good about themselves when I’m around because that, in all honesty,
is what makes me happy. Magic is just the introduction into their
house.

I hope that gives some insight into how I think and will let you know
if my essays are a good fit for you. I’ll stick by my “Killing them with
Kindness” as that has served me extremely well in all aspects of my
life. I’m a happy man. And for those that disagree - I’m glad you do.
It’s important that we’re all not the same. I only offer this parting
thought:

When planning revenge, make sure you dig two graves...one for yourself.

***

One thing I’d now add to this article from when it was first published
is that I do have one line for hecklers. And I’ve only had to use it a
couple of times:

“Hold on, hold on, hold on…am I being heckled right now?
This hasn’t happened before! I’m not sure what to do.” (Laughter)
“Where the heck were we?” And I carry on.

I’ve never insulted anyone or come up with “anti-heckler” lines.

Instead, I always tried to create myself as someone who doesn’t get
heckled. And, to be honest, it’s worked.

If you’re getting heckled a lot: don’t look for more lines. Try to figure
out what you might be doing that is turning people against you.

114 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 49 | Advice

Staying in One Spot

I’ve only done this a couple of times but it’s worth a mention to at
least plant it in your head. It’s a plan of attack whereby you stay in
one spot and let the audience come to you.

An example of this would be if the host has a dedicated “magic room”

where people will enter, spend ten minutes, and leave, or behind a
bar. I haven’t ever been booked for a venue like this, but they do exist.
In a way it’s better because you don’t have to approach anyone. But
I think it’s a hard sell to an event planner. It also can set you up for
disaster if you’re in the “magic booth” and no one comes over; you
could shoot yourself in the foot for recurring gigs (always our goal) if
you’re over in the corner while the party is taking off on the other side
of the room; without you. Still, it’s something to think about.

If this is the route you need to take for a gig, ask yourself the following
questions:

• Would you perform different effects than your normal sets?

• What would the performance surface look like?

• Where is the room in relation to the bar, kitchen, etc.?

• How do people know where to find you?

• What will happen if no one comes to you?

• Will you get “trapped”?

If this is pitched to you, really try to get a mental image of the gig
before you go.

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 Chapter 50 | Advice

Busted!
You’re going to get busted. I promise. So stop worrying about it and
come up with a plan. What would you say to these comments from
spectators?

1. “I saw what you did there.”

2. “You lifted two cards at once.”

3. “It’s in your other hand.”

Write down your responses:

1.

2.

3.

I’ll tell you how I deal with this. You can’t fight. If any of your replies
have the tone of “No you didn’t,” it’ll get ugly fast. So instead I make
them instant co-conspirators.

116 Jamie Grant

1. Well, keep your mouth shut or you’ll ruin it for both of us!

2. I have no idea what you’re talking about. (While staring them

straight in the eye.)

3. Prove it. And I should warn you, I’ve been working out lately.

The key to failure is to always do it with grace, and if you can’t do it

gracefully, at least laugh it off as best you can. Lines such as, “Hey,
look at me for a second. Sleep,” while making a hypnotic gesture;
or “Sweet Marie, what the heck happened there?!” or, “If it is, that
would be a miracle, because it’s not supposed to be,” all go a lot
further if you’re saying it with laughter.

Things to not do (in my opinion):

• Start over.
• Apologize.
• Argue.
• Show embarrassment.

There’s a difference between getting busted and making a mistake.

Since no one knows how the trick is supposed to end, you can make
mistakes all day without anyone knowing. Getting busted, however, is a
different story. So start preparing yourself now. Take one of your 9
effects and pick the key moment where you’ll get caught.

Now write down a quick reply to someone catching you out. I’ll go
first:

Trick #1: Crazy Man’s Handcuffs

Getting Caught: “Hey, I saw you switch fingers.”

My Line: “I think you meant to say, ‘I saw a miracle,’ because that’s

what just happened. Here, I’ll show you again.”

And this is where we’ll talk about another one of the secrets to really
becoming a worker: Knowing an alternate method or different

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 variation for every one of your 9 effects. If I can steamroll into what
they think is a “repeat” with the hopes of catching me out again, and
this time, floor them, I’ll have recovered.

Trick:

Getting caught:

Line:

Alternate method:

118 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 51 | Tip

Getting Compliments
You’d be amazed at how many people can’t take a compliment well. So
let’s see how you do. What’s your response to:

“You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met!!”

Your response:

If you wrote, “Thanks!” there, we need to get to work. Because you’re

not giving enough to your audience. It’s like the applause, you need
to give them an outlet. You need to let them continue for a bit longer.
My general go-to phrases are usually something like, “I know, right?!
Tell me again.” It’s all about ebb and flow. I don’t want to start my
next effect until I’ve received the max response from every effect. So
let them continue.

Not only compliments, but also flirting is something you need to

prepare for. When people start getting drunk, you have no idea what
may come out of their mouths, so you also need to prepare for letting
people down if they, how do we say, cross the line. There is nothing
more embarrassing for a person than to have an advance refused.
Especially if it’s done in front of other people.

And don’t think a wedding ring is protection from this, either. If

anything, it seems to attract a certain element that thrives on causing
trouble. Like always, I have lines locked and loaded. And I hope
that’s what you’ve realized from this book. It’s about being prepared.
If you’ve got everything written down and rehearsed, then you’ll be

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 light years ahead of the game. So my flirtatious refusal? “Sweet Marie,
are you out of your mind? You’re actually making me blush. Pick a
card before you get us all fired.”

What’s your refusal line?

120 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 52 | Article

Letting Spectators
Shuffle
Spectators LOVE to shuffle cards. So what do I do when they ask if
they can shuffle? I give the cards to them as fast as I can and say, “Ah,
thanks, I need a rest.” And then I make them shuffle a little bit longer
than they would like. It can be a funny moment and it helps fight our
mortal enemy, time.

But what about if it’s after a card control? Let’s look at how I play it
exactly.

Their card has been put into a location under a key card.

“Hey!” they say. “Can I shuffle those?”

I stop whatever it is I’m doing and look them straight in the eyes.
“Have you LOST YOUR MIND? No, you cannot shuffle them.
Stop causing trouble and pay attention.”

Does this reveal that I’ve done something “fishy”? Maybe. But it
doesn’t confirm it. They might think I’m just being funny. But it’s
about control. This chapter isn’t so much about letting people shuffle
as it is about you realizing that this is your gig, not theirs. When you
walk into their group, you’re putting them onto your stage. So you
need to exert a bit of authority. The same goes with examining props,
“Hey, let me look at that,” they say. “Do I look like I’m crazy?” I’ll
reply, “If you think I’m letting you handle this rare, one of a kind,
priceless pencil, you’ve got another thing coming. Let your mind
rest, brother. Enjoy the ABSOLUTE MIRACLES that are going to
happen before your eyes.”

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 It’s about playing with your audience. But, make no mistake, your
effects are your toys. And no one touches anything if you don’t want
them to.

A thing to note about decks of cards: they will come back destroyed
from a gig. People will bend them, drop them, spill drinks on them,
and every other thing you can imagine. So, although I only use
custom decks, I wouldn’t advise bringing your signed Jerry’s Nuggets.

122 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 53 | Study

Reset - Reset
Man, do we love to talk about reset. We hear it all the time, “What
is the reset? How long does it take?” Some tricks, once they’re
completed, are ready to go immediately. They end in the same place
they start. Crazy Man’s Handcuffs is a great example: they start on my
wrist and end on my wrist. Other effects, however, might require a
setup. So the question is: how much reset is too much? And why do
we worry about it so much?

I think it comes down to fear. If the audience sees me put the sponge
ball back into the other pocket, they’ll know how I did it. And that’s
true. They will.

Unless I’m just getting another, different, sponge ball. Remember, they
have no idea. I’ll repeat that: they have no idea what you’re doing.
But an audience can sense. So what does your body say? Where are you
looking? Do you come across as guilty? Do you look worried? Where
are your hands? And are they looking at them? Here’s how I used to
practice. Go get a deck. I’ll wait…

Okay, now go to your bathroom mirror. Shuffle the cards in front of

the mirror. Now while holding the cards up to your face, I want you
to remove the aces and place them on top of the pack. Done?

Awesome.

Let’s do it one more time. Shuffle. Bring the cards up, look over the
top of the cards at yourself in the mirror, and now ask yourself what
your favourite movie is.

See the difference? It’s about not feeling guilty, it’s about not showing
fear, being casual, being light. It’s a feeling. If you don’t think you’re

The Approach 123

 doing anything wrong, the audience won’t either. And this comes
back to not doing trick after trick after trick. You need to converse.
Conversation is the biggest misdirection you’ll ever find. And it’s
something you can practice. So, what does this mean? It means that,
while I’m practicing moves, I’m constantly talking with myself. If
you were to watch me rehearse, you might get ready to send me to a
funny farm, but it works. Is Reset important?

Absolutely. But is it more important than the ability to engage and

converse while doing any sort of move? Not in my opinion. And, as
a result, I’m resetting for my next group as I’m talking with the group
I’m wrapping up with. Guilt free.

124 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 54 | Tip

The Venue Staff

Perform for venue staff as soon as you’re able. They’ll make your life
infinitely easier if you happen to need anything. It’s not the first thing
you should do when you get to your gig, but it should happen sooner
than later. The main thing to note though is that they’re working, so
show them one quick thing and leave it at that.

If it’s a high-end room, like in a hotel, there will usually be a hotel

contact that is attached to the function. After I find the person who
booked me, I’ll find the hotel contact and say, “Hi, I’m Jamie, the
magician for the event. I don’t need it now, but will there be
somewhere I can find some water later?” Once they tell me where,
I’ll follow it up with, “And I know you’re busy but let me show you
something super quick.”

I’ll do the same for the servers if they’re not already walking around.
Never interrupt them from their job. It can be perceived as slacking if
their manager thinks they’re watching the magician instead of doing
their job, so always ensure that the coast is clear.

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 Chapter 55 | Advice

Kids at an Event
This is a hard one. And, unless you specialize in kids’ magic,
unfortunately the only answer I can give you is not to work events
where there are kids. But there is one major type of event where there
is no escape:

Weddings.

