Small Action, Big Impact
Small Action, Big Impact Have you ever considered the impact that a small action or decision can have on your audience? Something you consider minor can have an enormous impact on a customer, client, or anyone else who is paying attention to your brand. Here’s a real-world experience that may give you something to think about. So What Actually Happened? Last year I was invited to perform for a corporate client’s holiday party at a beautiful venue in Nashville, Tennessee. Despite unprecedented amounts of ice, snow, and multiple transportation obstacles between my home in Atlanta and the venue in Nashville, I still made it and let me tell you — I have never been so happy to get to work! (The story of overcoming those obstacles is a story worthy of an entire post of its own. Stay tuned!) For this corporate event I provided background piano music, strolling close-up magic, and an after-dinner cabaret magic and mentalism show. That stand-up magic show included a number of pieces that required help from the audience. Choosing assistants from an audience is part art and part science. As the performer, you are observing and evaluating countless characteristics. Is this person smiling and open? Refusing eye-contact? Have they enjoyed the show so far, or have you sensed some kind of tension? Are they obviously having a bad day? Are they wearing glasses? Do they need a cane? Does their behavior seem predictable or erratic? Will the stress of being onstage with you excite or terrify them? Will their participation give the audience more enjoyment, or will it create tension? You may not always be able to know the precise answer to all of these questions, but over time you develop a gut instinct for what makes a good fit in each “guest star” role of your show. I was looking for an audience assistant for a part of my show near the end, and as I scanned the audience I caught the eye of a young girl. She was anxious to help, and might have been a good fit if I were doing a show that was designed for young assistants… but in this case, she wasn’t quite what I needed. I smiled, said as politely as I could that I was going to need someone else, and moved on in my search. I was packing up after the show when she and her dad came by to speak. They were super polite and he simply said that she wanted to talk with me. It was clear that she was disappointed, but she mainly just wanted to interact with me. I thanked her for her willingness to to help and got an address. Later on, I sent her a pack of my personal playing cards as a souvenir. She sent back the thank-you card pictured in this article. Three Decisions and Their Aftermath Let’s look at some decisions that were made and what impact they had. First, no matter how politely I moved on from that moment, I consciously chose not to use this child in my program. In my work I either choose or don’t choose hundreds of people in every show. To me, the moment I decide to move on is a drop of water in an ever-flowing river, and I have very good reasons for those decisions. But to a person in my audience, they might never have been at a show with a performer who was using audience participants. They might catch my eye only one time during the show, and if I don’t choose them… that feels very different. If they have invested emotionally in the moment, it can be truly disappointing. Even adults know how disappointing it is to feel that we’ve been “passed over” for an award, or a promotion, or even a sale. We may have more maturity and more emotional tools for dealing with that and building on it, but it’s still a downer. My small action, no matter how necessary it was, nor how unintended any offense, had a disproportionately negative impact on that young lady. Fortunately, they told me about it rather than keeping it secret! Next, after finding out that the young lady was disappointed, I took action. I chose to send a gift and a short note of encouragement. This was another minor decision, as I have decks of cards on hand and it cost me next to nothing to put together a little gift. But the act of doing so was about more than my own reputation management – it was also intended to help a real person feel real joy. It is almost trivial to take a moment to attempt to bring genuine joy to someone who you know needs it. (Psssst — everyone needs it!) Finally, the young lady responded to what I thought was a trivial gift with a thank you note that she made herself! Clearly, my small actions had a big impact, but her thank you note also did – it was the impetus for this article, and a great illustration of core customer service and branding principles that everyone can learn from. What Can We Learn About Customer Service and Keeping Our Brand Promises? Here are some questions to consider: – Do your business processes have built-in decision points that can generate genuine disappointment for some people? (Pssst – the answer to this question is always “Yes.”) – Do you have channels open to find out about those situations? – Are you willing to evaluate those concerns, prioritize them, and address them? – Are you celebrating the successes of doing so, so that others in your audience can see your brand honestly trying to live up to its promises? In any business, you will sometimes have to make decisions that mean some people don’t get exactly what they wanted. However, with thought and effort, you can take some disappointing outcomes and still frame them in ways that emphasize your organization’s commitment to
