Study, learn, practice. Skill will set an illusionist apart more than anything else. Immerse yourself in learning, read every book on magic, study great magicians. Purchase illusions from local or online magic shops. Speak with other illusionists. Contact magician guilds such as the American Museum of Magic and the Magic Circle. Look for a local organization or group. Magicians meet and exchange ideas on the Internet. Several sites -- like themagiccafe.com, club.magicians.com and themagicnetwork.com -- offer online forums for magicians. Magic schools teach magicians; they are usually local and can be found through a simple Internet search. Learn illusions (tricks) and practice them until they are more than perfect. An illusion is a lot easier to perform when it is not in front of an audience.
Create an image. David Blaine has his casual, cool style, Chris Angel has his gothic "weird" persona and David Copperfield has his over-the-top circus-style performances. Whatever the image, be consistent. Many children's magicians opt for the top hat, tux, cape and wand look, the traditional look for an illusionist. Create a persona that amplifies the showmanship of the performance. Dressing mysteriously (all in black or gothic style) is one way to enhance the performance with image. The persona or image adopted should complement and enhance the illusionist's personality.
Communicate with style. An illusionist is first and foremost a showman, the ringleader in a magical circus. A charismatic voice and eloquent social style will keep the show alive and exciting.
Market yourself. Marketing helps get the word out that this magician is available to perform. Start by giving free performances to friends at parties. This helps the magician practice with a live audience but also gets the word out about the magician. Most work will be local, so advertise in the yellow pages, paper or local Internet ads. Contact event planners and let them know there is a new illusionist in town. Or partner with a show promoter and produce a live stage show for audiences. In this case the promoter will handle marketing.
Practice, practice, practice. An illusionist can never practice enough. Sleight of hand doesn't come by accident, it takes hours of hard work to make things look easy. Be creative, invent new illusions. After awhile people will get tired of seeing the same illusions; always push the boundaries. Practice, practice, practice!