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Voice Overs

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Voiceacting At Your Service

Personal VO Views, VO Business Tips, voiceover

Voiceovers is a great way to express your creative side.  If you take your acting to the next level, voiceovers as a business can be challenging as well as rewarding.  For any company, adding related services can help meet more client needs.  Let your voice acting business be a launch pad for developing a creative suite of services.

Audio Services

Those new to the business may start with recording and editing the dry voice.  Custom recordings can include being directed in your home studio through Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) or other remote audio monitoring and recording tools. The next logical step is to add music and sound effects to your voice recordings.  Add-on products to your dry voice can help your client and reduce his or her need to find sperate sources to finalize the products.

Music can be purchased via the web (including licensing etc.) for adding to your project.  Consider Royalty Free Music.  In his blog, What is Royalty Free Music? What does it mean exactly?, Gilles Arbour explains “In a nutshell Royalty Free Music refers to a type of music licensing that allows the purchaser to pay for the music license only once and to use the music for as long as desired.”  You want to make sure that you have the proper license and permission to use music when incorporating into a client’s production or demo.

Multiple Voice Actors

If you are partnered with other voice actors, you can contract out a portion of your voiceover work to a talent of another sex or talent who has a different sound for client products.  Develop the partnerships and written agreements before you have that large project.  Establish turnaround times and other specifics within your agreements with others to keep your plans on time and on budget.

Additional Services

Consider adding copywriting, editing or other services. If writing is a skill you can offer, consider that as a part of your business’s for-pay service.  Also, add video development to your suite of services.  Review the web-based programs and apps that allow you to develop a video and add your voice to the final product.  Your client can provide the graphics and data, and you can produce a complete product for your voiceover client’s platforms.  If that’s a service you’re not ready to provide, again partner with those with good video skills and develop a process of working together to build your projects.

Sharing Knowledge

Teaching is an excellent way of giving back and helping others along their way to voiceover and business success.  Consider volunteering or giving a free seminar in your community on getting into voiceovers.  You can develop blogs or papers on voice acting and related skills and post to your website and social media platforms.  Not all your information has to be only about voiceovers. Companies in different genres share the need for sound business practices and keeping abreast of valuable information.  Share what you know to help improve the relationship between you and your current and potential clients.

Consider writing an eBook of your business knowledge or even a subject you consider yourself an expert.  For example, if you are a cyclist, you may want to write about the basics, equipment maintenance, physical conditioning, accouterments, or other related topics. Let others know that you have interest and knowledge that link back to the excellence of your voiceover services.  You can even voice the audio portion of your eBook and make your final product for sale or a giveaway to those visiting your website.

Keeping Your Clients Up to Date

As you evolve to more and better services, keep your clients in the loop through newsletters and social media postings.  Your clients may have a project on the horizon, and your new company services will help fill the bill.

Don’t use consumers as your test case.  Make sure your expanded services are tested and tried.  Your clients should receive a seamless final project in the same manner as when you provided voiceover services alone.

Be Indispensable

The voice acting business can lead to so many creative services.  Possible talents can include storytelling programs, video blogs, audio newsletters, and more.  Take time and research what skills and services you can add to your business.  Network with other voiceover actors, see what other skills they have, and combine the right skills to expand your suite of amenities.

Lastly, infrequently poll your existing clients and see if they have new service needs.  Your clients may be looking for the know-how you recently added to your enterprise. Look for ways to expand your business to a full suite of creative tools to become your clients’ one stop shop.

8 Ways to Be Your Best Employee

Business Tips, Personal, VO Business Tips

Voice acting can be a wonderfully fulfilling career field.  Most self-employed voice actors work alone and have to manage all aspects of their business.  For those first starting their own business, transitioning from employee to employer can be a bit of a challenge.  Without a boss or supervisor tying a salary and raises to performance, one may not be as driven to work as structured in a self-employed venue.  But with a little hindsight, many employee job practices can be applied as sole-entrepreneur business practices.  For long-term success, apply employee work practices as a self-employed talent to keep your business on track. Below are 8 best-practices for full-time employees that perfectly fit the independent voice-over talent.