So what happens? Well, if you’re not careful, you’ll turn into the pied
piper and have a trail of kids following you around the entire day.
IS it the end of the world? No. You get paid the same amount the
entire time, regardless, but it can be annoying. Don’t get me wrong
- I love kids. But, in my mind, I’m not there for them. You can use
their energy and attention to your advantage, though. As Cellini said,
“Stop a child, and you’ll stop the world.” People LOVE seeing the
amazement on kids’ faces. So if a kid approaches you, kneel down and
show them something. Once the crowd gathers around you, stand
back up and get an adult to pick a card or hold a coin. It’s a bit of the
old bait and switch, but we’ll take it.

However, if you find kids interfering with your work and preventing
you from doing your job, you can always ask, “Which one’s your
mommy?” Get them to take you to her and simply say, with a smile,
“Does this one belong to you? He’s awesome! You must be so
proud. I have to give him back to you for a while, though.” That’s
usually enough of a subtle hint.

The key is – you never want to offend anyone. Including the kids at
the event. But you also need to do your job. And if you were booked
to entertain the adults, make sure that you do. But you need to make
sure that’s clear when you get hired. If I suspect there will be a ton

126 Jamie Grant

of kids for some reason, I’ll ask the planner ahead of time, “Do you
have things planned for the kids, as well?” This lets them know
that the solution isn’t me and that they might want to get additional
entertainment.

Have that discussion first.

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 Chapter 56 | Lesson

Burning Through
Material
Sometimes, for whatever reason, you’ll use all your material. Maybe
there are not enough people at the event, maybe you drank too much
coffee, or maybe it’s just a small room and you’re booked for two
hours. Whatever the case may be, you need to plan. What happens if
you’re running out of tricks to show a group?

Teach them something.

What?! No! They’re not one of us!

I’m not saying that you should show them how to do the Cups and
Balls, I’m just saying you should have something easy to show them.
It’ll take up time, seem altruistic, and make you some new friends. So
what do you show them?

Bar tricks.

There are tons of bar tricks out there that don’t really count as “magic”
per-se, but are definitely in the same vein of entertainment. They
might be a puzzle, or a trick, and they can usually be done on the spur
of the moment without many props. The good thing about bar tricks
is that the “solution” usually exposes the method, so they only learn
how it works once it’s over. Just like everyone should know 12 effects,
you should know 10 bar tricks that can be performed on the spot.

Write down (and learn) 10 bar tricks. Write them down on a sticky-
note as well and put the cheat sheet in your wallet. That way just a
quick trip to the bathroom will give you a chance to review them.

128 Jamie Grant

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

One of the main ones I do, and will teach, is the jumping paperclips
off a dollar bill. And that’s the great thing about bar tricks: at a gig, or
anywhere for that matter, you can pawn them off as magic.

“Watch, I’m going to pull on the ends of this dollar bill and make
the paperclips fly into the air, do seven backflips apiece, and
magically link. Watch.”

After you’ve learned your ten bar tricks, work on the presentation
to give them a magic moment. They’ll save you at a gig when you’re
looking for things to fill up the time slot.

“Hey, I’m not supposed to do this, but do you guys want to learn
something you can show others? Check this out. It’ll take a few
minutes, though.”

Am I giving away valuable secrets? Of course not. But I’m letting

them think I am.

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 Chapter 57 | Lesson

How Many Hours?

One or two. That’s my personal recommendation. For me, anything
longer than that is too much. A three-hour gig? I’ve done them and
they burn me out. It’s just too long to be “on.” If they insist, tell them
they need to hire a second entertainer and suggest a friend.

On that note, you should have a list of three other magicians in your
area that you trust. As you get better and busier, you’re going to start
getting requested for gigs on the same night and it’ll make you look
great if you can recommend someone else.

Name three other magicians whom you would feel comfortable

sending a gig to:

1.

2.

3.

Make sure you talk to them beforehand and that you have similar
rates. The last thing you want is for your recommendation to be way
cheaper, or way more, than you.

You can also discuss reciprocal commission. This means that you
would take 25% of their fee for getting them the work, and you
would do the same. This arrangement benefits the person who is
more popular and who has put more effort into getting work and
their name out there.

130 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 58 | Article

Remembering Names
Originally published in 2012 after a Christmas vacation.

So here’s the question: What were their names?

Can you remember the names of everyone you were introduced to

or met? No? Well, don’t feel bad, because you’re in the same boat as
almost the entire population! For whatever reason, memory has never
been a focus in our learning and I personally think that’s a shame. As
a professional entertainer, there is no better magic trick than seeing
someone at a gig or party a year after I was first introduced to them
and being able to rock off their name, which, I should mention, is
always music to their ears. So how do I do it?

There are numerous memory techniques for learning objects, lists,

numbers, etc. One of the most popular methods for memorization is
called the loci system. In a nutshell, you create a mental path that you
walk along and remember objects that you place at specific locations
along the way. When you want to remember the list, you just take
your mental walk and recall all the items at those specific spots.

Another popular memory technique is the link method. The link

method has you link together a list in as bizarre an imagery as you
can muster. Try, for example, to remember these five things. Read the
list once, go do something for ten minutes, come back and see if you
can recall it…

Light Bulb
Golf Club
A Pair of size 10 Air Jordans
Toaster
Front Door

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 Okay, off you go! See you in ten minutes. Try to name those things in
the list, aloud, before looking at this page again.

Alright! How’d you do? You probably got a couple, but how easy was
it? Well, we’re going to make it mucho easier, right now.

If we return to the list, we’re going to link everything together with

some crazy images in our mind. The wilder the better! For me, I
would start with picturing myself trying to play golf with a light bulb.
I picture myself holding the light bulb (upside down) and making
a swing for the ball. I’m missing it terribly because the light bulb is
way too short to make it to the tee. So I’ve already got two objects
memorized: light bulb and golf club. Now I imagine that at the end
of my swing, the light bulb flies out of my hands and hits a pair of Air
Jordans that are flying through the air. They’re almost like birds, just
flying over the golf course. When my light bulb hits them, they fall
to the ground and land in the hole (which is absolutely huge) on the
10th green. It’s so miraculous that the owner of the club (Robert De
Niro) runs over and gives me a toaster as a prize. For some reason, it’s
dripping with maple syrup all over it. On the side of the toaster is a
small front door, like from a mansion. Every time I open and close it
there are brand-new hundred dollar bills inside!

Okay, take a break and come back in ten…

Let’s try it now:

What are you holding in your hands at the first tee?

What are you using it as?
What do you hit in the sky?
What size were they?
What did you win?
What’s on the side of it?

Way easier, right? If you want to remember lists and objects, the loci
and link will serve you well! Look up some books from Dominic
O’Brien, Sal Piacente, or Harry Lorayne. You can’t go wrong and
these guys are my favorite authors on the subjects.

132 Jamie Grant

When it comes to names, however, I find it a bit more challenging.
After all, you’re not in the comfort of your own home reading a list
and trying to memorize it. You’re in the heat of battle, at a party with
the pressure on. You might want to impress someone or are nervous
for some reason. This is memory under fire. So the first thing I do is
slow it down, right off the bat.

HOST: “Jamie, this is Emily. Emily, Jamie.”

EMILY: “Hi, Jamie.”

ME: “Stop right there. Let me look at you.” More often than not, people
will begin to laugh nervously. “No seriously, I’ve just read an article on
memorizing names and I really want to remember yours.” Once you say
this, I promise you, you’re golden. Not only is it interesting but people
really want to learn it too! You come off as an intriguing person with
something to offer the group. It makes for great conversation and
gets everyone talking, which is exactly what you’re looking for. Also,
you’ve taken the pressure off yourself to try and secretly remember
everyone’s names since you’re going to do it out in the open.

“Here’s what I’m supposed to do, it was Emily, right? I’m supposed to think
of someone famous or someone from my past who is also named Emily. In
your case, I’m going to use Emily from Grade 9. Ah, she was gorgeous. She
was my first love and an amazing person. Now I’m going to picture you
both doing something absolutely crazy. Can I ask what your last name is?
McIntyre? Okay, I’m going to picture you and my Grade 9 crush driving
a Mack truck, you know, like one of those huge semis you see in Ice Road
Truckers. You’re driving about 200kph and you’re going to try to jump the
Mack truck through a flaming tire, like at a circus. Mack in tire. Yeah,
that should do it. Okay, your turn…”

I’ve done this for years and it works like, well, magic. The key is not
to be afraid to stop and explain what you’re doing. Associate his or
her first name with someone else you know with that same name.
Now, use their last name to make a mental image of what the two
of them are going to be doing. The crazier the better!

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 There you have it! I know that might seem too easy to be true but
that’s really all there is to it. That, and practice, practice, practice. Do
this with everyone you meet and you’ll get the hang of it, I promise!

Hey, remember that time when Jamie Foxx and I flew out of a genie
bottle you were holding and we were Granting people wishes left,
right, and center? The first thing we said was “Daaaaaaamng! It’s good
to be out! Who wants what?”

I use this technique a lot at gigs but it would be a blatant lie if I told
you I remember everyone’s name at a gig. I try to get one name per
group and leave it at that.

134 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 59 | Tip

When to Show the

Event Planner
It’s the event planner, not the president of the company, who is
the most important person in the room. The president may sign the
cheque, but it’s the event planner who’s going to make you part of the
family and keep those cheques arriving for years to come.

And you might be asking, “Didn’t I already find them at the very
beginning of the gig to say, ‘Hello’?”

You did, but you didn’t show them magic. Why? Because you need
to wait for them to see how awesome you are. You also need to wait
until they’re in good company. And who makes ‘good company’? The
president.

You want the planner to look good in front of their boss, so this is
going to be your best set of the night. No embarrassing comments,
no blunders, just solid gold. I also wait until about exactly halfway
through the gig. Enough time has passed since your initial “hello” to
revisit and they should have seen (and heard) you killing the room by
this point.

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 Chapter 60 | Anecdote

The Card Force I

Always Use
I thought it’d be fun to include one piece of card work in this book;
and after extensive research I haven’t come across anyone doing
exactly what I do. But it’s essentially an in-the-hand Criss Cross force.

Prepare yourself for the most confusing explanation you’ll ever

read in a magic book.

Holding the deck in a regular mechanic’s grip, I run the thumb down
the left-hand side while asking the spectator to say, “Stop.” When they
do, I swing cut the top half of the deck into my left hand and put
the bottom half on top of it at an angle of about 2 o’clock and about
a centimeter from the top. Looking down at the deck from the top:

The top half is in my left palm.

The bottom half is now on top of that, at an angle.

My left thumb is on top of the top half (which is underneath the

bottom) and is along the edge of the bottom (which is on the top).

I seriously hope you’re laughing at how confusing that just sounded.