Five Kinds of Amazing, Part 5: Hypersight and Vision
Five Kinds of Amazing, Part 5: Hypersight The fifth of the Five Kinds of Amazing relates to another branch of mentalism effects which I’ll group under the umbrella term “hypersight.” This category is distinct from the prior one in that while it includes apparent psychic abilities, this specific type of inexplicable knowledge is not derived from mind-to-mind telepathy, but rather from apparent knowledge at a distance without a direct telepathic connection to another mind. What kinds of effects or experiences might be included in this genre? In my own performances, I sometimes call out the serial number of a bank note volunteered from someone’s wallet or purse. This is information that wouldn’t exist in anyone’s mind, waiting to be telepathically read. The information simply exists in the environment and must be sensed through some kind of unusual remote vision. Likewise, a performer who can somehow tell you what items are in your purse, briefcase, or glove compartment would be demonstrating this kind of effect. Examples outside show business might include the “psychic detective” who somehow knows where the body is buried or where some other lost item can be recovered. (I don’t personally believe in the real-world validity of such examples, but they are common enough stories in the popular culture that they serve as a clarifying example.) There are even tales of Cold War experiments in which the concept of remote viewing was explored for the purposes of espionage. I also include in this category any apparent knowledge at a temporal distance – that is, the apparent ability to see into the future. As an example, I have frequently predicted (in the theatrical sense) local newspaper headlines or sports scores that would be reported on the day of my performances. Outside show business, figures such as Sylvia Browne, Jeane Dixon, Uri Geller, doomsday cult leaders and others have taken the prediction game to an extreme, leaving the theatrical framework aside to attempt to convince gullible or heartsick people that they really could see into the future. As a result, these and thousands if not millions of other unethical individuals have made livings and sometimes fortunes by monetizing the misplaced hope of others. It goes without saying that any skill – theatrical, technological, or otherwise – can be used for purposes either good or ill. The underlying concept of precognition or second sight, though, is a truly compelling theatrical idea. It is a startling and amazing thing to think that someone could know in advance the outcome of a crisis, challenge, contest, or any other question or endeavor. So what business competency can we develop that gives our audience this kind of experience, in a positive, inspirational, and ethical way? Vision To answer that, I go back to management consultant Peter F. Drucker’s well-known turn of phrase, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” While perhaps a bit clichéd now, this is an empowering and illuminating idea in several ways, all of which revolve around the concept of vision. First, the direction to create the future assumes a fundamental ability to create. Creativity is an invaluable asset and, while some may demonstrate it in higher degree than others, everyone has the ability to increase and improve their creative output. Once a new product, service, technique, or idea becomes accepted and embedded in the environment, the person, group, or brand that put it there will retroactively be credited with uncanny vision of the future. Second, creating the future assumes a clear goal. Does your brand define clear goals and make it clear that they have been achieved? The pattern of declaration, achievement, and celebration is convincing evidence that there is an evolving but clearly intentional vision for the future of the brand and its relationship to its audience. Third, creating the future hinges on the ability of a leader to inspire action. Whether dealing with a large organization, a small team, or even oneself, the most innovative creativity and the clearest vision are of no use until action is taken. Vision, as a corresponding competency to hypersight, relates to the ability to identify, anticipate, and create trends by innovation and thought leadership. Creativity, clarity, and leadership are the tools that allow you to amaze your audience in this mode.
