Nathan kranzo is a great thinker and a great guy. I was reading his email today and thought that I would pass on to you some of his thoughts on how to approach people when performing.
"Over the past few months members of Kranzo's Newsletter have received a number of my pet effects. Today I'd like to talk about how to execute that magic for an audience. I know that out of the thousands of people that read these newsletters there are beginners, amateurs, pro's and everything in between. I think the information I will share with you over the next few months will be valuable to ALL those people.
The Approach
When performing for small groups you will most likely be in a situation where you have to approach a group, or table, "cold". By that I mean you have not been introduced, and they have no clue who you are, or what you are doing. It's up to you to win them over so that they will allow you into their space, and ultimately, enjoy your magic.
One of my favorite gambits is to get invited to the table so THERE IS NO COLD APPROACH. I have a couple of clever ways to do this that I will talk about later. For now lets assume you have to approach cold.
There are primarily two ways to approach this situation. Go right into an amazing and quick effect, or establish a nice dialogue with the guests as you transition into some great magic.
Both work great and one might be better for YOU and your personal style. If you aren't a wordsmith I'd suggest going with the visual effect and let your magic do the talking for you. Of course you'll need to speak at some point. : ) If you are confident in your presentation and know how to quickly establish repoire with an audience, then you are ahead of the game.
No matter what approach you use here are a couple of important things to remember.
Confidence
Be confident. Dogs smell fear and people do to. The only way you will be confident is if you know exactly what you are going to say and exactly what you are going to perform. Confidence can be displayed by your look, demeanor, speech, volume of voice, witty remarks, conveying a relaxed attitude etc.
Don't forget to smile
A smile is a powerful thing. If you've got a great smile this alone can open up a group and cause people to smile BACK at you. A strong smile is also a sign of confidence.
The name is the game
"Hi I'm Nathan Kranzo". 99% of the time when I approach a group, smile, and say that phrase, someone will offer their hand for a handshake and tell me THEIR name back. You've already got a great foot in the door because you are now a friendly face with a NAME! Your no longer a stranger. People are much less likely to blow you off when they shake hands with you and exchange names. While its just a little step you are slowly building a relationship.
Ok...now what? Well from here you either have to continue the conversation with some witty remarks, maybe ask them a question, make a joke etc. OR get right to the magic.
In a few days i'll share with you an opening effect that I've used in these situations for years. Your going to love it."
So there you go some great ideas on how to approach people. If you want more info like this click right here.
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