What is Mentalism?
My clients know that I perform a variety of illusions in different genres, depending on the specific needs and character of their event. Many of them have encountered the term “mentalism” in conversations with me, or they’ve heard it from others, or they’ve seen the popular show The Mentalist on CBS. Many people still approach me with the question: just what is mentalism, anyway? Per un trattamento adeguato una soluzione efficace c’è e consiste nell’utilizzare delle pillole davvero ottime come ad esempio quelle di cialis generico in farmacia senza ricetta pagamento alla consegna che in pratica è la versione economica commercializzata dalla sua casa produttrice che risponde al nome di Lilly. Il suo principio attivo Tadalafil ha l’effetto sicuro per, attenzione, intere 36 ore, il che è moltissimo per le medicine di questo tipo. Mentalism, simply put, is the branch of illusion arts that deals with psychological experiences more than visual ones, though there is sometimes some overlap. Mentalists present their audiences with experiences that seem like mind-reading, mental influence, predictions of future events, and occasionally the ability to move or affect physical objects with the power of the mind. Modern mentalism has roots in ancient times, where soothsayers and mediums performed acts that would be related to some kinds of mentalism today. In the 1800s, psychic entertainers became popular and some of the feats they performed would still be part of any mentalism performance today. Some mentalists strongly resist any comparison to magicians, preferring to think of the art as an entirely separate one with no pretended “supernatural” elements. Given that some mentalists have overtly made claims of “supernatural gifts” as the source of their abilities, that distinction holds little sway. Another common approach to performing mentalism today is to offer it in the context of using highly developed observational skills and an ability to read body language as the theatrical premise for the performance. This premise is, however, sometimes largely an illusion in its own right. It is generally a contrivance intended to persuade audiences that what they are experiencing is less a theatrical experience and more an actual ability to perceive people’s specific thoughts. While this claim is not supernatural in nature, in my view it is only slightly less dishonest. My personal approach to mentalism is to recognize it for what it really is: a truly mystifying branch of the illusion arts focused on experiences of the mind. Just as a skilled sleight-of-hand artist can make a coin appear to melt into nothingness, a skilled mentalist can seem to make a thought appear in your mind. The first illusion is visual; the second is psychological. They rely on some techniques that are similar, and some which are different. Likewise, the performer who makes a tiger appear on a stage relies on some techniques that are similar, and some which are different. All of the experiences are illusions to an audience. It can be fun to leave the line between reality and performance a little blurry for an audience. When that blurred line becomes a means by which someone attempts to sell products or services through the perception that the theatrical premise represents legitimate expertise on the part of the performer, then another line is also being blurred: the line between honest performer and scam artist. Interestingly, when the television show The Mentalist premiered, the Atlanta CBS affiliate contacted me about coming on the news for a feature on “Atlanta’s Real Life Mentalist.” In that segment they profiled me and my work as a speaker and mentalist. The interview itself is linked just below the image. Enjoy! [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFl0fCs5wG0&w=420&h=315]
Media Hit: Top Business Consultant to Speak at Chamber Banquet
Here’s a nice media hit from a couple of weeks ago; it was promoting my appearance at the Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber of Commerce that happened last weekend. Somehow I missed it when it came out, but here it is. Thank you, Dyersburg, for a great evening! I am looking forward to visiting again and seeing the results of the great opportunities you have on the horizon for your city, county, and region. From Dyersburg State Gazette Top business consultant to speak at Chamber banquet Sunday, January 15, 2012 Special to the State Gazette Sometimes achieving success in challenging circumstances doesn’t just seem difficult – it can seem downright impossible. Remember, though: things aren’t always what they seem! On Saturday, Jan. 28, “Chief Impossibility Officer” Joe M. Turner brings a special presentation designed to inspire us to rethink the impossible in the coming year. … Turner was a manager in the global change management consulting practice at Accenture, and later a vice president of associate development in the Business Practices Integration division of Bank of America. Those years of experience in training, business communication, human performance development and change management initiatives at numerous Fortune 100 clients give Turner credibility and insight into the challenges that individuals, teams, and organizations face as they encounter changing environments. … Full article: https://www.stategazette.com/story/1804733.html
Turner Magic and Keynotes Receives Best of Atlanta 2011 Award
Turner Magic & Keynotes has been selected for the 2011 Best of Atlanta Award in the Party Planning & Event Consultants category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).
Pennies from (Somewhere Just South of) Heaven
I don’t believe in luck, but I do believe in boosting people’s spirits. Here’s a new twist on the old “random acts of kindness” concept. Give it a try!
Evaluating the Quality of Unique Services
Most people have never experienced live magic or mentalism, and even fewer have had to book a performer or speaker for an event. Here are 6 tips for evaluating the quality of providers of unique services when you lack a large set of real-life “data points” from which to make your assessments.