1. Report to Work On Time 

You don’t have to punch a clock to start working, but it’s a good idea to have regular daily work hours.  Developing a routine will get you up and moving as if you were commuting into an office, but now it’s your home office.  You can even make your coffee at home.

2. Schedule Lunch and Breaks

Most companies like to know when employees are on break or at lunch.  You’re the boss now, so schedule when to break for lunch, run errands, etc.  If you have to take an extended break from your home office, schedule make-up time that day or on a Saturday just as if you ’d taken leave as an employee.

3. Attend Operation and Progress Meetings

Many businesses have regular Monday staff meetings to check accounts’ status, review sales, and business practices.  As a voice talent, have your own Monday status meeting to review your marketing, client follow-ups, billing, social media progress, and anything forwarded from your last week of business. The session can help you narrow your focus and limited wasting time in your upcoming week.

TIP: Record your free flow of ideas or thoughts and add to your to-do list if needed. 

4. Attend Regular Training

To keep current, many employers require regular refresher training for their staff.  As a self-employed voice actor, you need to stay current too. Proper ongoing training can include listening to podcasts on all things voiceover related, attending conferences, and working regularly with a voice coach.

5. Interact with your Co-workers on New Ideas

Full-time employees often share updates with their colleagues.  Voice actors are no different.  Facebook groups and Twitter postings provide alerts to new tricks and tips in the home studio recording.  YouTube and other direct streaming broadcasts from voiceover experts are excellent for discovering new ways to work smarter and not more laborious in the booth.

You can’t scale if you do it alone, you really need to work with others.” Adrian Grenier

6. Set Regular Hours

Most jobs have regular hours of operation.  Set the hours you plan to work your voiceover business.  Try to consistently work for a fixed number of hours and days  (full-time or part-time) and remain faithful to those times.  If you have a big project, work at that time, then as a reward, try to give yourself some time off for your overtime work.  Also, setting regular hours allows your family and friends to know when you are available for time away from the VO business.

7. Leave the Job at the job

Working for an employer can bring many challenges during the day, and the same can happen in voice acting.  You will lose some jobs just because you are not the one the casting director needed (or liked).  Try not to take it personally.  It’s usually not a talent matter, but you will probably never know the real reason you didn’t get a gig. So, leave the VO job at the job.  Do the best you can, come back the next time, and keep working your business.

8. Take Time for Vacations

Most of today’s top managers and business gurus tout the importance of vacation time.  Americans are known for being the hardest working people in the world. When it comes to vacations,  CNBC’S MakeIt says almost half of Americans don’t take vacations.

Take time off and do something non-voiceover related.  There is no shame in taking your traveling recording gear just in case you get that big job while on the road.  (You’re in business so be prepared). Let your clients know you’re taking time off and when you will return.  Still, be prepared in case a client needs you for a job while you’re on vacation.  Also, don’t forget to change your voicemail message so callers will know when you will be available and back in your home studio.

Let’s face it, if you’ve ever worked for someone else, most of these points are nothing new. That’s a great start. Now, use these points in running your daily business to establish and maintain a solid groundwork for long-term voiceover success.

Break a lip.

Stay or Go in Your Voiceover Career

Business Tips, VO Business Tips, voiceover

We all have areas of curiosity in our search for the career that fits our personality and will give back to our pocket.  The voice acting business is a creative way of self-expression and to help clients connect with their audiences.  Running any business involves keeping a watchful eye on its structure and progress. If you find you’re not getting the results you’d hoped for as a voiceover artist, it may be time to move on and seek another creative pursuit.

Recently, I did a little moving on from Golf when I tried it over a year ago. As a former tennis player, I thought it would be a good fit (maybe I wanted to be like Althea Gibson).  The concepts seem similar, and I felt I had a good eye for focused contact with a ball (or any other object hurried at me).  So, I took a few group lessons and semi-private classes then spent time at the range practicing my swing.  Well, a couple of months into new pursuit, I realized my assumed natural bent to hitting the ball at least most of the time, may have been a little off. Not willing to give in too soon, I kept at it for a few more months.