If you understand what the heck I’m talking about, this is the next
(crucial) step. I ask them please to REMEMBER their card as I push
down with my left thumb onto the top half of the deck, which is on
the bottom. It’s this flex, while asking them a question, which gives the
illusion that THIS is the card they said “stop” at, when in reality, it’s
actually the top card of the deck.

136 Jamie Grant

I then remove the bottom half (off of the top) with my right hand
and, with my left thumb, push the top card to an outjogged position
and show it to them.

I’ve used this for years and it is the easiest card force I use. I hope you
can understand what I just wrote!!

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 Chapter 61 | Article

Accepting Tips
If you’re good, and people are really drinking, you’re going to be
offered tips. This is going to be a sensitive issue because you’re already
being paid by the company or host and you don’t want it to look like
you’re hustling their guests. There comes a point, however, where the
person offering it to you will become insulted if you don’t take it. So
how do I handle it?

I refuse once. I accept on their insistence.

You must comment, however, not only to show thanks, but to also let
everyone else who is watching know that this isn’t required.

Them: “THAT was good. Here, take this.” (Hands me a hundred

dollar bill.)

Me: “Holy smokes, you are awesome! But I can’t take that, I’m
already getting paid to be here.”

Them: “Just take it.”

Me: “Really? Okay, just this once. Everyone else put your wallets
away before you get me fired!”

It’s often a position of power when someone is giving you money. They
get to look like “big shots” in front of their friends and co-workers.
And I have no problem taking the money if I think they mean it and
can afford it. Sometimes, though, people will offer in the hopes that
you’ll refuse. They want to look cool but are actually dead broke. If this
happens and you don’t give them that initial refusal, it won’t go well.

Refuse once. Give them an out, just in case.

138 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 62 | Anecdote

Wallets
I’m including a chapter on wallets simply because I’ve devoted what
feels like a lifetime to them.

Peek wallets: 8
Card to Wallets: 12
Fire Wallets: 3

I’ve owned them all! So which one do I use at working gigs?

A money clip.

A money clip with zero magic capabilities. How can that be? Isn’t
a magic wallet the most important piece in a worker’s repertoire?
Maybe. But not for me. It’s just not worth what we’ll call the “Pocket
Space to Magic, Ratio.” For the size of a single wallet, I could use
that space for any one of the following:

• A deck of cards
• 12 sponge balls
• Rope
• A couple of pens
• Coins
• Etc.

And this is something to go back and look at when you first chose
your initial 12. How many of those effects have you actually USED
at your latest gig? Are you, like me, carrying a wallet and you didn’t
use it? OR do you carry a bunch of sponge balls and never break them
out? If you do three gigs without using something, cut it loose! Be
ruthless!!

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 Write down 3 things you didn’t use at your last gig. Come back
later and see if they’ve changed:

1.

2.

3.

140 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 63 | Tip

Handing Out
Business Cards
Well, they’re called business cards for a reason. They’re meant to get
business. So if they stay in your wallet, they’re pretty much useless.
The question is, how do you give them out?

The line I’ve always used is, “If you have any questions about what
just happened, please feel free to call me. I’ll explain everything.”
What makes this funny is I’ve already got the business cards in my
hand but while I’m saying, “I’ll explain everything,” I’m shaking my
head side to side to say, “No.”

And don’t think that I only hand them out at gigs. Everyone I meet
gets a business card. EVERYONE. Some may view that as gauche or
tacky, but I disagree. No one ever said Sherlock Holmes was tacky
when he would present his card at places he visited. And that’s exactly
how I view it: as a way to further our introductions. It can be a little
weird, though, if you meet someone for the first time and you say,
“Here’s my card.” So I simply ask for theirs first.

Me: “Sorry, John was it? Do you have a business card, John? I read
that it helps to remember names and faces if we exchange cards.
Here’s mine.”

Impressions, impressions, impressions. This is the core of your

business.

1. Make people aware you perform magic for money.

2. Make them want to see you again.
3. Give them a way to contact you. (Hand them your card.)

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 Gigs, people on the street, friends, mortal enemies—everyone has
my card. You never know when they need entertainment and you’re
just the person to help.

142 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 64 | Anecdote

What to Never
Borrow
Let me just give you three quick pieces of advice that I have learned
from personal experience.

1. Don’t set anything on fire.

2. Don’t borrow rings or watches.
3. Try to show up at the right venue.

We’ll talk about number 2 here. I know, watch steals are cool, I get it.
And, yes, Ring Flight is awesome. But you know what’s not awesome?
Trying to explain to the manager, who has been called over, that you
didn’t swap watches (or rings) and have subbed in a fake one. You
know what’s also not awesome? Seeing someone’s precious ring fly off
the floor like a ping-pong ball. It’s not just worth it. Ever.

You’ve been warned.

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 Chapter 65 | Article

Someone Wants to
Show You a Trick
This topic actually makes me laugh because I remember reading about
this very subject online and a bunch of people were talking about it
when one of them commented that they NEVER let spectators take
away their power.

Are you kidding me?!

Wait, let me get this straight. I’m going to get paid $1000 for 2 hours,
and I can have 10 minutes of that time where I get to watch someone
else work for me?! And we’re all going to laugh? And we’re all going
to have a great time? And the person who is doing the trick is going
to feel awesome? And, did I mention, I just get to watch and don’t
have to work!?

Holy smokes, if you ever have your ego get that out of control where
you can’t handle some amateur competition, I’m afraid we’ll have to
have you revisit a few of the previous chapters. And I’ll recap what
I wrote on that thread…

I’m not paid to do magic tricks. I’m paid to make sure everyone has a
wonderful time and that people leave my presence happier than when
they entered it. Magic may be my vehicle - but it doesn’t matter
who’s driving.

The more gigs you do, the more you’ll realize that TIME is the enemy.
Either there won’t be enough of it to see everyone, or waaaaay more
often, you’ll be booked for 2 hours when there’s only an hour’s worth
of people in the room.

144 Jamie Grant

So let people have their moments. LOTS of moments. This also goes for
people telling stories. People LOVE to talk about magicians they’ve
seen on TV or in Las Vegas. And they’ll want to know your opinion.
So talk about it! It doesn’t make you any less amazing if you say you
love a particular magician that you’ve seen. Don’t forget, the next time
they see a new magician, they’ll probably be talking about you! So
leave them with something to remember - a feeling of, you guessed it,
connection. And what’s a great connection?

Things in common.

“You saw Joe Smith float on TV?! Me too! Isn’t he awesome! He’s
also a super nice guy - I’ve met him a few times.”

Break the habit of slagging other magicians. For the most part, if
someone’s mentioning a famous magician they saw, it’s because they
really liked him or her. They have a good feeling. Don’t change it to
a bad one - that’s the exact opposite of what you’re there to do. It can
also make you look jealous, petty, or both. Instead, appear gracious,
fun, and with something in common.

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 Chapter 66 | Study

A Regular Deck
This is something I’ve been working on for years and is actually a
key chapter. Not because I’m going to drop some crazy knowledge
on you right now but rather because it will hopefully focus your card
magic. Here’s the thing, there will be times when someone is going to
have a regular Mickey Mouse deck of cards and they want you to blow
their minds. So, what would you do? I know we can all improvise and
do some brilliant sleights, but what if we had 10 of the most beautiful
card effects down cold, and they all just used regular decks of cards?
Even better, what if we could have an entire set, dividing them into
three groups of three that all flowed together?

Write down your 10 best card effects that only use a regular deck:

e.g. Triumph by Dai Vernon

1. by

2. by

3. by

4. by

5. by

6. by

146 Jamie Grant

7. by

8. by

9. by

10. by

If you’re like me, this will be one of the hardest lists in the book.
I’ve spent years whittling them down and I usually forget which ones
I’ve decided on. Now we can put them to paper!

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 Chapter 67 | Lesson

Weddings
If your career is anything like mine, this will be your second highest
type of booking. Since this is the biggest event in a person’s life (for
those that choose to do it), they are, for the most part, willing to
spend whatever it takes to make it magical.

Literally.

Here’s the thing, though:

It’s THEIR day. Not yours. In this instance, you are NOT the star.
The bride (especially) and the groom are the stars of this show. So you
need to help make that happen. A strange thing is that a lot of the
time you won’t even see them. There are only two suitable times to be
booked for a wedding:

1. Immediately after the ceremony. The bride and groom will be

out getting pictures done and a lot of the guests will be making
their way to the dining hall, where they’ll be milling about in a
cocktail (standing) type environment before going into the tabled
room.

2. Before dinner and during dinner. There can be a looooong break

between the ceremony and dinner, so you can be booked for the
hour or two when people are sitting at tables and waiting for the
bride and groom to arrive and also while they’re waiting in line for
the buffet once dinner has started.

Before we go any further, let me tell you when NOT to get booked:

1. After dinner. Some people want to jam pack their wedding like an
actual circus and have so many things going on they don’t know

148 Jamie Grant

 what to do: photo booths, caricaturists, dancers, etc. But after
dinner is, without fail, the time for speeches. If you get booked for
an hour after dinner, you’ll either do absolutely nothing (because
people are talking) or you’ll be there for three hours instead of
one.

2. During the speeches as part of the “show.” DO NOT let anyone

convince you to do a stage show at his or her wedding. In my
opinion, this just isn’t the place. You don’t want people saying
to the bride, “I loved the magic show!” You want them to say, “I
loved your wedding!”

Okay, back to business. Weddings are the GREATEST gigs you’ll do.
People are often bored, don’t know everyone, and looking for anything
to distract them from their awkwardness. They will welcome you with
open arms, I promise. Not only that, but you’ll get a very different
crowd from the usual corporate market. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and
any immediate family are there to have a great time and the mood is
just “lighter.” So go out and have fun.

Become part of the family. And, if they show up in time, and you are
not interrupting anything important, show the bride and groom one
effect. Here’s the one I do:

I’ll approach them and say, “Congratulations!!! You both look

amazing!! And I know I’m actually here for your guests (something
I say in my sales pitch), but it wouldn’t be fair if you didn’t get to
see something, so let me show you this one thing...”

I then take out the King and Queen of Hearts. I give the King to the
groom and the Queen to the bride.

“Please take these pens (I bring two so as not to waste time!) and
write a small note to each other on the face. Just a quick note to
the love of your life.”

Once they do, I put them back in the pack, shuffle, control, and then
force the King on the bride, and the Queen on the groom.

