Magicofkobi's Blog

So You Want To Be A Wedding Magician?

magicofkobi — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:34:43 +0000

So You Want To Be A Wedding Magician?

“He that would have fruit must climb the tree.”

Well, before you just jump right into it, there are a lot of considerations to think about before investing the time, energy, and money necessary in becoming a wedding magician.

SOME QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

Do you have the ability to handle difficult situations tactfully and gracefully without panicking or stressing out?

Do people generally like you and your attitude? Are you pleasant to be around?

Are you ALWAYS on time and punctual?

Do you follow through with what you say you will deliver?

Do you have a strong sense of customer service?

Are you selfless and can you put other people’s needs above your own?

Are you organized?

Do you have business savvy and the ability to ‘think outside the box’?

Do you have the eloquence and charisma to motivate and influence people in the right way?

Are you able to groom and dress yourself appropriately for such a formal affair?

Can you be clean-shaven and not have bad breath? Can you look good in a tuxedo?

What would you do if you have 300 guests and the electricity goes out?

As a wedding magician, you must also be able to handle all walks of life, including kids. As we offer a rare and unique service, we get hired by many people from all different backgrounds, religions, skin color, values, etc. Will you be able to entertain EVERYONE? Do you bring some magic for the kids that will be there? Some parents will have their kids present and want to get rid of them so they tell them to go and hang out with the magician. Yikes! Can you be a baby sitter and perform at the same time?

What will you do if the banquet manager wants you to park your car across the parking lot where the reception will take place?

How will you handle drunk, obnoxious and belligerent people heckling you? How about bratty kids?

What do you do when the bride asks you on the day of the wedding to not do card tricks anymore? How will you handle that? Did you bring some back-up effects?

Are you able to handle all these situations? How about all these situations all at once?

There are many difficult situations that may arise. You have to be witty, think fast, improvise, be quick on your feet, and be able to handle crisis situations. If you can’t handle the pressure, you better not pursue becoming a wedding magician.

CAN YOU BE A WEDDING PROFESSIONAL?

Aside from dealing with the guests at a wedding reception, maybe even more paramount is the ability to deal with other wedding professionals such as photographers, videographers, caterers, wait staff, wedding consultants, banquet managers, singers, musicians, and ministers. Other than the bride and groom, these people are the people magicians work with the most – some are spectacular, some are imbeciles. But, you absolutely CANNOT let personality conflicts affect the wedding!!! Compromise, NOT confrontation, is the rule among professionals.

PERSONALITY

To be a wedding magician you have to have a certain personality, have to be able to adapt and improvise, be able to handle adversity well, and have to be able to control the atmosphere and mood of the event. You have to be able to read the audience and play to the crowd. You cannot be the type of entertainer who will freak out and crack under pressure!

As a wedding entertainer you have to be very organized; if you are not organized, it will definitely be evident to the client extremely quickly. If you are not organized, you will never convince anyone of choosing you for their most important gig: their wedding! Be completely prepared before initial contact is made.

You need to find out from the bride and groom what kind of magician they are looking for and be that person. Do they want someone who is really interactive with the audience and who uses the microphone often, or someone who just stays in the shadows and strictly dos magic? I ask my clients using a rating system of 1 to 10, 1 being quiet, having no interaction with the guests, and being in the shadows, and 10 being the center of attention, leading the party, getting people involved, and heavy interaction with the crowd.

The bride and groom want to be comfortable on their wedding day. The last thing they need is to worry about paying you, or problems that you are having. You have to show them that everything is under control and make them as relaxed as possible. Make them confident in you, and don’t let them worry – they have enough things to worry about.

EQUIPMENT

Do you already own enough routines / tricks to perform at a wedding? Are you willing to spend more? Are your effects reliable and can be easily reset?

Are you able to transport your own equipment? If performing on stage, do you have the ability to lift and carry the equipment? If not, do you have the personnel to help you?

Do you need voice amplification?

Many situations can arise and problems can and will happen. What will you do in a bind? Can you improvise? I don’t normally bring my own table. What will you do when you aren’t provided a meal to eat, although your client said there would be one available for you? Did you pack food for yourself just in case?

