Tips for working with a celebrity!
Celebrities are people too. They may be famous, but they still have feelings and want to be treated like a human being so it’s important to remember this if you have the opportunity to work with someone well known.
However you also have to balance that against your own needs for your project or event, especially if you are footing the bill!
When you are considering asking a celebrity to make an appearance for your event, try to put yourself in their shoes and consider them thinking, ‘What’s in it for me; why should I do this?’
After my successful event last week with Eddie The Eagle, I thought I would share with you the things you need to think about when working with a celebrity.
I’ve worked with quite a few!
13 things to think about before and after your event:
- *Nail the housekeeping money and fee first – and the date when payment has to be made. And importantly, keep to it. Often you will have to pay half to secure them and the date, and the remainder just before the event takes place.
- *Tell them exactly what you want for that fee. Set out all of the tasks you want that celebrity to perform and provide an agenda setting out expectations and, if you can, timings. Don’t make promises you can’t keep, and keep all of the promises you do make. Ensure that this is with the celebrity very early and seek confirmation from any agent that this has been done – don’t assume it has been done.
- *Stick to that agenda. However, if you add in extra things recognise that it may incur an extra invoice to be paid after the event, speech or moment. Ensure you have the budget to pay for this. Always assume that if they do more, it will cost more, unless they tell you they don’t want payment for it.
- *Include marketing in that agenda so you can share pictures and others attending can share pictures on their social media. Ideally so you can share pictures before during and after, and also for quite a period of time after ie. it was a year ago that we had this event…
- *Include the celebrity putting out one post at least on their social media re. the event or moment when they’ve worked with you. Some will agree to this and some won’t. Be clear on why if they will not do this. Some may not be able to due to contracts they have to adhere to. If it’s because ‘they don’t want to’ then consider if they really are a celebrity you want to work with…
- *Allow time for professional photographs to be taken.
- *Allow time for any VIP access.
- *Try to arrange a planning call with the celeb prior to the event. Don’t assume your needs have been passed on by an agent or that the celeb has agreed to all of the things you think they have agreed to. Quite often that’s not the case, or they have signed contracts elsewhere which prohibit them from certain tasks – agents don’t always know this and it can come as a bolt out of the blue. Ask the right questions now.
- *Try to build a rapport so that you can contact then again in the future via their preferred route ie. direct or via an agent or PA/VA. But don’t go overboard and contact them too often.
- *During the event, if a celebrity refuses to do something that has been previously agreed – take them quietly aside to discuss or do so with someone on their team. Don’t make a public drama, don’t be afraid to say that it was part of the deal therefore after the event you may be asking for a partial refund.
- *If all goes well, send thank you messages and feedback as a testimonial and give permission for it to be used. Always offer a testimonial if the experience has been positive.
- *If things didn’t go well, send feedback, ask for a partial refund if necessary, but avoid getting into a public brawl about it.
- *After the event, review how the event went. What did you learn from this, what could have gone better, what will you consider next time?
And let me tell you all – when it comes to these tips, Eddie The Eagle ticked every box positively and a testimonial has already been provided.