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Recent Press Hits in Alabama and Georgia

Just a quick update this time. I had two recent press hits, one relating to an entertainment opportunity in Alabama, and one regarding a speaking engagement on small business branding in metro-Atlanta. Cherokee County Herald 5-15-2013 (PDF file) The entertainment event was for the Cherokee County (AL) Chamber of Commerce. Even in the entertainment setting, though, I couldn’t help but share some of my thoughts on the business and community impact of such organizations. The event received a full page of coverage in the Cherokee County Herald. [gn_spacer size=”30″] Douglas County Sentinel 5-15-2013 (PDF file) The speaking engagement was for the Rotary Club of Douglas County, Georgia. Although I’m not a Rotarian myself, my grandfather was a District Governor and a Paul Harris Fellow. He took me to Rotary meetings when I was a child, and I think I knew the 4 Way Test before I knew my multiplication tables! I have a soft spot when invited to speak to Rotary Clubs. I spoke on small business branding and got a front page article and photo in the Douglas County Sentinel. Interestingly, both press hits appeared on the same day!

3 Key Dynamics of Strolling Magic

Joe M. Turner - The Chief Impossibility Officer Magically enhancing the effectiveness of a large corporate hospitality event.

Adding Interactive Magic and Mentalism to Group Receptions and Networking Events Event planners and meeting planners face unusual challenges. One of these is the “networking event” or “welcome reception” – traditionally held on the first evening of a conference. Imagine that you’re planning a meeting or conference that is going to draw people from around the nation or even around the world. In order to have an effective conference, these people need to meet and interact with others, hopefully creating new relationships and deepening existing ones. So, on the first evening, after everyone has arrived from the airport and checked into the hotel, we put them all in a room, give them some drinks, and hope that a sense of community starts to form. Sometimes it happens by itself, at least in a limited fashion. Every group will include some individuals whose social skills and intuition will start to click and they’ll start to work the room. Generally speaking, though, most people find these events at least somewhat uncomfortable and awkward, and find it difficult to introduce themselves to new people or inject themselves into group conversations. Left to themselves, most attendees will cluster with people they already know, reducing the intended effectiveness of the event. These people often leave with the sense that the event was boring, pointless, and unsuccessful.   Interactive Strolling Entertainment and Group Dynamics The addition of an interactive, mobile entertainer, particularly using magic and mentalism, changes the dynamic of these events in some important ways. We can look at those dynamics in three main ways: 1) how the performer relates to the participants, 2) how the participants relate to each other, and 3) how the event relates to the participants.   Strolling Magic: The Performer-to-Participant Dynamic First, a skilled presenter of visual or psychological illusions is by definition giving people an unusual, out-of-the-ordinary experience. It is an automatic conversation starter, even among people who have never previously met. Just as shared experiences over time help to coalesce people into teams in the macro sense, these small shared experiences start to build community in the micro sense, facilitating interaction by giving the attendees an obvious and immediate topic on which to comment. As a performer, this “performer to participant” relationship is at the foundation of all my event goals – and it’s my challenge as an artist to deliver the highest quality, most entertaining illusions for the eyes and minds of the audience. Appealing, stunning, interactive mysteries create buzz and get people excited.   Strolling Magic: The Participant-to-Participant Dynamic Second, an experienced professional with an understanding of communication and the dynamics of interpersonal interaction will proactively use these moments of attention and response to make introductions. This cannot always be scripted, nor should it be forced or wedged into every single situation; it is a social skill that performers develop after years of experience in real-world situations. When I perform in the mobile, “strolling” environment, one of the most important tasks I set for myself is to find out where people are from and to introduce them to people from other locations as the event proceeds. “Carl, what company, division or department are you with? Have you met Claire? She’s from Connecticut – and she has an impressive sense of intuition! Watch this…” In this way, the “participant to participant” relationship is enabled and enhanced by the experienced close-up entertainer.   Strolling Magic: The Event-to-Participant Dynamic Finally, there are some events and situations where the entertainment may have the additional objective of communicating some specific messaging about the event or organization. For example, a conference may wish to create anticipation about a surprise announcement to happen later in the convention – an unexpected guest, product launch, or special event. Perhaps there is a specific goal that the conference is either setting or celebrating. Maybe there is a specific key word or important number that the organizers want people to buzz about after the event. Or maybe the message is nothing more than, “We really want you to have a great time at this conference!”   My Goals for Strolling Magic and Mentalism Entertainment Whatever the reason or message, my goals for all performances of strolling magic and mentalism are: To work with the event organizers to understand the objective of the event and the message, if any. To draw upon my experience and expertise to support the objective and integrate the message with magic. To deliver that message in an entertaining, memorable way. “Message driven entertainment” takes many shapes, and I work with the conference planners to identify various solutions for each situation. The ability to design and deliver exciting and effective “event to participant” communications is a specialized skill that, in conjunction with a highly skilled performer, helps to ensure that the objectives for the event are achieved. Each of these three relationships – Performer-to Participant, Participant-to-Participant, and Event-to-Participant – plays a significant role in the effectiveness of a group event or reception. Many performers and entertainers in this industry have a pretty firm grasp on how to relate to some audiences, such as children or casual gatherings. That is great for some events! The fact remains, though, that not all performers are equally experienced in relating to corporate groups. Once the element of corporate identity is introduced, then the entertainment stops being just a part of the event – it is now in some sense a reflection of the brand. Performers who have real-world experience interacting with corporate groups, speaking with executives and managers, leading teams, and representing brands have a value that goes beyond just the tricks. What sets some performers apart then is not just mastery of the performance, but the ability to take it to the next level – and the next! – to ensure that the entertainment supports the overall objectives and messaging of the conference or the event, to the appropriate degree. Are you working on a meeting or conference that includes a group reception? Call me, and

