The Art of Working With Celebrities

By Sophia Iannelli 

If you are in the field of public relations,  you have probably heard some horror stories about working with “the talent.” Celebrities and influencers can seem difficult to work with and demanding at times, especially when you are the one at their beck and call. 

Founder and President of The Celebrity Source, Rita Tateel, shared some tricks of the trade at the Celebrity Focused Public Relations session at the PRSSA International Conference. Tateel began the session by mentioning that we will all have to work with a celebrity or influencer at least once in our career. She then warned us that celebrities are some of the most insecure people on the planet. 

“One way they can feel secure is by being demanding,” Tateel said. 

The trick to deal with, or even lessen, the amount of demands is to become trustworthy in the eye of the celebrity. One example Tateel shared was “The Booger Principle,” which comes from the time she told a celebrity they had a little something to handle near their nose. No one else had mentioned it to the guest, so when Tateel did, she immediately gained their trust. The goal is to help them feel secure. 

But how can you do any of this if the celebrity doesn’t come to the event? The first step is getting them to say “yes.” The following are some of Tateel’s key tips to get celebrities and influencers on the guest list: 

• Their family and kids are everything to them. If your event is family friendly, extend the welcome to the influencer’s loved ones. This will show them that you understand their priorities.

 

• Time is their most important commodity. Never waste a celebrity’s time. Their time is everything. They could be at home with the kids, in another city, at a different party or heck, they could be sleeping. Make whatever you are doing worthwhile. 

 

• What’s in it for them? Always let them know what they will get out of what you’re doing. Will they get media exposure? Does it support a cause they support? Does it involve a personal interest of theirs? Are there perks or gifts? 

 

• People don’t say yes to organizations, they say yes to people. It is vital to build relationships with these people, don’t just throw your organization’s mission statement in their face. They are human; treat them as such. 

Great! The celebrity is on the list and the event plan is complete. They don’t show. Now what?! As the session came to a close, Tateel stressed how important it is to have a backup plan. Crazy things happen, plans change and influencers dip out. If you have a secondary plan built into your primary plan, there’s no need to worry. Preparation is key. 

Hopefully, now you feel more prepared to deal with “the talent” and tackle the ups and downs of celebrity public relations. Good luck!