Picture this: You're standing in the center of a bustling Las Vegas stage, a mesmerizing figure, with the audience hanging on your every word - and guess what? You're getting paid a small fortune to be there.
Welcome to the world of entertainment hypnosis, where the spotlight is dazzling and the paychecks are even brighter.
In the last few years, hypnosis has experienced its greatest boom since the 1880s. Hypnotherapy has grown by leaps and bounds, with new methodologies and fresh techniques emerging with incredible rapidity. But it’s the field of entertainment hypnosis that has seen the greatest explosion.
From theaters to community centers, and from summer county fairs to Las Vegas, stage hypnosis is everywhere.
And it’s a remarkably lucrative field, where a good performer can earn a six digit income doing a weekend job. No wonder so many people, from college students to retired professionals are attracted to this fascinating and rewarding career.
But how do you get started?
In this blog post, we’ll look at tips for the absolute beginner, but there will be useful stuff for the seasoned performer too, so keep reading.
The Desire
So why do you want to be a stage hypnotist? There are lots of good answers to this question, but nobody else can answer it for you.
Maybe it’s the appeal of travel, or the fun of being paid to be the center of attention.
Perhaps it's the hope of a career change; one in which you can call the shots by being your own boss.
In any case, no matter how you answer the question, it’s critical that you’re clear on WHY you want to do it. That will keep you motivated when you hit speed bumps along the way. Once you know for sure the reasons for becoming a hypnotic performer, there are things you’ll need to do in order to get started.
The Preparation
The first part of the preparation is pretty obvious:
Study hypnosis!
This kind of learning can take many forms, and we recommend that you avail yourself of all of them. Watch videos, take courses, whether live or online, read books, and join practice groups. You must be hungry to learn hypnosis, because the better you become, the more money you’ll make.
And the learning never ends, because the day you think you’ve got it all figured out, you’ll begin to stagnate. That’s why attitude is so critical in all the performing arts; and make no mistake, stage hypnosis is very much a performing art.
To that end, it’s important to gain some stage skills by taking an improv or acting class. At the very least you should have someone make a video of your show, when you first begin to get gigs. And then gently rip it apart with someone you know and trust, which will require a thick skin.
That’s one of the things that will make your show better than your competition, and you will have competition, which is a good thing. Competition raises the standard for everyone.
Your Image
How do you want to be perceived?
Finding an image that works for you will largely depend on your personality and the venues in which you perform. Wearing a purple robe and a turban might work if you’re giving a demonstration of your powers at a New Age festival, but you’ll be laughed off the stage in a college or corporate setting.
A good stage image is an extension of yourself. Be you, but exaggerate who you are.
If you’re known for your humor, make it a huge part of your act, by fleshing out your hypnosis bits with one-liners.
On the other hand, if you’re a quieter, more reserved type, that can work for you too, opening the door to amazing mentalism effects that build credibility and mystery.
There’s room for all kinds of images in the hypnosis field. Just ensure that your image fits your intended audience. Corporations pay a lot of money for good entertainment, but aren’t usually drawn to hypno-clowns or Dracula clones. So find an image, and stick with it.
Most importantly, don’t copy other performers. There are hundreds of low-end magicians who are trying to be David Copperfield, and it isn’t working. It’s no different with hypnotic entertainers, so be original, not a copy.
The Stage Hypnotist Paradox
Once you begin getting shows, your career as a performer can take off very quickly; especially if you deliver an excellent show. You’d be amazed how many gigs you can get because someone saw you somewhere else, and realized you’d be perfect for an upcoming event.
But here’s the problem…
You’ll need references from clients and experience onstage, in order to get booked.
But you can’t get either of these without doing shows.
Nobody will book you if you don’t have experience, and you can’t get experience because nobody will book you.
This is a real problem, but there are ways around it.
If you have a friend who has an upcoming event, offer your services as an entertainer. That can be a definite foot in the door. You’d be surprised at how many garden parties will pay a couple of thousand dollars for an hour of entertainment.