Then one day while leaving the golf course, I asked myself an honest question, “Is golf something that I have the time, the willingness, and the finances to continue until I reach my perceived success?” Although my intentions were good, I realized that learning to play golf would take years and substantial finances to achieve a good handicap. Not only that, but I didn’t really enjoy my new pursuit, it wasn’t my passion. The activity was just something I picked up because it looked fun, and I thought it might be an excellent way to expand my friendships.  It was time for me to move on.

Cost of the Learning Curve ( Don’t make your clients pay for your learning) –  In a new pursuit, there’s always a learning curve.  A professional voice talent must make the time to learn the business, which includes recording, editing, marketing, and other skills. This time usually involves long hours of study and reading.  Costs can consist of hundreds and even thousands of dollars spent before reaching a comfort level as a proficient voice actor.  So, it’s not a good idea to venture out for clients until you’re well equipped to provide your best.  Producers expect the very best from professional voice talents, so determine the amount of time you will spent practicing and learning new voiceover skills and then double it.  Determine if you can financially operate your business and pay for your training with no incoming revenue for (sometimes) long periods of time.

Think About Your Passion – When I think back on my golf experience, the pursuit was not wrong, I just was not committed and passionate about spending the money and time to become proficient in the game.  While I liked and was fascinated by the skill, I was not willing to pay the fees, dues, and other costs long-term. The sport was not my passion, just an interest.

Voice acting must be your passion.  Know why and what you want from the career field.  Again, there will be more long hours learning, marketing, and running the business than you can imagine.  Only a passionate pursuit and purpose can fuel a voiceover business in the making.  If you’re not excited about voiceovers, you may want to consider a different career field.

Know When it’s Time to Go or Stay –  A new voice actor can take years to solidify himself or herself in the industry.  There are no shortcuts to voiceover success (read my earlier blog).  Know when you are on the right path to reaching your business goals or if it’s it not working out for you.  Don’t spend all that you have physically and financially on a passing curiosity.

I meet a lot of folks who are fascinated with the idea of voice acting. However, when I explain to someone what it takes to become a successful working talent, he or she usually losses their zeal.  But, I think that’s a good thing.  It’s better to understand the costs of time and resources needed now or within the first year or two of a voice acting business, than after spending thousands of dollars on equipment and coaches to realize voice acting is not one’s passion.

There’s no shame in deciding to move on with your shirt (financially speaking). So, you may not see me on the golf course, but I plan to be in my vocal booth for as long as I can.  Is voiceover your fun pursuit (my golf) or your real passion?  Only you have the answer and the way to the best commitment in your life.

Break a lip.

Neutrality: Good for the Voiceover Pro

Business Tips, VO Business Tips

Business professionals know the importance of maintaining good relationships.  Voiceover pros also understand that building and retaining contacts can lead to good client relationships.  In this current environment of constant social and political reporting, it’s important to stay focused on your business goals and use communication wisely to maintain good interpersonal relationships.  As a voice talent, maintaining good bonds with your clients and associates keeps your business growing.

Find Neutrality: Never Take Sides. 

Now, this may seem like a coward’s way out, but keep reading.  If you are out socially or professionally, there’s a high potential for social issues to work their way into conversations.  If you’re in earshot of or in a discussion that turns political, or even ugly, maintain your focus.  No matter your personal views, it’s better to stay neutral.  Feel free to listen with an open mind as views are expressed, but don’t feel that you must agree or disagree.  Even if you’re asked to give your point of view, be very tactful in your response. Your reply can work for or against you, so it’s best to be an opinionated listener.

Always Be Pleasant.