Your equipment and props must be of good to excellent quality, and most importantly, be reliable. Remember, a wedding is supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime event (at least, most people start out hoping that will be the case!). There are no second chances if you choose to enter the wedding arena with equipment or props that is less than reliable. And by all means, do not forget any props either!

REWARDS

I have listed a lot of the problems and pitfalls that can happen, but I have not yet listed the rewards of being a wedding magician. After all, this is why I have chosen to be one!

The rewards are ten times better than the problems. You get a lot of immediate gratification, when everyone praises you about how well you have performed. Maybe the father of the bride will thank you for making this the happiest day of his daughter’s life. Perhaps other people attending will ask you to perform their wedding receptions or other events. You might be introduced to famous, powerful, prestigious people and even gain their business; and you may even get even better introductions and phone numbers – use your imagination here ; )

Some even more immediate rewards are when people are having such a wonderful time and the people paying you don’t want to stop the party and you get overtime bonus pay and tips.

If you are good, you will get compliments, get business referrals, meet important people, and just have an overall good time. There have been innumerable occasions where I was having such a good time I would think to myself, “Wow, I’m getting paid to do this!”

ARE YOU CUT OUT TO BE A WEDDING MAGICIAN?

I have offered a lot of the pros and cons to being a wedding magician. It’s up to you to decide if you have what it takes to succeed in the wedding market. All too often, magicians take on weddings who are not qualified or prepared for the job, because the money is great. This has a negative impact to the clients who hire the magician expecting a good quality performance, and a professional level of service. Let’s face it, performing at weddings isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. In contrast, if you feel that you have what it takes to be a wedding magician, I think you will find them to be both fun and profitable.

Kobi

www.KobiMagic.com

Kobi & his feathered-American friend, Vern!

Giving Brides Confidence In Your Service

magicofkobi — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:23:27 +0000

What Do Bride’s Want?

Answer: CONFIDENCE IN YOUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE HER THE ENTERTAINMENT SHE HAS ALWAYS DREAMED OF.

That’s what most brides are looking for. Do you have the ability to perform to a level that provides the bride with the reception that she has always dreamed about? Think about it. This is supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime event (at least most brides approach the wedding with that idea in mind!). This bride may be spending $6,000 to $30,000 on her wedding. Over the years, we have adjusted our marketing approach to give the bride CONFIDENCE in our service that we will provide her with four basic things:

1. PLANNING - Our sales pitch to every bride includes the fact that we will plan every detail of her reception (that pertains to our service). You would be amazed at the number of brides that seem genuinely relieved when we explain to them that we provide this service to them. For this reason, every marketing packet that we send a bride includes our Wedding Reception Planner. This demonstrates that we will plan her reception so that she can relax and enjoy the wedding day. We cover everything from entertaining children that may be present at the reception, to even coordinating with other vendors to ensure a smooth reception)

2. Tricks - While some brides just assume we have a good variety of magic, other brides (and parents!) are concerned that we have the type of effects they want. Nothing like showing up dressed like Silly Billy to an all-adult wedding reception! This is why we print up our sample “Magic Effects” listing, that is categorized by type of magic as they believe it would appeal to their guests. Since weddings are the bulk of what I do, the tricks listed are geared to weddings and a romantic theme.

3. Emcee Service – We all take this for granted – but keep in mind that the bride has probably been to several weddings in recent years. More importantly, she has probably seen several bands.Who will keep the guests entertained while the band is on break? Most brides want an Emcee that is a professional, who is dressed professionally, and who can Emcee the reception in a professional manner. Most importantly, she doesn’t want an Emcee who will embarrass her in front of her friends and relatives. This means she doesn’t want someone who makes a fool of him or her self on the microphone. Give her confidence that you can fulfill her entertainment needs. She shouldn’t be thinking about little details- instead she should be trusting you to handle them all!

