What Price Does Your Voice Over Brand Command?
"So, just in case you didn't know it yet, you're a can of soup"…
"What? How do you come to that conclusion?"
"Well, you have a label, don't you? And content? And you're attracted to some, but maybe not to others, for all sorts of reasons… and you've got a price!
But who sets that price? YOU? Or your market? Or both?...
All good questions that we will explore in this article, What price does your Brand command?
Not sure if you've struck upon it yet, but there will come a time in your VO journey when someone tells you:
1. They like your voice and
2. They'd like you to forward your rate card…
I don't think, in all my years as a voice talent, when I've sent my rate card to someone, they've emailed back and said Great! I love your rates! Here's a Voiceover job for you!
There's usually some form of negotiation that takes place, which brings up a good...
How has COVID-19 changed the Voiceover landscape?
We've all seen some major changes in our lives today, not just voiceover… our work processes, purchasing food and essential supplies, the way our children have had to adapt to continue their education through isolation. We've come through the stress and fear of contracting the virus, dealt with the challenges of social distancing and being separated from our loved ones, to the point where restrictions are now being relaxed a little across the world.
I think it's fair to say that the workplace and all its various guises have been turned completely on its head…
It would be easy to 'go on' and ignore how the outside world is changing around us… issues like the collapsing international travel industry or the meteoric rise of contactless food deliveries, or how supermarkets nationally have had to change their daily replenishment operations to cope… but what's probably more important to...
How to Pick the Right Voice Over Coach
So you're looking for a voice over coach?
Yes! They do exist!...
You've arrived at the point in your voiceover journey where you think you may benefit from the experience and guidance of a coach?
Well done! For many, 'getting a coach' seems to be the last resort when 'everything else' has been tried out and attempted beforehand.
Really, coaching should almost be the first thing you consider when setting up your voice over business…
Because a 'good coach' can help you dodge and weave most of the landmines awaiting a novice voice talent and get you on the road to success, a lot quicker than you'd possibly take to 'find your VO groove' all by yourself...
Here's 7 major points on how to know whether you've found a coach that can help you in your VO journey…
But before we start, let me take you back a little, or for some, a lot! to days at school when you came across that nutty...
How to Get Started in Voice Over
What's really important to start?
What're your goals?
What's your niche?
Ok, so it's time to roll up your sleeves and 'get down to business'...
The business of Voice over! (cue angelic voices in chorus…) You've thought about it a lot, a way to make some extra money, a path to superstardom, an alternative to your 9 to 5 grind but there are questions to answer and I've laid them out for you to make your first steps a lot easier…
If I was to get started in voice over again, the first thing I'd do is:
Talk to a voice coach about what's really involved and get a lesson or two…
The reason this comes first is that doing this one thing could point you in the right direction and assess how much work you'll need to do coaching wise before you could consider yourself commercially...
3 Professional Voice Acting Tips
Use your body
Tell the story... beneath the story
Sometimes whether you're a slick and seasoned voiceover professional or a brand new 'wet behind- the-ears' beginner, it's really important to get back to the basics of the craft of providing a great voiceover and like any practice, there are the fundamentals…and today we'll focus on three of the most important ones…
So, who do you think you're talking to??
I can remember my father using this saying when I was young, especially if I'd been a little off the cuff or disrespectful with a snide remark and it was usually followed by a grounding and sometimes a shoe if I didn't apologize promptly!
But it illustrates the importance of knowing who your audience is!
Who is your audience?
What do they like to do?
What's important to them?
What drives them?
What interest do they have in your content?
Imagine going to a Doctor who chose not to ask you...
Voice Over Rates For Beginners
What's reasonable, expected, or completely over the top?
"So, now I'm set up and ready to go, what do I charge for my voiceover services?"
It's a question that has even the most seasoned voice artist confused, due largely to the 'shifting sands' of the voiceover industry…
Now, don't get me wrong, the shifting sands I'm referring to, are not the tropical jungle quick-sand type, that will swallow you whole, completely gone without a trace…
Although for beginners, the industry may feel a bit that way from time to time…
I'm referring to the 'shifting sands' of the voiceover market, which currently feels like the only consistent thing about it, is it's constantly changing and I wouldn't be surprised if it's changed again by the time you've finished reading this article!
Some time ago, there was no such thing as talent websites, 'pay to play' sites...
Protect Your Voiceover Business From Failure
Here are 5 tips to ensure your voiceover business becomes productive & continues to GROW!
So, you've been thinking about your own business for some time now and you've finally decided to take the 'bull by the horns' throw caution to the wind and start up your own service-based business…
" Hey guess what everyone? I've decided I'm becoming a voiceover talent!"
(Cue raucous applause and cheers from the whole family)
After all, Aunty Gladys has always loved your voice and says you'll be fabulous! So, how hard can it be, right..?
…Just hold it there Ace!
Voiceover can be lots of fun, after some dedicated practice, coaching and learning to use your audio equipment, it can be a great way to make money and of course, there's nothing nicer than being able to help others build their own businesses by using your great vocal talents to produce training videos, narrations, phone messages and the like…...
Voices.com vs. Voice123: A Comparison Of Two P2P Voice Over Websites
As voice actors, we are continually asking questions like: "Which voice over website should I join" and "What is another website besides Voices.com?" or "... Voice123?".
I have wrestled with these questions myself. So much so, that I couldn't choose without causing myself a considerable headache.
On top of that, I felt I needed to learn more about these companies before I continued to recommend them from personal experience, because, as it stands in 2020, these two websites are considered the largest P2P sites in the world for VO and the cost to join is pretty high up there.
What's is all about anyway?
This article is a guide and comparison of the two platforms side by side. I will do my very best to leave the decision making up to you by presenting the evidence fairly.
So, for my students, voice actors of the world, and anyone else interested, I present to you Voices.com vs. Voice123: A comparison of two P2P voice over websites.
Quick Note: I...
The Price For Success
I'll never forget the first year of my business. It was downright painful.
I don't mean listening to my work was painful, although it might have been, but physically, it was painful.
Every single day, I would get up at 6 am, go to work, come home around 6 pm, pick up the kids, get dinner ready, spend time with them, put them to bed, spend a few moments with my wife, and put her to bed around 10 pm.
After she got in bed, I would go outside and get my super-sized army style duffle bag and drag it into the house, being as quiet as possible, so I didn't wake the kids.
Once I got to the office space, which happened to be on the other side of my little dwelling, out would come the PVC pipes and packing blankets.
I constructed my PVC pipe Hobo Fort, as I called it, based on a number code marked on each tube so I would remember where it all went. After it was up, I had to move the desk and computer so it would fit together and finally attach the...
How To Deal With Unruly Customers On Fiverr
There is no doubt; I love Fiverr. It has changed my life and helps me make a six-figure income in voice-over each year.
But there is another side to Fiverr that gets on my nerves THE UNRULY CUSTOMER.
I was talking to a friend earlier today, and they let me know that a customer had tried to take them on an "I don't need broadcast rights, and I will only pay you $5" ride, and after trying to talk it through with the customer, they became so rude, that she blocked them.
Then, the customer created a new account, and still ordered from her, probably in an attempt to give her a bad review.
This happens on Fiverr often.
However, the other day, I was working on "Freelancer," and I was taken for a scam with someone from China trying to sell me on a business deal, after claiming they needed a voice-over.
Unfortunately, this sort of thing is the price we pay for doing business online. There are scammers around the corner, trying to get your money or worse, your personal...