Not all interactions are pleasant ones.  As a professional (self-employed) voice talent, you are still available to be seen by or reached by potential clients.  As such, there’s usually no need to share your political, social, or religious views with all clients; you’re engaged to provide high-quality voiceover and or audio services.  When interacting with potential or current clients, maintain a positive attitude mentally, and that attitude will come through in your communication.  As a voice talent, you are looking to provide a service and to meet client needs.  Your business is where you shine the best. Be professional and pleasant.  If you find yourself in an interaction that is inappropriate, excuse yourself and move on.  It’s just business.

Build Positive Relationships.

In relationships, give and take can help maintain a good rapport.  As a voice talent, you don’t have to limit yourself to just providing voice over services.  Look for opportunities to share information and assistance to others.  For example, if you know of innovations that could be of interest to your clients, share the information with a friendly note.  Likewise, if you have clients who celebrate certain holidays and events that you don’t observe, feel free to send well wishes on those particular days.  A simple acknowledgment of clients’ special days is not an agreement or disagreement, and it’s a sign of respect and courtesy. You don’t need to go overboard on your acknowledgment.  Stick to a simple greeting or acknowledgment respectfully.  Such kindness can go a long way to help maintain relationships with others, even if you don’t agree on all personal and professional topics.

If I’ve had any modicum of success, it’s because I’ve had good relationships, and people trusted me.” Robert Kraft

A voiceover actor is like an ambassador. See yourself as a provider of excellent services no matter the political and social climate.  Maintaining good client contacts through wise communication can position you as a great person to work with and a stable business professional.

Break a lip! 

Learning, Leaving, and Growing in Voiceovers

Business Tips, Personal VO Views, VO Business Tips, Voice over Training

We’ve all started on pursuits that looked fun and assumed that’s for us. But as a voice talent involved in managing and operating a business, it’s important to know what works and what doesn’t. Voice acting is a competitive and exciting business, so talents need to be aware as to what works and respond correctly to the signs of required career changes. Be mindful of what is working and what is not working in your voiceover business through learning, leaving, and growing.

I first learned to ski in my 30’s.  The sport seems fun, and although for years I saw the commercial clip of the skier falling down a ski run, I was determined that was not going to be me.  After years of hit or miss skiing, today, I spend my ski resort time more on the small slops or the tubing runs.  While I took many lessons over the years, I did not take time to hone my craft through regular practice.  Over time, I realized that skiing might look fun, but it was not fun falling or poorly navigating the slopes.  Skiing is a hazardous sport and not a casual activity. So, when I realized that I was not going to put in the time and effort to be proficient, I learned from my experience and hung up my skis.

Learning – As a voiceover talent, it’s important to know what is working and what is not.  Voiceover learning means asking yourself essential business questions truthfully and honestly.  Have you been working toward a particular skill set for years and it’s just not working?  Are you putting in the hours needed to make your voiceover business successful?  Are you effectively marketing to reach those in need of your services?  Your response to these questions helps you learn from your efforts and determine what is and is not working.

Leaving – Leave behind the areas of your business that are not working for you.  Major manufactures sometimes discontinue specific products that are not selling to concentrate on the products that are making money.  In your voiceover business, do you have any areas that are not working well?  Is it because the area you are pursuing is not your skill set or because you are not putting enough effort into that area?  If it’s effort, you know what to do next. Likewise, if a voiceover genre is not working for you, perhaps it’s time to discontinue in that business area.

Growing – We as humans evolve in our life’s journey. As such, you may have had the “killer instinct” in some area of sport, but as you aged, you may have found that the same inclination for that goal waned over time.  As a voice talent, note if it’s time to refocus your business attempts.  Look for ways to incorporate sharing your voiceover expertise through your business.

Volunteering your voice talent is an excellent way to grow or help others learn from your experiences.  You don’t need to be a seasoned talent to share with others what you have learned in your voiceover journey.  It’s amazing how when you open your life and time to giving to others, your mind is opened to new ideas and creativity for growing your business.

Learning, leaving, and growing in your voiceover business helps your stay with what works, set aside what doesn’t, and grow into your future.  Keep fine-tuning your voiceover career, and you’ll find yourself heading toward your harbor of success.

