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Snagging Celebs for Festival Promos

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Bartender Bob at the BarStraight Stuff from the Other Side of the Bar


Move over Ann Landers and Miss Manners. Bartender Bob could care less about etiquette; he exists to pour drinks and dish answers to wayward PR folks who need a straight shot of truth.

Bartender Bob answers all career- and industry-related questions and does so with the bite of a drink laced with 151. His Italian, in-your-face responses may rub you the wrong way, but he means well.
 

 

Today's Question:

 

Bartender Bob:  I am 24 and lucky enough to have stumbled into a PR position for a museum in South Georgia. I've been at it for three years with strong results, but now my boss wants me to arrange Willard Scott-type celebrity promos for a festival that we host (we already have somewhat of a regional draw). I have no idea how to even initiate something like this. Can you help?

Thanks!

Signed,
Wanna 'wow' the boss ...
 


Dear Wanna 'wow' the boss ...

Rubbing shoulders with celebs. What a sweet tasks to be assigned, but no amount of warm Southern Belle slobbering is going to bring you big-name celebs, only cold hard cash in the amount of $10K and up. How deep are the pockets of South Georgia’s museum?

Just last year, Carol dropped by for a stiff drink after leaning how much it would take to get Tony Robbins to appear at a conference center opening. Hold onto your cocktail. $100,000 was the fee for a videoconferenced appearance. No you can’t get a live one like Tony for less than 200 Gs.

But don’t cry in your beer yet. There are sites that offer speakers for under $5K. They won’t be Willard, but check out AEI Speakers Bureau for cheaper choices. Greater Talent Network and All American Speakers flaunt the full mama jama of ego-ridden, big-buck names.

But hey, what’s in a name? The leverage to draw fees because they draw big crowds that will make your boss draw big sighs while he makes you dance big circles trying to attract the biggest and best names for diddly squat.

My recommendation is make a list of local celebs over a bottle of wine tonight and start dialing tomorrow.

Bartender Bob

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