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 “Wouldn’t that be amazing if you picked each other’s cards? Just
like you’ve chosen each other for the rest of your lives?”

While they turn them over, weep with joy, and read each other’s notes,
I take out a Baseball Card Sleeve, take the cards back, put them in and
say, “This will keep them safe until you get them framed. Congrats,
again. This is the greatest wedding I’ve ever been to.”

And it will be.

150 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 68 | Anecdote

Large Tables
I know I mentioned them earlier, but because it happens so often, we
need to talk a bit more about large tables. When you book the gig,
you must ask the planner:

1. How many people will be there?

2. Will they be standing or sitting?
3. Do you have a floor plan?

If there are tables, they will always have a floor plan.

Get it!

It will ease your pre-event anxiety and help you plan. And if you see
that there are 8 seats or more for each table, you’ll be adjusting your
sets. As I mentioned before, it becomes almost like a parlor show.
So we need to know some more “stand-up” material than previously.
How many effects? I have six things that I bring to tabled events that
I wouldn’t to a cocktail party. Lemons, Invisible

Deck, rope, etc., it’s not just that the props may be different (or not)
but the presentation is, as well. And that’s a key to being a Worker
that isn’t mentioned often. You need to have different methods for
each trick, that’s true. But you also need different presentations for
each one. If you can do that, you have 18 effects instead of 9.

Write down the “Stand-up” version of your 9:

Example 1: Invisible Deck – with paper bag and volunteer instead of

only in your hands.

Example 2: Chop Cup using a volunteer’s hand instead of your own.

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 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

For the most part, the change comes from being surrounded (like at a
cocktail party) to standing at the end of the table (in this circumstance)
and asking someone to stand up next to me as my volunteer.

This is a lesson we can take from Stage Magic. The best magic
props you have on stage are your volunteers. As soon as you start
performing for humongous tables, you need all the help you can get
to be seen and heard. So pull someone up with you.

152 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 69 | Lesson

Joining Them
for Dinner
This can be another hot topic amongst working magicians. And I’ve
heard both sides:

1. Never sit and eat with the guests. You’re the star performer.
Entertain and go!

2. Always join them for dinner. Make these people your friends.

Unless this is the first chapter of the book you’re reading, you already
know my answer. Sit with them and take part. Absolutely. My goal
is, like the touring band analogy, to make fans; one by one if I have to.
And there is no better way to make real friends than to sit and eat with
them. This can happen at a lot of different types of events.

Corporate dinners and weddings, to be sure, but also birthday parties.

I do a ton of “milestone birthdays” - 30, 40, 50, etc. and they often want
me to sit with them and eat cake or whatnot. I think some performers
don’t like to sit because it puts them way out of their comfort zone.
Without the tricks, they struggle with social interaction.

But this isn’t the case with you! How come? Because you’ve been
practicing, reading, studying, and know that conversation and
connection are more important than the actual tricks! Just to make
sure, though, let’s practice this some more. This is a weird exercise but
I promise it will help you at your gigs. It’s a little wax on/wax off-ish
(if you’ve seen Karate Kid) but will help you later in your street fight.

Start a conversation with five people you don’t know. There is no

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 magic allowed in this case. In order for it to count as a conversation,
you need to find out three things about the person:

1. Where they are from.

2. What they do for work.
3. What their favourite movie is.

Just because this exercise is so hard, I’ll give you an example of how
to go about it. Co-workers, whom you don’t know, are the easiest
because you already have something in common. “Hey, we haven’t
met before. I’m Jamie,” etc.

Even harder, though, is a complete stranger. Getting coffee at a

coffee shop is a great place to work on this. “Do you have the time?”
or, “Sorry, do you know where Granville Street is? I’m not from
around here,” are good places to start. There are also a ton of books on
meeting people. There is a lot to be learned from the PUA community
(Pick Up Artist) with regards to approaching strangers and, although
I don’t agree with the end game for these people, they know their
stuff when it comes to meeting people. The whole exercise is to get
you out of your comfort zone. If you can have a conversation with
absolute strangers, then sitting and eating with people whom you’ve
just entertained will be a cinch.

Five strangers you’ve met this week:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

154 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 70 | Tip

Vest versus Jacket

Heat. How come no one ever talks about heat at gigs? I must be the
only one. I took off my jacket a few years ago and have never looked
back. I found I was just filling it with stuff I never used and it was
killing me from the outside in. Way. Too. Hot.

Other people can rock it out without breaking a sweat, though. If this
is you, and you love the suit look, ask yourself the following:

1. When did you get it? Is it more than five years old? If so, time for
a new one.

2. Was it tailored? Or did you buy it off the rack? Tailored is the
way to go.

3. What did it cost? A good suit should cost around the same amount as
our pricing guide. One month’s rent for a one-bedroom apartment.
Same for a suit. Currently, that would be about $1000.

4. What color is it? And this is where we’re probably going to

disagree, because there should be NO color, in my opinion. Black.
It looks good in all circumstances and, by changing the shirt and
tie color, can be very formal or somewhat casual. Neon orange?
Sounds like a crutch to me. Unless you’re an (actual) clown.

5. How many suits do you have? Once you start working a lot, one
will not be enough.

6. Have you had it cleaned recently?

I could go on forever and I think that’s why I switched over to a vest.

Lighter, cooler, and it “hides” less, in my opinion. One last thing on

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 fashion: it’s important to be aware of what’s in style today. If you don’t
read magazines like GQ or DETAILS, now is a good time to start
educating yourself.

156 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 71 | Trick

The Second Big Secret

Go put a lemon in your sock.

I would give anything to leave this chapter at that! But I reckon I

need to elaborate. There will be a time when you will be asked to
perform something “for everyone.” For the entire group all at once. It’s
happened to me countless times. Someone will be on stage and say,

“Not only is there a live band later, but we also have a famous
magician, Jamie D. Grant, with us tonight!! Where are you, Jamie?
Hey, come on up here! Let’s get him to come up here and show us
something!!”

This happened a few times before I realized I’d better come ready and
loaded, just in case. So now, along with my pockets, I keep a lemon
in one sock, and an Invisible Deck in a paper bag in the other. These
are my Stage Effects that I can do without thinking too much and
only involve a single spectator (the host), which end up with them
receiving a standing ovation. This might be a book geared towards
Walkaround magic, but it’s time to get started on your stage show,
folks!

What are three of your stage effects that can be seen by 500
spectators?

1.

2.

3.

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 As for the socks, I put the stage props there so I know EXACTLY
where they are at all times. Plus, if I don’t have to perform for the
entire group, they’re out of the way.

You have to love a job where you get to walk around with lemons
and cards in your socks. Ha! Take that, James Bond!

158 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 72 | Article

“Do It Again!”
“No.”

“No” is my actual response whenever I get asked that question. I

always follow it with, “Go on, ask me again.”

They always laugh but still ask, “Do it again!”

“Nope, still no. Let me show you something else, though.”

I never repeat a trick. Ever. And you’ll have to believe me when I tell
you that flat out refusing is actually quite funny. “You want me to
show you again? Are you out of your mind? If I did that do you have
any idea how much trouble I’d get in from the Magician Society?!
Forget it!”

If they’re super persistent, I add a line that has worked for me for
years.

“Not only will I not show you again, but I actually can’t. That was
a special moment for you alone.”

Everyone loves feeling special and I play that line very seriously.
Don’t forget about the conversations you can have with your eyes
alone. My look to them says, “That was the real thing. And I want you
to have it. No one else.”

That probably reads as a bit cheesy but, trust me, it’s how I play it.

It also brings us back to: it’s your show, not theirs. You don’t have to
do anything you don’t want to, so don’t.

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 Chapter 73 | Anecdote

Another Magician
Shows Up
This is a little bit different than having a spectator ask to show you
a trick. What I’m talking about is when a fellow performer shows
up at a gig you’re at. And, to be honest, I can in no way control what
someone else does. But hopefully I can influence your thoughts a little
bit. So let’s talk about what to do when you show up as a guest to a
party and there’s a magician working the party:

Nothing.
Let me see if I can say that a different way…nope. NOTHING.

Do you want to be a true Worker? Because, if you do, there is one

step that is the hardest to attain. To always act like a professional.
And real professionals leave their ego at home.

And that is the hardest thing to do. When you’re at a gig, and you
see a magician who is working who is, in your opinion, terrible, it
can almost drive you to madness. Every instinct will be to introduce
yourself and blow his or her doors off. But that’s what an amateur
would do. And you’re not an amateur anymore.

Instead:

1. Pick a card.
2. Put it back.
3. Be super surprised when it rises to the top.

That’s it. And, hopefully, they will do the same for you.

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 Chapter 74 | Advice

Gigs Outside
Again, I’ll be honest, here. As I write some of these chapters, I think,
“They’re going to think this is just filler. There’s no way I can devote
a chapter to this!” and then I remember a time when something
went wrong and I thought, “Why didn’t anyone tell me?!”

So here we are:

Outside: Barbeques, Golf Functions, Outdoor Weddings. There are

a lot of gigs where you might find yourself outside. So let me just tell
you about the things that have happened to me over the years that
maybe you can avoid:

1. Sponge balls have blown all over the lawn

2. I’ve sat in a wet chair (because it rained the day before)
3. I’ve put cards down onto a wet table (same thing)
4. I’ve had people yelling “What?!?!” because the wind was so loud
5. I’ve been attacked by a wild animal (true story)
6. I’ve gotten sunstroke
7. I’ve gotten wet
8. I’ve stepped (with muddy shoes) on someone’s dress (thank
goodness it wasn’t the bride)
9. I’ve tripped over lawn furniture
10. I’ve had to actually RUN (chop cup balls + hill)
Mother Nature is a ninja. Prepare yourself.

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 It just comes down to thinking ahead (which I, obviously, haven’t
always done). When you get a gig, run through it. Picture it.

Mentally get yourself into the game. Experience is the best teacher,
but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn a few things in advance.

162 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 75 | Anecdote

When Only Ten

People Show Up
This happens so often I can’t comprehend it. And if you’re not ready,
it will ruin your night. I remember one of my very first Walkaround
gigs, there were supposed to be 50 people for a cocktail party in the
lobby of a hotel but, when I showed up, there were eight people
sitting in a circle, waiting for me to come into the middle.

My heart went directly into my mouth and I actually felt sick. I had
my pockets loaded but there was no way I could do an hour-long
show. Luckily, I’m a fairly good talker and that’s all that saved me.

Ask questions. Show no fear.