4. Performance/Interactivity – Since I do about 175 weddings annually, I speak with a wide variety of brides. Some brides tell me that the last wedding they attended, if there was a magician present, that the magician did ONLY card tricks, and did little (if anything) to motivate the guests and provide a high energy level. This bride clearly wants a FUN magician. Other brides we speak with have seen the other extreme – they attended a wedding where the magician was standing on chairs as a stage, being what we call “the show-off” magician- loud and obnoxious. It’s up to you to find out what each and every bride wants in the way of personality/interactivity for each wedding. If you explain to the bride that you can offer either the “low key” approach, or the “Fun magician” approach (in a tasteful manner), you will give her the confidence in your service that you will provide her with the type of personality she is looking for.

All of these things combined are an important factor to most brides. Sure, you will find those brides who are looking for the cheapest magician, and quality isn’t important to them, but I think they are in the minority. I believe that brides come in three categories:

The Cheap Brides – looking for the cheapest magician, quality not important.
The Average Bride – Looking for a magician who has a reasonable price AND provides a good quality service. IMPORTANT!!! This bride may present herself as the “Cheap Bride” over the phone, because the first question she’ll ask is “how much”? However, if you take the time to talk with her about the wedding, you will find that she is genuinely concerned about the performance of the magician and the quality.
The Quality Bride – Looking for a magician who provides outstanding performance and services. Price doesn’t matter.

Obviously, we prefer bride #3, but most often deal with bride #2. It is my belief that there are many more “Average Brides” than “Cheap Brides”. It is your job to focus on the Average Bride, and educate this bride, so that she is willing to pay more than she expected to for the entertainment (assuming that your prices are higher than the bottom feeders in your area). This is why it is important to have good marketing materials and a refined sales pitch over the phone.

We adjusted our entire sales pitch many years ago, to focus on giving the client the perception that we provide a high quality service, both before the wedding with our detailed planning services and the day of the wedding with our quality performances and attention to details. For us, this has been the most effective method of closing the sale at a price that is higher than the average rate for magicians in our market area. If you leave a bride with the perception that you provide a high quality service that is different from your competitors, do you believe that this bride will book a magician that is $100 cheaper than you? More often than not, I believe that the bride will pay the additional cost for quality. If you haven’t seen this success, closely examine every aspect of your services (in the categories listed above) for deficiencies. Are you up to snuff? If not, improve your services, marketing materials and phone sales techniques. I am certain you will reap the benefits through increased bookings at higher prices if you do.

Thanks again for reading! See you all soon!!

Kobi

www.KobiMagic.com

Kobi performing for guests at a bridal show.

10 Tips To Working Bridal Markets- A Guide for Magicians!

magicofkobi — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:06:17 +0000

I always laugh when I remember the first time I ever rented a booth at a bridal fair. It cost me $200 for a booth and I was charging $200 to perform for a reception back then, so basically I figured if I could book one reception I’d break even. In fact, I didn’t have any bookings at the time and had never even performed for a wedding, so I thought this would be pretty cool.

What an amazing joke that was. People were asking me, “So, how long you been doing this?” and I was saying, “Ha, you guys think I’ve done a wedding before?” Isn’t this great!’ They’d think I was just so funny and they’d book me!” That is actually how I got my start in the wedding business.

Actually, my story is not so unusual. This can best be compared to the role of a wedding disc jockey. If you have ever been to a bridal show before, you know the ahows are JAM PACKED with many different disc jockeys. You may be able to recount bridal shows where disc-jockeys appeared practically side-by-side with guys blasting their favorite home stereo system and dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. Magicians are the same. Would a bride really want someone dressed like a kid show magician showing up at their no-child-allowed wedding? No! But if you are a serious wedding entertainer, you must ALWAYS dress and act the part.

In fact, bridal fairs are arguably the number-one source that you as a magician will utilize to gain wedding reception bookings. But what can you do to maximize the money you spend on this method of attracting gigs? Let’s find out by taking a look at some ways in which we could spend lots of money on bridal fairs but still be guaranteed not to have brides sign contracts with our companies.

1. To save money, work your booth alone or with your spouse/significant other.

Sell yourself before selling your service. Besides, you’re the best salesperson your company has! People buy from those they like!

