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Getting FREE Publicy

Getting Free Publicity

Article, By Nicholas George

GETTING FREE PUBLICLY

I remember some time ago, a very famous Mentalist called a press conference to make an announcement. He said that if the media would follow him into the Nevada dessert on a particular day and time, he was going to make contact with Extra-terrestrial Aliens that would come down in their Flying Saucers. The press bought it and followed him into the dessert.

NOTHING HAPPENED! - no aliens, no saucers, not even a light in the sky. But the world media went crazy writing newspaper stories, television news coverage, and full write ups in the word-wide weekly tabloids. With all this bad publicity, you would think this performer would never work again! - But he did! Bookings came from everywhere with offers for radio interviews, TV shows, and I'm sure that he had lined up enough work for the next several years. This person was "The Amazing Kreskin"!

Is it better to have BAD publicity than NO publicity? A performer once said:

"It docent matter what they say about me, good or bad,
as long as they mention my name"

There re two ways to advertise.

1) One way is to send in an your ad to a newspaper.
2) The other way is to open the eyes of the media - for FREE

The first way costs lots of money. The second way costs us nothing.

I know 2 types of Musicians:

I know of some extremely talented musicians that have been playing music all their life and are the top in their class. Their musical talents are so superb, that they have a constant following of admirers wherever they play. THEY WORK IN BARS AND CLUBS FOR $50 PER NIGHT! and struggle day after day to pay their bills and make some-what of a life.

I also know of some very poor quality, low class, untalented musicians (we all do!), that have mega mega hits on the radio, pick up Grammy’s, dine in the finest restaurants, date the most beautiful model women, and ARE MULTI-MILLIONAIRES WHILE LIVING A LIFESTYLE OF CAESAR! - yet they have no talent what-so-ever!

Could the difference between these two types of performers be that one is NOT promoted, and the other one IS promoted? Absolutely!

So what is promotion?

The above example should tell you something!

- Maybe its telling you that in most cases, that image, is more important
than talent,

- Maybe its telling you, that your personality, and internal workings,
are sometimes more important than what you can perform, or

- Maybe, its telling you, that "the experience you leave behind with
your audience, is more important that the skill you posses"

It is probably a combination of several.

You can easily see that Publicity, in the entertainment business, IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUCCESS AND FAILURE!

Publicity is designed to exploit Talent! - Talent is designed to exploit Publicity!

One cannot succeed without the other. If there was no talent, media would have nothing to write about. If there was no Media, talent could not be known.

You ABSOLUTELY NEED TO INTEREST THE PUBLIC WITH YOUR TALENTS! Having your name constantly in the newspapers and on Television will create a greater demand for you, and therefore, more dollars. The greater your popularity, the greater the rewards (and sometimes even regardless if you are talented or not!).

The media will not be interested in only a Magic Show. They will, however, be interested in News that involves a Magic Show.

Media and Press like to write headlines like "Local Magician Helps Raise Money for Crippled Children using Magic!", or "Oscar The Mind Reader Helps Raise $10,000.00 for Cancer Society!". This type of news touches the hearts of many people, - including Booking Agents and potential Clients. You should be selling an experience, not just a show!