Keeping It SIMPLE: Magical Presentation Tips

Keeping presentations simple will enhance the impact you have on your audience.

Keeping It SIMPLE: Magical Presentation Tips I’ve been performing magic for a long time. I’ve made my fulltime living with magic and speaking presentations for nearly 13 years, and I’ve been performing for fun for most of my life. Besides performing and speaking in Atlanta, this amazing art has taken me across America and all over the world. As you can imagine, I’ve seen a lot of magic and a lot of magicians in my travels. If I had to offer a bit of advice to those performers who are trying to improve the impact of their magic presentations, I’d tell them the same thing I’m still telling myself: keep it simple. I intend this not just in the technical and theatrical senses, but also in the following ways:   Surprising – Does your performance lead to a genuine surprise? Or are people yawning, distracted, and simply giving you a polite golf clap at the end? Have you telegraphed or spoiled the ending through poor scripting, overacting, or trite performance? Impossible – This should go without saying, but at some point in your magic or mentalism presentation, make sure to focus attention on the impossible nature of the experience. Take every opportunity to push your performance away from merely presenting puzzling moments to creating truly impossible experiences. Meaningful – Your audience wants to care about what you’re doing, but you still have to tell them why they should. Why are you doing this? Are you presenting a metaphor? Teaching a skill? Offering a warning? Relating a fable? What is the purpose for sharing this experience? Remember: “The desire to communicate is the only sane reason to ever get on any stage – ever.” — Judy Carter, Stand-Up Comedy, The Book Practiced – Don’t put anything into your performance or presentation that you wouldn’t want to share as a representation of your brand. You know better. Your audience doesn’t have time to watch junk and you will only damage your standing in their memories. Logical – Don’t spoil the internal logic of your performance by layering effects or adding multiple kickers. A flourishy production of a royal flush at the end of a two-card transposition may be something well within your skills, but it does not relate to the effect. If you are performing mentalism and have read a spectator’s mind, do not immediately open a prediction showing that you supposedly knew their thought before you started. One power, one effect, one impossibility at a time. Engaging – All the technical skill in the world will not overcome the inability to present your material in a way that the audience can understand and relate to. Is your appearance inviting and professional? Is your speech warm and understandable? Is your presentation intriguing? Would most people want to spend time with you right now whether you performed an illusion or not? Become a more interesting and likeable person, and the impact of your magic will similarly increase. Keep it simple, and keep it S.I.M.P.L.E. See you next week.

Social Media Magic: Radio Interview on MileHiRadio

“Social Media Magic” was the topic of my recent interview on Denver’s MileHiRadio. Host Deb Krier and I spent an hour discussing the effective use of social media to promote small businesses. Her title for the segment – “Social Media Magic” – was based partly on the nature of my entertainment and speaking business, and partly on the kinds of results that can be generated with the effective use of social media. Deb Krier, who is now based in Atlanta but still hosts her show on the Denver-based internet radio station, is an extremely knowledgeable social media consultant and it’s worth visiting her site to get to know her better. In this radio interview, we discussed a variety of topics including: Platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter Tools and apps such as HootSuite and Buffer Tips on content and what to share A description of my speaking and entertainment business You can listen below, or click here to visit the “Deb Krier: SociaLight” page and enjoy or download the interview there. [gn_media url=”https://milehiradio.com/archives/4251274D-D5ED-DCFE-022039D8F1D39A64_20130204.mp3″ width=”300″ height=”80″]

Turner Magic & Keynotes Named Best of Atlanta 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Turner Magic & Keynotes Receives 2012 Best of Atlanta Award Atlanta Award Program Honors the Achievement ATLANTA July 30, 2012 — Turner Magic & Keynotes has been selected for the 2012 Best of Atlanta Award in the Party Planning & Event Consultants category by the Atlanta Award Program. Each year, the Atlanta Award Program identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the Atlanta area a great place to live, work and play. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2012 Atlanta Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the Atlanta Award Program and data provided by third parties. About Atlanta Award Program The Atlanta Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the Atlanta area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value. The Atlanta Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in our community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to recognize the small business community’s contributions to the U.S. economy. SOURCE: Atlanta Award Program CONTACT: Atlanta Award Program Email: PublicRelations@awardprogram.org URL: https://www.awardprogram.org ###

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.