After having a career in marketing and sales, and being a consumer and planning events, I have learned a thing or two about PR. Based on that, I thought this would be a rather fun, entertaining but realistic blog to write. In that vein:
If I were the PR agent for a
celebrity, my advise would be as follows:
- Make sure you do not project
arrogance. Fans are what are making you
successful and fans are what can bring you down. Be grateful and maintain some form of
humility.
- God gives and God can taketh away. Only He knows his plan so do not take your blessings for granted. In the blink of an eye, you can lose the ability to breathe on your own, sing due to throat cancer, dance due to a car accident, etc. Make sure you are well rounded and known for more than just a craft. One dimensional people are just that. An act with nothing else to follow.
- Give praise to God always for your blessings. Don’t take all the credit. Give thanks to those around you also that support you and do your dirty work. Just because they are paid, they never get the recognition you get so take heart and see that they get your accolades. They will then be loyal, promote you and help you always be your best.
- Keep it real, don’t pretend to be
someone you are not. Phonies get smoked
out. The media will expose you. If you are screwed up, seek help,
professional help earlier rather than later so it is not played out in the
media. Otherwise you will be looked at as a train wreck and known for all the
wrong reasons.
- Give something back to the community you came from, your hometown. Folks expect it and appreciate it. It is part of who you are, no matter how far you run. Doing things because you have so much is the right thing to do. Sharing is one of the most basic things we learn, a requirement for living humane. Hoarding your wealth is just not right. And don’t do it to draw even more attention to yourself. Things like what Drew Carey did, tweeting a reward for a bunch of teens who bullied an autistic teen, now that is cool. Eminem showing up for some teen dying in MI who wanted to meet him before he passed away, no camera crew, no nothing just to say hello dude, now that was real. Miley Cyrus, Rascal Flats and many many others have done things for others without having a spotlight on them. These are altruistic acts. These make you have character. Do some of these because it is the right thing to do. You will thus earn respect and at the end of the day, end of your career, feel good about who you are and what you did.
- Don’t be a politician if that is not your calling. Stick to what you are good at. Don’t try to be the authority on everything unless you are super knowledgeable in that area. Use your influence in the right way. People want you to entertain them, not be another stressor in their life, someone who makes them think painfully about life. Be a beacon of life, of hope, of laughter. Share talent and create joy.
- As Diana Ross said, “Reach Out and
Touch Somebody’s Hand.” Don’t be so aloof that no one can reach you. One thing people liked about Justin Bieber was his ability to be reachable to his fans. He responded directly to his tweeters. Too many stars never respond to anyone. They never show up for anyone’s events but their own, they never respond to anyone’s letters anymore personally. People are more likely to hear from the President than a celebrity. Take time to pick a few to show you are human and realize that. Have compassion for others.
- Share your contacts with a few trying to break in the business, you know how it feels. Return the favor someone gave you. What will it hurt to help someone? You may one day age and need a favor from them.
- Don’t neglect your family and friends. Your business associates are not who will keep you warm at night. They might not even attend your funeral or be at your birthday party for the right reason. Separate business from pleasure some. Have a life, have balance. Everyone deserves this. Stay mild, meek and grounded.
- Live fully, laugh without reservations and love completely!