I grabbed a chair, joined the circle, and was immediately introduced,

“Jamie’s here to show us some magic!”

My reply was, “Hey gang! Before we get started, I need to know

something about every one of you. So bear with me as we go
around and I start asking you questions.” Turning to my left,
“Who are you?”

From there it went into, “In order for magic to truly be present in a
group, we all need to learn something about each other. Then we
can start to believe.”

I think I went for 30 minutes before I even did a single trick. I

found out where they worked, what high schools they went to, what
their hobbies were, if they were single, if they had kids, where they
lived. And it’s these kinds of questions and your ability at controlling

The Approach 163

 a room that will save you. It always reminds me of a quote I heard
from a movie director giving advice to a young director on the set of
his first movie.

“Buy the most expensive sunglasses you can afford and pretend
like you own the place.”

You might not be wearing sunglasses, but the same theory applies.
When there aren’t enough people to split into small groups, and
they’re all staring at you, you have to take control right off the bat.

This particular anecdote happened before I learned how important

it is to ask the planner how many people are supposed to attend.
But sometimes low attendance happens accidentally; traffic, disasters,
poor planning, and laziness can all kill attendance in a heartbeat.
But you’ve still got a job to do. So, another way to change the game
is to tell the event planner that since there seem to be less people than
you expected, that you’d like to spend some more time with each
guest. I’ll find an empty booth, table, or corner and plant myself there
and get the planner to send me people two at a time.

Sometimes I’ll just tell the planner what I’m doing and grab the
people myself. I’ll approach two people and say, “It looks like the
party hasn’t really started yet, but I’m Jamie, the magician. Come
with me for a minute,” and I’ll take them to the table myself.

The other option is to go for the socks.

Perform your two stage effects for the entire group and end with,
“Thank you! This is a small, intimate group, which is awesome,
so I’m going to spend some more time with you guys one-on-one.
Can you two come with me, please? I’ll come grab the next two in
ten minutes.”

Is it ideal? No. These will be some of the worst events you go to. But
you can still salvage the situation and come out on top. And this comes
back to our ability to converse, not our ability to perform magic. Now,
don’t get me wrong, performing great magic is, obviously, one of the

164 Jamie Grant

keys to being a great magician. But you only have so much material.
And, once it’s gone, baby, it’s gone. You can only do Ambitious Card
for so long. So you need to become a storyteller.

So the question becomes; do you have stories? I’ve got about five “10
Minute Magic-Themed Anecdotes” that I can bust out when I need
to. I highly suggest you do, too.

Write down a description of your five stories:

Example 1: That time Sal Piacente and I hustled 3 Card Monte on the
street.

Example 2: How I got into Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.

What are your mental titles for your five anecdotes?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

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 Chapter 76 | Study

Do You Need a
Stage Show?
I could write another book on this subject so please bear with me for
a bit. Because the answer is a resounding:

YES.
The more you are known as a magician, the more you’ll get contacted
for all sorts of events. And stage shows are the next logical step. They’ll
add more work to your portfolio and will get you a higher paycheck.
Right now, I do about 75% Walkaround gigs and about 25% stage
shows. This is a great combo because for every stage show I book, I
upsell them with a Walkaround gig prior to the dinner. So until I
write another book, I’m just going to lay out a bunch of thoughts
here. Ready? Here we go:

I offer a show of anywhere between 30-45 minutes. Anything longer

is too much for their corporate attention span.

In the corporate world, stage shows are almost always after the dinner.

I make sure to go on before speeches or giveaways. You’ll never see a

room empty as fast as when there’s nothing left to win or receive.

I ask for the floor plan and the stage setup.

My pricing is around $10-$20 per person, depending on the number

of people and the company. For 200 people, that can mean $4000.

I have about six effects. Each one is around 6-7 minutes.

166 Jamie Grant

I always book the Walkaround portion for the pre-dinner cocktail
party - this is the place to befriend everyone you can.

I use only two spectators: the president and the planner.

It’s taken me almost ten years to be happy with my 45 minutes.

I try to pack and carry as little as possible.

Laughter is worth more than surprise.

I hang out after the show and thank each person for coming (if they’re
leaving when I’m done).

I befriend the soundman and always use their P.A.

I always bring my own microphone, mic cable, and transmitter.

I offer a “parlor” show for functions in homes. This is my stage show

on a smaller scale.

That should be enough to at least get you started.

The great thing about stage shows is that, unlike the ebb and flow of
a Walkaround gig, you’re able to rehearse them almost exactly as they
should turn out. Invite some friends over, go through the show, and
get them to take notes. Also, as you’ve already learned from reading
this work, stand-up material can be just as important as close-up to
your Walkaround sets. What does that mean?

Another list! Hurrah! There’s no time to start like the present. On the
next page, list 10 stage effects that you’d like to learn or already know.
These will be whittled down as you start to build your show, but it’s a
good place to start.

The Approach 167

 1. by

2. by

3. by

4. by

5. by

6. by

7. by

8. by

9. by

10. by

168 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 77 | Advice

Dance Floors
Okay, I know I promised not to go on about stage shows, but this is
a crucial topic that I never see addressed.

The dance floor is a death pit. So if it’s not where you want it…

Move it.

The dance floor doesn’t move?

Move the stage.

And where do you never want the dance floor? In front of the stage.
Ever. My very first stage gig had a dance floor in front of it the size of
a football field, and one of my effects was a glass of water appearance
with a goldfish in it. A goldfish! After the show, a couple of people
who were hanging around said “Hey, good show. What were you
doing up there?”

Not my greatest gig.

You must ensure there is no dance floor in front of the stage. Don’t
let the event planner or hotel manager convince you otherwise. They
have portable stages and, if needed, you can set one up at the BACK
of the room, if it’s closer to the tables that way. Just let them know
the honest truth, “If I perform on the stage where it is, you won’t
be getting your money’s worth. We can put a second stage at the
back, and everyone will be able to see a lot better.”

The other thing to note is how small hotel stages are. They usually
come in 6’ by 8’ sections, and sometimes they’ll only give you one!
Ask for more, but start practicing in your bathroom. I’m serious. If

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 you can do your stage show in your bathroom, you’ll be well prepared
for the corporate stage show world.

170 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 78 | Tip

Checking Back In
Back to Walkaround gigs.

I mentioned this parting line, previously:

“If you guys want me to come back, don’t be afraid to yell for me
in a few minutes.”

And while I don’t think we need to talk any more about how to leave
your group, I think we need to talk about how to have them want
you back. And this is something I sometimes refer to as “checking
in.” As you go around the room and you’re performing for group after
group, they’ll start to change. People will be with different people, and
you’ll find that your sets have been mixed up; as a new group might
have people in it who have seen Set #1, people who have seen Set #2,
and some new people altogether who haven’t seen anything yet.

So, as I wander around, if I see a group that I think has some new
members in it, I’ll say, “This party is amazing. Has everyone here
seen the magic yet?” Notice it’s not, “Has everyone here seen me
perform yet?” I refer to magic as “the.” As if the magic is a thing unto
itself. I know we’re getting a bit esoteric here, but stay with me for
another minute. Because, if you’ve done your job properly, and have
amazed those first groups of people, they’ll say, when you re-enter,
“OMG, have you seen Jamie yet? He’s amazing!!” Which is exactly
what we want. If we can have their peers validate us to the entire
group, then our job gets a lot easier. So by previously leaving them
with the idea that we’ll be back it makes our connections to the new
people all the better.

Saying, “Has everyone seen me yet?” also implies I don’t remember

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 them or that they don’t remember me. Refer to the magic as something
else and re-enter old groups.

172 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 79 | Tip

Dropping Cards
All of your cards fall onto the floor. What do you do? Stop and
picture it.

Here’s my trick: sometimes, I’ll just leave them there. If it’s one or
two cards, I use the stock line of: “That’s the floor show,” which
doesn’t even make sense these days but still gets a laugh. I’ll also wait
to see if someone is kind enough to pick them up for me. If they do,
and someone almost always does, I make the remark of, “Hey thanks!
You don’t have to do that. You’re hired! I pay $30 a week. But not
all at once.”

And now we’re going to go into my deeply psychological theory:

the reason I don’t pick the cards up is that I don’t want the image
of me crawling around on the ground in anyone’s mind. The only
image I want people to remember is of me standing tall, laughing, and
spreading wonder. What can I tell you, I promised you honesty - even
if it gets a little weird! Leaving cards? Who does that?! This guy.

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 Chapter 80 | Trick

Sponge Balls
Soak them in hot water.

Dry them with a towel.

Dry them further with a paper towel.

Then use a blow dryer to warm them up.

Just go try it.

174 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 81 | Advice

Dealing with
Disappointment
We touched on this earlier, but it’s such an important topic that
we’re going to come back to it.

You’ve had a terrible night, everything went wrong, no one showed

up, and it was just an all-out brutal gig…

You must debrief. You need to talk it out! But here’s the thing:

Not online.

You need real people. Real friends to talk to. No friends? Go make
some! Find someone. Family, a neighbour, even professional help if
you need it. But just keep it offline. I love online communities, I do.
They are such valuable learning centers; it’s awesome. But they are
not the place to express negativity, about yourself, or others. Is it okay
to talk about a crazy gig? Sure! But right now I’m talking about actual
depression, sadness, or loneliness - these need a human element. Find
someone you can talk to.

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 Chapter 82 | Article

Hecklers
Previously written in 2008

You: “So tell me what card you selected…”

Them: “You tell me, Mr. Magician.”

You: “Um, for the first time, please name your card out loud.”

Them: “How about you go %#^ #^^^# instead.”

You: “Are you talkin’ to me? What am I? Some sort of joke? Do you
have any idea who I am? Vinny! Come over here for a sec…”

First of all, this has happened to all of us. Try to remember, though,
that Time + Tragedy = Comedy. If this happened to you within the
last little while, I can guarantee that you’ll laugh about it one day. I’m
laughing at this very moment remembering what Vinny did to that...
um...never mind.

So, what if you don’t perform Walkaround magic surrounded by an

entourage of hired thugs that would love to do your bidding? What
if you’re just showing some magic to a few people at school and one
of them drank too much hater-ade that morning? What’s your plan?

Kill Them with Kindness.

Read that again.

This is the only way, in my opinion, that you’ll ever win. Kindness,
and self-deprecation. Let’s try it from the top:

You: “So tell me what card you selected…”

176 Jamie Grant

Them: “You tell me, Mr. Magician.”

