A voiceover talent has a unique responsibility in establishing a reputation for excellence. In such a competitive field, excellence has a way of narrowing down the number of talents who rise to the top and are constantly working. The best way to stand out from other voiceover talents is to establish and maintain excellence always.
It’s All In the Details
You must prepare for success. A voiceover’s proper business preparation includes demos, a website presence, and active social media. Operating a voiceover business on the side is not the same as running a successful voiceover business. A part-time business can be run successfully if the proper emphasis is placed on maintaining its parts so that they function for the activity around the clock.
Excellence also means good overall communication. For instance, make sure the texts on your website and other social media sites are as error-free as possible. In her book “The Brand Mapping Strategy,” Karen Leland says, “The words on your website need to be clear, concise and accurate when describing your business and brand.” Consider hiring an editor or using sources like Grammarly to help you edit your writing and other information representing you. Take time to carefully set up and review your online presence to make sure your site communicates the best about you.
Focus your Time and Talent
When speaking with promising voice talent, I hear a lot of “I want to do audiobooks, commercials, eLearning, …I think I can do it all.” While that sounds great, failing to focus on one’s best skill can lead to a lot of running around and getting nowhere. Focus on what you want to perform in your voice over business. There is no shame in just doing one or two genres.
Find and build on what you’re good at as a voice actor. For example, are you a compassionate person, who can quickly feel empathy for others? Perhaps you project an anthem style in your vocal delivery and may be good at fictional reads or eLearning projects. Find your style and what you do best. As your business grows, you can branch out into other genres. Start small and build.
Follow Your Plan
Developing and sticking to a business operation plan takes time and discipline. This is also the foundation of excellence. Such habits like delivering on time plus keeping good records and up with the trends related to your voiceover business solidify your position as one of the best.
Hard Work Required
Voiceover excellence means keeping your business strong by developing and maintaining good practices. This may be the hardest part of excellence. The daily work of reaching out to clients, managing your web presence, posting to social media, and delivering quality products to your clients on time is a must.
Remember, procrastination and excuses can kill the tender roots of your excellence. Work hard to build and keep your good name and brand foremost with your voiceover clients. Excellence can only be achieved by practice. But, that’s what voiceover talent do anyway!