Mark Tirone’s 10 Steps To Marketing Your Magic

Mark Tirone has 10 helpful steps to marketing your own ideas.

Tip #1- Research what you want


What are the 10 steps to selling magic? For years, Magicians have been left on our own to find ways to sell our magic. Some of us have families to support, Bills to pay etc. So why just get left to figure out how to sell something original? I am going to teach you in 10 steps, (tips) to selling your product. This course will last 10 weeks. And if you apply one of these steps a week, You are going to have a final product in 10 weeks.


In this issue, We are going to be talking about research. I remember in my younger years with some of my oldest effects, (some still being performed to this day!) I would go on forums and ask people If my tricks were original, where to look, how to find it, complaining I cant find something etc. Research is the most important step to selling your effects. A final word here, Read your books. They are the easiest ways to find previously released effects similar to yours.


What are some of the ways you can research an effect? I want you right now to think about anything. Think about an effect you have created. Now go onto google and type in a keyword or phrase relating to the effect you have created. Congradulations! You have just started to research an effect! So why stop here?


One of the biggest problems published/syndicated magicians face, Is research. The fear of criticism and bashing of other magicians due to the fact that your effect is simply un-original. This is where Research comes in because sadly, About 80% of the effects either un-released or released, Have been done before either in somebody’s head, Books, DVD’s, etc. I think we should really keep this in mind when researching


So one way you can research an effect, Is go on forums. Forums are publis speaking and you really cannot say the wrong thing. I reccomend the Penguinmagic forums as well as The Magic Cafe forums. They are all really nice and really helpful.


Second, You can email or contact other magicians and send them a description and method to your effect to them. If they have seen something similar in method or effect in print, They will send you the referance and it is in your best interest to buy the effect/book/DVD, And either:


1) Change your version. If you are doing a haunted deck routine, And you find out that yours isn’t that much different from the original, You can change yours. Make yours original and maybe un-gimmicked and impromptu. Maybe a different gimmick. The easiest thing to do is change your effect and make it better. Do everything in your power to prevent bad criticism from a viewer.


2) Get permission from the original creator/creators. Ask them to have permission to use there effect in your DVD or book. If they accept, You must ALWAYS credit them. If you give no credit, It is the equivilent of just stealing the effect to your buyers.


Now the whole point of research is to make sure your effect is original and has not been done before. I think one of the second biggest problems in some of the marketed effects out there today, Is cheap knock-offs. You cannot just take an effect and change maybe the denomination of bill or another countries currency or different kind of card or coin etc. You just cant do that. It is just stealing an effect. This was originally written in street magic magazine, issue 3, Pg 93 “Dude thats a rip off!”. Unfortunately, There is no way of me knowing the author but I give him/her credit for it. If not, I could end up in a lawsuit and so could you. Research and credit GOOOD!


Research and credit will always end up rewarding and will always pull stress off your magic and the pains of producing a book or video on your magic. It will never do bad. Keep that in your mind when you are writing a book or making a video. I will like to credit Lee Asher on his video he produced and put onto youtube called “Magic is the higher form of learning II Thought by Lee Asher”. The saying goes like this. “If you do not do it for them, Why should they do it for you?”. I got permission from Lee to use this in here. If you get the chance, Please watch the video. Its only 30 seconds and will really make an difference and really sum up everything I have said in here and make you understand the importance of this all.


So lets sum up everything I have said here today. Google. Google is your friend. Google a simple phrase from your effect and see what comes up. Spend a few days on this. Also, Contact other professional magicians and ask them for there help. A lot of times if you contact older magicians, They will help you in your research and could make some of the biggest differences in your product. But be sure to give them credit. Then if you found out that somebody has something similar, you can either compromise with your product or get in touch with the creator and ask for there inspirations and history on the effect (If applicable) and then take it from there and search the roots of it. Then give credit to the originator(s) and everybody who helped you get the product to where it is in the final step of the process. But you will find out more about that in 10 weeks.


So if you would like to critique my work or let me know how they feel about it or questions and concerns, Please feel free at any time to email me at MagicOfMarkTirone@gmail.com or send me an IM at XCMMT101. I wish you great success with your product.


-Mark Tirone


Come back soon for step number 2!