Five Kinds of Amazing, Part 4: Contact
Five Kinds of Amazing, Part 4: Contact We all want our audiences to perceive our brands as “amazing,” and the “Five Kinds of Amazing” model provides a way to organize our approaches for making amazing experiences happen. In reviewing the first three elements, the magic metaphors all relate to primarily visual experiences. – Talent/Expertise: relating to open and frequent knowledge sharing – Science/Process: relating to embedding unexpected positive experiences in standard processes – Mystery/Empowerment: relating to the overt contradiction of an established process In this article and the next, we are going to shift gears a bit. In the final two categories, we’ll be referring to effects within a particular branch of illusion arts known as “mentalism.” I’ve written about mentalism before, and you may find it helpful in understanding the metaphor by reviewing that article. To summarize, though, mentalism is a branch of the illusion arts that deals with experiences that are more psychological than visual. Instead of more traditional conjuring effects such as objects appearing, floating, changing colors, or being destroyed and restored, mentalism relates to experiences of supposed ESP, mind-reading, mental influence, ability to affect the physical world through the power of the mind, and predictions of future events. Some mentalism effects or experiences relate to the concept of mind-reading. The “Contact” category corresponds to this kind of illusion, in which one person seems to be able to communicate with another person solely through mental power. The apparent ability to read minds or to influence people mentally is a powerful theatrical experience. Classic performers like Alexander and Dunninger and more modern figures like the Evasons and Max Maven have created sensations with their ability to seemingly get inside the minds of other people. Communication In business, contact equals communication. The key factor here is that there are two minds involved – someone is sending the message, and someone is receiving and, more importantly, responding to it. If someone could really read your mind – and let’s say that they can only read it to the extent that you permit them to read it – how do you think you’d feel? Let’s leave aside the possible negative aspects for a moment and just think about some of the other implications. You might feel as if there were a direct and unfiltered connection, and that the communication was practically instantaneous. Depending on how they handled that information, you might develop a deep trust. You’d certainly feel that you had their undivided attention if they were peering directly into your mind. If you want your audience to feel like you’ve made the best possible connection with them – that is, an amazing connection, then it’s up to you to make sure you communicate with them in similar ways: Regularly So that there’s an expectation that you’ll be in touch consistently. Quickly So that there’s an immediacy in the engagement. Honestly So that there’s an establishment of trust. Attentively So that there’s a clear prioritization of that communication. The faster you respond, the more amazing they’ll find that interaction. The more you share honest, useful, information with them, the more amazing they’ll find your brand. The more attentive you are to them in the moments when they are reaching out, the more amazing the story they’ll tell their own audiences. Next time, we’ll wrap up the five kinds of amazing with a look at another type of mentalism experience and how it relates to your brand’s audience!
Captain’s Log: NetFlix Customer Service Boldly Amazes!
4 Great Lessons from NetFlix’s Amazing Customer Service Interaction When I speak to conferences on how to create amazing brand experiences for their audiences, one of the key points is to create amazement within the very processes that your audience would normally consider the most boring or irritating. Tom Cheredar’s post on VentureBeat last week illustrates this in multiple ways. The story describes how a NetFlix customer service representative, Mike, did exactly that. In an online support chat session, he assumed the character of a Starfleet Captain, asking the customer for information as if he were a member of the starship crew. The customer played along, and their subsequent conversation about temporal loops and damage reports became a great example of an amazing brand experience. Make sure to read the entire post here: https://venturebeat.com/2013/10/11/awesome-netflix-customer-service-conversation/, then consider my “lessons learned” below. [spacer size=”50″] 4 Takeaways from Captain Mike and Lieutenant Norm’s Exchange “Captain Mike” is a real person, not a robot or an over-trained, over-regulated customer service android (with no offense intended to Commander Data). His choice to engage the customer in character was bold and a little risky, but he retained the power to abandon the character if the customer didn’t respond positively. The decision to make the interaction fun demonstrates point 2 of my “Five Kinds of Amazing,” namely, the Science/Process experience. This was not really a breaking or rethinking of the rules, but rather an unexpected result that was embedded within the natural processes of the business environment. (Note that while the incident demonstrates that NetFlix empowers their reps to take some liberties with customer interactions, this specific interaction did not demonstrate the Magic/Empowerment experience as it is present in my “5 Kinds” model. This is because there was no coloring outside the lines of policy to the direct benefit of the customer at some cost to the brand; there were no exceptions, extensions, refunds, etc. This doesn’t mean the experience wasn’t amazing; it just means that it was amazing for point 2, not for point 3.) This experience cost NetFlix nothing. It was a direct result of the unleashed creativity of an individual, not a policy. Individuals who act and communicate create cultural influences that lead to more of these experiences more effectively than policy edicts. As a result of the amazing experience, “Lt. Norm” didn’t just want a copy of the transcript to keep, but to share with his network. This is the real evidence of an amazing brand experience – the customer is motivated to tell others about what happened.
