Working With Celebrity Speakers for Your Event

Why are celebrities such a big preoccupation with event planners? Because meeting planners know what film producers and advertisers do: celebrities garner attention. They fill seats, sell tickets and generate a hefty amount of buzz for any event or product.

Nearly every planner I work with contemplates having a big name for their event or broadcasters endorsements, but it's not quite as simple as picking a name out and scheduling the date. Celebrities can add a great deal to your event, but they also mean a great deal more work.

Speaker Fees. There's really no way around this one. Big celebrity names cost big money. For meeting planners and business speakers used to hiring non-celebrity speakers, the sticker shock can be extreme. Many well known authors, actors, musicians, inspirational business executives and other well-known entertainers have speaking and appearance fees that can climb well into the six figures and beyond.

Event Contracts and Offers. The rule of thumb here is to expect contracts to be long, and insist on as much detail as possible. Whether it's travel, fees and due dates or even the rider, make sure you know precisely what will be required of you, and what you're getting for your money.

Contract Riders. While the stories of extreme diva acts are usually overblown ("I said I wanted only lavender M&M's!"), it is true that some celebrity speakers have very stringent requirements about what they need in order to perform at your event. Most of their demands will center around clean rooms, meal choices and hotel options, but read every item carefully. An ounce of preparation goes a long way towards keeping your celebrity happy and your event successful.

Less Personal Attention with the Celebrity. Expect that most items that would normally be arranged with a speaker directly - conference calls, travel plans, etc., will probably be handled by an assistant or agent.

Celebrity Travel Requirements. Big names frequently bring with them a number of assistants, security or other required personnel that can increase your travel fees and number of details. In addition, some personalities will require a private jet or other special arrangements. Be sure you know what you're going to paying for and which event planner will be responsible for making the arrangements.

Publicity Surrounding Your Chosen Celebrity. Most event speakers want to get extra mileage out of their top tier booking by setting up lots of publicity. While that's a great idea, be sure that your speaker or entertainer knows exactly what you'll be expecting, and that it's in the contract. Some public speakers are wonderful about doing interviews and other activities, but some entertainers aren't. Make sure you have in writing everything that you'll need before you sign an agreement.

If your event will be promoted in any way, all media and content will usually need to be approved by the entertainer themselves. There are a lot of reasons for this, but mainly it's to prevent false or private information about a public personality from being released.

Cancellations. I like to remind my clients that an event with a marquis name personality is never final until they step onto the stage. Production problems, competing contractual responsibilities and travel logistics can all interfere at any stage of the game. Keep in mind that most celebrities will have out-clauses in their contracts that allow them to cancel an engagement without lengthy notice if they need to fulfill another obligation (movie role, state dinner, etc.)

With all of these difficulties, why would anyone go through the time and effort that it takes to secure a big name celebrity for an event or endorsements. For the same reason that they consider it in the first place - celebrities generate the kind of excitement and attendance that you can't get without them. Just tread carefully and enjoy your star studded event!