Building Credibility

You have received professional training.  You have your demos.  Your home studio is set up.  You are auditioning on a consistent basis and getting some voice over jobs.  Now it’s time to leverage your successes to build your image and your credibility as a voice talent.

Testimonials are a phenomenal way to build credibility.  Let the positive experiences your clients have had with you remove any risk or doubt from prospective clients. “Wow” your clients and your testimonials will “Wow” you and others who see them.

Written testimonials are pretty common, easy to obtain, and can be put on your website or PDF flyers detailing your services.

Audio testimonials are a wonderful way to capture the excitement and level of satisfaction of the client.  They take a bit more coordination with the client to record and may be used in conjunction with written testimonials on your website.

Video testimonials are the most powerful!  They demonstrate the ultimate belief, sincerity, excitement, and satisfaction of the client with your services. These will require the most coordination and a willingness on the part of your client to be captured on video.  While all testimonials are earned, the video testimonial is the ultimate goal.

Earning testimonials is an honor and shows prospective clients your level of dedication and professionalism.   Once earned, it’s imperative that you continue to live up to your testimonials in your client interactions. This will not only breed more testimonials but unsolicited ones too.

Popularity: 13%

Happy Is What It Takes

I hear it all the time.  People contact me every day telling me they’ve been told they have a really great voice and should do voice over work.  Others simply inquire if they have what it takes to be a voice over talent.

The truth is that most people have a pleasant voice.  So what does it take?  Becoming a successful voice talent takes being HAPPY!  That’s right, Humility, Attitude, Professionalism, Passion, and You!

Humility – Humility means being willing to take direction and be teachable.  Understand that no one knows everything in the industry, but the top talents are always learning.  The moment you stop learning is the moment you stop growing.

Attitude – Attitude will make you or break you.  It really is that powerful.  Your attitude will affect your ability to engage and attract clients, all of your interactions, and your delivery.  Learn to develop a positive attitude and learn what works best for you to keep your attitude in check.  When your attitude is in the toilet, so is everything else!

Professionalism – Professionalism means getting the appropriate training, finding a mentor, and taking ownership of your voice over business.  You must have perseverance and do what must get done even when you don’t feel like it.  It takes investing in the appropriate equipment and tools to do your job right. As a voice talent, you are in business for yourself.  You must treat your voice over business accordingly.  Ask yourself honestly, “Would you hire you?”

Passion – Passion is what drives you.  As voice talent, our voices are our instruments and we must learn how to harness the power of our passion as we use our instrument to convey the client’s message to its target audience and incite the intended response.  Each of us has our own unique energy, passion, and personality we bring to our delivery.  Learn how to harness yours.

You – Yes, you!  Everything you do is a reflection of you.  Everything you post, how you treat your clients, the quality of your work, all becomes associated with your name.  Your name is your brand.  Be sure to market yourself and gain the brand recognition in which you can take pride.

Regardless of your voice, you must possess these qualities to be successful as a voice talent.  They’re not optional, they’re required.  Do you have what it takes?

Popularity: 21%

Do You Have Vision?

Many people aspire to become voice talents.  Few take the time to understand their vision, what they aspire to become as a voice talent.  No, this isn’t the part where I tell you sit down and write out an elaborate mission statement and plan of attack.  This is where I tell you to take a moment, maybe close your eyes, and just think.  Think of your ultimate goal as a voice talent.  What is it you aspire to be?  What is your niche?  Who is in your network?  What does your cash flow look like?  How about your studio?

Why is this important?  I’m glad you asked!  Your vision is the big picture.  Suppose I give you a puzzle with no picture to reference.  Would you be able to put it together?  Perhaps.  Would you be able to do so as efficiently as if I were to give you a puzzle with a picture?  Probably not.  Your vision is the picture and your day to day activities are the puzzle pieces.  The great news is that you get to decide what the picture looks like.  The sooner you decide and write it down, the sooner you can prioritize your daily actions, your puzzle pieces, and make your vision your reality.

This is a competitive industry and to succeed you must keep your edge.  You must continue to grow, to challenge yourself and to strive.  Your vision is your edge and it has the power to propel you forward.  You choose whether you will move forward or in circles!

Popularity: 20%

Find Your Why and Find Your Will

What is your “why”?  You need to know or your resolve will be weak at best.  Your “why” is your reason, your motivation for making one more phone call, doing one more audition, doing one more take… even when you don’t feel like it, especially when you don’t feel like it.  Your “why” will likely be a mix of rational and emotional reasons and, digging deeper, the emotional reasons are behind the rational ones anyway.   Either way, your “why” must be strong enough to move you to action!

It’s really no different from what we do in our voice over work.   We play to the “why” of the client’s target audience, using our voice to invoke the emotions of the audience to take action on the message we deliver.  We color the emotional words in the script, the words that emphasize the “why”.   Speak to their “why” and they will buy.  So will you, but you need to know your “why”.

So what’s your why?  Why are you a voice talent?  Is it the freedom to own your own business and call the shots?  Is it the flexibility of working from your own home?  Is it the perceived image or celebrity status of hearing your voice and knowing you were paid well to use it?  Maybe it’s the thrill of the challenge. Perhaps it’s the ability to finally do something you love!  Whatever your “why” is, find it and write it down.  Post it so you can see it each day as a reminder to keep doing what you need to do, whether its paperwork, auditions, takes, edits, you name it!  Find your “why” and you’ll find your will.

Popularity: 11%

Is 2010 Your Year?

I’m dedicating this year to be the year of laughter, love, and living life to the fullest! It’s going to be my best year yet!  A year to take hold of my passions and work to make my dreams a reality.  A year to launch Voice Over Club, to speak at VOICE 2010, to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone!

I am passionate about what I do and am blessed to work from home as a voice talent, producer, and coach.  I thoroughly enjoy all three aspects of what I do – they complete me.  It hasn’t always been this way.  It started as a dream, something I wanted to learn about and pursue.  Then I made the decision, took action, and followed through with resolve.

I had to learn to take action!  Each day I took action in my voice over career created a confidence in me that pushed me forward.  Each week built up momentum. Each month built credibility.  Each year my income increased.  I just had to start.

What are your dreams?  Are you a prospective voice talent or are you a voice talent?  Which one do you aspire to be?  If you’re serious about being a professional voice talent, do you have professional training and demos?  If not, what is your plan to get them?  What is your time-line?  What will you do to challenge where you are today so you can be where you want to be a year from now?  We each have the same number of hours in a day, the same number of days in a week, the same number of days in a year to accomplish what we choose to accomplish.  The only difference is in our priorities.

Go ahead and decide what you want!  Take action!  Follow through with resolve and make this your best year yet!

Wishing you joyful abundance and blessings for the New Year!

Popularity: 20%