What to watch out for when trying to squeeze money out of your lovely audience at the end of your amazing show! 10 tips and ideas along with some well-used lines you can adapt.

1. Make the audience laugh to break the tension. – Hat lines (comedy patterns) and non-stop banter from the audience as you collect money can be just as entertaining as the show! You will definitely need to keep the audience entertained if there is a long queue of them trying to give you money and having to wait to get close to the hat! “If you are giving your bank card, please send a note with your PIN number too”
2. Get a good feeling flowing through the crowd – even if you ask the crowd for money, it shouldn’t seem like they’re being forced to. “If you enjoyed the show please donate some money, if you didn’t please write your complaint on the back of a £20 note.”
3. Let the audience know that you are only human and this is your life. “Help keep hungry jugglers where they belong: in the streets”
4. He mentions the hat throughout the show. In the end, it should come as no surprise to the audience that they are asked to give money. It also gives you a chance to get them used to the idea! “I know I don’t come to your job at the end of your day and applaud all your hard efforts and give you money, but that’s how I make a living, so please give generously.”
5. build an image in the head of audiences of other forms of entertainment (movies, television, magazines, etc.) who happily pay regularly. “Is this routine worth a cup of tea? Then we have a deal”
6. Children enjoy giving money (especially your parents earn hard money), parents enjoy seeing children happy, so make children feel important!
7. Thank people individually for giving you money Expect only half (or even less) of the audience to give money. Never leave the hat on the ground, where it can be stolen (take it out last)
8. Don’t refer to yourself as a busker, but as a “street entertainer”. It sounds less like you’re asking for money this way, and it also makes you sound much more professional.
9. Give your volunteer a £1 coin. Tell the audience that the person has entertained me very much and I want to show my appreciation. I hope the audience does the same when the show is over!
10. Finally, at the end of the show., tell people that if they can’t give money, to come up and say how much they enjoyed the show, and if not, to come up and pretend they enjoyed the show. Direct people to the hat. You shouldn’t go in any direction except towards me. The exit is here. The more people line up to give you money (or thank you), the more people will think of doing the same!