Back in the day, I would try to work these bridal fairs by myself. After all, I’m by far the best salesman for my company, but that also became a big problem. Brides and their mothers would come to my booth in batches, and suddenly I’d have six brides who would start listening to different parts of my presentation at different times, and I couldn’t really devote my attention to any one of them anyway. And then I’d have these great friends of mine who weren’t necessarily good salespeople, but when I’d bring them into the booth it would also create problems.”

Opinions on properly staffing a bridal fair booth range from taking the time to train your staff to sell properly to actually hiring professional salespeople to run your booth.

Although I have an elaborate wedding set-up (see pictures in previous blogs), it is not completely necessary. When starting out, I would recommend spending a lot of money on the staffing of the booth. Get enough people to make sure your booth has coverage—five or six people in a particularly busy area like NYC where I work. My philosophy is to go out there and have fun, and go out and be who we are.

Actually, I remember this one magician who used to run a fantastic booth. He’d hire professional salespeople to come run his booth for him. He’d go out of there with a dozen bookings, and I’d walk out with 2—and both of them people I’d already talked to in my office before the show!”

2. Worry about where your booth is set up for the bridal show.

Why should it matter where your table is located in the exhibit hall, since the brides will be visiting all over anyway? Just grab the quickest table to the door so you can head out as soon as it’s over!

When I do bridal shows, I would make sure the show was limited to only one other magician or entertainment company that utilizes magician if possible. By having a great relationship with the bridal show producer, he can assure you are the ONLY magician present at the show. Of course, you have to schmooze your way into that. Where a magician’s booth is located is essential to the success of the event. Be very, very conscious of where your table is located. You don’t want to be in a corner. As you walk in you want to be to the left of the door.

3. Give anything to the brides to help them remember your company!

When brides-to-be come to a bridal show they’re quickly issued a large plastic bag they will soon fill with brochures, postcards, coupons, fliers, business cards and business samples, certainly anything you could give them would simply be ‘lost in the shuffle.

“Ah yeah, leave something for brides to remember us by,” I reminisce. One year I passed out balloons with ‘Show On the Road’ on it tied to a DVD brochure I had made up beforehand. I had the DVD and artwork professionally done and duplicated. I’d interview previous bride and groom clients asking them questions about our company (they can agree to do this for a reduced rate when quoting prices, etc). I’d ask them things like: ‘How did having Kobi at your wedding impact the success of it?’ ‘What would you say to other couples thinking about hiring Kobi for their wedding?’ These brides would take home these DVDs, which also included performance footage, wedding planning worksheets, and other useful tools, and it always left an impression on those brides’ minds.

4. Get a ‘Live Spot’.

Getting up and performing in the middle of a bridal show rocks! You get to monopolize the attention of the brides who are there to get information on all aspects of their reception. The extra time and effort of providing a sample show to bridal show attendees let’s them sample what they will get.

I have been appearing and performing at bridal shows for over six years. People will hire me because I am not just one of the other vendors sitting at their booth only talking. I’m DOing!

Once you put a performance on, that puts you above and beyond the rest. Of course, that’s a double-edge sword too, because if you take a live spot and you suck—if you haven’t put a lot of thought and organization into it—it will be your damnation.

A live show involves lots of high energy, a sample of the variety of magic you perform, and a question and answer session in which people get to throw out different ideas. We encourage responses, and we like to get people up and on the stage with us to see how we do things. It’s usually only 20-25 minutes. If you’re concerned about whether someone will ask a question, I’ve often “bribed” the brides to ask questions during the how that helps me sell a particular point I want to get out. I’d bribe them with a small magic trick give-a-way or a discount coupon if they’re considering hiring me.

Try to get the live spot. Put the time in. It’s usually free, but if you put the extra dedication and time into doing a live show, you’ll do very well.

5. Don’t stand behind your booth.

Actually, just standing there behind your booth would make you just like most of the other vendors. Stand in front of your booth and engage the passer-bys. They don’t know why they want to hire a magician for their wedding. You Do!! Show them the benefit of hiring you. Say you’re a solo performer and you hire your spouse (hopefully for free) to come to the bridal show because you are doing a live spot. You’ve got your spouse there and maybe another assistant who just hand out materials to people as they come up. It will show you’re professional and enables you to not miss any potential leads while you’re performing.

