We kick off Series 4 of the Kids Entertainer Podcast with no less than educational magic show master, Doug Scheer. In turns insightful and entertaining, this first part of his interview will inspire and encourage you not only to try your hand at school assembly performances and enter a brand-new market, but also to connect with your audiences in a deeper, richer way.

 

In this episode we discuss:

• How and why Doug got into educational magic shows
• How he made his shows and connected with his audiences better
• Three levels of thinking when planning what tricks to use
• Doug’s recommendations for creating a show and honing your craft
• A more powerful way to engage an audience without gags or jokes

In this episode, we give you a treat: character building and show creation tips from one of the world’s best-known children’s entertainer and magic convention lecturer, David Kaye. Here he generously shares practical and effective tips on how to create a character that you can easily play and a show that’s unique in all the world.

In this episode we discuss:

• How David Kaye earns from kids entertainment
• How David runs his one-hour birthday party show and how he creates a more lasting impression on the children and get bookings
• Does Silly Billy get tired of doing the same shows
• How David handles children being fed during the show
• What he makes sure to give the kids to bring home
• David’s 3 tips for all types of kids entertainers, be they face painters, game leaders, balloon twisters, ventriloquists, or magicians, on how they can customize their shows
• Topics covered in David’s KEA lecture

Want to increase your rate but you’re not sure how you can attract clients and land bookings with a higher fee?

In this interview, Andrew Smith shares his business insights to help fellow kids entertainers learn how they can finally charge what they are worth and build a better business. It’s an episode you don’t want to miss.

In this episode we discuss:

• The wrong approach to determining your fees when starting out
• The better way to compete with other entertainers, get bookings, and earn more
• How Andrew is able to charge more compared to other entertainers
• Serving a niche market vs. catering to all

Featured in this week’s podcast episode is the incredibly funny and award-winning entertainer John Kimmons. Here he shares how to win an audience’s attention, what his philosophy on entertaining is, and how he turned a race game into a brilliant routine that wins everybody over.

Go click on that play button now and enjoy another awesome interview.

 

In this episode we discuss:

• The story behind the successful kids entertainer convention Trix in the Stix
• John’s philosophy on kids entertaining
• How to ‘get your foot in the door’ and win the attention of an audience
• How John got into kids entertaining
• How he developed his super engaging race game/routine and made it an awesome show finale material

 

In this podcast episode, Elliott Smith, co-author of Highway to Success: The Entertainer’s Roadmap to Business, shares practical principles and genius tips that can help you better understand and handle the business side of kids entertainment.

If you’re ready to take your business to new heights, go hit that play button right now.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why it is important to understand the business side of kids entertainment
• What led Elliott to collate his learning into a book
• Creating a database of satisfied clients to get referrals and repeat bookings
• The 3 Ds: Determination, Dedication, and Discipline
• How he deals with clients who had a prior bad experience with unprofessional kids entertainers
• The importance of following up and following through
• The success that Highway to Success is enjoying
• The little marketing trick he inserts in his email signature that earns him a lot of website visitors
• His ‘extended warranty’

In this episode, Rob Ruthart shares not only the road that led him to where he is today, but also the lessons he learned along the way—from how to manage staff and the business side of kids entertainment, to how best to engage children, to how to be the greatest children’s entertainer you can be.

 

In this episode we discuss:

• What Rob’s science and reptile shows are like and how he injects entertainment with education in these shows
• The road that led Rob to building Safari Science
• How word of mouth worked for him
• The challenges he faced about finding and managing staff and the learning he picked along the way that has shaped his approach in business
• Why kids entertainment—and good kids entertainers—are important
• How Rob works with children (You have to hear this.) 
• How he puts fun in educational shows
• How he entertains mixed-age groups
• His approach in educational shows: Fun first!
• How he created his science shows
• Tips and advice for kids entertainers

In episode 2 of our From the Experts series, we tackle the school assembly entertainment market with seasoned pro Obediah Thomas.

From the pros of offering school assembly shows, to tips on how to be successful at it, to instructions on how to create backdrops for it (or any show for that matter), we discuss them here.

Go on and click play and enjoy this interview packed with a lot of useful tips that can get you started with your own school assembly show.

 

In this episode we discuss:

 

• Why Obediah chose to do school assembly shows
• How to start creating and performing school assembly shows
• Who to approach when selling school assembly shows
• School assembly shows in comparison to other shows
• The pros and cons of being a two-man show
• The ‘seasons’ of school assembly shows
• How Obediah fills his downtime
• Why some school assembly acts don’t make it
• How the school assembly market is doing
• A typical performance day
• How the students are usually set up for a school assembly show
• Teacher and student participation during school assemblies
• How Obediah deals with disruptive audiences
• How to make backdrops for school assembly shows
• How a show can make a difference in a kid’s life

School Assembly Entertainment:

Tips for Kids Entertainers Who Want to Venture into the School Show Market

In episode 2 of our From the Experts series, we tackle the school assembly entertainment market with seasoned pro Obediah Thomas.

From the pros of offering school assembly shows, to tips on how to be successful at it, to instructions on how to create backdrops for it (or any show for that matter), we discuss them here.

Go on and click play and enjoy this interview packed with a lot of useful tips that can get you started with your own school assembly show.

In this episode we discuss:

Why Obediah chose to do school assembly shows

How to start creating and performing school assembly shows

Who to approach when selling school assembly shows

School assembly shows in comparison to other shows

The pros and cons of being a two-man show

The ‘seasons’ of school assembly shows

How Obediah fills his downtime

Why some school assembly acts don’t make it

How the school assembly market is doing

A typical performance day

How the students are usually set up for a school assembly show

Teacher and student participation during school assemblies

How Obediah deals with disruptive audiences

How to make portable & easy-to-set-up backdrops for school assembly shows – Click here for the video and PDF guide on how to make backdrops.

How a show can make a difference in a kid’s life

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Kids Entertainer Academy

How to Make Backdrops (video guide and free downloadable PDF guide)

A Beginner’s Guide to Professional Children’s Entertainment

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With this Make Marketing Fun episode, we start our From the Experts series with a bang.

 

And for this series’ first interview, we have marketing master Silly Scott to share with you how to market yourself and your kids entertainment business in a fun, engaging, and memorable way so you can get more bookings and be miles ahead of your competitors.

 

We advise you to hit that play button right now.

 

In this episode we discuss:

 

Subliminal marketing and its difference from traditional marketing

Branding and rebranding

Tips on how to gain name recall and how to sell you and your shows

Loyalty cards and magic trick business cards (Genius!)

How to upsell your shows

Make Marketing Fun

Tips on Effective, Genius Marketing for Kids Entertainers

With this Make Marketing Fun episode, we start our From the Experts series with a bang.

And for this series’ first interview, we have marketing master Silly Scott to share with you how to market yourself and your kids entertainment business in a fun, engaging, and memorable way so you can get more bookings and be miles ahead of your competitors.

We advise you to hit that play button right now.

In this episode we discuss:

Subliminal marketing and its difference from traditional marketing

Branding and rebranding

Tips on how to gain name recall and how to sell you and your shows

Loyalty cards and magic trick business cards (Pure gold.)

How to upsell your shows

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Kids Entertainer Academy

Silly Scott’s Website

Silly Scott’s Online Shop

Kids Entertainers Facebook Group

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Kids Entertainer Academy: The most comprehensive collection of training resources and expert knowledge for kids and family entertainers to develop their art and build a better life by improving their business.

Now it's your turn!

What did you think of this episode? Please share your comments below. Thanks for listening!