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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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.

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Removing the Risk!

Risk is inherent in progress and growth and is an integral component of doing business.  Companies take risks, calculated risks, investing considerable time and money developing the products and services they offer and bringing them to the market.  As voice talents, we are sometimes part of the product (narration, animation, video games), part of the service (telephony, p.a. announcements), or part of the promotion of the product or service (commercials, radio imaging).  Regardless of our role, what we do is an instrumental element of their strategic plan.   So what’s your strategic value?  Are you worth the risk?   Of all voice talents vying for the job, why choose you?

Fair questions, all of them.

Effectively removing the risk of doing business with you requires a new vantage point, that of the client.  Simply put, if you were to hire a voice talent for a multi-million dollar investment, would you hire you or someone else?

Here are some points to ponder.

Your performance is paramount!  Preparation is key!  You must be able to deliver the script in such a way that the intended audience not only hears it, but takes it in and acts upon it.  The client is looking for a return on investment; give it to them with your delivery.

Demos are your resume and should showcase the versatility of your range. Make sure your demos are a professionally produced, current, and accurate representation of your abilities as a voice over talent.  The client wants to hire a professional and your demos should reflect your professionalism.

Image and reputation count.  Spending time developing both is crucial.  Post client testimonials on your website.  Network to increase your exposure as a voice over talent.  Contribute to charitable causes by donating your voice. Collaborate with other voice talents.  Share your knowledge and experience with others by blogging about information relevant to the industry.  Leverage the power of social media marketing.   Be a person of your word.  Become known as a person they need to know.

Listen and take direction well.  Then implement it!  This may require a sense of humor and some creativity, especially when the client’s direction is unclear or contradictory; however, your willingness to get it right and do the extra takes necessary, is a reflection of your commitment to the client.  Having a positive attitude and being easy to work with is important.  Make it easy for the client to do business with you!

You are the product.  You are the service.  You are the total package. Companies take a risk when choosing a voice over talent – eliminate the risk and get the job!

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Getting it Right

Management guru Peter Drucker says, “Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.”  Efficiency and effectiveness are paramount to voice over talents and both are dependent upon daily habits. You know, those little things that can make us or break us?

Here are some success habits that I came up with that I work on daily that may be useful to you:

•The habit of practice, practice, practice! Even if you don’t hit perfect, you can’t grow without it!  All successful voice over talent practice; it keeps a talent sharp and gives that competitive edge.

•The habit of going the extra mile. Giving more than is expected reaps really amazing results!  Simply giving three slightly different reads of script to a client can set you apart from the rest, helping you to become a go to voice over talent.

•The habit of smiling. This is huge for voice talent!   Smiling will come across in your read and will decrease plosives!  Tip: practice in front of a mirror or on your web-cam.

•The habit of learning. Always be learning something new!   No one is ever too good to get coaching or to learn new skills.  Learning is part of being a successful voice over talent and it makes you more marketable!

•The habit of listening. Listening to what other voice over talent have recorded, listening to creative directors, listening to the client, listening to what you just read…it’s all important.  Learn to listen and to implement!

•The habit of giving back. Blogging, posting valuable links and information on Facebook and Twitter, posting a voice over session on YouTube, volunteering your voice for a charity, these are all great ways to give back and to increase your value as a voice talent.

•The habit of being true to oneself. Be authentically you!   Allow who you are to come through in everything you do.  You are hired for more than your voice, let your personality come through. Sure, emulate and learn from other voice talents, but be you!

Doing what it takes to develop these habits is sometimes easier said than done, but easier said than done still needs to be done!  Our daily habits become our character, our character becomes our reputation, and our reputation becomes our legacy.   What will yours be?

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The Value Of The Extra Mile

The extra mile is a mark of excellence!  It discloses your level of dedication, your determination to earn repeat business, and your willingness to do whatever it takes to do it right.  It’s a powerful habit and a point of competitive advantage.  It’s the difference between waiting to hear back on the audition to see if you got the gig or receiving unsolicited referrals from people who believe so much in the quality and professionalism of your work that they will put their reputation on the line just to plug you!