Five Kinds of Amazing, Part 3: Mystery
Five Kinds of Amazing, Part 3: Mystery In our previous articles we’ve established the “5 Kinds of Amazing” model for delivering brand experiences that create audience amazement. We’ve discussed the first two pieces of the model: – Talent/Expertise: relating to open and frequent knowledge sharing – Science/Process: relating to embedding unexpected positive experiences in standard processes In this article, we continue with the third kind of amazing, the experience of Mystery and its counterpart, Empowerment. Mystery, as we use the term here, relates to the apparent contradiction of a natural law. Most traditional magic falls here – people are cut in half and put back together, or birds appear from nowhere. Even a signed card vanishing and reappearing in a wallet fits here. This is an enormous category but the characteristic of all the effects is that the laws of nature are being visibly contradicted. When an illusionist, either a magician or a mentalist, creates amazement by convincingly appearing to contradict the physical laws of nature, they will elicit a strong response. This response will be proportional to the directness and blatancy with which the law seems to be broken. Earlier this month I saw a show featuring the exceptional South Korean card magician Yu Ho Jin. He stood at the center of a large stage in Las Vegas and, using props that would fit in a lunchbox, he captivated a huge audience. Although he performed at the end of a dynamic, high-energy show full of motion and flash, he stood planted center stage, looking out at the audience with a beatific smile. He transformed a white scarf into a single playing white card. That card was transformed into a pink card, then it changed to blue, then to green. He then reached into the air repeatedly pulling fans of cards from nowhere, dropping them and instantly producing fans of other cards. In a key moment, he visibly tore a playing card lengthwise and held the barest sliver of it in his right hand. The left hand made the other, larger piece vanish completely. The music stopped. In silence, the piece he held expanded visibly, growing at his fingertips until it was a completely restored card. It was as if it were being materialized and reconstructed from the atoms in the air as we watched. That moment was a complete refutation of reality. A gasp went out from the audience. A huge stage, over a thousand people in the crowd, and the defiance of physics in a space of about six square inches caused an honest, uncontrollable emotional response. This was a beautiful experience, and it beautifully illustrates a remarkable point: the power to alter reality in ‘impossible’ ways is charged with emotional potential. So what does that look like on your stage? Empowerment and Brand Engagement In a business, your “laws of nature” are your business processes. These processes describe how your universe is supposed to work. If you choose the right moment to break one of those rules, however, you can create an unforgettably amazing moment for your audience. Most of us can think of a time when a policy was ignored, a rule was broken, or we received some other special dispensation. It makes us feel special when exceptions are made to accommodate our needs or wants. Certainly Ritz-Carlton’s work in going beyond normal expectations is legendary, with a policy that formally empowers every employee to spend up to $2,000 to solve a guest’s problem or rectify a situation. I have personally witnessed how free first class, hotel room, or rental car upgrades can change a bad travel experience into a good one almost instantaneously. Even if upgrading to first class isn’t possible, I still feel special when the flight attendant pops an extra pack of Biscoff cookies in my hand. But just as Yu Ho Jin didn’t need a full stage illusion to break through to his audience and deliver an unforgettable experience, you don’t have to have a Ritz-Carlton budget to create amazing against-the-rules moments. If free gifts aren’t in the budget, there are other ways to show the ability and willingness to color outside the lines. Extending a sale price for a day or two after a sale can create loyalty from a customer who was just price-shopping. Merely going above and beyond in the interest of service can be almost as impressive as a policy break. Earlier this summer, I was on the leadership team for a convention at a large hotel in the Southwest. One of the activities during the convention required a full-length mirror. Rather than charge us to locate or rent a mirror, one of the hotel staff offered to loan us his mirror from his own office. That was unexpected, outside the normal rules, and made a positive impression. Are your employees, managers, or other brand representatives empowered to break the rules if needed in order to ensure that your audience gets an amazing experience? The mysterious, logic-defying feeling of magic is a brand-engagement power that you don’t have to be a wizard to wield.
