Drew McAdam – Making Money from Magic

While Drew could have aptly titled this book Making Money from ‘Psychic’ Parties and Tarot Parties, he instead chose Making Money From Magic – The Definitive, Step-by-Step Guide to Making Good Money from Magic and Mentalism. If a book claims to be “the definitive guide,” it should truly deliver on that promise, which this one does not.

The focus here is primarily on a niche market: hosting “psychic” and tarot parties in private homes. Although other performance types are mentioned, they lack substantial detail.

If I were looking to transform my passion into a profitable venture and purchased a book titled Making Money From Magic, I would expect comprehensive coverage of various performance opportunities for magicians and mentalists, along with strategies for monetizing those opportunities.

Moreover, a title like “Making Money From Magic” should delve into financial specifics. Unfortunately, money is only addressed briefly—once in a concerning “double your fee” suggestion and again under Psychic Parties: “If your clients host parties for six at £20 each, that’s £120 for a maximum of three hours of work. Over a five-day week, that totals £600, equating to £30k annually, assuming two weeks off in the Bahamas. And the overhead? A trivial amount.”

After that workload, two weeks off seems insufficient. A Bahamas getaway could easily consume 15% of your annual earnings based on those figures—assuming you work five nights a week for 50 weeks a year.

In a key section titled “Attitude Towards Your Publicity,” one heading states “Why You Don’t Need Advertising.” It discusses press releases, local radio, and even writing a psychic column for local newspapers, emphasizing the value of word-of-mouth. However, advising against advertising is misguided. Many successful magicians invest £2,000 to £3,000 annually in advertising across various platforms, contributing significantly to their earnings of £50,000 to £60,000. Notably, there’s no mention of The White Book or other industry publications that could have been beneficial.

Drew’s website, which provides details about his services, is included in promotional materials found in the book. Unfortunately, the site resembles a poorly designed DIY business card and is marred by a pop-up ad, indicating it may be a free or low-cost service—an unprofessional image for someone claiming to offer “The Definitive, Step-by-Step Guide to Making Good Money from Magic and Mentalism.” Quality publicity materials are essential.

In his promotional handout for Psychic Parties, Drew states, “For those of you who don’t know, a Psychic Evening is a gathering of friends and neighbors where a mentalist showcases feats of ESP, mental mysteries, and paranormal phenomena.” The term “mentalist” is used here, but…