Reviews, Recommendations, and Referrals
It’s no secret that positive feedback from my previous clients is a key factor in the buying decisions of my new clients. Most of my clients are eager to give their recommendation, but gone are the days when a binder of recommendation letters was the best way to collect stories from happy customers. I love having that letter to remind me of a great project and a great result, but if that story exists only on paper in my office, or even as text on my web site, then it is only having a fraction of the impact that it could have. That’s why I ask my clients to channel those valuable positive responses into online reviews, recommendations, and referrals. By contributing their input to some key online repositories, they can multiply the effect that their great feedback will have. The down side of this, of course, is that they have to take the time to do it. The purpose of this post is to make it easy to leave a great review online in just a few easy steps… with links included! Step One: Don’t panic! Keep it short and appropriate for the primary target market. Sometimes people are intimidated by a perceived need for volume. Relax! You don’t have to write a New York Times theater or book review. You can write one short review and post it in multiple places. In fact, it’s better to keep your review short and enthusiastic – it’s more likely to be read! Despite being short, though, it’s also important to give some thought to how best to communicate value to the future prospect. My primary target market, for example, consists of meetings, conventions, and corporate events where I can be booked as a keynote speaker, after-dinner entertainer, trade show booth presenter, or hospitality entertainer. Sometimes my work takes me into other venues or settings, but it is my primary corporate audience that needs to know my value to them. If my work for you was in a different setting, it’s helpful to focus on the components of my presentation that are of most interest to my corporate clients. Comments relating to professionalism, reliability, superior experience, higher value, my ability to deliver high-quality entertainment, build practical skills, engage people, get good audience feedback, and integrate client messages into my performances are all of interest to my main clients. Step Two: Share your review, prioritizing key sites first but sharing as widely as possible. Google and LinkedIn are two key sites where my clients do research on speakers and entertainers. Having your review posted there makes a big difference in my online visibility. In order to post reviews on Google and LinkedIn, you’ll have to have an account at both places. Fortunately, they are free and most people already have them. How To Leave a Google Review If you don’t have a Google account, then click here to create one for free. Once you’re signed in, click here to leave a review. If that doesn’t take you directly to a text box, click here and look for the “Write a Review” button. How To Leave a LinkedIn Recommendation If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, then click here to create one for free. Once you’re signed in, click here to view my profile. At the top right of the screen you’ll see the link to “Recommend Joe M.” – just click on that and you can post your recommendation there. You may wish to target your recommendation either to my entertainment offerings or my professional speaking. Taking It To The Next Level If you have time, you can follow a similar process to leave your review on as many other pages as you can. Klout is growing in importance – please visit my Klout page and leave me “+1” on topics of change, speaking, networking, and magic. Some additional options include Bing, Yelp, Yahoo, and Merchant Circle. Step Three: Share your review on your social media sites and mine! Once you’ve created your review, don’t forget to share a link on your Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social media pages. If you have a blog, post a link there. And as always, please feel free to join me on my Facebook page and share your feedback and even upload photos you may have taken at your event! Your participation on my page makes a big difference in its visibility.
Microsoft Outlook: Combining Two Groups of -Company (None)- Contacts
When Microsoft Outlook imports contacts from outside files, sometimes you end up with two groups of “No Company” contacts. This simple process will help you easily consolidate the two groups into a single “No Company” group.
“One Enchanted Evening” in Vicksburg Sept 8
Mississippi Native Turner Brings Magic, Music From Atlanta to Vicksburg NOTE: Listen to a radio interview about this upcoming appearance! Interview by Annette Kirklin on The Directors Report, WVBG Radio, Vicksburg, MS (8/17/2011) Atlanta speaker and entertainer Joe M. Turner will perform “One Enchanted Evening” at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center on Thursday, September 8. Turner, a Brandon native, will present a unique show of sleight-of-hand illusions and music performances. The Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation takes immense pride in welcoming acclaimed international speaker, corporate entertainer, and Brandon, Mississippi native Joe M. Turner back to his home state for a one-night-only, one-of-a-kind theatrical performance on Thursday, September 8th at 7:00pm in the SCH Auditorium. Turner will present a multi-faceted evening of variety entertainment including unreal sleight-of-hand mysteries, uncanny psychological illusions, and unforgettable piano and vocal classics, all woven together into what some consider “a 21st-century one-man vaudeville.” Don’t miss this unique entertainment event! This limited engagement will sell out, so don’t miss out! Tickets are $25 for SCHF Members, $30 for Non-Members and $225 for a Corporate/Private Table. Ticket price includes heavy hors d’oeuvres, punch, a cash bar, and an unforgettable evening of magic, mentalism, and music! Tickets are on sale now at the SCHF Business Office, Paper Plus or charge by phone at (601) 631-2997. You can get tickets and directions online at https://www.southernculture.org Joe M. Turner combines seven years of corporate experience in training design and development, business communication, human performance development and change management initiatives at Fortune 100 clients with extensive theatre experience and magical talents to create customized magical presentations for his clients. Joe is a member of the National Speakers Association, the Academy of Magical Arts at The Magic Castle in Hollywood, the Society of American Magicians, the International Brotherhood of Magicians, The Magic Circle in London (A.I.M.C. with silver star), and the Fellowship of Christian Magicians. He is also a popular speaker, onscreen and onstage talent, a professional pianist, an accomplished vocalist, composer and playwright. Visit his website at https://turnermagic.com Space is limited and an advanced ticket purchase is suggested. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call the SCHF office at 601-631-2997 or email info@southernculture.org ### Based in Atlanta, Georgia, professional speaker, mentalist, and corporate magician Joe M. Turner delivers unreal entertainment and keynotes for corporate meetings, events, trade shows, conferences and private events worldwide. Category Entertainment, Event, Arts
Recent Interviews and News Stories
Atlanta speaker, mentalist, and magician Joe M. Turner is the South’s most-recommended magical entertainer and speaker based on LinkedIn and Google results. This post contains links to several interviews and media appearances in recent weeks.
On the Essential, Eternal Question of Pricing…
When a client contacts a professional speaker or entertainer for a possible engagement, the one issue everyone knows must be addressed – but which nobody wants to be the first to mention – is the fee. Joe M. Turner examines the issue via a quote of disputed origin but undisputed relevance.