6. Don’t tick off the other vendors at the show by being loud and obnoxious with your interactions.

Treat others as you’d like to be treated.

Although this should go without saying, we have to be cognizant of our fellow vendors as well. We must not take up too much of the bride’s and groom’s time and allow them to see the other vendors as well. Also, if a bride is talking with another vendor, don’t try to “steal” them away or distracting them from the other vendor’s sales pitch. Be professional. Being magicians, we offer a unique service and are generally not in competition as the DJs are. I remember one company a few years ago that was kicked out of doing bridal shows because they kept on holding up traffic and irritating the other vendors. You don’t want to tick off the other vendors who could potentially refer you, because bad news travels faster than good news.

7. Talk up your competition at the show.

You subscribe to bridal magazines. You attend all the major bridal shows. You’re the member of the S.A.M. or I.B.M. You even network with other quality magicians and companies around the country. You’re confident you’re the best entertainer in your area- how do you handle that?

Do not talk bad about other magicians or vendors in your area. That’s one thing I’ve always convinced myself not to do. We want to educate brides, and to give them something they can remember. We’ll give them an idea we do at our weddings—a lot of twists in the regular traditions. They’ll usually end up laughing, and then they’ll put a star on the envelope we give them to remind themselves to check into our company more. Basically a lot of the other guys just badmouth their competition so they can talk about themselves. I’ve seen it happen, and those people don’t last long in the shows.

I always thought I sucked at bridal fairs. It was an attitude more than anything else. The reason I thought I sucked was because of my arrogance. I would look at these other magicians who were there and I would think to myself, ‘I know about these guys. I know I’m better than them. And it was really tough for me to be out there and to be a commodity. The reason I worked so hard to improve my referral base was because I hated it when people would simply come up to me and say, ‘Hi, how much are you? Okay, thanks, hi, how much are you?’ And in their minds, a magician is amagicianJ; we’re all commodities.”

8. Booking receptions at the show.

There are pros and cons of this- just be careful.

Personally, I don’t think you can book gigs at shows very well. From my perspective, I even hate discounts at a bridal fair. When you say, ‘Hey, if you book us today you’ll get $100 off!’ that’s creating a commodity. You’ve now made yourself like everyone else there. I also hate the pressuring manner of asking someone to book at the fair. I don’t think the decision to book a magician is something someone should make as a spur-of-the-moment decision.

I never try to book at the show, never. I don’t try to get deposits at the show and I don’t give major discounts. I used to, but I don’t believe in that anymore. The only discount I give, in fact, is if a bride and groom come into my office for an appointment—and that’s only a small discount. I don’t pull out the credit card machines and book masses of people. If I were to give $100 off my packages when they book at the show, I could probably book a lot of people—but then I’m washing away our profit.”

9. Be Yourself.

If you’re ‘fake’, people will see right through it. Be honest, and be yourself!

Let’s say a magician is wild and crazy at a gig. He uses intricate and new props and everyone is laughing and having a good time- and that’s his style. But when they’re at a bridal show he’s dressed in a fancy tuxedo and is just standing there, barely smiling, and handing out brochures. He’s just ruined any chance of showing who he is as a performer.

You might get the argument that you don’t want to be too flashy or have the best set-up at a bridal show, because you don’t want to get the other vendors upset. Well, my philosophy is do exactly as you would do if you were performing. Be yourself- cause that’s really what you’re selling!! If I have 1000 brides at a show, and if I can get 50 of those 1000 brides who believe sort of the same way I believe, then I’m a happy camper. If it’s a bride who walks by and sees us doing an interactive trick of some sort and thinks it’s stupid, I don’t want her business anyway.

10. Too busy for bridal shows?

If your Saturdays are already booked for the summer of 2011 and you’re in fact already starting to fill up for 2010, why face the flea-market mentality of a bridal show—even if invited to do so by a hotel that regularly refers your business?