You: “Dude, if I could do that, I’d be on TV. I’m not David Blaine
here. But if you tell me, I’ll show you something cool...”

There’s an old saying that goes something like, “When you have your
enemy backed into a corner, give him a way out.” Which basically
means, you must give the hater a way to save face. The line of “But if
you tell me, I’ll show you something cool…” gives your heckler power
and will let them feel like they’re allowing you to do something. And
don’t for a minute think this is a bad thing. Because:

1. Our goal as performers is to make people feel good.

And,

2. His mind will be crushed forever when he sees that card change,
thereby making you the supreme victor at the end of the day.

So let’s look at other scenarios, such as the popular hits, “You suck,” “I
hate magic,” and my all-time favourite, “Why don’t you #%^#a donkey
and then %^#%^## that %^#^ with a ^&@&^@” (that one actually
peaked at Number 1 on the Hater Charts).

When hammered with those, can we still kill them with kindness?
Absolutely!

Them: “You suck.”

You: “Man if you think that was bad you should see me juggle. Let
me show you one that I know works. You’ve got to give me a chance
to redeem myself!”

Them: “I hate magic.”

You: “No kidding! What’s up with those guys that always carry cards
around?! Oh, these? These aren’t mine. But since I have them, let me
show you an illusion. I don’t believe in that magic stuff.”

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 Them: “Why don’t you #%^#a donkey and then %^#%^## that
%^#^ with a ^&@&^@.”

You: “Hey, see you later!”

This all comes down to picking your battles. We know, for a fact, that
we’re going to win the end fight. When they see me float around the
room, I know they’ll be crushed or, at the very least, will have fun and
think it’s cool. So why not let them win on the way to that battlefield?
If they want to tease me on the way over, what do I care? “Can I make
your wife disappear? Ha ha! That’s a great one! I love it!” The card goes
back into the deck and...BOOOOOM. Mind crushed!

Victory! THIS...IS...MAGIC! (i.e., Sparta).

When someone is a jerk, you need to treat them like they’re drunk.
It’s not really their fault they’re being idiots - they can’t help it. Their
hater-ade has taken over their senses. Let them be drunk, treat them
with kid gloves, and then destroy their minds. That’s a bit better.

The ability to laugh at yourself (no matter how you feel inside) is
the mark of a true pro. We need to cast aside those desires to “show
them.” Simply get over it, with a smile on our faces. That doesn’t
mean that you should let people walk all over you, but rather you
should know when to let things slide. Don’t forget, at the end of the
day, we want people to have a good time. If that means that they get
to crack a few jokes at my expense, it’s no skin off my nose. Because I
know, deep inside, they’ll come back and want to be in my presence,
and experience my magic. The magic of kindness.

I wrote this a number of years ago and I can still agree with it. The
only thing I can say is to repeat what I mentioned earlier:

If you’re getting heckled, start looking at why you’re viewed as

vulnerable in the first place, as opposed to finding ways of defending
yourself.

178 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 83 | Lesson

Open versus Closed

Body Language
You’ve probably heard the terms “open body language versus closed
body language,” but what does that mean? One of my favourite
magicians of all time, Jim Cellini, talked about how some of his first
magic lessons were with Slydini, and that Slydini used to make Cellini
walk in and out of the room.

That’s it. He wanted to see how Cellini entered a room. It’s that kind
of reflection, thought, and purpose, that should apply to how we
approach all of our magic, and our spectators.

When you approach a group, is your head down? Are you not making
eye contact? Do you look nervous, or have hunched shoulders?

All of that has to change and, believe it or not, it first has to change
in your head. You need to tell yourself, and to believe, that you’re the
most important person in the room. That you’re doing them a favour
by showing them something that they’ll remember forever. You have
to change your mindset and have pure confidence. Not arrogance,
but confidence.

Do I actually think I’m a better person than someone else? Of

course not. But when I’m at a gig I do. I have an air about me that
exudes something recognizable; it’s tangible; it’s the absence of fear.
I approach groups as if I already know all of them, and I’ve just seen
them for the first time in years.

Chin up. Smile.

Don’t shuffle your feet. Stride.

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 Make eye contact.

You are their long lost friend, who they’ve all missed, coming back
from becoming famous abroad. Walk up to them with that mindset.
Walk up like Superman!

And if you don’t feel like Superman, at least act like it. Not everyone
can be Superman, but everyone can pretend to be him for a little
while. Fake it until you make it.

There’s also some homework for this one:

Take a video camera, or your cell phone, or whatever you have, and
film yourself walking into a room. No magic, no lines, just walk in
and out. Do this about ten times and then watch the footage.

F Done!

I probably don’t have to talk about what you saw, you just saw it.
And you already know what needs to change (if there is something).
So go change it!

180 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 84 | Anecdote

One-Handed
Spectators
Here we go, back to topics that you wouldn’t think deserve a mention.
But you’ll be amazed at how many people are one-handed. The next
time you’re at a party take a look around and see how many people
are holding something. It’s either going to be a glass, a cell phone, or
something to eat. So why do we care?

Because you don’t want to ask someone to shuffle only to realize they
need to put their drink down.

What’s the other thing they can’t do?

Applaud.
So we need to give them another outlet, and we need to tell them
what that outlet is.

“No, you don’t have to put your drinks down. Just watch this.”

~Enter amazement here~

“I know you can’t clap, but we can sure MAKE SOME NOISE!!”

What’s funny is that I say it in a Hockey Announcer voice and

like everything else, when given permission, people will let it out!
Granted, not all of you will say exactly what I say, but it’s important
to give people an outlet.

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 What’s your line for when people can’t applaud?

182 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 85 | Essay

Stock Lines
“Stock” lines get a lot of flack in show biz. People say it shows a lack
of originality, that you can’t think on your own, and basically proves
that you’re not any good.

I use them all the time.

Well, that’s not really true. I use one all the time: when introduced to
a female spectator: “Your name is Mary? Crazy! That was my name
when I was a little girl!” It still makes me laugh. I also use the old,
“That’s the floor show” one whenever something falls onto the floor.

So am I guilty of using them? Yes. But, aside from those two, I think
I’m in the clear. I never use the, “Can I borrow your hand for a
moment? No, the clean one.” line or anything like it because that goes
against everything we’re trying to achieve: making EVERYONE
feel good about themselves. I don’t sacrifice one spectator to make all
the others laugh. To me, that’s the cheap way out.

Another thing I don’t do is copy other people’s material. And maybe

this is the most important chapter in the entire book. Everything I’ve
offered in this book, you are free to use. I HOPE you use it.

But we’ve got an understanding - you have my permission. Now,

before you say, “Who does Jamie think he is? I don’t need his
permission!” I want you to think about this. This is over 10 YEARS
of my life. These are all the things I’ve learned through trial, error,
error, and more error. I know you’ve paid hard-earned money for this
book and, make no mistake, I appreciate it more than you’ll ever
know. And that’s what makes this a win/win for both of us. We’ve got
a partnership where we’re both shaking hands and happy with what
the other has offered. Thanks!

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 But if you steal someone’s line, or their act, you’ve created a lose/
lose scenario. There are no handshakes when you go to someone’s
show and take notes that you plan on using for later. The performers
we watch have built those acts, written those lines, and performed in
their own way because of what’s in their hearts. It’s their experience
that’s poured out on stage. It’s not ours. And if you take it, it will ring
false. The audience will sense it.

So just don’t do it.

Write your own material. Live your own experiences.

Become the greatest artist that ever lived, instead of just imitating
one.

184 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 86 | Tip

Lone Stragglers
There are going to be times when you come across the lone straggler
at a party. Trust me, no one wants to be that person. But sometimes
dates back out, things come up, and people have to arrive solo to an
event. Bring that person into a group. Become their advocate. Introduce
them to others. If I see one person standing in a corner, I’ll walk up
to them and ask, “Are you waiting for anyone?” If they say, “No,” I
reply with, “Perfect, come help me with something.”

This is where we begin to blur the lines of “magician” and “host.”

And that’s how I treat every party I’m hired to go to. I treat it like it’s
MY party. Do people need directions on where to leave the wedding
presents? I’m your guy. Does someone need a drink and is unable
to get it? Leave it to me. I have no problem with any of that. Why?
Because I’m there to help this be the best party of all time. Will magic
play a part? Of course! But so will going the extra distance. Ultimately,
I want people to look at each other and say, “Who the heck is that
guy? He’s awesome.”

Let’s take a look at some other things you might do at an event, aside
from performing magic:

• Take people to their seats.

• Give directions for amenities around the venue. Get someone
water/drinks.
• Administer first aid (all the time, for me).
• Introductions.
• Speak with staff on behalf of the host.
• Drive someone home (about a dozen times). Etc.

You get the picture. Make yourself invaluable, and you will be.

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 Chapter 87 | Advice

Journal
This is just a quick piece of advice that I wish I had been told when
I started performing. Go out and buy a journal. Not an electronic
device that will be replaced in a couple of years’ time, but an actual
notebook. After every gig, come home, sit down, pour yourself a drink
and write down anything interesting or important that happened
that night.

DATE
NAME OF COMPANY
LOCATION
NUMBER OF PEOPLE
MEMORABLE PEOPLE
MEMORABLE MOMENTS

Keep this notebook, and hopefully this very book you’re reading, in
your close-up case. Be ruthless, write down something after every gig
you do, even if it’s just a note. Years down the road, you’ll be glad you
did.

186 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 88 | Essay

Leaving Them
with Something
I know people will turn to this chapter with the hope or expectation
that I have something that I leave with audience members that they
will put up on their fridges or keep in their wallets forever. And
while that has definitely happened, it’s not what I’ll be talking about
here.

I’m not even going to say you need to leave them with a memory of
what you did.

No, you need to leave them with a feeling. Preferably a good one.

Now before you cry that you’ve been ripped off and that that isn’t real-
world advice, let me ask you this. Who is the last person that made
you feel good about yourself? Hopefully you’ve got someone. Maybe
it was a night of laughter, or maybe someone told you that you’ve lost
weight. Now, pull a memento from that night from your wallet.

I’m not trying to be facetious, truly, but I think the point needs to
be made. There are no secret weapons to get people to remember
you, or to want to be near you, or to hire you for their event. Leaving
people with souvenirs will, for the most part, only serve to feed our
ego.

What is the one thing I want to leave them with, aside from a feeling
of awesomeness?

This is a test…

That’s right, my business card.

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 Other than that, and those cards I have signed at weddings, I rarely
leave anything physical behind. I focus on leaving my audience
happier. That’s what I leave. It may not go on the fridge, but they’ll
remember it forever, regardless.

