How To Get Celebrity Clients As A Freelancer

In the last decade as a freelance graphic designer, I've worked with celebrities such as Morgan Wallen, Gas Monkey Garage, and BlackBerry Smoke on various design and marketing projects.

I was only able to do this because I built a system to attract celebrity clients. In this guide I will go over that exact system, teach you how to create a personal brand to attract celebrity clients, last I will show you how to leverage celebrity work you will do to gain more celebrity clients as a freelancer.

Method 1: Celebrity Outreach Strategy - How to Find Celebrity Clients

The most direct approach to gaining celebrity clients is through strategic outreach and research. This method requires some detective work, but it's extremely effective when done right.

Start by researching online for the managers, personal assistants, or anyone directly connected to the celebrity you want to work with. In my experience, LinkedIn is the best platform to find the management company or organization that your target celebrity works with.

Here's the reality: you'll rarely find direct contact information for celebrities themselves. Even if you could, they probably receive thousands of emails daily from companies, freelancers, and fans. Your message would likely get lost in that flood.

So instead you need to focus on finding their management, the people who handle their business affairs, and companies connected to who you want to work with.

Finding a company page on Linkedin to find the correct person to contact.

Finding Celebrity Management Contact Information

The key is to connect with the people who manage these celebrities. In this guide I will mostly go over how to connect with musicians as that is where most of experience is.

For musicians, rappers, or bands, look for their record label, primary manager, or tour manager if they are currently touring. For YouTubers or other celebrities, find their management team and reach out to them directly.

Before contacting anyone, develop a legitimate reason for your outreach. Simply saying "I want to work with you" provides no substance and will likely be ignored. Instead, create value with your initial contact.

Here is exactly how I did it:

I leverage my location near a major concert venue in Upstate New York that hosts artists like Morgan Wallen, BlackBerry Smoke, and other bands. During the summer concert season, I would check the upcoming performance roster on the venue’s website weeks in advance, then reach out to each band's manager with a specific offer:

"Hey, I see you're performing at [venue] on [date]. I provide specialized illustration posters and merch design services. Are you planning any special offerings for this show? I'd love to help create something unique for your fans."

This approach gives the recipient a clear call to action. I'm not just reaching out with empty words—I'm addressing a potential need they might have, one that I've successfully solved for others.

Most of the time I would get a response, and about 20% of the time it would lead to a further meeting on pricing, timeline, and starting a project. Getting your first celebrity client most comes down to pitching yourself since you have no connections yet.

How to Reach Out to Celebrity Tour Managers

Now that you have a game plan and a reason to reach out, you need to find their contact information. Here is the process I used to find contact information for these tour managers.

1. Search LinkedIn for the company managing the artist or celebrity

2. Locate the company's LinkedIn page

3. Find the appropriate people (tour managers, direct managers, etc.)

4. Visit their company website to look for email addresses

Nine times out of ten, record labels and celebrity-endorsed companies list contact information on their websites. If not, you have two options:

• Send them a message directly on LinkedIn

• Use hunter.io to find their email by entering their name and company URL

You'll usually find a match for their email or something close to their actual address. When reaching out, remember to:

• Be genuine and helpful

• Avoid the "I want to make money off your celebrity status" vibe

• Sell yourself while keeping emails concise

If you don't get a response, don't worry—that's normal in cold outreach. It's a numbers game; you might need to send 100 emails before getting one response.

I recommend following up twice over a two-week period. For example, reach out on Monday, follow up on Thursday or Friday, and then send a final email at the end of the two-week period.

This strategy helps you catch them at different times and ensures your email doesn't get buried. Remember these managers get dozens of emails like the one you are sending every week, so do your best to stand out and provide value to them.

A example of building a portfolio on a design website like Behance

Method 2: Building a Portfolio That Attracts Celebrity Clients

The second method is more passive but equally powerful: creating a strong personal brand online that naturally attracts celebrity clients.

Start showcasing your work on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and other social media sites. If you're a graphic designer or illustrator, post your work regularly so people can see your shirt illustrations or logo designs.

This approach helps you build a name for yourself and makes it possible for celebrities and their teams to discover your work organically. This is exactly how I got hired by Morgan Wallen and BlackBerry Smoke—their tour managers saw my work on Instagram, visited my website, and contacted me directly.

It also helps to create spec projects for brands that you would like to work for but you have not hired by yet. This way, potential clients can see how you would design a project if you were hired by a big brand like Coca-Cola, Nike, etc.

The Geotag Strategy for Finding Local Celebrity Jobs

Here's my secret weapon: I geotag all of the work I post online. Whenever I post on Instagram, Behance, or any platform, I always tag the city I'm in.

Why? Because when tour managers need someone last-minute while on the road, they search by region. If they have a concert in your area, they might search for "New York City graphic designers" or "Chicago illustrators," and that's how they'll find your work.

This geotag strategy doesn't just work for celebrity clients—it also attracts local business. Many potential clients search Google for "freelance graphic designer near me" or "[city name] illustrator." Geotagging puts you in those search results.

Remember: quality attracts quality. Create exceptional work, post it consistently, use geotags, and build your personal brand. Over time, influential people will notice your talent and reach out to you.

As you build your portfolio with celebrity clients, showcase these projects prominently. This creates a powerful cycle—each celebrity client helps you attract more high-profile work. Building your portfolio and the likelihood that other celebrity managers will contact you passively based on your online presence.

