Hi everyone, Steve here. I ran across this video and thought it was something perfect to share with everyone (thanks to Bob Conrad for bringing it to my attention on Facebook).
The subject of this video is about giving your services away for free. This is something I’ve been preaching for years. Even though this guy is talking to artists in his video, this applies to anyone who is in any kind of business, especially those of you in the “entertainment business” reading this blog, ventriloquists, magicians or any other performers.
Being a marketer and website designer I get approached for free advice or services constantly. I’ve also been approached many times to do free vent shows and I’m sure most of you have too!
This video is a great message and everyone should watch it!
Here is the original article for this video: Stephen Silver: “Stop Working For Free!”
Steve
www.ventriloquistcentral.com
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Ventriloquist Central is the brainchild of Dan Willinger and Steve Hurst. Dan is a ventriloquism enthusiast and ventriloquist figure collector. He has been collecting for over 25 years. He created the Ventriloquist Central Collection. It now has over 100 ventriloquist figures and over 50 of them are Frank Marshall figures. Steve is a ventriloquist as well as builder of ventriloquist figures. He also has a background in sales, marketing, building websites and computers. Because they both love the art of ventriloquism, the website Ventriloquist Central was born. For more information about the website, go to: http://www.ventriloquistcentral.com
Copyright 2013 by Dan Willinger and Steve Hurst
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Gosh, Steve. If I get a call, I’ll play it again, listen to get nerve up, before I return call.
this is and always will be an on going discussion that will have no ending. folks will always ask us for a free show, some of us will feel obligated to do it, some will do it cause they are sick of staying at home and need to get out of the house, some will just hang up. All I know ( and I know about free shows if anyone does) is that it gets us no more work then if we stayed at home and watched Oprah. NO pay means, no respect, No pay means we are now labeled as a free performer. No pay means we don’t make a dime but the caterer, decorations and other other costs take their cut. I’ve learned this that we can share with the client….folks will forget about the food, they will forget about the decorations but they will remember the entertainment.
This is so very true. I have been performing for over 45 years. I do not do 2 free shows a year. I only donate my time as I feel I would donate money. I have investments in props, costumes ect and that has cost me thousands. So I perform for money , I am a Ventriloquist, Clown not a elephant, I do not work for peanuts.