Are you ready to let others know what you do in voiceovers in a brief, positive way? Let’s say you’re out and about doing your daily rounds and appointments. During a casual conversation, you get a question about your line of work. Your response notes you’re a voiceover talent. But then, your listener looks puzzled and asks a follow-on question something like, “What do you do in voiceovers?” Do you know what to say next? Motivate others to work with you through an on-the-mark voiceover elevator speech.

Your voiceover speech doesn’t have to be a canned response. It should be something tailored to each situation and include all the essential facts about what you do. Therefore, preparation is vital. Take time to narrow down the main points you want to communicate with others in about one minute.

In “How to Write the Perfect Elevator Pitch,” Jente Kater, notes the significance of a focused message:

“A great asset forcing you to keep your pitch both interesting and well-structured is the A.I.D.A. model (Attention → Interest → Desire → Action). The model, often used by sales and marketing professionals, ensures that your story will be coherent and clear. Above all, remember to get excited. If your pitch isn’t something that gets your blood flowing, it won’t do much to elicit a reaction from your audience.”

Edge Studio’s 10 Critical Business Practices that Voice Over Artists Overlook, notes the importance of accurately describing what you do instead of just saying you’re a voiceactor. Most individuals think only of one type of voice work. Here’s more advice from Edge Studio.

“When asked what you do, don’t say, ‘I’m a voice-over artist,’ because most people don’t know what that means, and the few that do will probably think it means commercials. Instead say, ‘I help businesses sound better, by providing them with wonderful sound tracks for their voice mail and training videos so they sound more professional.’ Tailor this ‘elevator pitch’ precisely to your special strengths.”

Developing your Script

Write out your responses to the following questions and narrow down the key points.

• What benefits do you provide to your voiceover clients?
• What are your specialties?
• What makes your services unique?
• What things are you most proud of in the business?

Once you’ve covered the basics, think about what you bring to each client. With these points in mind, gage your listener to provide just the right particulars and (possibly) your business card. For more on how to write an elevator speech, review Mike Simpson’s How to Write A Killer Elevator Pitch.

Tailor the Particulars

Potential voiceover clients are everywhere. Still, choose how much to share about yourself and your  business. Think through the following:

• Is this person a business candidate or strictly a casual contact?
• Is he or she a primary or secondary potential client?
• Would sharing my contact information (business card, etc.) be a good idea?

Incorporate the above into your on-point elevator speech. Keep your information current. If you’re in business, there will always be a need for a good elevator speech. Make your interactions count toward future clients and network growth. You’ve got this.

Break a lip!