Break that lip!

Voiceover Success in Retirement

Business Tips, Personal, Personal VO Views, VO Business Tips, voiceover

A few weeks ago, I blogged my thoughts related to age and voiceovers. We know that you are as young or as old as you sound. You can use marketing to locate the clients that need your voiceover tone and skills. But what about if you’ve retired from a career and want a voice acting career with time for other activities? What if you want time to travel, write a book, volunteer, or other activities? I don’t believe you have to hang up your microphone and dream of becoming a voice talent. It’s all in the time and commitment. Practically plan your voiceover business for enjoying your retirement life.

Time Well Spent. As a retiree, you may have a regular income and not need your voiceover business to pay for all your basic needs. But that doesn’t mean that your business should be regarded as a hobby. Your company should provide a valuable service in exchange for fitting compensation.

To keep the big picture in mind, develop a list of goals for your voiceover income. For example, do you want to travel to a faraway country, or would you like a professional booth for your home studio? What about saving to purchasing the car of your dreams or a camper to see the sights? Develop a list of voiceover profit goals to help you remain focused on your activities. If possible, note your time frame to recall as you work toward your goals daily.

In an article from Forbes.com on the 5 Pitfalls of Starting A Business in Retirement, retires are cautioned of “Misaligning your goals with your lifestyle.” Forbes continues, “Often, retirement entrepreneurs decide to start a business out of boredom and only later realize there are other things they’d rather do with their time.” Make sure you are ready to commit for the long haul.

Days of Our Lives. Let’s say you prefer not to work a 40-hour week as a retiree. I can understand that. So, decide your work days. For example, you may want work 3 to 4 days during the week and leave 1 to 2 days for enjoying other activities. Plan to work your voiceover business 5-6 hours on your work days exclusively performing your voiceover business and no other actions. Also, give yourself the flexibility to move your off-day or days to accommodate any short-notice voiceover projects. The point to make sure you’re actively working your business no less than on a part-time basis.

Wise Learning. The fast pace of technology has not left the voiceover industry on the sidelines. Keep up with the changes in the sectors, trends, styles, and marketing techniques. Make sure you have a good grasp of social media and a strong web presence to remain viable as a business. You want to make sure that although you’re making time for family and perhaps a fishing date, you are still a working voice talent with office hours, products, web postings, and a business plan.

Likewise, use any free or downtime to learn more about the business. Take a couple of voiceover books, podcasts, or videos with you when you travel. You may have downtime at an airport, or while waiting for dinner, etc., to catch up on voiceover tips and skills that you can utilize the next time you’re in your office (so to speak).

As a side note, another essential item to address is mouth clicks. As we age, eliminating mouth clicks can be an uphill battle. Learn how to deal with those pesky clicks and breaths by applying software plugins. The iZotope RX 6 is an excellent tool to address these vocal issues and can significantly reduce your editing time, which saves you time overall.

The Road to Sundown. Remember your business’s timeline. There’s no shame in working your business for just a few years. But remember, it can take five years or more to build up your business and reputation to achieve the voiceover success you desire. So, decide how long is long enough for your voiceover career. See my blog on the Endgame for tips on how to tactfully and professionally close your voiceover career. It’s better to have worked consistently for a few years than to run your voiceover career more as a hobby haphazardly.

Be about your business and make it as fun and rewarding as you’ve imaged. You’ve worked hard to reach your retirement time, so you deserve the recognition. Moreover, make sure you’re operating your new voiceover business like a business. Don’t let your voiceover career fall into your retirement hobbies.

Use proper time management skills and goals for a prosperous voiceover career and favorable time in retirement.

Break a lip!

Voiceover Security in Cyberspace

Business Tips, VO Business Tips, Voice over Training, voiceover, Voiceover Clients

Today’s voiceover business professional knows the importance of a strong Web and Social Media presence. Since success our goal, we want to post our demos and information on as many sites as necessary to reach voice casters. In the same way, there can be an increased need for voiceover professionals to practice proper online safety. Practicing smart online safety is vital for your business and personal information’s security.