188 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 89 | Article

Custom Decks
Originally written in 2010

I never used to be a fan (get it? fan? cards, you know, fan, ahem, never
mind) of custom decks. If you love them, awesome - they’ve just never
been for me. However, I’ve now done close to 100 gigs using custom
decks (not to mention Magic Fridays and day-to-day use) and I’ll
confess they’re now the only cards I use. Why?

Well, they’re cool. It’s kind of hard to explain so let me just give you
my pitch for when I bring them out:

“You guys love card tricks, right? Who doesn’t! Here...let me show you
something that will change your life forever. Check these out: I just picked
these cards up in New York City. They’re the most expensive cards in the
world. You know why? Strangely enough, it’s because they’re black. And
black cards are hard to find.

“That and the fact that these were designed by an expensive design firm.
Do me a favour and shuffle them - BUT BE CAREFUL! For Pete’s sake,
they cost a fortune and I only bring them out for people I like...”

Analyzing patter:
“New York City” ~ This is always cool for someone in Canada. It also
reveals that I’ve been there and, as a result, must be a high roller.

“most expensive cards in the world” ~ Further helping my high

roller status.

“black cards are hard to find” ~ I must know secret places to buy
cards that regular people can’t. Exclusivity = cool.

The Approach 189

 “designed by an expensive design firm” ~ blatantly showing off,
which I address with a laugh.

“I only bring them out for people I like” ~ Flattery will get you
everywhere.

Now what makes custom decks work, believe it or not, is the box. If
you have a custom deck you already know what I mean. It’s because of
the texture. Without fail, every time I hand the box to someone (I let
them remove the cards) they all raise their eyebrows because of the feel
of the boxes. No kidding. It actually feels like they cost more. Once
the cards are out of the box, you’re all set, because the faces aren’t some
crazy color. They just look just slightly different enough to give the
impression of exclusivity.

So there you go. Just a fun bit of fascinating reading. Okay, well that
probably gives you too much insight into how I analyze every single
microscopic detail of my life, but you need to trust me on this; they’re
awesome.

To this day, I only use custom decks. Another reason I use them
is that I always do a color-changing effect right off the bat, so my
preamble about the cards being black connects with the audience a bit
better. And when they change to red?

Forgetaboutit!

Am I ever worried about them thinking they’re gaffed in some way?

Or trick cards? Nope. Again, it’s all about attitude. And if someone
is really on me, I’ll just give them the cards to keep. $5 for me can turn
into a $1000 gig later - a worthy investment.

190 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 90 | Article

False Memories
Originally written in 2010

So you’ve just been asked to show someone something (how’s that for
alliteration in an opening sentence!) and, after proper magical skilling
(I think I just made that word up), they are a melting pool of wonder.
They scream with joy for about ten seconds...and then?

“Hmmm...wait a minute...if I picked the Three of Spades, and then Jamie

produced the toboggan, then that must have meant that the seeing eye dog
was in on it the entire time! Ha! I figured it out!”

#Winning can quickly turn into #Fail. So how can we combat this?
What can we do to immediately deflect a spectator’s thought process?

Do we:

1. Show them another trick

2. Pray

Or,

3. Ask them a question about themselves.

Well, I’ll tell you what I do (and rest assured I’ve tried all three!). No
matter where, when, how, or why I perform magic for someone, I will
immediately ask someone a question after the Wonder Peak.

Basically, it goes like this:

ME: You’re thinking of a snow blower, aren’t you?

THEM: “HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT?! AND...OMG WHERE

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 DID THIS SNOW BLOWER COME FROM?!...I’M SO HAPPY!”

ME: (pause)

THEM: “I’M STILL SO HAPPY AND CAN’T BELIEVE THERE’S A

SNOW BLOWER IN MY CAR!...Whew!...Wait a minute…”

ME: “Hey, where did you say you’ve seen me perform before? Was it
at Ricky’s?”

THEM: (wondering to themselves) “Was it at Ricky’s? Let me think…”

This is my procedure 100 percent of the time. My goal is twofold.

The first thing I want to do is to deflect their thoughts to something
else entirely. I’ll wait for them to reach maximum joy and then BAM:
ask any question. This also helps me plant false memories after they
answer as I usually reference the trick once more before hitting them
again:

ME: “It was at Ricky’s? Cool. Wasn’t that just crazy how you only
thought of a snow blower. Hey, was that at Ricky’s on Broadway? Or
was it at his house?”

~Cue Inception music~

And that’s how I perform. I’ve had people come up to me years after
performing a trick and tell me that I did something so impossible that
it made me laugh (on the inside). But that’s how the mind works!
Remember, we’re not doing magic just in that moment; we’re doing
magic for people years after the actual motions have taken place.
Because every time they remember you, and what you did, they
experience it all over again. Take advantage of that while you still have
them within your grasp and build them a dream that they’ll treasure
for years to come.

False memories are awesome. That’s all I can say about that. And I
employ this technique all the time. It is something that you need to
practice to appear natural, though. Once you can achieve that, it’s the
closest thing you’ll come to an actual Jedi Mind Trick. Just insert

192 Jamie Grant

false recollections into a summary. Telling them they only thought of
something when, in actuality, you had them touch it is priceless. I will
also exaggerate what happened, as a joke, only to have them tell me,
years later, that that’s exactly what (they thought) I did. Awesome.

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 Chapter 91 | Article

Invoices
There are 10 pieces of correspondence whenever you book a gig:

1. Email from them, to you, enquiring about your services.

2. Your reply back.
3. Their reply to your reply, confirming they’d like to hire you.
4. A contract, from you to them.
5. The contract, returned, with a deposit.
6. An invoice, from you to them, once the gig is done.
7. The check, from them to you.
8. A “Thank You” letter or email, from you to them.
9. A testimonial, from them to you.
10. Your “Thank You” email for the testimonial.

Looking at this list, it would be hard to pick only one as the most
important, but if I had to, it would probably be #6. Because that’s the
one that gets you paid! Don’t forget to do it! As for what it looks like,
there are a million templates online - pick one and get your moolah!

194 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 92 | Article

How to Get
Testimonials
You need to ask for them, plain and simple. And you need to be
honest.

“Hi, thanks for having me at your event - what an amazing time!!

Everyone there was so much fun, you must be so excited with how
it went! And, on that note, I was hoping you might have time to
write a testimonial for me if you were happy with my services. I’m
looking for a few new ones and I thought you would be perfect
to have on my website (with your permission, of course). If you’re
unable, no problem whatsoever.”

Asking is one of the greatest ways to get what you want. So much so
that I wrote an article on this very subject for a magazine. I’ll include
it here, as it applies across the board.

Tricks of the Trade

A column dedicated to “life hacks” from professional magician Jamie D.
Grant. Originally written in 2012.

Hi Gang!

I had to take last month off to go visit the beautiful island of Hawaii
and now that I’m back, I’ve got a great life hack for you. It’s so good
I’m actually going to title it:

How to Get Upgraded to First Class, Get the Best Table at a

Restaurant, Cut Your Rental Car Cost by 70%, Get the Perfect
Girl To Go Out With You, Get a Raise at Work, Score the Best

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 Deal on a New Car, Pay Less at a Hotel than Anyone Else, and
Generally Have an Easier Life.

By Jamie D. Grant

Ask. *

* You have NO IDEA how much I wanted to end the article there.
A one-word article would have been epic! But I feel I owe you more
so I’ll explain it in a bit of detail. That said, there’s not much to tell.
I’ve done all of those things, simply by asking. That’s it. When we
were in Hawaii, I must have asked the car rental guy, “C’mon, Brian
(he was wearing a nametag), you’re killing me, here. What else can you
do?” about ten times. And it went from $500 to $150. When we fly,
I always say, “A friend told me that if we’re super nice to you, you can
upgrade us. Is that true?” Bam! Pod life for two. It’s that easy. So this
short piece isn’t a cop-out, it’s simply the truth. No need to draw it
out, I reckon. So go out and get it. I’m asking you.

The same technique applies to testimonials - you’ll never get them

unless you ask for them. And these are key. Once you get a bunch,
you’re going to use them on your website, in your email signature,
anywhere and in any way you can. Nothing sells a product (you)
like hearing how much someone else loves it. It’s called “Social
Conditioning” and you need to become a master of it.

196 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 93 | Article

Getting ALL
the Money
A big part of rates that we need to revisit is negotiating, and finding
out how much money a person actually has. That sounds a bit strange,
but it’s integral. The theory is this:

You quote someone $500 for an hour. They make a counteroffer of

$350. If I think they can afford $500, I won’t back down. But, if
$350 is actually all they have, I’ll take it. Your goal is to take every
penny they can truly pay - and if they only have pennies, well, we’ll
take them.

Think of it like a game of Monopoly. There is only so much money

to be dispersed; the box only comes with so many bills in it. There is
a finite amount. Some players have a lot, and some will have almost
none. But that doesn’t matter, because the goal of the game is to get
all of it. And in order to do that sometimes you’ll have to take that
lowest player’s few dollars.

That’s not to say that I’ll waste my time. I’m not doing gigs for
fifty bucks or something. But I will definitely negotiate if I’m
getting resistance to my prices. A real-world example of this would
be weddings; some couples don’t have the kind of money for my
premium rates. So what do I do? I lower them. And win the game.

This can sometimes be a hard concept to wrap your head around.

How can we be charging one client $1000 for two hours, and another
client $300? As I mentioned, your aim isn’t to get the highest price.
Your goal is to get all the money they have.

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 And if their Monopoly set came with fewer bills than someone else’s,
then there’s nothing you can do. That’s how life is.

Go get it; however much they have.

198 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 94 | Tip

Increasing Rates
Just a quick follow up on the previous chapter, you still need a
starting point. But I also raise my rates every year, without fail. So
should you. Always revisit the rent rates in your city and watch if it
climbs. Ten years from now you don’t want to be charging what you
charge today.

Write down your rates for this year. Revisit them in a couple of
years and make sure you’ve raised them:

Year

1 Hour

2 Hours

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 Chapter 95 | Advice

Busking
Okay, we’re winding down to the last few chapters so let me leave
you with some things that have truly helped me throughout my
career.

If you want to become a better magician, go hit the streets. There is

no better training ground in the world than the street right outside
your front door. I personally think busking is an integral part of your
magic career and should not be ignored. I think a lot of performers
might be concerned that busking is beneath them, though, or that
they wouldn’t want to be seen on the streets by a corporate client.