Miley, Justin, and Personal Branding
Miley, Justin, and Personal Branding I didn’t watch the MTV Video Music Awards last night. I spent the evening listening to old ragtime music on YouTube. But like a man sheltered safely underground while the tornado passes over, eventually one has to come out and walk through the wreckage. So this morning, like many Americans, I turned on the television and the computer and got a massive, if filtered, retelling of the award show escapades. Of course the Miley Cyrus “performance” at the MTV awards was the lead story in multiple outlets. This week we’ll see plenty of editorializing about this young woman’s choices and what they say about her, her family, and the culture in which she has achieved her notoriety. For now, though, let’s just look at two elements of the MTV Video Music Awards and consider what they mean for brands. The obvious story is the Miley Cyrus story. Her hyper-sexualized attire and movement got her in the news, probably in exactly the way she intended. Like Lohan, GaGa, Madonna, and a long line of others going back to time immemorial, she is happy to be discussed regardless of the content of the discussion. Her brand is (currently) built on notoriety and shock value. Rather than being damaged by the incident and the disapproving headshakes of commentators including myself, her brand is probably being strengthened in the eyes of her target audience. However, it will take a constantly increasing level of shock value to break through the ever shorter and more desensitized attention spans of that audience. Whether her body and her psyche are resilient enough to withstand that in the long term remains to be seen. We all know that this kind of behavior has limits and eventually, those limits will be reached. Was she amazing? In my model, she didn’t demonstrate an overt expertise, and she didn’t exploit any hidden properties of natural laws. She didn’t demonstrate an inexplicable connection with the thoughts of others, or the ability to predict the future. What she did – and what all shock performers do – is break the conventional norms. The spectacle of contradicting normal processes and accepted social mores is engaging, even though in this case it was done in a superficial way. So her act may have qualified as amazing on that basis, but because the message associated with that amazing act is questionable, the effect on her brand in the eyes of the public at large is mixed at best. In other words, that “twerking” is basically a conjunction for “not working.” Why JT Got It Right The other big story from the VMAs, though, was Justin Timberlake. His performances managed to break through much of the Miley Cyrus noise to get some positive press. Was Justin Timberlake amazing? He demonstrated quality skills and expertise, and he appealed to nostalgia by putting together a (somewhat) unexpected reunion with N-Sync. By reuniting a group that doesn’t officially exist anymore, he tapped into the “impossible experience” and gave people a fleeting taste of something they can’t really have anymore. He touched on two kinds of amazing – expertise and mystery – and elevated his brand in the process. Contrast this approach with that of Miley Cyrus, who gave people a look at everything and practically begged the audience to take it. Which approach elevated the brand more effectively? Which approach diminished the brand? Be amazing, but for heaven’s sake, be careful!
