Kiss My Budget!

Wait, WHAT? Budget is not a curse word! It’s a term that we should all become comfortable with using frequently. All clients have budgets to work with and we should get used to getting them to talk about it. Remember, this is not a hobby that we are doing for free – this is our business! Since money is a necessity that all people in business have to deal with on a daily basis, it should not be an uncomfortable topic that we try to avoid when speaking with our clients. Based on responses that have been gathered from conversations held with other voice talents, we all get a little reluctant sometimes when it comes to asking a client about their budget and even more so when it comes time to discuss our rates with them! How can this hurdle on the track towards closing a deal be effectively overcome?

First, when it comes to a project, you never want to over sell or under sell your client. The only way that this can be accomplished is if they have informed you of their budget beforehand. This is why it is imperative that you always want to get them to the point of discussing their budget with you. Otherwise, you more than likely will not get the results that you are looking for. For example, if your client sends you a 10-page script and you immediately give them a rate off the top of your head, you are taking a huge risk that could only be of benefit to the client. How so? They would either be joyful because you have made their selection process a lot easier by removing yourself from their list or because you just gave them the deal of a lifetime that would end up costing you more than what you’ll make from doing the job!

Just the other day, a client sent me a 3-page script for a narration. Since I wanted to ensure that I gave her a fair and friendly rate, I politely asked her about the budget set for the voiceover. To my surprise, it turned out that her budget was about $500 MORE than I was originally going to quote her. Of course, you don’t want to come back and say, “Sure that sounds about right!” However, you can certainly come close.

Unfortunately, it does not always work out this way. Sometimes, the client’s budget is far lower than what you were going to quote them. At that point, it is up to you whether or not you want to work within that budget. Many blogs have been created (including some of my own) that have been focused on lowball rates. If you haven’t done so already, it is recommended for you to read over those articles and educate yourself on this so that you can be further prepared whenever these types of situations arise.

We all need to work, but it is also important for us to try to set and maintain the standards for fair and reasonable rates in this industry. Therefore, please be careful when agreeing to do a 5-page script for only $50.

“Budget” is not a dirty word. Get used to the word and implement it into your daily vocabulary! Our clients are comfortable with talking about money for their business, so we need to be just as comfortable (if not more) with talking about money for our own.

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Go!

Is business a little slow right now? Spending too much time on “Words with Friends?” First quarter can be very slow, no matter what business you are in. The good news is there are steps you can take to make it easier to slide into the fast lane. So, before you push the panic button and start looking on CareerBuilder.com for jobs you don’t really want, here are five steps that I put into action when business is a little slow.

1. Pour a glass of Scotch and sulk. I’m kidding! Sign up for as many meetup groups as you can possibly handle and go to the events. You will learn a ton, meet great people and you’ll get new business! There is usually one for every kind of business person and they are free. There is only a fee, when you register for one of the events. Definitely go to the events and bring lots of business cards!
www.meetup.com

2. Build a Facebook business page for your business. This works as a secondary website and will not only help build traffic to your website, it’s an outstanding way to network with others in your industry.

3. Join your local Chamber of Commerce! These are all business owners you will be meeting with and some may hire you for a job or two. It’s an excellent way to network and also a tax deduction. Search for your local chamber of commerce to locate a website and contact information.

4. Send out postcards! Yes, this may sound like the “old school” way of marketing but snail mail is still effective. This gives the client something tangible they can keep on file or put on their refrigerator. E-mail marketing can be effective as well but sometimes e-mail gets lost in the shuffle or ends up in spam folders. Plus, snail mail is a little less intrusive. My last mail-out consisted of a post card and a refrigerator magnet business card!

5. Be active on Twitter! Don’t tweet stuff like, “Spring sale going on right now. Everything is 40% off!” Instead, tweet about how cool the stuff is that you’re selling or how cool it is to have this product and what it can do for you. Engage in other people’s conversations as well. Don’t just yap about your own stuff. Twitter is one big party. When you go to a party, you don’t want to listen to the same person talk about themselves all night. Chances are favorable that you will get annoyed and leave the party. Instead, share what you have going on but also ask questions about their business! Re-tweeting posts is also very effective because you are showing that you care and are willing to help.

There are times when you should embrace the slow lane because you’ll have more time to work on marketing and other things going on in your life. Sure, money can be tight but life is too short to hover in a corner in a state of stress, wondering where the next gig is going to come from. The gas pedal is still within reach. Get into the fast lane and step on it!

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Surround Yourself With The Extraordinary

When you surround yourself with inspiring and uplifting people, amazing things will happen. It makes such a difference to have people in your life who support & encourage you. It can make the difference of a successful, fulfilling life or having an average, uninspiring life. Life is so short…don’t we all want to feel inspired?!

When you are trying to accomplish your objectives and goals, stay away from cynical glass half empty folks that will only bring you down. Most times, when people discourage you, they are wrestling with demons on their own.

When I took the big step of starting my own voice-over business, I definitely had those people telling me it was too competitive and not to waste my time. While these people might have been trying to support me in their own way – it was very discouraging. I chose to focus on the people that would say to me “you are talented and you should go for it!” Every business is competitive and that should never stop you from following your dreams.

Even if you were to fail at least you tried – we learn the most from our failures. I think we always have to keep that in perspective. What is the worst thing that could happen if you did fail – then you move on to the next thing with more knowledge and confidence in knowing that you tried at something instead of always wishing you would. Edison had 10,000 prototypes of the light bulb. What an amazing example of perseverance and not listening to the naysayers.

So many people give up too easily due to FEAR. We all get stuck in the spin, forgetting to grab hold of what you want and letting others steer your life…the DAILY ROUTINE. Ugh. Sometimes, the only person that is in the way is yourself. Take a minute and just imagine what you could do if you did get out of your own way. If fear wasn’t stopping you. If you weren’t listening to that little voice in your head as a result of those few naysayers. Listen to your gut and GO FOR IT!

Find your EXTRAORDINARY. Surround yourself with those that support you, can give constructive criticism and help you to move FORWARD.

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Procrastination is Poison

How many times a month do we hear ourselves utter the phrase, “I’ll get to it tomorrow”. I’ve been guilty of it. We all have. What we do about it? Take action! Action is the cure for the poison of procrastination. Even the slightest bit of action seems to scare procrastination away.

As a voice actor, discipline and focus are an integral part of being successful and is needed to ensure projects are completed in a timely manner to create and maintain a foundation of trust with each client.

The greats have known this for a long time. The esteemed writer, historian and teacher, Thomas Carlyle asserted that, “Our grandest business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what clearly lies at hand.” Renowned English philosopher John Locke remarked that, “The actions of men are the best interpreters of their thoughts.” Procrastination blocks our personal magnetism; it weighs us down, bringing upon us negative, counterproductive feelings of guilt, shame, and anxiety. It robs us of opportunity and prevents us from enjoying our successes by filling up precious space in our minds with what we have failed to do! Even describing it sounds depressing!

So I challenge you to pick one thing, just one thing, you have been putting off and begin to take action. As you do, you will feel the negative power of procrastination dissipate and you will exude a new-found level of joy and confidence. Make this a habit and see how your life transforms! Now if you’ll kindly excuse me, I must get back to the task at hand… right after I let my dog out!

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