But if a corporate client sees me busking and recognizes me, that

means I’ve already done a gig for them, right? And if I did my job
well, my first impression has already been made. So, in reality, it
would be as though I ran into a friend on the streets. No problem
there.

As for it being “beneath” a performer, nothing that will make me a

better performer is beneath me.

Busking is just the best way to learn your material. You’ll perform it
more often than any other method. So if you’re looking to improve
your chops, you should get out there. There are a ton of books written
on the subject, so you’ll have no problem gaining some insight before
you go out. But, at the end of the day, that’s the key. You need to go
out. And, you guessed it: going outside provides us with something
we all need…

200 Jamie Grant

Impressions!

Write down a date that you’ll go busking. Write it down and keep
the appointment:

Note: Some cities and towns require permits to allow you to perform
on the street. Make sure you check your local laws first!

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 Chapter 96 | Study

Repeat Gigs
I’ve done one company’s Christmas party seven years in a row. Seven
years! While that is the greatest compliment you can receive, it also
offers a unique problem…

Everyone has seen my initial 9 effects.

So what do you do? Learn different effects. It’s very fitting, I think, that
at the end of the book we’re right back to where we started. So, you
guessed it, write down another 12 effects that you can use for next
year. You already know the rest.

My SECOND SET of 12 Tricks:

e.g. The Ring Thing by Garrett Thomas

1. by

2. by

3. by

4. by

5. by

6. by

202 Jamie Grant

7. by

8. by

9. by

10. by

11. by

12. by

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 Chapter 97 | Tip

Pictures
“A picture is worth a thousand words.”

How many times have we heard that saying? Well, let’s change it to:

“A picture is worth a thousand gigs.”

If there is an event where your client is paying for a magician, odds

are pretty good that they’ve got a photographer on board as well.
Find the photographer, show them an effect, and get their business
card. Now ask them to follow you around the room for a couple of
minutes; photographers love getting reaction shots as it shows
everyone having a great time. Also ask if it’ll be okay for you to put
those pictures up on your website. I find this gets them even more into
it as they know it will be great cross promotion.

204 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 98 | Advice

Social Media
Believe it or not, this is the expansion chapter for websites, because
social media is almost more important than websites these days.
Facebook, in particular, can get you more gigs than a month’s worth
of web traffic on its own.

Here’s the thing, though. Don’t waste all your friend requests on
magicians. Magicians, for the most part, aren’t going to book you for
a gig. Especially when they live in a different country. No, your goal
is one thing and one thing only:

Locals.

Consider that for a moment.

Who’s getting married, who has a new job, who is throwing a party?
ALL of these things are right in front of you. But they can only help
your business if you can physically get to them.

Not only that, but people love to hire people they have already met.
Especially if you’ve been awesome.

Impressions. Impressions. Impressions.

These are the people that should be on your Facebook: your impressions
that you’ve made. They’ve seen you, they want to get to know you
better, and they will hire you someday, if they like you. Your Social
Media should be your network to get gigs, see what’s going on in
your city, hear what everyone is doing, and let people know where to
find you.

However, this comes with a MASSIVE WARNING.

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 If you can’t keep your posts fun and positive, just like they want their
party to be, then you shouldn’t add prospective clients. Period. If you
want to use your Social Media as an outlet for something else other
than business, then don’t shoot yourself in the foot. I can’t imagine
why anyone would do that, but they do. So make a choice. Mine?

Fun + Positive = Gigs.

206 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 99 | Anecdote

Agents
I’m not sure how it is in other countries, but agents aren’t very common
where I’m from and, unless they’re able to get me a ton of gigs which
I couldn’t get on my own, wouldn’t serve me any great purpose. If they
could do that, then that would be great, but I haven’t found that to
be the case. And there just doesn’t seem to be that many around.

I did get a phone call from an agent here in Vancouver, once, though…

Them: “Jamie, we’ve heard great things about you. Are you free
this Saturday?”

Me: “I actually am! I’m not doing anything at all.”

Them: “Great! What are your rates?”

Me: “$300 for an hour and $500 for two.”

Them: pause, “Well, we only have $300 for two hours.”

Me: “Okay, thanks anyway.”

Them: “Are you serious? You don’t want it? What will you do
instead?”

Me: “I don’t know. Sleep?”

Them: “You’d rather sleep than make $300 for two hours of work?”

Me: laughing, “Yeah. That’s not what I’m worth. Never sell yourself
short, you know.”

They hung up.

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 Did I break my own rule of “get all the money you can”? No, because
the agent was getting paid way more from the client than $300 (I
later found out $1,500). Even if they took 50%, they could have paid
me $750. So, sometimes, if I can’t get all the money, I’ll take none
of it. I’m only including this anecdote, not because I have a thing
against agents, but because you’re almost out the door and I think it’s
a final important point to make: you are your brand. You need to
believe in yourself.

Don’t sell yourself short. Ever.

And we need to make sure we don’t confuse “Agents” with “Event

Planners.” Event Planners should be your best friends in the
world. These are the people who put together the weddings, the VIP
functions, and all the gigs you need to work. Unlike agents, though,
they aren’t taking a cut. They are getting paid from the client upfront
and are given a budget.

Befriend as many Event Planners in your city as you possibly can. And
any way you can. Check to see if there are any wedding conventions
happening nearby or check out Craigslist for event planners offering
their services - and send introductory emails.

208 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 100 | Essay

Going Full Time

This will probably be my most controversial essay. And please keep in
mind that this is only my opinion.

I am a big believer in the Day Job.

That’s a hard thing to take for a lot of people. A lot of people HATE
their day job and dream of doing only magic for a living. So here’s
my advice: instead of going full time, find a Day Job you love.

Why?

2 reasons:

1. Pension
2. Pension

I know I wrote that twice. That’s how important it is. I feel that I’m
fairly successful at my magic career. But here’s my question for you:
do you think I can maintain this level of success for fifty more years?

How about this for a crazier thought:

Can I maintain this level for fifty years IN A ROW? I mean, some of
the best TV shows in the world only last ten seasons.

If you don’t have a pension, you need a game plan to keep an income
until you’re 80 years old. That’s just the truth. If you decide to go full
time, hopefully you are a money-saving ninja.

Think about it like this: a great salary is, at the time this book goes to
press, say, $100,000 a year. With that kind of money, you could live a
great life and probably be super happy. Well, if you turn 65 and want

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 to retire and maintain that same lifestyle, you’ll need $1,000,000
in the bank just to live another ten years. So now you’re 75. What
if, like me, you plan on living until age 110? Where will that other
$4,000,000 come from?

A couple of other things a day job provides me:

1. I’m never afraid of raising my rates, as I’m never broke. If you

hit a dry spell of gigs and you’re low on money, the temptation
can be too strong to lower your rates, just to make your mortgage
payment.

2. I can budget, since my day job provides me with a regular

paycheque.

Okay, just so we end on a high note and you can still be excited
for your magic career, whether it’s your primary or secondary, let me
leave you with these awesome particulars that a career in magic has
brought me:

A. I bought my Ducati in cash with “magic money.”

B. We have zero debt.
C. We’ve met many amazing people and made friends and contacts
around the world.
D. I have countless anecdotes, experiences and memories that I
wouldn’t have if I hadn’t asked someone to pick a card.
E. We can go on dream vacations every single year.
F. People recognize me on the street and say wonderful things.

The list will go on.

And on.

And on.

Magic has provided me with so many opportunities and experiences

that I thank my lucky stars every single day. And I have great friends

210 Jamie Grant

in magic who have purchased their dream cars, and even homes, with
the money they’ve made. So don’t let my day job pitch dissuade you -
if it’s your dream, go for it. You’ll crush it!

And, if you follow a line of thinking more like myself? Get ready for
the greatest addition to your life that you’ll ever be able to find.

Either way, you can’t go wrong. You’re going to go out into the
world, bring people joy and wonder, and change people’s lives for the
better. These are great, great days.

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 Chapter 101 | Advice

Go Get It
Gang, I think that’s it. I truly believe I’ve told you everything I can.
We’ve left no stone unturned and have covered every base I can think
of. The rest is up to you.

So what’s next? Be specific. Do you want to perform more? Do you

want your own TV show? What do you want? What do you really
want?

Write it down and go get it. I know you will.

212 Jamie Grant

 Chapter 102 | Thanks

The Beginning
Thank you so much for buying this book. I can never express how
much it means to me that you would trust me enough to help guide
you along on your journey to wonder, memories, and experiences
that you’ll value forever.

And as you have probably figured out, this isn’t the end, it’s the
beginning. If we ever have the chance to meet in person, please stop
and tell me how you are doing. I know you’ll be excited to share stories
that have changed your life, and about times when you changed
someone else’s. And if you ever have any questions, I’m here to help!
There is a thing called “scarcity” which is the belief that there is only
so much room at the top. I don’t believe in scarcity at all. We can all
be at the top together and have the greatest time. I wish you nothing
but the greatest success.

I also want to thank you again for not scanning this book and
spreading it around the Internet. I know a lot of you won’t even
consider it, but I just want to thank you anyway. Again, I’ll leave it
at that. You paid good money for this book and deserve for it to be
for you alone. After all, I wrote it for you.

Lastly, I hope you wrote everything down! I know some of you really
don’t want to but I’m beseeching you to reconsider and go back, filling
out every line. I love journals and think the ability to revisit the past
is one of the greatest ways to get better. I also know how wonderful
it is to have everything you need to remember in one place. I hope
you’ve made The Approach exactly that. It would be an honour if you
did.

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 So how do I end this whole thing? I’ve been looking at this page for
a few days wondering what my final words are going to be. And then
this happened last night…

I received an email from an old friend telling me that I HAD to work

at a party she was putting on for her multi-millionaire employer this
Saturday in his new mansion on the beach. It was going to be the
party of the year. She also mentioned that a band would be playing
later in the evening and that I might have heard of them, The Red
Hot Chili Peppers. She asked what my rates were and when I wrote
back, $750 for an hour, $1000 for two, she kindly asked if I could
do two and a half hours for $1500. After I replied with my profuse
thanks and undying gratitude, she responded with a line that brings
us full circle to the very first thing I wrote in this book. And I love that
both of these quotes—this one and the first one, aren’t from famous
people; they’re simply from old friends. And they apply to everyone.
She wrote…

“You are awesome. And people remember awesome - so it’s pretty

simple.” -J K

214 Jamie Grant