|
 |
JoeMTurner.com Corporate Magic Update |  |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greetings! It's spring and business is sprouting up like wildflowers! I had my best 1st quarter ever, and the rest of the year is shaping up to be just as exciting. I am developing new material to go along with the old favorites -- so if it's been a couple of years since you had me out, we should talk! As always, I encourage you to share this newsletter with your friends and colleagues. You never know where and when a great connection will happen. Have a fantastic April! God bless!  Joe M. Turner
The theme for this month is "Seeing and Being Seen." It doesn't matter who you are or what you do -- if you want to have an impact, you've got to get out and interact with people. One of the resources I use to plan my networking schedule is AtlantaEvent.com. You have probably noticed the link in the Quick Links section each month. This is definitely the best compedium of Atlanta networking events that I've found. Jeff Glaze has got listings of all the Chambers of Commerce, networking groups, lead/referral groups, as well as some specific groups such as Toastmasters. If you want to pump up your visibility in Atlanta, this is a great resource. Still on the "seeing and being seen" topic -- my new promotional video is ready! I hesitate to say it's finished because I already know I'll have new clips to add and changes to make by the end of this year, but it's a great starting point. You will soon be able to view a clip on my my web site, but if you think you're going to need a copy for your team or to share with a contact, let me know via email whether you'd like it on DVD or VHS. Finally, a little horn tooting. In March, I competed in the very first competition for the Doyne Michie Award for Excellence in Close-Up Magic. This new competition was established to honor Doyne Michie, an Atlanta magician who was instrumental in the early days of trade show magic. An ordained minister, Doyne also traveled the country speaking on the "Therapy of Laughter," and at the age of 85 -- he still does! I was very proud to win the very first "Michie" award and have it presented by the man himself. Thanks, Doyne!
I have been using reference.com as a handy online tool for a number of years. Sure, most word processors have a thesaurus function and can do spell-check, but for those times when you need a little more brain power and don't have a paper reference handy, here's a site you should have bookmarked. In addition to quickly accessible dictionaries and thesauri (or thesauruses -- I just checked and both plurals are valid!), you will also find links to almanacs, atlases and maps, legal and literary resources, and online encyclopedias -- all in one place! Reference.com is a great resource for anyone who is writing an article, developing a presentation, or simply needs to answer a nagging question. If you feel you need something a little more directed than just a Google search, Reference.com fits the bill!
Fechter's Finger Flicking Frolic -- also known as "Fechter's" or "4F" -- is an annual gathering of sleight-of-hand professionals and aficionados from all over the world. Most of the best magical ideas in the past half-century have come from the minds of people who attend this invitation-only gathering of approximately 200 people. Everyone who attends is expected to be able to perform for the group on a moment's notice, and you don't know until you arrive whether you will be scheduled to perform. That is -- unless you are a first-year. All new attendees must perform for the group. Last year was my first year to receive an invitation, and the photo here was taken during my performance. Your first year is a probationary experience, and if you receive a return invitation, you are "on the list." Magicians consider it a very prestigious honor to receive an annual invitation to this gathering. The good news -- I received my second invitation, so I'll be back at 4F again this year and presumably each year thereafter. It is strange but true that two hundred of the top sleight-of-hand performers and inventors in the world gather in a small hotel outside Buffalo, New York for a few days each April. This year I'm proud to be going back!
I recently had the pleasure of working a repeat event for Cox Communications. This year's opportunity began with a call from Jennifer Chinn, executive assistant to Debbie Siek, Vice President of Customer Care. Jennifer is an exuberant whirlwind of event planning energy. We spoke and established a basic outline for the event and my role in it. Later, I met with her at her office to go over the final details and discuss some customized magic I was preparing for the event. The detailed schedule for the three-day meeting was in my hands when I left, providing me with additional details I could use in preparing for the show. I could tell I was working with someone who really knew the ropes when I asked about a technical requirement for my recorded music. She produced the specific contact I needed almost as fast as I could pull an ace from a shuffled deck! Then at the meeting itself, she made a point of introducing me to some other key players and taking my promotional materials to share throughout the organization. Not every company treats their speakers or entertainers with the level of courtesy and attentiveness that I experienced from Cox Communications -- both at last year's event and at this year's reprise. My hat also goes off to Joe Salazarte with Cox Enterprises, whom I first met through Meeting Professionals International. He was coordinating details for the entire meeting and I ran into him on-site where he answered some of my additional questions. The entire staff at Villa Christina also provided me with great assistance. But standing in the center of the client spotlight this month is Jennifer Chinn, and the sound you hear is my grateful applause. Thanks, Jennifer!
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