I built my business with bridal fairs, no question. The first three years I was in business I think I did every bridal fair that came into town. I did them in shopping centers, I did the free ones, I did the expensive ones. Once I got into our fourth year, though, I started cutting back gradually. It was the same thing with Yellow Pages ads—when I first started in business I had a large ad, and then the ad shrunk and became an in-line ad, and then a single-line ad. Now it’s all single-line ads and the only bridal fairs I do would be at facilities who do their own in-house events.

Yes, I do not do every bridal fair. I only do a few per year. I do bridal shows just because reception halls who generate a lot of business want me there for variety. It’s more like these places will want me to set up a booth for an event they’re putting on with their preferred vendors. I don’t do it for the business I’m going to generate, but I’d never refuse to come out and do a show for a preferred vendor who uses my company a lot.

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I hope these tips will give you a little help on working the bridal market. It’s done me quite well, and I hope you can gain some extra work by following these little tips. Once again, thanks for reading!!!

Kobi

www.KobiMagic.com

Kobi performing at a bridal show

New Promo Video Added!

magicofkobi — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 02:08:35 +0000

Hey Everyone,

I apologize it’s been a while since yo’uve heard from me last. I’ve been pretty bogged down with a lot of stuff recently. It turns out that I will be moving to Arkansas relatively soon and was just making some plans and phone calls and such. Anyway, I wanted to create something cool for my site and Facebook and this is a result of my work. Let me know what you think of it. Alas, here it is:

Well, that’s it for now. Let me know what you think!

Kobi

How To Choose a Wedding Magician

magicofkobi — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:22:43 +0000

Are you thinking about hiring a wedding magician for your big day? Have you ever considered it? In a recent popular bridal magazine survey, they are the fastest growing form of entertainment found at weddings!

The last time most of us have seen a magician was when we were 8 years old. However, magicians don’t just work for children. There are a few magicians that work mainly for adults- and even fewer, such as Kobi, that specialize in weddings. In weddings, close-up magic is the most popular form of magic. Close-up magic can be broken down into two separate categories- Strolling Magic and Table Magic.

Strolling Magic is when the magician mingles amongst the guests performing miracles with borrowed objects and simple objects (such as cards and coins). The magician works without a table and uses people’s hands as tables when the need be. This is an excellent choice if all the guests will be standing with drinks and eating finger food. Typically, this type of magic is done during cocktail hour, and often times reception as well.

Another type of close-up magic that is closely related to Strolling Magic is Table Magic. Table magic is performed between the courses at dinners, wedding breakfasts, and also during reception. You are more likely to see a short (between 3 – 8 minutes) mini cabaret act that has a structured feel to it. The magician may use the table but it will be as unobtrusive as possible because at weddings there is a premium on table real estate.

There are many different times during you special day when having a magician can really enhance the mood, tempo, and energy:

(1) Photographs - The post ceremony photographs can take a couple of hours before the meal starts. Not everybody will be involved with the majority of the snaps and this is a great time for magic to keep the guests entertained before the meal. It will also set the tempo of fun and good times and bring that into the beginning of the reception.

(2) During the Meal - Magic is also a perfect addition to the wedding breakfast working between courses. People feel compelled to open up after they have witnessed the impossible. It helps to bring people together who may have only met for the first time when they sit down at the table a few moments before. It is a wonderful ice-breaker!

(3) Evening Reception - Magic is great at the start of the evening reception for an hour or two before the festivities start. Just as the evening guests arrive is the perfect time as the music isn’t in full swing and people may be standing around awkwardly and looking to be brought into a group.

Questions you may like to ask any prospective performer you are engaging are as follows:

(1) How long have you been a professional? Some magicians may seem great on paper but as all know paper doesn’t refuse ink. Experience is the key in this industry so make sure they have cut their teeth and can prove it.

(2) Can I see you perform? To see them live may be very if they work mainly at weddings, it’s very unlikely you would be able to see him work at another wedding although this is sometimes possible. There is a strong chance you could see him work at another type of event if he works shows for the public at hotels, bars and restaurants. Ask if there any Bridal Shows he will be at to showcase his talents.