Whether posting, surfing, or viewing, online safety is an individual responsibility. The Star On-line’s article, Identity Theft Poses A Threat to Every Internet User, notes the most common forms of internet theft occur when a fraudster uses someone’s date of birth and username for online purchases. But for social media networks, it’s “nicknapping.” Using a portion of the words “nickname” and “kidnapping,” nicknapping is the “…classic identity theft, especially since Facebook access is often the master key for other portals connected to the social network,” says Michael Littger, an Internet safety campaigner.

Here are a few suggestions on how to stay safe online (The following section are suggestions and NOT guaranteed or legal advice):

Make online purchases as a “guest.” When shopping, make your purchases as a guest and don’t use your social media logins for buying online. Less is more.

Beware of Phishing. As an online business, be careful of Phishers, those methods that try to obtain financial or confidential information from you through emails or messages that look as if it’s from a legitimate source.

Research unrecognized voice casters or contact sites. Confirm the identity and authenticity of unknown voiceover sources. Type the name in several search engines and on LinkedIn to make sure the site and person are legitimate. Also, review the social media profiles and websites of new contacts. Notice how much information is posted. If a company or person claims to be a significant voice-acting site or manager, there should be some available information or a good summary. If not, you may want to steer clear.

Beware of sites that ask for personally identifiable information. Reputable sources will never ask for your SSN, birthday, or other personal information via email for a voice-acting site or job. For tax purposes, sometimes you must provide some information. Obtain a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) to represent you and your voiceover business. For more information, see the U.S. Internal Revenue Service website.

Read the Privacy Policy (anyway). We all have an aversion to long-form yadda yadda, but it’s a good idea to read the privacy policy of each site before you create an account. The policy will outline what you’re giving up in return for your membership. Your membership could include giving up a lot more than you expect.

The Small Business Administration’s Top Ten Cybersecurity Tips will help secure your small business:

    1. Protect against viruses, spyware, and other malicious code.
      Make sure each of your business computers is equipped with antivirus software and antispyware and update regularly. Such software is readily available online from a variety of vendors. All software vendors regularly provide patches and updates to their products to correct security problems and improve functionality. Configure all software to install updates automatically.
    2. Secure your network.
      Safeguard your Internet connection by using a firewall and encrypting information. If you have a Wi-Fi network, make sure it is secure and hidden. To hide your Wi-Fi network, set up your wireless access point or router so it does not broadcast the network name, known as the Service Set Identifier (SSID). Password protect access to the router.
    3. Establish security practices and policies to protect sensitive information.
      Establish policies on how employees should handle and protect personally identifiable information and other sensitive data. Clearly outline the consequences of violating your business’s cybersecurity policies.
    4. Educate employees about cyberthreats and hold them accountable
      Educate your employees about online threats and how to protect your business’s data, including safe use of social networking sites. Depending on the nature of your business, employees might be introducing competitors to sensitive details about your firm’s internal business. Employees should be informed about how to post online in a way that does not reveal any trade secrets to the public or competing businesses. Hold employees accountable to the business’s Internet security policies and procedures.
    5. Require employees to use strong passwords and to change them often.
      Consider implementing multifactor authentication that requires additional information beyond a password to gain entry. Check with your vendors that handle sensitive data, especially financial institutions, to see if they offer multifactor authentication for your account.
    6. Employ best practices on payment cards.
      Work with your banks or card processors to ensure the most trusted and validated tools and anti-fraud services are being used. You may also have additional security obligations related to agreements with your bank or processor. Isolate payment systems from other, less secure programs and do not use the same computer to process payments and surf the Internet.
    7. Make backup copies of important business data and information.
      Regularly backup the data on all computers. Critical data includes word processing documents, electronic spreadsheets, databases, financial files, human resources files, and accounts receivable/payable files. Backup data automatically if possible, or at least weekly, and store the copies either offsite or on the cloud.
    8. Control physical access to computers and network components.
      Prevent access or use of business computers by unauthorized individuals. Laptops can be particularly easy targets for theft or can be lost, so lock them up when unattended. Make sure a separate user account is created for each employee and require strong passwords. Administrative privileges should only be given to trusted IT staff and key personnel.
    9. Create a mobile device action plan.
      Mobile devices can create significant security and management challenges, especially if they hold confidential information or can access the corporate network. Require users to password protect their devices, encrypt their data, and install security apps to prevent criminals from stealing information while the phone is on public networks. Be sure to set reporting procedures for lost or stolen equipment.