Another way to gain experience is by doing hypnosis demonstrations for libraries, community centers, and service clubs. Find someone who’ll let you perform, and if you kill, make sure to ask if they’ll give you a letter or email reference you can use to find more opportunities.
At first you’ll progress slowly, but that’s okay. See it as a time of growth; the money will come later, so don’t quit your day job yet.
Use the slow time to refine every aspect of your act - your image, material for your show, and of course you’ll always be cramming your brain with hypnosis knowledge.
Surprisingly, I don’t recommend going to see other hypnotic performers. In the beginning, it’s almost impossible to not be influenced by their act, their demeanor, even their actual lines and pretalk. Develop YOUR show, not a variation of someone else’s, no matter how good they are.
Hypnotists are like comedians. They steal each other's material all the time, so be the exception to the rule.
Your First Show
You’re waiting in the wings, your heart is pounding and you’re shaking with adrenaline, waiting to be introduced…
You’ll probably be thinking What the heck am I doing up here?
Realize that this is completely normal for your first several shows. Then you’ll get into your groove and will actually look forward to hearing your name, the curtain going up, and stepping onto the stage.
Some people think that all performers have stage fright, but it’s not true at all. You can learn to feel as at home onstage as you do in your own living room. You’ll still have an adrenaline rush, but it will be empowering, not nervousness.
Walk confidently on stage. Smile and make eye-contact with the people nearest the stage. Be happy to be there. Your audience will sense it, and appreciate it. If you love your audience, they’ll love you back.
Speak clearly, don’t mumble, and don’t swear or use crude humor. One hypnotist used to get all his subjects to have sex with their chairs. Was it funny? Perhaps. But it probably cost him a lot of potential shows because someone didn’t find it funny.
Remember: You’ll never lose a gig because your show is clean and family friendly.
Most of all, keep the stage hypnotist’s Prime Directive in the front of your mind…
Ecology first and foremost!
Your number one priority is keeping everyone safe and happy, both onstage and in the audience too. And ecology first means your own ecology is important too. Never risk doing anything that could result in a ruinous lawsuit.
Everyone should leave the show feeling better than when they arrived at the venue.
It’s your job to make sure that happens.
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After the Show
Make a point of always removing all entertainment suggestions at the end of the show. This is called a “blanket release” and must never be left out of your final moments on the stage.
It’s a good idea to stick around for twenty minutes or so when the show has ended. You’ll likely have to wait to get paid, but staying at the venue for a little while will ensure there are no rare after effects that require your attention. Some venues may require you to wait and make sure everyone’s put back together again.
If you have a drive home or to your hotel afterward, you’ll feel absolutely amazing! Not just because you survived and did a great show, but because your brain will flood you with endorphins, which are morphine-like compounds.
It’s a free high, and a powerful one.
The day after your show, write down what you did, and grade the event from one to ten. If you added anything new, write that down so you remember it. And make a note of any problems at the venue, like poor sound, hecklers, or anything you didn’t like.
Make sure you contact the organizers of the event within a day or so, while the show is still fresh in their minds. Thank them for booking you, and tell them you’d like to come back again sometime. Just don’t make it too soon, so it will always be an event.
The Future
Make no mistake, it’s hard getting started as a stage hypnotist, despite the hundreds of men and women who are doing it right now.
But if you are determined to persist, and bring your own uniqueness to the stage, treating your subjects with dignity, more and more doors will open to you. Some shows will go off the rails, no matter what you do, and that’s okay. The good ones will quickly power the bad ones out of your mind.
You’ll get opportunities to travel and enjoy life, in a way that only other performers will understand. You’ll meet fantastic people and provide them with an hour or two of happiness and amazement, and your weekend stage shows will quickly eclipse the income from your day job!
There really is no life like it.
What's Next?
You've just taken a whirlwind tour through the electrifying world of entertainment hypnosis. Ready to turn your curiosity into a career? The Mike Mandel Hypnosis Academy is your golden ticket.
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