Product Review: The Renegade Magician by Rick Allen

I recently purchased Rick Allen's Renegade Magician DVD.

I must say, this DVD has a lot of useful information for those of you looking to work a pitch table. What is a pitch table? A pitch table is a set-up where a pitchman sells his goodies.

Magicians have used pitch tables for years. They give a little magic show, gather a crowd and sell their magic tricks.

If you are looking to learn how to sell the Magic Mouse or the Svengali magic card deck, this is the DVD for you. There is actual footage of Rick at a festival drawing a crowd with a great little sponge ball routine, then pitching either the Magic Mouse or the Svengali deck. His presentations are excellent and this is an outstanding tool to learn how to pitch these items and adapt the skills to other items.

Unfortunately, if you are looking for a DVD to learn to run a pitch table, you will have a hard time finding this one. Absolutely nothing in Rick's sales material promoting this new product mentions or even hints at the pitch table.

Instead, Rick sells this item under the cloak of mystery. Rather than tell you what he is selling, he makes great claims that actually imply he is selling something else entirely.

Rick Allen claims, "Drop Me In Any Town, Take Away My Billfold and Credit Cards and I Will Get One or More Bookings Within 24 Hours, Without Any Brochure, Testimonials or Demo Video. And With No Out Of Pocket Costs!" Wow! This sounds great! It sucked me into reading the sales letter and buying the product.

Reading the sales letter, I was wondering who the contacts would be. Chamber of commerce? Non-profits? Comedy clubs? Turns out, Rick's secret is fairs and festivals. He suggests going to the local festival and offering to do magic shows for free as a strolling performer. Actually, he is negotiating a free opportunity to sell magic tricks. He is not "booking a show" as his sales letter claims, but getting free vending space. Sure, the sales presentation is entertaining and is a nice little show, but it is still vending.
He also recommends flea markets as a possible venue for this enterprise, but warns you may have to pay for vendor space.

What about the claim of dropping him in "any town?" Most towns only have festivals a couple times a year, so you'd better drop him in the right town.

I found the sales pitch deceptive and when the product arrived I was disappointed.

If Rick wanted to increase customer satisfaction, his sales letter would read:
Are You A Magician and Need To Make Money Now?
I will teach you how to:
1) contact local festivals and get free vending space.
2) make your own products for pennies apiece
3) where to buy the two greatest pitch table items of all time: the Magic Mouse and the Svengali deck.
4) how to gather a crowd.
5) how to pitch these items in an entertaining way that makes for an easy sale.
6) actual film footage of the sales pitches

Rick's product is excellent for what it is. Unfortunately, the sales pitch is deceptive and makes promises I feel the DVD did not keep.

Are you looking to work fairs & festivals this summer and fall? then check out My Magic Rabbit.