Guide to Hiring a Celebrity Spokesperson

Define your objectives

Determine what you expect from your partnership with your spokesperson and how to best use their talents. Clarify your needs and expectations from the get-go.

I recommend: Brooks International and Burns are two agencies that specialize in booking celebrity and sports talent. These talent brokers can help you assess your needs.

Find the right fit

It's important that the spokesperson you hire is a good match for your product or service.

I recommend: The Hollywood-Madison Group uses a proprietary database called the "Fame Index" to match businesses with appropriate talent. The Fame Index contains the names of 10,000 stars and uses 250 categories to match talent to businesses and products.

Plan well in advance

When deciding on a celebrity spokesperson for your business, start early. You should plan at least six months out. The bigger the name, the longer the lead time.

I recommend: Celebrity Focus and The Celebrity Source are two talent agencies that can connect your company with talent and help you navigate the celebrity maze.

Consider the costs

Talent fees and celebrity endorsements run the gamut from a few hundred dollars for a single appearance by a local DJ to far more for a big star.

I recommend: If you're looking for major star power, you can go with Hollywood biggies like William Morris or PMK/HBH Public Relations. On a smaller scale, you can contact many local celebrities directly or through their management or their public relations agency.

Make contact

Talent agencies, entertainment marketing firms and even speakers bureaus can put you in touch with potential celebrity spokespeople. Contacting talent can be easier than you might think.

I recommend: The Screen Actors Guild provides an actor-locator service. If you want a big-name author, call his or her publishing company and ask for the public relations department. A few have their own speakers bureaus: check out the speakers bureau at Harper Collins.