The extra mile is revealed through our everyday actions and requires a defined purpose.  Is your purpose to increase the amount of job leads coming in, to land more gigs, to establish yourself as an expert in the industry, or to gain unsolicited referrals?  Whatever it may be, exploring ways in which you can implement going the extra mile is a critical element to your success in achieving your objective.

How much time and effort do you dedicate to marketing yourself?  Are you networking with other voice over talents, creative directors, and influential people in the industry?  Do you refer others? Do you give others a reason to refer you? When you audition or record the job, do you often give the client a variety in the takes to choose from?  What is your reputation in the industry? Do you have a voice over coach?  Are you staying abreast of the latest trends in the industry?  Have you taken an improv class lately?  Do you contribute articles, share tips, or videos on other voice over sites?  These are just a sampling of questions that may help reveal areas in which you may decide to apply the principle of going the extra mile.

Albert Gray, the author of The Common Denominator of Success, states it well, “The secret of success of every man who has ever been successful, lies in the fact that he formed the habit of doing things that failures don’t like to do.” Going the extra mile will take a bit of extra effort; however, even picking just one area to apply the extra mile will help to set you apart from the rest.  It is a daily habit that leads to success!

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When Business Gets Slow, Are You Covered?

What’s your game plan when business gets slow? Are you COVERED?

Compensation is the direct result of habits and stimulating it requires fostering the specific habits of Organization, Vacation, Evaluation, Relation, Education, and Dedication.

Organization is an ongoing task that is often overlooked until we are completely overwhelmed and forced to deal with the ramifications of clutter and procrastination!

Vacation or simply taking the time to relax, rest, and rejuvenate is just as necessary to productivity as long hours spent in the studio recording, editing, and auditioning.

Evaluation and introspection are imperative in honestly assessing business goals and marketing strategies, uncovering opportunities and areas for improvement.

Relation to audiences and clients is vital to building business, as is effective networking with other voice over talents and creative directors.

Education, coaching, and staying abreast of the latest trends in the industry are all critical components of a successful voice over career. No one is ever too good to keep learning!

Dedication is evident in our attitude, in how we approach our business and how we choose to invest in it through self-improvement and in giving back to others in the industry and community.

So go ahead and get your files, books, and financials in order!  Clean your studio!  The mess has been getting to you anyway.   Get that therapeutic hot stone massage that is so long overdue!  Go away for the weekend and just be! Revisit your goals and brainstorm ways to market yourself.

Update your website.  Reconnect with past clients.  Join your local chamber of commerce.  Update your Facebook Fan Page.  Take that improv class or meet some friends at a comedy club.  It’s okay to laugh and study delivery at the same time!

Subscribe to magazines like Adweek, Brandweek, and Variety.  Become an expert on topics in the industry or interview those who are and create an e-newsletter and blog!

Find a way to add value to what you already offer!  Business slowdowns will occur, but I’ve found it’s much better to be COVERED than to lower my head and feel sorry for myself!

Here’s to your success!

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If The Mic Isn’t Rockin’, Start Walkin’

When the mic is rockin’, don’t bother knockin’!  Okay, so what do you do if it’s just not rockin’ and you’re having a tough time getting it to come out right?  Instead of getting frustrated and stressed out, take a break and come back to it.

That’s right!  Go for a walk, turn up some music, make yourself a cup of green tea or take a power nap.  Fifteen minutes can do wonders!  While excessive napping doesn’t pay too well, either does excessive stress.  My personal favorite?  I go out and play football with my dog, Kaytee.

The point is to just break away from the studio – completely remove yourself and escape for a bit so that you can refresh!  If you force it to happen when it isn’t, your frustration will come across in the recording.  The voice is transparent and modulates to express our span of emotions.  Any frustration, anxiety, and stress will show through, stalling the flow, zapping the energy and enthusiasm from your voice.

It’s like a good major league pitcher who just doesn’t have his good stuff on a particular day.

So go ahead and break away!  You’ll come back to the studio refreshed, full of vibrance in your voice, and ready to deliver!

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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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Can You Deal With The Stress?

Starting a business is one of the most stressful things you can do. It will affect you mentally, physically and emotionally. You need to be strong to deal with this kind of stress, and you need to have someone to turn to for support.

