PR for Celebrities

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It may be safe to say that there’s likely no other group on the planet that’s more self-aware than celebrities. As the interest in the behind-the-scenes aspects of peoples’ lives continues to be fodder for TV, radio, the front page of the newspaper and countless online gossip websites, more celebrities are relying on their public relations (PR) professionals to help them preserve their image, dispel rumors and manage any crisis before they balloon into full blown PR nightmares.
While magazines that focus on celebrities such as athletes and entertainers in the music and movie industry have been on the marketplace for several decades, it’s evident that the information about celebrities has only increased since the beginning of the twenty-first century thanks to the availability of the Internet, mobile phone devices with cameras and TV shows that are dedicated to gossiping about the latest news in the lives of the rich and famous.
And while PR professionals have long since been under the employ of celebrities, it’s likely that most of work these days involves reputation management as more media outlets are turning to more creative ways of capturing the details of what goes on behind seemingly closed doors for many of the world’s most famous stars. Still, there are a core set of duties that PR professionals have to focus on when they are managing the reputation of a celebrity client. These include building hype around the talents of the client and any projects they may be working on and making sure the information is publicized via local, national and global media outlets. Other profile raising initiatives include facilitating public appearances for their client and celebrity placements, which are events in which the celebrity is paid to attend and promote a product, service or a venue such as a bar, club or hotel.

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Choosing A PR Firm

Choosing a PR firm doesn’t have to be difficult, if you just follow a few guidelines to find the best for you and your company.

When you’ve decided that you or your company really needs some good PR, you need to set about choosing a PR firm wisely. Remember this, a good PR firm can turn you or your company into a household name, but choosing the wrong PR firm can turn out to be a disaster for you and your business.

PR Budget

If you are a director of a large company who needs to upgrade their national or even international presence, then the chances are you’ll have a large budget and can choose a large company to handle the public relations for you. If, however, you are a smaller company just starting out and need to get your name out locally, then your budget is probably considerably smaller, and a smaller local firm will be best suited to your needs. Choosing a PR firm from your local area can actually be advantageous, as they will already know your competition, your locality and be able to get the best angle for your campaign.

PR Plan

Of course, before any PR company can give you a realistic price they will need to know exactly what you expect from them and what will be involved, so you need a good plan. You need to know what you want from the public relations firm, and what you hope to achieve within a certain timescale. Some of the following ideas may help you in your plan:

  • Advertising media which you plan to use – local newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, billboards, internet etc.
  • Trade shows where your attendance could be beneficial.
  • Measurable goals – leads per ad/hits per web page etc.
  • Target audience – you need to know clearly who you are aiming at and why!
  • Publications – where you want press releases etc. (A well placed press release can be more effective than the most biggest and expensive advertisement!)

Choosing a PR Firm

Once you’ve got a plan, then you can start meeting with a few PR firms and sharing your ideas. Here’s a simple tip, it’s always a good idea to ask which other companies they have worked for, you might have heard of them! If you haven’t, (or have for all the wrong reasons) then maybe you need to find yourself another PR firm and quick.

Final Choice

Once you’ve narrowed down your list, then it’s time to review the different bids which each PR firm has submitted. Check the list carefully against your plan, and make sure that the most important aspects are included in the price of PR. The cheapest bid is worthless if it doesn’t get your firm to the place you want it to be. You also need to take into account some other practical details. Are they situated closely enough to you? Remember, you’ll be spending lots of time together to get your campaign off the ground. Do you feel comfortable talking with them? You’re going to be doing a lot of that, so there needs to be a certain amount of chemistry between you. Do you feel that they will deal with your needs in a professional manner? This is important, however comfortable and friendly your relationship should be, professionalism must be paramount in the way they conduct their business on your behalf.