(3) Have you got a brochure/video I can see? Most professional performers will have promotional kits including photographs, video and brochure. A good promo kit doesn’t mean they are a good magician, it may just mean they know somebody who works at a printing press. A cheap looking promo kit doesn’t definitely mean the performer is bad, but it does show a lack of professionalism and that is a warning sign. In this day and age some performers have no hard copy for promotional use as it dates so quickly so there website acts as the brochure. If the website looks like it was made from cut outs of magazines then they are not interested in making a good first impression. Would you trust somebody who didn’t make a good first impression at your wedding?

(4) Are there any hidden fees? When in negotiations don’t forget to clarify if there as any other expense other than fee quoted. Some magicians will charge ‘out-of-area expenses’, mileage, and I’ve even some charge for tolls and parking. Be sure to clarify this beforehand with your performer.

(5) What magic tricks do you do? You should be able to gain a good idea of the style of the magician from any online or hardcopy brochure but if you want to know what kind of effects he/she performs – go ahead and ask! After all, you don’t want a magician coming to a wedding with tricks suitable for only children.

(6) Are you a member of any magic societies or performer bodies? Many magicians will be members of different magic clubs around the world. In the US, the most prestigious ones are the Society of American Magicians, International Brotherhood of Magicians, and the Magic Castle.

(7) Have you got any references I can call or e-mail? This may seem like a reasonable question but a lot of magician’s work mainly in the corporate area and are not permitted to pass out the contact details of their bookers. You should be able to see testimonials and letters from clients on the websites / brochures. Of course the best way is personal recommendation; ask friends if they have ever hired a magician.

(8) Have you got public liability insurance? This is crucial. The magician will be in close contact to your guests and maybe borrowing objects from them for effects. You don’t want to end up with a magician who isn’t covered! What if he loses a borrowed finger ring or damages a watch? Make sure he’s insured!!!!

I hope this all helps to give you a better idea of the services a magician can bring to a wedding and what to look out for when hiring a magician for your wedding.

I am a 30 year old full-time professional Wedding Magician located in Yonkers, NY. Magic has been my passion since I was a young child and I am delighted to be able to make my career from something I love. I have been a full time magician for over 10 years and I work at corporate events, banquets, balls, private parties and weddings performing sleight-of-hand magic.

To book Kobi for your wedding, please visit his web site at www.KobiMagic.com.

15 Reasons To Hire A Wedding Magician

magicofkobi — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 21:40:46 +0000

15 Reasons To Hire A Wedding Magician

Many people have never considered hiring a Wedding Magician for their special day. In fact, wedding magic is one of the fastest growing trends in the bridal industry today. Hiring Kobi for your wedding has some amazing features and benefits that will certainly enhance your special day. Here are just a few:

1) Entertain children so they do not disrupt activities or beg their parents to go home.

2) Cocktail hour is a ‘down time’ for guests where many of them just stand around and talk. Kobi will entertain these guests to create a fun, uptempo energy which will lead into the beginning of your reception.

3) It is extremely affordable! It only comprises roughly 1% of your total wedding budget.

4) Helps break ice and spark conversations between guests sitting next to each other.

5) Kobi offers a 100% Money back Guarantee if you are not satisfied.

6) Helps fill any unexpected gaps or delays.

7) Help entertain elderly so they do not become bored with festivities.

8 ) Kobi can provide entertainment for your guests during the Bachelor/ette Party, Rehearsal Dinner, Cocktail Hour, Reception, or Wedding Breakfast.

9) Many people have only seen magic on television. Seeing magic performed ‘live’ is quite a novelty for most people and will make your wedding day even more special.

10) Kobi comes equipped with $1,000,000 in liability insurance.

11) Eventually, your guests will need to take breaks. Keep them entertained!

12) Kobi can perform stand-up comedy magic while the band or DJ takes breaks. Keep the energy going!

13) Versatility. Kobi is able to perform on stage, up-close, indoors or outdoors.

14) Kobi has over 10 years professional experience performing!

15) 72% of brides say they would have spent more money on their Wedding Entertainment.