Five Kinds of Amazing, Part 1: Talent
Five Kinds of Amazing, Part 1: Talent Last time, we discussed the “Five Kinds of Amazing” model for increasing brand engagement. This week, we examine the first category in more detail. Further, we will begin to tie those experiences to business competencies. Within the genre of theatrical magic, there exists a branch of performance related to the open display of skill and dexterity. This style of magic performance is called “manipulation.” (In the magical world that word carries none of the negative connotations sometimes associated with the term in other settings.) Some performers become legends because of their manipulation acts. One such performer was Richard Pitchford, who performed as Cardini. His skill with playing cards, making them appear and disappear even while wearing gloves, made him a figure so revered that his name still tops any list of skillful magicians of the past century. The open display of talent is a fundamental category of amazing performance experiences. We are impressed and astonished when we see an individual perform at a high level, whether they are manipulating magic props, dancing en pointe, or breaking a world record at the Olympics. Jaw-dropping demonstrations of honed talent engage attention, exceed expectations, and may even defy explanation beyond some recognition of the years it took to perfect the skill. Nothing supernatural had to happen to create the astonishment; it was just the experience of seeing someone perform and achieve at a high level. That is the first kind of “amazing.” When it comes to creating an amazing experience for a brand’s audience, the parallel experience to “Talent” is “Expertise.” Amazing brands consistently demonstrate and share a high degree of specialized knowledge. Whether through blogging, social media, traditional marketing, or public relations, amazing brands consistently share interesting, unusual, or practical information. This information usually indicates such a depth of knowledge and command of history in their field that they are instantly positioned as the experts. An interesting facet of this parallel relationships lies in the speed with which expertise is demonstrated. A novelty act on stage knows that he has to come out strong and nail them early in the performance with something that proves not just competence, but mastery. Likewise, the sooner a brand demonstrates mastery when they encounter a new audience, the better positioned they are to establish and defend their claim to “amazing” in that audience’s mind. Talent. Expertise. Have a great opener and differentiate yourself from the rest in the way that you share expert knowledge.
An Amazing Event for Yelp.com
Buy Latisse (Bimatoprost) online at the guaranteed lowest price https://hello-eyelashes.com. Generic Latisse (also known as Bimatoprost) is an eye drop that is used for the purpose of growing longer and thicker eye lashes. It also helps in combating the issue of glaucoma that can lead to impairment of vision if it is not treated on time. Last month I was honored to perform for staff and users of Yelp.com in their first OTP (“Outside the Perimeter”) community event in metro-Atlanta. While the Atlanta Yelpers have had their own events, this was the first for the OTP community. The “Yelp OTP Deco-Dence Party” was a celebration of food, merriment, and 1930s & 40s style. I performed mobile close-up magic as well as serving as the closing act onstage. The event, as evidenced by the multiple reviews that have appeared online since then, was an unqualified success. In fact, you might even say it was an amazing event. But what made it amazing? Using my “Five Kinds of Amazing” model, let’s take a closer look. I think this event primarily leveraged the strengths of two categories. 1. SCIENCE/PROCESS: Relating to the unexpected result of a natural law or process; an unexpected moment of delight in an otherwise familiar process or environment. The event was held at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre, a beautiful space where I’ve had the good fortune to perform on a few previous occasions. This venue has an intriguing history and is a good example of a rescued gem. Like Atlanta’s Fabulous Fox and other theatres large and small, this former movie house stood vacant and deteriorating until the community saved it. This location wasn’t new, and the renovations weren’t even all that recent. Many people were aware of it and even drive past it on a regular basis, but had never been inside. This is an example of something being hidden in plain sight. Yelp OTP amazed their audience by spotlighting the extraordinary hidden inside the ordinary. 2. CONTACT/COMMUNICATION: Relating to apparent mental interaction or influence; the efficient, effective, and excited sharing of information between people. Yelp, as they describe themselves, “is an online urban city guide that helps people find cool places to eat, shop, drink, relax and play, based on the informed opinions of a vibrant and active community of locals in the know.” It’s largely a review site, but the people who run and participate there (“Yelpers”) have a sense of community and connection that goes beyond other online review sites. As a result, they are prone to have parties. The Yelp audience is inter-connected both online and in real life, and Yelp uses that blend of communication to create demand, share information, and to prolong the effectiveness of the event after it was concluded. Before the event, RSVPs are flying in, along with comments about what is coming and who will be there. At the event, people are checking in, posting pictures, and connecting with new people. Professional photos are posted after the event, bringing everyone back to continue the conversation and share reviews. All of this communication pays big dividends in making the event take up more valuable real estate in the minds of their audience. Amazing! As for me, the event was a great opportunity to work in a beautiful setting here in my own part of town. I got to meet a lot of fun people, including the organizer Heidi P. She put together an outstanding event and I hope I get to work with her and the Yelp folks again soon. [gn_spacer size=”20″] Click here to enjoy more photos from the event. P.S. I have to share my favorite review – thanks to Lindy F. for your kind words! The most fun of the night had to be the entertainment. While I enjoyed the stage performance of the riotous Thimblerig Circus and the vocal stylings of Amy Baldwin in the lounge, my favorite and most entertaining of the night was Joe M. Turner, magician extraordinaire. I loved his stage performance, but found myself in his presence around the theatre all night being wowed by his masterful prestidigitation. Card tricks, dice tricks, coin tricks, the man does it all. As my friend stated, so matter-of-factly – this man has to perform at my wedding. ‘Nuff said. Again, this has been the most fun event to date for me.