Behance job board

Method 3: Using Job Boards for Celebrity Work

The third method involves using creative job boards to find opportunities with celebrity companies. Platforms like Behance and Dribbble often feature postings from companies connected to celebrities looking for freelance or contract positions.

This is how I landed work with Gas Monkey Garage, which previously appeared on Discovery Channel. They posted on a job board seeking someone for merchandise design, and I applied directly—no cold outreach or agency required.

If you have a keen eye and know what to look for, you can find incredible opportunities on these job boards. Even if you're just starting as a freelancer, checking job boards weekly can help you find quality clients and fill gaps in your schedule.

Finding Opportunities in the Entertainment Industry

Don't limit yourself to creative job boards. Expand your search to LinkedIn and Glassdoor to find companies connected to celebrities. Even if they're hiring for full-time positions, you can submit your portfolio and offer to fill in temporarily until they find a permanent employee.

As you browse job boards, look for agencies in the entertainment industry or in niches connected to your target celebrities. For instance, if you want to work with celebrities in the liquor industry like George Clooney or Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, seek out agencies specializing in liquor brands, label design, and alcohol advertising.

This reverse-engineering approach can be extremely effective. If an agency has worked with celebrities before, they'll likely work with more in the future. While you're not directly reaching out to the celebrity, you're positioning yourself in their orbit through the agency.

A set of 3 posters I designed for Morgan Wallen's 2022 Dangerous Tour

Leveraging Celebrity Work: Creating Case Studies from Celebrity Clients

Once you've landed celebrity clients, how do you leverage that work to attract more high-profile projects?

The most effective approach is creating detailed case studies for your website. I display all my work with Morgan Wallen, Gas Monkey Garage, BlackBerry Smoke, and other celebrities prominently on my portfolio.

These case studies serve as powerful social proof. When potential celebrity clients hear about me and check my website, they immediately see: "This guy has already worked with celebrities. He knows how to be discreet and work with busy schedules. Let's reach out."

While leveraging your celebrity work, incorporate all three methods we've discussed:

1. In cold outreach, reference your past celebrity projects

2. When applying for contract positions, highlight your celebrity portfolio

3. Feature celebrity work prominently in your personal brand content

The beauty of working with celebrities is that you can build on their established name recognition. This elevates your freelance business and allows you to offer premium services at higher rates.

Don't let your celebrity work sit unused on your hard drive. Use it strategically to attract more high-profile clients and grow your business.

Charging Higher Rates After Working with Celebrities

One significant benefit of building a portfolio with celebrity clients is the ability to increase your rates. After completing projects for recognizable names, you can position yourself as a premium service provider in your field.

When potential clients see that you've worked with celebrities, they perceive your services as more valuable. This perception allows you to charge rates that reflect the quality and exclusivity of your work.

To maximize this benefit:

• Document the results you achieved for celebrity clients

• Create before-and-after showcases when appropriate

• Obtain testimonials when possible (even from their management team)

• Clearly communicate your experience on your pricing page

Remember that clients aren't just paying for your technical skills—they're paying for your experience working with high-profile individuals and understanding their unique needs.

Providing Amazing Service to Celebrity Clients

Building relationships with celebrity clients requires understanding their specific needs. Celebrities and their teams value:

1. Discretion and confidentiality - They need to trust that you won't share sensitive information

2. Flexibility - Their schedules can change rapidly, requiring quick adjustments

3. Efficiency - They appreciate professionals who respect their limited time

4. Quality - Your work represents their brand, so excellence is non-negotiable

5. Professionalism - Maintaining composure and focus regardless of their status

Meeting these expectations consistently will lead to repeat business and referrals within celebrity circles which should be your primary goal. The best way to get more celebrity clients is to become the go-to person in your industry for celebrities to work with.

This becomes a reality when you develop referrals through preexisting celebrity connections. You can do this by becoming the go-to designer, illustrator, or fill-in-the-blank at a management company, record label, or agency.

Do this over and over again and soon you will have celebrities coming to you without having to market yourself.

A shirt design I created for Gas Monkey Garage in 2022 (Left)

Conclusion: Building Your Freelance Business with Celebrity Clients

Working with celebrity clients isn't just about prestige—it's a strategic approach to growing your freelance business through high-profile projects. Whether you prefer direct outreach, building your personal brand, or finding opportunities through job boards, there are multiple paths to landing celebrity clients.

Remember these key strategies:

1. Research and contact management teams rather than celebrities directly

2. Present clear, valuable propositions in your outreach

3. Build a strong online presence with geotagged content

4. Explore creative job boards and entertainment agencies

5. Showcase your celebrity work prominently to attract more high-profile clients

These strategies have helped me build relationships with celebrity clients like Morgan Wallen, BlackBerry Smoke, and Gas Monkey Garage.

With persistence, quality work, and strategic networking, you can achieve similar results.

Ready to Start Working With Celebrity Clients?

If you've found this guide helpful, take action today by doing the following:

1. Start Your Research: Identify one celebrity or high-profile brand you'd love to work with and find their management team on LinkedIn.

2. Optimize Your Portfolio: Ensure your best work is showcased online with proper geo-tagging.

3. Join My Newsletter: Join Expert Economics to learn how to grow your personal brand online and turn your knowledge into income.