Author, Celebrity & Band Tours

First off, Susan Kaup rocks.

This weekend, she shot me an email with a WhizSpark event website she built for a meet and greet and dinner with a visiting author at the Harvard Book Store. She also wrote more up about the event on sooz.com.

Here's the event site:

The topic of the book is very fitting, given that Sooz is using weblogs and WhizSpark to spread the word online:

Offering a voyeuristic peek into the private, creative lives of today's 20-something and 30-something writers, BOOKMARK NOW sheds light on what their work means at a time when the book business is changing, and yet storytelling via e-mail and weblogs seems more relevant than ever.

I am very interested in the implications of the connection Sooz is making with author book tours and WhizSpark. There are currently no "web 2.0" services that address publicity online for anyone that is touring, whether it is a band, an author or a celebrity guest apperance.  And this is a huge market. I just got an  email  from  RockStarPromote announcing the availability of HBO's Entourage's star, Jerry Ferrara.  Here's how that works:

If you don't already know HBO's Entourage is an instant cult hit among your patrons.  If you haven't seen the show please CLICK HERE. rockstarpromote is routing select appearances for the ever so popular character (Turtle) played by Jerry Ferrara.  Please DO NOT reply unless you have reviewed all of the information and are prepared to book an appearance.

 

BOOKING INFORMATION

Jerry Ferrara Appearances

 

Important Information:  Please Review

 

1.  Jerry Ferrara Appearances are booked and routed by rockstarpromote, an authorized celebrity appearance company for Jerry Ferrara represented in this promotion.

 

2.  Event Price:

     $6000 guarantee

     2 roundtrip airline tickets *UNLESS IN NEW YORK CITY

     2 hotel rooms (4 star or better)

     ground transportation

 

GUARANTEE INCLUDES ALL TALENT, MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE FEES.

 

3.     Availability / Confirmation:  Availability of  this promotion is subject to availability of the individual celebrity.  The appearance is not considered "confirmed" until all contracts are issued and signed and deposits are received.

 

4.    Deposits:  A deposit of $2000 of the contracted guarantee is due upon contract signing in the form of cashiers check, money order, wire transfer or Western Union.  Final payment of the remaining balance is due upon arrival, in the form of CASH.  *rockstarpromote reserves the right to change the deposit due upon contract signing. 

Would you spend $6,000 to book an appearance and then simply put out a press release on your website or add it to an event listing of 30 events? Most places would. That's if they would even bother putting it on their website. Some would probably just print flyers or buy a print advertisement. But, with all of this consumer generated media and community online, I'd think it wouldn't be too hard to find the Jerry Ferrara connectors on the web and ask them to spread the word in exchange for a free dinner with their favorite Entourage Star. Ok. So, maybe Jerry Ferrara is a bad example. But, I wouldn't mind hanging out with a Times Editor.

Wouldn't you Jerry?

That look says it all.

Comments

[Andrew]

For $6000 guaranteed, 2 roundtrip airline tickets, and 2 hotel rooms (4 star or better), Jerry better give me a happy ending after making his appearance. I wouldn't know this guy if he was urinating on my shoes at the Kenmore T station....

[Sooz]

Whoever put that "Entourage" email together could use some online marketing therapy or something.

"If you don't already know HBO's Entourage is an instant cult hit among your patrons. "

Are they psychic? And ... patrons? LOL