As you can see, the benefits of having Kobi at your special day are endless. Kobi will always custom tailor his shows to meet your needs and budget. His experience and professionalism will ensure you are able to enjoy your wedding day without worrying about your guests.

Wedding Photo

Last Night’s Show

magicofkobi — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:38:31 +0000

Woman's Club of White Plains

Well, I FINALLY had an opportunity to try out my newest effect which I created, The Thoughts Transmitter 2000. It went over really well. Better than I had anticipated. Needless to say, I’m overly excited to review the video and make some positive changes to enhance this routine.

Before I say more, I wanted to thank the Exchange Club of White Plains for inviting me to perform at their event. I had a wonderful time sharing the stage with other amazing performers, and I hope everyone enjoyed my set. A special thank you goes to my ‘victim’ (Ooops, I mean volunteer) Frank Williams for being a great sport and making the act go over incredibly well. Without him, the effect would have been an ‘ordinary’ magic trick- he was wonderful. I hope he’s enjoying his amoeba!

If anyone would like to contribute any pictures or video of the show, please e-mail them to MagicofKobi@aol.com or post them here. I look forward to hearing from all of the guests about their experience.

Well, that’s it for now. Until next time…..

Kobi

www.KobiMagic.com

1-877-KOBIMAGIC

The Thoughts Transmitter 2000

Kobi Books New Bridal Shows

magicofkobi — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:13:10 +0000

Hello again! It’s been a few days since I last wrote, but I’ve been crazy busy. In addition to doing the normal workload, I have also been extremely busy with the upcoming bridal season. Yup, you know how most of us like to get married during the spring and summer months. What does that mean? It means that I have to be where the brides are. The best place to do that- BRIDAL SHOWS!!!

I have booked some Bridal Shows already this year, and there a lot more to come. So, if you were thinking of hiring me for your special day, but not sure, I urge you to come ot to one of these shows (most are free), and see me in action. I have my own booth and will be performing! It’s one of the only places that I have to pay to perform….hehehehehe.

So, here is a list of the shows that I will be attending. There may be a few others coming soon, but these are all confirmed. Here they are:

          April 22-  Villa Barone Hilltop Manor, Mahopac, NY (6:30 PM - 9:00 PM)
          April 29-  The Grandview Hotel, Poughkeepsie, NY (5:30 PM - 9:00 PM)
          May 08-  The Great Bridal Expo-  Times Square, NY (5:30 PM - 9:00 PM)

There are more, but these are in the near future. Through the blog, I will keep everyone updated as additional shos are added. I promise!

Below is Kobi’s Pop-Up display he exhibits at weddings. Be sure to come find me when you attend the Bridal Show! Just ask, and I’ll demo some magic for ya.

Kobi's Pop-Up Display

Until next time….

Kobi

www.KobiMagic.com

1-877-KOBIMAGIC

PS- The picture above is of my Pop-Up Display I will be exhibiting. Make sure you come stop by!!

A Lot of Work Today

magicofkobi — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 23:46:47 +0000

Well, I must say today has been quite the busy day. I spent most of the day in front of my computer organizing files and filling out Reservation Forms for upcoming bridal shows. As many of you know, my niche is close-up magic. I regularly entertain at Bridal Shows and at weddings. It makes me feel great knowing i can provide an extra dose of entertainment to make someone’s day even more ‘magical.’

I will most likely be exhibiting at the Meadowlands arena at the end of march, and at the Hilton mid-month. I will keep everyone current on the shows I will be attending so you can come out and see how magic can help turn your event from extraordinary to spectacular!

Well, I’m going to go eat some dinner. Until next time…….

My 1st Blog!

magicofkobi — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 07:07:05 +0000

Magic of Kobi

Well, I’m not too sure how to work this thing so I will do my best. I figured having a blog would be a wonderful way for me to keep in touch with all of my friends and fans. What do you think? Will you read it periodicaly? In these blogs I will keep everyone current on my schedule, news, events, and just random thoughts. I will try to write informative articles related to magic. I will keep my first one short so that I can see how this thing works. If anyone has any super tips, please let me know!

Magically Yours,

Kobi