Five Kinds of Amazing – The Framework
Five Kinds of Amazing – The Framework “Five Kinds of Amazing” is a useful model for understanding, evaluating, and increasing audience engagement, typically as it relates to retail or corporate brands and their associated audiences. It has relevance not just for marketing professionals and brand managers, but also for event producers, team or organization leaders, and even individuals. If you make decisions that ultimately have an audience that you’d like to influence and amaze, then this concept can be useful for you. If you’ve heard me speak in the past year, you’ve probably heard me give a version of this presentation. In the next few weeks, I’ll be giving you a thumbnail sketch of each of the concepts. I’m also openly asking for your stories and contributions, as they will be part of the accompanying book that I’m currently writing. For today, though, I’d like to give you a brief overview of the model. This is a map for where this blog will go in the next few weeks. “Five Kinds of Amazing” begins with an analysis of the theatrical magical experience. Magicians and mentalists perform a wide range of entertaining illusions, from making things appear or disappear to apparent feats of mindreading. These experiences share the characteristic of being “impossible,” but they are different in terms of effect; that is, they are different in the characteristics of what rules are being broken or what normal constraints are being overcome. The various “flavors” of impossible experiences have been systematized in many ways over the years. Some magical writers have taken it to truly impressive degrees of granularity, describing dozens of different effects. I have divided the experiences into five broad categories: five kinds of amazing. Talent – Relating to the overt demonstration of exceptional or highly-developed skill. Feats of amazing dexterity fall into this category, along with demonstrations of juggling or complicated magical flourishes. Outside of magic, many other fields fall into this category including performing arts, sports, and many crafts. Science – Relating to an unexpected consequence of a natural law. Some magic tricks work because natural physical laws sometimes lead to unusual results. Creators such as Martin Gardner and Stewart James are well known to magicians for their insights that fall into this category. Optical illusions, science demonstrations, and unusual natural events such as eclipses would also fall here. Mystery – Relating to the apparent contradiction of a natural law. Most traditional magic falls here – people are cut in half and put back together, or birds appear from nowhere. Even a signed card vanishing and reappearing in a wallet fits here. This is an enormous category but the characteristic of all the effects is that physics is being visibly contradicted. Contact – Relating to apparent mental interaction or influence. Mentalism consists in large part of the apparent ability to read minds. This category involves all apparent thought-reading or thought-sharing, including tricks relating to contacting spirits. Essentially, if there are two minds involved then the effect belongs in this category. Hypersight – Relating to apparent knowledge at a distance, either physically or temporally. I’ve used an unusual term to describe a combination of clairvoyant effects (i.e., seeing something at a great physical distance) and precognition effects (i.e., seeing something that happens in the future). This category includes effects that involve a single mind – a “receiver” only, not a “sender” – and a separation of either distance or time. As we explore these concepts, I’ll explain how each of these concepts can be applied to the decisions you make relating to your own brand and your own audience. Stay tuned!
High JOEltage is now available!
The purpose of my new book, High JOEltage!, is to encourage, motivate, and provoke you to think about ways you can have an amazing impact on your audience and improve your personal effectiveness.