Are You a Survivor?

There are some people who always seem to make it in the end, regardless of what life throws at them. You need to be the kind of person whose response to things going wrong is to work harder and get it fixed, not someone who cries and goes into hiding.
Many entrepreneurs say that this, more than anything, is the secret of success. You need to be a ‘never say die’ kind of person. You need to be always ready to try again, no matter what gets thrown at you. Remember that it’s not when things start to go wrong that you fail – you haven’t failed until you’ve given up.

Be Prepared to Work Hard

If you’ve been doing a standard nine-to-five job, you’re probably used to a world where it’s someone else’s responsibility if the work doesn’t get done – you work as fast as you can for the hours you’re told to, and if it’s not done on time then it’s the manager’s fault for not hiring enough people. When you work on your own, though, there’s no-one to blame – the buck stops where it starts, with you.

Do you have a Start-up Plan?

A Startup Plan is basically the list of everything that must happen to get the business up and running from the initial idea to scouting locations to securing vendors to getting licenses to stocking the shelves to opening the doors to marketing and advertising to managing growth and on and on.

A Startup Plan is not as detailed as a business plan. It is essentially the “to do” list for starting a business, though it is every bit as important as a business plan because the Startup Plan serves as the blueprint for getting the business up and running.

Trying to launch a business without a Startup Plan is like taking a trip along a curvy, mountain road without a map, driving at high speeds, while wearing a blindfold. You will eventually arrive at some destination, but it’s likely to not be the destination you had in mind and your trip will be anything but smooth.

Create you startup plan with a simple spreadsheet and build out from there. Start by simply listing everything that you can think of that must be done to launch the business. Once you have the list break down each task into individual action items, assign each item to a responsible party and set a target completion date. A task without a deadline will not get done.

You Need to Satisfy The Customer

When you run a home business, you can’t afford to lose any customers. You need to always be nice to them, trying to meet their needs. You have to remember that you’re the most senior person they can talk to in this organization, and you have to act like it – when there’s no-one other than you to handle complaints, you have to either give in to customers at every opportunity or watch them take their business elsewhere.

Do You Really Love Doing Voice Overs?

If you don’t love what you do, then sooner or later you’re going to want to stop doing it – and when you run a home business, that’s difficult. Besides, you can’t run a home business if you’re always sitting and thinking about how great it’ll be when it’s the weekend. The only way to succeed in home business is to be absolutely sure that you really love what you’re doing. If you can think of another job you’d rather have, then you’re in trouble.

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Having the Right Business Mindset

When building the right business infrastructure, you must think strategically or have the right business mindset. Every business decision you make today affects your voice over business today, tomorrow, and in the future – so become a good strategist. A good strategist looks at all facets of their voice over business today in context of where they are trying to go. A good strategist reacts to problems positively instead of negatively. A good strategist also welcomes change and turns it into an opportunity. A good strategist can react quickly with the unexpected.

Here are four examples of having the right business mindset:

1. Having the right business mindset is knowing that the purpose of business is to make money. Sometimes your passion or hobby is just that, but when you grasp onto that passion and acquire a higher level of development, as you will as a member of the Voice Over Club, you will position yourself to acquire a higher level of income.

2. Having the right business mindset means developing your own style. As a member of the Voice Over Club, we will equip you with all of the tools in which to achieve your destiny or your dreams. However, this is YOUR voice over business, so you need to take time to think, document, research your own style to make you truly unique.

3. Having the right business mindset is understanding strategy and implementing it into your business practices. These days we tend to focus on the day-to-day mundane tasks and deadlines, solving short-term problems, and implementing marketing tactics that aren’t a good fit for our businesses. Strategy concerns itself with what’s ahead, looking at where you’re going and how to get there. Thereby, making you ask the question–”is this task in line with where the company is going and/or where I want it to go?”

4. Having the right business mindset is understanding your emotional ties to your business. Understanding the emotional ties to your business will allow you to break through your personal barriers that prevent you from doing what you say you’re going to do and also doing what you want to do. The next time you get emotional in your business jot down what you’re feeling and what triggered it, this is how you begin to recognize which emotions are keeping you from doing good business.

A good strategist has the right business mindset.

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