Mr. Draven has really given you some sound pointers here but there are a few things you also need to consider;
Firstly, is Magic going to continue as a hobby that "pays for itself" via a party here and there and maybe some weekend warrior type work?
OR
Do you really want to move towards the Pro status?
While some level of over-lap exists the dynamics are quite different. For starters, pros do not consider a client "sold" until after they've done the second or third show for that client at full scale when it comes to pay. If you think about it this will make sense to you. The hobbyist on the other hand, is more likely to work with the same area civic groups over and over on a "gratuity" basis that's way (WAY) below scale (bear in mind that the majority of full time pros see a minimum of around $1,200.00 to $1,500.00 and on the upper-end of things, as much as $5,000.00 isn't all so unusual for private as well as corporate gigs OUTSIDE their residential area. . . granted, this does fluctuate by as much as 30% based on region and economic as well as social-political factors within your market area).
To sum this first part of things up -- Define yourself and then, prepare a plan!
THE PLAN is where most fail but understand that the bigger part of the idea is the word BUSINESS when it comes to the art of "show". If you do not look at your venture as you would any other business investment, you will loose! So do yourself a favor and invest in a couple of fairly inexpensive books starting with Richard Webster's PLAN FOR SUCCESS (you should be able to get it through
Stevens Magic Emporium or the
Deceptionary ) This is one of the more elementary business focused outlines written by a member of the magic community for the magic community and I can promise you, it will be money well spent provided YOU USE IT!
BUSKING
IS NOT a wise move. In my day this was what we did when we didn't have enough cash to cover the rent. It is generally viewed as "low brow" and very "low level" within the general establishment even though it actually has a higher sense of profile and appreciation in the mind of the public; a good sidewalk entertainer is more apt to inspire a young person to learn certain things than some clown on Tv believe it or not. You are accessible and able to cultivate a rapport with people which, if you play it right, can take you a very long way down the yellow brick road. If you plan on taking this route then make it pay; get a merchants/resell permit from your local city clerk so you can sell items legally as part of your spiel. Invest into one or two proven pitch items such as the Magic Mouse, Svengali Decks, etc. trust me, these items have made more than a few people very rich.
If you are taking on a Mentalist mode with things there are other approaches to weigh that I cover in my
Psychic Technologies books. The objective here, as with the above, is to lure people in via your "show" and then invite them to "participate" at the next level, be it by learning a trick or getting a cheap Reading or Astrological Forecast (look up the "Astrology Pitch". . . again, big money maker)
The other "trick" to the busking scene is to get scheduled into street fairs and other area civic functions strictly for the tip and if they will allow it, your pitch. As you start out visibility is far more important than the money, though you do need to hustle in order to bring in the rent, as it were.
LITERATURE is a major issue as has been mentioned; people can't buy something if they don't know about it or how to find it. Now days this step requires you to have a Web-Site and for less than $20.00 a month you have have a decent site with your own URL vial Yahoo or other reputable hosts. DON'T BE CHEAP! Get someone to help you create a clean and easy to traverse site that is not overly wordy or filled with flash, loud music and other obnoxiousness. While such things may seem "cool" when you're young, they don't appeal to the folks that actually write the bigger pay checks. If your web site won't load easily on a dial up modem, you will loose business! It would blow your mind to know just how many major talent bookers deliberately use dial-up when checking a web address. The reason is quite logical; these people don't have time to deal with all the junk, they want a sharp and concise presentation, not an MTv mini-show.
Your literature should match the style (layout, colors, font, etc.) of your web site as should your primary business cards and anything else that is used in your marketing, it's what is known as "Branding" and it is quite important (and why Microsoft has all those matching template sets when you work with OFFICE).
If you are doing a product pitch, make certain every customer gets your brochure. . . it may be one on taking a Magic Class for an example. Try to put as many brochures as you can into the hands of MOTHERS that may be present; a brochure that gives them information about your party services be it for kids only or a combination of kid & adult programs but DO NOT give prices other than saying something like "Starting as low as $150.00" or "Competitive Pricing". Too, it wouldn't hurt to have some kind of small display that does nothing but present your brochures for the taking. . . I know that this and the pitch item elements means more stuff to lug around, but it all pays for itself in short time.
LOCATION is another huge issue (and part of business 101 logic -- location & packaging). Try to work with your local parks & recreation department as much as possible. The other community resources include the city planning commission, groups like the Jaycee's or Lions club and of course, the Chamber of Commerce -- getting the right locations means generating direct support a.k.a. playing politics and kissing butt. You need to make the people who make decisions your chums so they will open doors for you and give you what you need when it comes to prime working sites where a solid traffic flow exists.
Another old bit of business is to get the merchants (usually 3 will be involved) that operate at the spot you want to work, to "sponsor" you. It's not a cash kind of thing but simply a formal statement on their letterhead that says they don't have a problem with you working in front of their establishment and perhaps why they support you. . . kind of a letter of recognition and endorsement. This is ammunition that can come in handy when dealing with civic authorities, getting a performance permit, etc.
DO NOTE: If you can work a pitch into your material that supports these merchants and get them to bite -- to see you as a living commercial that can create a consumer drive train into their store, you will have much higher levels of success when it comes to this particular course of action.
I realize I just complicated the whole "convenience" of Busking but as I said in the opening, THIS IS A BUSINESS so you must treat it as such and make that investment of time, effort and networking WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE and by DOING THE PROVEN THINGS THAT WORK.
Hope this helps.
