When holding corporate and charitable events, celebrity appearances create memorable experiences. They also help add to the marketing hype and help popularize the event.
This, however, does not just happen easily. Whether you engage a local or international sports personality, you will need money to book athlete appearances. The fees vary depending on a variety of aspects, such as the athlete’s success, their net worth, public appeal, and visibility in sports events. To keep this deal within your budget, here are some tips you can use:
1. Engage an Agency
Sports marketing agencies have agreements with celebrities. As a result, they can leverage the power of existing relationships to negotiate the terms of engagement, which include lower fees for their clients. When you are booking directly, the athletes may charge a high rate, as they will view the chance as a one-time opportunity.
Agencies, on the other hand, book several appearances every year. They have built their reputation in the bookings and they have won the trust of the athletes. These aspects boost their comfort levels, making it easier for an agency to negotiate the terms.
2. Collaborate with Sponsors
Working with vendors and sponsors for your corporate event can help fund part of the celebrity appearances. But this is only possible if it comes with benefits for the sponsors, such as a mention by the celebrity in their speech, on-site signage, and presence on the event’s autograph cards. Find out what other possible benefits you can offer them, which are particular to the event and which can add value to their business.
3. Consider Local Athletes
When you source your athlete from afar, it adds to the transport cost, which you need to cater for. It is, therefore, more cost-effective to source your celebrity locally. Other than eliminating the cost of travel, it minimizes the amount of time the individual needs to commit for the event; therefore, they are likely to charge less.
4. Negotiate
If the athlete quotes a fee that is above your budget, do not give up without making a counteroffer that is in line with your budget; negotiate your way to the best price. This will usually work better than asking them if it is possible for them to accept less than their initial quote. You could cut on the time commitment quoted initially, as well as minimize the responsibilities given to them so that they can reduce the fee.
5. Tie the Event to Something They Like
Celebrities have certain causes that they publicly support. Choose an athlete who feels strongly about something related to the event. If you can tie their passion to the event, then you are likely to get a great deal. For example, have conference attendees donate to a specific charity for them to get autographs or a picture with the athlete. Have all the proceeds go to the charity.
Once you secure the appearance, it is up to you to make it work best for your fans and your brand. Create content to post online and share any user-generated content from fans. This way, you will achieve much more and create some buzz about your brand online.