Protect all pages on your public-facing websites, not just the checkout and sign-up pages.
Make your voiceover business as profitable, safe, and secure as possible by making your cyber presence a better place.

After you change those passwords… go ahead and break a lip! 😊

Selling Your Voiceover Business

Business Tips, VO Business Tips, Voice over Training, Voice talent renewal, voiceover, Voiceover Bussiness Tips

Selling voiceovers? Of course! There’s no way around it. As a voice talent, you must sell yourself, vocally that is. To the point, no matter your profession, unless you’re living off a pile of tax-free money, you must sell yourself to receive compensation for what you’re worth. But as a voice talent, poor selling or no selling skills can put your voiceover career permanently in the hobby category with you footing all the bills! Rekindle your marketing efforts to keeping your voiceover business in business.

Get Over Rejection (and Procrastination)

Rejection is one of the top fears most people face and those who sell are no different. As a voiceover talent, you cannot only focus on performance, script interpretation, and saving up for that state-of-the-art whisper room. Jawing to your colleagues about what you haven’t done or conversely about all the great equipment you’ve purchased (using your own money) doesn’t impress anyone or lead you to fulfill your voiceover career success.

Brian Tracy.com’s blog Time Management-How to Stop Procrastinating…, says, “The best way for you to learn (how not to procrastinate) is to plan each day in advance, set priorities on your activities, and then make your first sales call as early as you possibly can. Get up, get going, and get started.”

Realize rejection is not the worst thing that can happen to your business. Putting off your marketing effort is the worst thing. You will hear “no” and “yes” from potential clients. You will also listen to clients who change their mind after giving a verbal commitment that you counted on for your VO business. The world is FULL of potential clients; get over feeling sorry for yourself and get out there and start selling your excellent voiceover skills.

Learn How to Sell

Selling tools are universal across almost all lines of business. The competitive field of voice acting does not mean we market less, but perhaps, we market more. Before you send an email or pick up the phone, get to know who you are selling your business to and how you fit into that company’s return on investments.

The Business Insider’s online article, How To Be Great At Selling Even If You Hate It, notes the following:

Successful people learn how to sell one way or the other. If they do not learn a
formal process as outlined in this post, they may make costly mistakes and develop
bad habits. If you want to increase your chances of success in business and in life,
it will significantly help you to learn the sales process and practice it so it becomes
part of your marketing DNA.

Research your Potential Clients

Do you know who needs a voiceover talent, today, tomorrow, or next year? What new venues are opening for voice talent and which ones are closing? There is no substitute for doing homework before the legwork or should I say the “finger work.”

Inc.com’s How to Sell Anything to Anybody, says, “Know your customer, stakeholder, audience, whoever you’re selling to. Know their roles, responsibilities, and objectives. Understand as much as you can about what’s in it for them. Know your competition and all the possible objections and hurdles you might face.”

Qualify Your Potentials

The next part of the research is to qualify your candidates. Your potential voice clients’ categories are primary, secondary, or tertiary. Make sure you place your voice casters in the right category. Ranking clients help prioritize your marking. Based on their potential, prioritize contacting voice casters by related projects, budget, timeline, and long-term mission.

Quicksprout.com’s Common Sales Mistakes and How to Avoid Them, instructs “Every opportunity isn’t equal. Through qualifying, you’ll get a better understanding of what each customer wants, when he or she wants it by and what his or her budget is. Most importantly, you’ll be able to figure out if you are talking to the person who can actually make the decision.”

