Devin Henderson Magic Entertainment LLC
913.961.5653 - magic@devinhenderson.com
My ebook is finished!
January 23, 2012 by Devin · Leave a Comment
I have finished my mini book, “Share Your Magic,” and it is also available as an ebook. In a nutshell, the book is a corporate magician’s secrets to discovering your own way to create magical experiences for others. Download the ebook for FREE by clicking here.
Ministry Magic
November 16, 2011 by Devin · Leave a Comment
I now have a website for my church programs: www.MinistryMagic.com. Please pass this link on to everyone you know who is connected with a church or other ministry organization. I perform all over the country and in Canada, so please don’t hesitate to send it to anyone you know who is connected with ministry. Thank you!!
Improv Shows
November 5, 2011 by Devin · Leave a Comment
Kansas City magicians every Saturday at the Kansas City Improv! November 5th: Devin Henderson. www.improvkc.com
My Marketing Strategy
October 18, 2011 by Devin · Leave a Comment
Recently I performed at the University of San Diego. A lovely young lady named Kate helped me out in the show. The next day she emailed me, telling me she appreciated me coming and that she enjoyed the show. She also asked me a question about my marketing strategy and how travel life works for me. I gave her a very long answer and I thought I would share it here. I hope you enjoy but most of all I hope you find inspiration.
Kate,
First of all, I am so glad you enjoyed the show and I appreciate you saying so. Believe it or not, even after performing professionally for 8 years, a good word of encouragement is needed every now and again. I THRIVE off affirming words. However, as my wife can tell you, I am always in the process of seeking God’s approval above all others – a lifelong process. I just tell you this because glorifying the Lord is the most important part about my job. As far as your question about marketing, touring, etc., it is so hard to know where to start, but here goes…
The Lord has blessed me with an entrepreneurial spirit – something I don’t think everyone possesses. When you have an entrepreneurial spirit, no one really has to tell you, “this is how you go do it, and these are the steps to get you there.” Instead, you just know what has to be done and you go do it. Not that someone without the entrepreneurial spirit cannot be successful – they just have to work much harder at finding a process that works for them. Entrepreneurship is full of unknowns, challenges, risks and at times, complete let-downs. On the other hand, it is extremely rewarding.
I started out as a restaurant magician in Kansas City, hopping from table to table, just like I was doing in the cafeteria at the University of San Diego before the show. I actually started out doing 2 restaurants as a Kansas City magician. But to land those 2 jobs, I walked into 40 restaurants looking for work as a table-side magician. I actually started by calling restaurants and introducing myself. After about 5 calls I realized the phone wasn’t good enough – I had to go there in person. That’s when I dressed up, grabbed a deck of card and some homemade business cards and began driving around to various Kansas City restaurants, approaching general managers, trying to convince them that my services would be to their benefit. After many “NOs” I finally heard 2 “YESs.” (I tell you this story to make the point that no one was telling me what to do and how to do it – I just wanted a gig so bad I could taste it and nothing was going to stop me. THAT is the entrepreneurial spirit).
When I began the actual restaurant work, I would place my business card on the table after each “performance” whether the customers asked for it or not. Then the phone started ringing: I landed birthday parties, church events, school carnivals, and even some corporate work right away. I also cold- called high schools to see if they wanted entertainment for after proms and project graduations. And it worked. Over the next few years, I would continue to craft my stage show, develop a website, and formulate my brand, which is still evolving and always will be.
Many small business owners ask me how they can “get their name out there.” I heard Steve Martin address this concern in an interview that has helped shaped my marketing strategy. He said something along these lines (and I paraphrase) – “Don’t worry yourself about finding agents and how you are going to get your name out there. Just worry about being so good that people cannot ignore you.” And THAT has been my marketing strategy. I haven’t made a cold call in I don’t know how many years. 90% of the work that comes my way is from repeat clients and word of mouth. Maybe 10% of my business is a result of online marketing, and that is being generous. So, my “marketing strategy” has been first of all, to work to be as good as I can be. And second, to be sincere, genuine and appreciate people properly. My aim is to treat people well (the way Christ would) whether they are a client, competitor (another Kansas City Magician), family member or stranger on the street. And last but not least, prayer has been a big part of my “marketing strategy.”
