Introduction

One of the challenges when booking celebrities for events is how to translate the increased appeal and influence that a celebrity booking brings into higher revenue, profitability, or some other pre-defined goal that you have for the event. This article takes a look at a few strategies for maximizing the value that you can get from a celebrity booking.

Strategy #1 for Maximizing Value on Celebrity Booking: Organize a Meet and Greet Before the Main Event

One of the best ways to maximize the potential value of a celebrity booking is to essentially try and create multiple “mini-events” that are tied to the main occasion. The first two strategies we will explore are of this nature. Let´s say that you have booked the rapper Armando Christian Pérez, better known by his stage name Pitbull, for a concert in your hometown. As with any concert, there is going to be a maximum price for tickets that you can expect to realistically sell. However, there are bound to be dozens (or maybe even hundreds) of Pitbull fans in that geographical location who would be more than eager to spend significantly more to get to know their favorite rapper at a pre-event meet and greet.

Selling meet and greet opportunities is one of the most profitable “upsells” to people who purchase tickets to the concert, and who would love to have an opportunity to meet the famous celebrity or performer you have booked. Meet and greets are generally not too hard to negotiate into the contract you sign with the celebrity agent or manager. Because they are relatively short and generally take place on the same day of the event, a meet and greet doesn’t drastically increase your food/lodging budget for the celebrity and his or her entourage you are hosting. Make sure that you have an adequate space or venue planned for the meet and greet that will easily accommodate your paying attendees and the celebrity.

Strategy #2 for Maximizing Value on Celebrity Booking: Organize a Post-Event After Party

After a short meet and greet around lunchtime, and the main event in the evening, you might still be able to maximize the value of your celebrity booking by organizing a post-event after-party and selling tickets to this gathering. In most cases, the celebrity will not charge the same price as the original booking as they are likely not going to be offering a full concert. In some cases, the after-party might just be a short appearance by the celebrity, or a very limited performance, perhaps offering one or two of their favorite songs to the audience of the after-party. By booking that celebrity for an after-party, you could potentially increase your earnings, as many people will pay a premium price to be closer to the celebrity.

In most celebrity bookings, the organizer of the event will get first dibs for organizing the after-party if they are in charge of the main event. You will need to secure a venue, ensure that there is proper security, and then publicize the after-party amongst people who might be interested. Though you can certainly consider pushing after-party tickets to people who have purchased entries to the main event, you might also consider marketing the after-party admission to a wider audience. You can read more about how to go about organizing an after-party for a celebrity in our blog post here.

Strategy #3 for Maximizing Value on Celebrity Booking: Selling Tables at the Performance or Event

Let´s say, for example, that you have booked the rapper Abra Cadabra for an upcoming performance. You negotiated a midday meet and greet and quickly sold out the tickets to that event, and also are in the process of putting together a killer after party. Might there be another way to extract more value from the concert you´re putting on?

If the concert is taking place in a relatively small and intimate space, you might consider selling access to tables for guests who want to be more comfortable and have a dedicated space for themselves and the people with whom they are attending the concert. In this case, the table upsell might resemble something similar to what you see at a nightclub, where higher-paying guests will seek out the most comfortable spots. This can be an extremely beneficial upsell, especially if many of the concert tickets are for “standing room only.”  

Strategy #4 for Maximizing Value on Celebrity Booking: Include VIP/Backstage Passes as an Upsell Available to your Paying Public

Lastly, you might also consider selling VIP or backstage passes to the concert or event you are organizing. Upsells are a way of persuading a customer to buy something additional or more expensive. Besides tickets to the event, you can also include ticket add-ons such as VIP/Backstage passes. Make sure that the ticketing software or platform that you use allows for this type of add-on, and that it is relatively easy for your paying customers to find and purchase the VIP or backstage pass that is offered.

You will want to consult with the celebrity´s security team and with the venue you have booked to determine the maximum amount of backstage passes that can be made available. Furthermore, if you are selling a VIP ticket at a premium price, it is important that you clearly define what special privileges the extra price offers. You might consider offering:

• Early access to the venue before the general public. This will allow your VIP ticket holders to ensure that they get the best spots closest to the stage of the event.

• Exclusive access to VIP lounges or areas for relaxing before and after the event.

• Access to premium amenities such as free drinks, merchandise, or parking.

• Dedicated VIP entrances to help these customers avoid long lines and entry times.

• Special seating or standing areas, which can provide a better view or experience of the concert or event.

Conclusion

If you have been fortunate enough to have booked a major celebrity for an important event, you now need to ensure that you do everything in your power to maximize the value of that booking. Organizing pre-event meet and greets, post-event after parties, setting up selling tables, and making VIP passes available or four strategies that can increase your overall profit from the event. In many cases, these extra revenue-generating opportunities may be the difference between making money and losing money at the event.

Before you start thinking about how to maximize the value of your celebrity booking, however, you first need to ensure that you have the right contact information to start the process off right. Booking Agent Info is the number one resource to help you confidently reach out to that celebrity´s manager, publicist, and agent. We are proud to be able to provide up-to-date email and phone numbers for the official agents, managers, and publicists of celebrities worldwide.