We are going to be talking about crowds today. Any street performer knows that the crowd is the most important factor in how much they earn.

The shows with the biggest crowds get the most money. A guy who juggles fire in front of 100 people is going to earn way more than a magician who does sleight of hand magic effects to a few people at a time. We are NOT talking about David Blaine here. He has a show on tv. Most performers don't. So just realize that the most money is made when your crowds are big.

To gather a crowd you need to draw attention to yourself. You can shout, play music, set something on fire, do something crazy like ride a high unicycle, wear a bright costume, etc. Once you are able to get a nice, close knit crowd, you can launch into your show and do whatever it is you do best.

Hur-ry hur-ry hur-ry!
Step right up, keep heart
Ladies and gentlemen boys and girls
The show is about to start!

You also need to have good crowd control. Think of the crowd as having only one mind. They are not individuals with different minds....they are more like different individuals with one mind.

You need to get them to think alike and behave alike. They are like a mob...only difference is that they are not mad or angry. If you have good crowd control, your show will be a roaring success and the money in your hat will increase greatly.

I have covered the topic of crowd control in much detail in my book, 'Street Performer'. From how to gather a crowd, keeping the crowd, handling hecklers, heckler lines, what to do if you see people leaving and much much more. There is quite a lot to know and it's all in my book.

Shawn Leban