I realize you are going into marketing. My story and my point isn’t to say that there isn’t a place for marketing. Companies need it. But for me, if I would have hired a marketing strategist years ago, I would have gotten my name out there before I was ready, and my skill level wouldn’t have matched up to the demands. For me, the natural progression of developing my craft has lent itself to “bigger and better” clientele. The application for someone who is marketing as a career would be to believe in what you are marketing for and to be involved in the process of brand development. If you don’t genuinely believe your product or service is superior, you will never be able to promote it with confidence and failure is a guarantee.
This may be a longer answer than you asked for – but I thought I would just say what was on my mind and hopefully you can pick something up from this. Even though you are not wanting to become an entertainer, many of these concepts are universal to any career path. Granted, my method of starting out will not work for everyone. You have to realize what you want, the best way to get it, and find your own way of getting there. If you are trying to follow someone else’s formula, you are doomed, because then when things aren’t working, you begin asking yourself, “So what do I do now?” But when you are creating your own path, hindrances don’t set you back – they are just motivation to keep trying harder.
For instance, about halfway through my process of trying to land the restaurant gigs, I became extremely discouraged. I remember pulling the car over into a parking lot and asking God, “What do I do if this doesn’t work out?” But at that point failure was not an option, and fortunate for me, I was not going off of a formula for success – I just kept doing what I thought needed to be done. And this process helped me seek God and trust Him for the answers. I am not saying we shouldn’t seek mentors, read books, listen to CDs and go to conferences, because I do all of that. I am just saying that we have to be careful to let one person, formula or concept completely shape our plan of action, goals and mindset. These should come from an accumulation of bits of advice, education, personal experiences and what your heart is telling you.
As for the touring part of what I do…
I do about 4 shows out of town every month. About half of those require a flight and the other 2 are road trips. Everything else is relatively close to the Kansas City area. I don’t necessarily tour – only on rare occasion am I doing 2 out of town shows in a row without coming home in between. I have two daughters – ages 2 and 4, and we are expecting our third. My wife and I agree that me going out of town is good for all of us – the time away makes us all appreciate each other more. But, I don’t like being away for very long. We are trying to find ways to be a family despite my travels.
Most of the time when I am on the road – they come with me. In fact, we are going on a road trip today for a show. They love hotels, mainly because of the pools! The University of San Diego show is the first time we have brought the kids on a plane. It wasn’t too bad. Also, we are considering homeschooling. That way, they will be able to come with me on trips when they can without having to worry about missing school. They can do their homework in the car or on the plane. I just don’t want my kids to say someday down the road that their dad was never around.
Geez, I’ve written you a book! I hope you can find some inspiration in all of this. Thanks again for your email and your question. It was great meeting you – and thanks again for helping in the show! You are a beautiful, bright young lady and I have no doubt you are going to be successful in whatever you do. Just remember to trust in the Lord. “I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
Dr. Gary Chapman: “The Five Love Languages”
September 21, 2011 by Devin · Leave a Comment
I recently presented at an event here in Kansas City for Marriage Vine Ministries. Dr. Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages and the “magician of marriages” as I like to think of him, was the keynote speaker. It was a pleasure to meet a man whose is so deeply passionate about helping make marriages stronger. Dr. Chapman spoke about his new book, Love as a Way of Life – Seven Keys to Transforming Every Aspect of Your Life. He is a very personable individual with a great heart and a wonderful presence on the platform.
"I recently shared the stage with Devin Henderson. He's a top notch performer and a gifted communicator. The audience loved him. I highly recommend him for your next event." - Dr. Gary Chapman, author of "The Five Love Languages"
Channel 41 Midday Magic
September 21, 2011 by Devin · Leave a Comment
Here’s a clip from a news spot that I did earlier this year: http://bit.ly/he1xmM
Magic for Down Syndrome
July 20, 2011 by Devin · Leave a Comment
On Saturday we will be doing another charity event at the Improv, this time for the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City. Tickets are $10 at the door. Call 816.759.LAFF for reservations. Please pass this on to all your facebook friends and help us pack the house to support this awesome cause!