Start or restart today using the above tips for your voiceover business to find and meet those needing your voiceover services. Make sure you leave a trail of cybernetic breadcrumbs for them to find you.

For the sake of your future customers, get marketing and breaking a lip!

Business Practice Friday: What’s in it for you?

Business Tips, Personal VO Views, VO Business Tips, Voiceover Clients

As a small business owner, I share the same concerns as those outside of the voiceover industry. For that reason, I pass along business tips I believe can be useful in almost any business with an online presence. Look for my Business Practice Friday Facebook and Twitter (#BusinessPracticeFriday) tips for information that may be just what you need for your business.

While being in business is not the same for all, those using the Web for all things commerce related have similar essential needs. From voice producers to those listening to final audio, we all need to know how to balance our social media campaigns, web presence plus the tone and timber of our communication. To me, the Web is like a vast ocean, so navigating cyber water is not for those who are prone to seasickness.

Running a business includes other skills like personal care, interaction with employees and partners, plus emotional intelligence. You can’t run a business successfully without looking at all sides of the process.

The information I share includes effective social media campaign strategies, trends in voice overs, time management tips, how to maximize downtime, and more. Also, I’ll share some “soft skills” tips like online etiquette, interpersonal exchange tactics for making clients into friends (or keeping clients as clients), etc.

If you come across some useful business information you’d like to share, feel free to send me a note or comment on my webpage. There is an African proverb that says,

If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.”

See you Friday, and break a lip.

Voiceover In Changing Seasons

Business Tips, Personal, Personal VO Views, VO Business Tips

As changing temperatures make their way across the North American landscape, many residents are experiencing fluctuating personal lives. Voice actors can be sensitive to environmental changes as well, mainly since heath and surroundings can affect an actor’s performance. Make sure you’re anchored in good habits to keep your voiceover business adaptive in all seasons.

During the fall, many voice actors must take extra precautions to maintain good health. A seemingly small cough can lead to a sore throat or even loss of one’s voice. No voice means no voiceover revenue. Moreover, an unexpected financial challenge can drastically interrupt the flow for a working talent or eat away at efforts to end the current year in the black. A prudent voice talent must accept the fact that life will have its challenges. No one is living a problem-free life. The best way to address inevitable changes are to prepare for them.

Wear a Hat

Sometimes, the most obvious things can slip right by us. I once met a singer/songwriter who believed that a serious artist should always wear a hat when outside temperatures fall below 55 degrees Fahrenheit (or about 12 Celsius). His thought was that we must cover and protect the entrance ways into the body. Go ahead and treat yourself to that Fedora, Deerstalker, Gatsby, or Sunbonnet; it’s your first line to defend against the outside elements.

Maintain Your Health

Practicing good health is not a guarantee of staying healthy. However, good health will help make a recovery from sicknesses a lot faster and better overall. Practicing habits like getting yearly checkups, staying current with health shots, eating balanced meals, and exercising regularly can help keep you at your best. My suggestions are not new information, but over the long run, the tips could mean the difference between being ready or not for that long voiceover project requiring your best stamina and health.

Be Voiceover Business Current

Make sure your billing and communication are updated each week. If you’re unable to communicate with potential and current voice clients for a week or two, you will wish you were up to date before the unexpected happened. If you remain current in your regular business practices, your voiceover business should be there or not far away when you’re able to return where you left off.

Be Ready for Change

With the seasons of life, some changes are permanent. Maintain associated voiceover and other skills that can help fill the gap if you cannot perform vocally for some period. Many good seasoned voice talents become coaches, marketing advisors, or perform business-related services that help fill-in revenue during times when the voice is healing for whatever reason.

Consider swapping services with other talents to keep afloat during challenging times. As a successful business owner, a little forward thinking and preparation for keeping your voiceover business running during changes times can lead to longevity and keep you in the minds of your current and potential clients.

The time is always right to plan for your seasons as a voiceover pro. You’re the best, so break that lip.