S4E3: Zach Waldman — Magician & Marketing Expert
These are show notes taken from an audio interview.
To listen to the actual interview, please use the player above.
In this episode I talk to Zach Waldman! We cover a lot of great topics like pricing, adding value, and how Zach overcame debilitating anxiety and depression. This is a good listen.
Zach Waldman is a magician and comedian in and around Los Angeles who caters to high end, corporate clients, and celebrities.
He’s performed for the likes of Al Gore, Seth MacFarlane, Pete Carroll, Chris Rock, and Gene Wilder, not to mention his corporate clients which include Microsoft, BusinessWeek, Absolut, and Anheuser-Busch. Zach is also a frequent performer at the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood.
More importantly, for us, Zach is a marketing expert with various products that help other entertainers book more gigs and make more money doing what they love.
As one of his clients says, “Zach is an amazing fountain of knowledge that will give you the tools to get booked and be successful.”
Success Mantra:
Goals. Writing down your goals and taking responsibility for yourself.
Basically everything in Brian Tracy’s book GOALS! How to get everything you ever wanted in life faster than you ever thought possible.
Failure Moment:
Being too rigid on what he charged for his shows early in his career. Instead, be flexible but for a reason.
Zach Waldman on Pricing
Mentions Dan Kennedy’s book No BS Marketing to the Affluent
• Price isn’t the only thing people are looking for. They’re looking for value and will pay more for it.
Example: For a kids show, you might charge $150 but you can charge more if you create an experience and add value. Consider this: 30 minute magic show, balloon animals for each child (special ballon for birthday child that nobody else gets), goodie bags for kids, and they all learn a magic trick. With all this, you’ve created a full experience that you can charge more for, perhaps $300.
• Always add value.
• People also pay for the experience.
• If they flinch at the price, you can always take things away to lower the price. Always have a reason for lowering the price.
How Zach Overcame Anxiety & Depression
This is a very sensitive topic. If you’re dealing with anxiety or depression, please seek help from a competent professional.
In this section, Zach talks about how he dealt with debilitating anxiety and depression, ho it effected himself, his shows, and how he overcame it. He went through the course Attacking Anxiety & Depression
• combating negative self talk
• monitor your bad thoughts and replace them with good ones.
• change the things that you think about.
• Exercise and eating right play a huge role in alleviating anxiety & depression.
• Get into therapy. Seeing a therapist helped Zach out tremendously. It’s certainly a good idea to seek out professional help.
Other Topics Covered:
• Sit in your own audience. Assess how other see you.
• When you compete, compete against yourself.
• Be giving and generous.
• Don’t try to please everyone.
• Go to war with the army you have, not the one you wish you had. If you wait for everything to be perfect, you’ll never get started.
• Becoming a self actualized person.
• Learn everything you can, then forget it all and carve your own path.
• Don’t give up, push through the dip.
• Write down your goals.
• Be good to people. It’ll come back to you.
Resourceful books:
Note: Many of the links in this section are affiliate links, meaning we earn a small portion of any sales. If you’re enjoying our podcast and decide to purchase one of the recommended resources or books, please consider using our affiliate links to help support the work we’re doing here at the Successful Performercast. Thanks!
Goals by Brian Tracy
No BS Marketing to the Affluent by Dan Kennedy
The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield
Turning Pro by Stephen Pressfield
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