The San Angelo Police Department Making its Mark
May 19, 2011 by Devin · Leave a Comment
As a motivational speaker who speaks to inspire, it is always nice when the group I am speaking to inspires me in return. This past weekend I had the pleasure of presenting to the San Angelo, Texas police department. Before the engagement, I spoke with the chief on the phone and asked him what type of transformation they have been focusing on as a department lately. He told me that recently they have been focusing on moving from a responding-oriented service to a policing service. This means that rather than simply reacting to people breaking the law, it is their goal to be more proactive when it comes to fighting crime. He said that there is more to being an officer than just putting bad guys in jail. In his message on their website, the chief says “the gun, badge, and handcuffs are secondary to community spirit, community interaction and community service.”
The department is obviously fulfilling its purpose. Click here to see what the residents of San Angelo are saying about their police force. As you read these testimonials from members of the community, it immediately becomes apparent that the officers are valued by the people they serve and protect. These men and women go above and beyond the call of duty as officers – as their missions statement says, they are committed to improving the quality of life in their community by policing in a professional and courteous manner. Each officer brings his or her own magic to the community, and the result is that their crime rate has gone down 32% in the past year! Their goal is to become the safest city in the country – what a great Mark to Make! And what a great testimony to all of us, whatever our job may be, to become more service oriented in what we do.
Congratulations San Angelo Police Department on sharing your magic with your community and on a job well done!
Share Your Magic and Build Your Personal Brand
May 12, 2011 by Devin · Leave a Comment
As a motivational speaker who focuses on business development, one of my major focuses, whether speaking to entrepreneurs or executives, is the area of personal branding. What comes to mind when you hear the word brand? Do you think of names like Pepsi, Energizer, and Ralph Lauren? Perhaps unmistakable logos such as the Nike Swoosh or Mac’s apple come to mind. Although names and logos are key ingredients for image and marketing purposes, a company’s brand is more than just a clever title, cutting-edge graphics and a catchy slogan.
Ultimately, your company’s brand is about perception. How do people perceive your company? Do they see quality? Integrity? Good customer service? Whether you are a small business owner or an employee in a big corporation, the brand of your company starts with you. By you I mean your ideas, your input, your attitude and your actions. These are all components of your personal brand which contribute to the greater good of your company’s brand. I call these components your magic. As an individual, you contribute to your company’s brand on a daily basis. Whether you deal in external affairs (eg: sales) or internal affairs (eg: management), sharing your magic is about maximizing your ability to build, maintain, support and convey your company’s good name at all times.
The question then is, what is your magic? What are your strengths? What do you bring to your team on a daily basis? Is it your positive attitude during difficult projects? Is it your ability to smile at your clients and make them feel like they matter? Is it the special way you appreciate your employees for their hard work? The sum of your company’s overall brand is made up of the personal brands of each individual; therefore, your ideas, input, attitude and actions all matter.
My high school choir teacher used to tell us that if just one of our voices was taken out of the choir, it would change the quality of our sound. I dismissed this notion for years, not believing that my voice truly mattered to the overall sound. I now know that my choir teacher was right (of course he was right, he was THE Jack Ballard, who was recently inducted into the Kansas Music Education Association Hall of Fame) – if you take away just one voice from a choir, the sound is altered. And just as one beautiful voice adds to a choir, it only takes one person singing off key to ruin the entire sound altogether.
The same is true for your company’s brand. Without the touch of your personal brand, the overall quality of your company’s brand is changed, whether for good or for the bad. Everywhere you go, everything you do and in every interaction you have, you are a reflection of your company’s brand. Remember that you are important and that your “voice is heard” in one way or another at all times, whether by your boss, your co-workers or your clients. Share your magic to the full and continue to develop your personal brand in order to add value to yourself and in turn add value to the good name of your company.
