Here’s an interesting and kinda Quirky Marketing Idea: It ‘s about hiring a celebrity spokesperson to help promote your small business products and services. In marketing, the experts agree: “Celebrity sells”. There are a number of reasons for this. The presence of a celebrity in an advertising campaign is likely to raise awareness, to get people to notice the product more. If people think that the celebrity actually uses the product, then that makes the public even more likely to want it. And if the public see that you have the pulling power to attract a celebrity, they will respect you more automatically. Its the power of popularity by association. And while at least one of those statements is can be depressing, all of them are true.
In cold-eyed marketing terms, however, there is no disputing the fact that having the endorsement of a local celebrity (or a national celebrity if you can afford it or somehow convince them to be part of things) is a big seller. When it comes to attracting customers, star power is still one of the surest ways to get customers through the door. If you cannot attract a major sports star, or a TV legend, then think a bit more broadly. Who is the local boy or girl who made good? Failing that, who is the star player for the most popular sports team in the area?
The most important thing in attracting customers with the power of celebrity is to pick someone who can give the impression of actually wanting to be there. Someone who is a good fit with what you sell. Someone your demographics will resonate with and want to be a part of. And you have to keep your budget in mind. Celebrities don’t usually come cheap. That’s why you might want to consider a “local” celebrity or hero int he public’s eye. Local television personalities (such as news anchors and weather persons, radio disc jockeys and sportscasters) work well for companies with a very local market. And since we are talking marketing your small business offline, what better way than with the “local flavor.”
Many celebrity endorsements have fallen flat because the celebrity turned up late, more or less read from a card “I am a big fan of this service or product” and left about fifteen minutes before they were due to. If you have networking skills, this is where they come in useful. Always have a back-up plan in the case of worse case… don’t be left without a “star,” when the lights go out (or on) as the case may be.
