The Voice Over Cafe

A few years back, Trish Basanyi and I recorded twenty episodes of “Voice Overs on Demand”, a podcast that quickly earned a steady following of voice over pros and students. We interviewed guests like Joe Cipriano, Randy Thomas and Rodney Saulsberry, just to name a few. We were very candid the way we went out about our business on this show. We kept it educational but didn’t take ourselves too seriously because we wanted it to be a fun show.

This year, we are launching a brand new podcast that will begin where “VOD” left off. It’s called, “The Voice Over Cafe.” We decided on this title because we were looking for that laid back coffee shop vibe. Like coming to a coffee shop, relaxing and engaging in some good conversation.

The new show will feature some entertaining segments. Rob Sciglimpaglia, an attorney, film/tv/theater and voice actor based in the NYC area will be a regular on the program. He will be doing “The Legal Minute”, a segment in which Rob will offer up some tips for voice talents and their business. For example, contracts, incorporating your business and more! Rob’s latest role was playing a young father on the famous Chevy Super Bowl commercial, Happy Grad! His new book, Voice Over Legal, will be released soon. For more information, visit www.voiceoverxtra.com/VoiceOverLegalPreview.htm

“The Cafe Mailbag” is a feature we’re bringing over from the old podcast. The segment will feature both of us taking questions from listeners about the voiceover industry. I suppose if someone wants to know our favorite 80′s bands, we’ll be glad to cover that as well!

“The Random Skype Call” will be an entertaining feature. This is a segment where we’ll find another voice talent who is currently logged in on skype and just call them with no prior warning and ask them a few questions. Perhaps they can provide some insight into the industry as well. Beware all you voice talents who are linked up with us on Skype!

The show will feature other segments as we go along but we also plan on having guests on a regular basis. The show will be featured on the Entrepreneur Podcast Network and also available on iTunes. EPN is the brain child of Eric Michael Dye and is the ultimate source for business advice, information, motivation, inspiration and major live event coverage.

The show can now be heard at this web address;  http://epodcastnetwork.com/the-voice-over-cafe-is-on-the-air-with-terry-daniel-and-trish-basanyi/

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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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2012: No More Excuses

We all procrastinate. It’s a part of life but there is always something we can do about it. I have enjoyed a fruitful voiceover career. I am looking forward to doing it for the rest of my life but ever since I spoke at Voice 2010 in Los Angeles, I have wanted to pursue public speaking on the side. 2012 is the year where I plan on being more aggressive with that dream. No more excuses. No more, “I’m just too busy to do it this year.” You are NEVER too busy to start something you are passionate about.

I get calls and emails from people all the time who are looking to get into voiceovers. I love these inquiries because I learn something different from each person. It’s exciting to learn what drives them or what made them pick up the phone or write the email in the first place. It’s that first step that takes a lot of courage. The ones who are determined and have a plan are the ones I love working with.

We all need to work together to conquer our fears and start taking action. This isn’t just a blog for voiceover artists. It’s a message for those who have wanted to try photography, music, marketing or whatever! Put your finger on the pulse of what makes you happy and go for it. We’re not getting any younger! A couple of fine clichés there but it’s true! Phrases like, “maybe next year or maybe when I have a little more free time” are killers! When thoughts like this enter your mind, tell whoever is sitting or standing next to you to smack you. Lol!

The fact of the matter is that you will never begin as long as you allow circumstances to dictate your starting point. You must begin at once. Take action and change your life. You cannot succeed if you never start. Learn what steps you need to take to make it happen. You don’t need to launch at light speed. Put together a plan of attack to reach your goals and begin the journey.

“Put one foot in front of the other and soon you’ll be walking out the door!” Did I really just quote the Winter Warlock from “Santa Claus in Coming to Town?” You bet I did!

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Taking Care Of Your Voice

Just in time for the holidays, here are some great tips on taking care of your voice!

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Bouncing Higher

Like it or not, we are living in the era of craigslist. Someone will mow your lawn for $20. A photographer will shoot your wedding for $100 and so-called voice talents will record a 10-page narration for $50! This is the world we are living in. Every profession deals with low-ball inquiries from clients. You don’t have to like it but there are some things you can do about it. I used to get upset when clients would call me up for a quote and then come back to me, telling me they found someone else that can do it for less. Now, I just ask them a few questions.

1. How important is your business to you?

2. What is your marketing objective with this script?

3. How important is it that you have professional audio quality?

4. Is this person who can do it for less a professional voice talent?

5. Can I provide a sample for you first and then you can decide?

6. What is holding you back from wanting to pay my requested rate?

7. If I throw in a free voicemail message for your business, will you hire me for this rate?

8. Would you like to hear some samples of work that I’ve done that are similar to your content?

9. Did you know that 50% of the rate I am asking for is allocated toward my studio expenses?

10. Do you have Toto’s first album? (I always throw that in for fun!)

While cost is a factor in any business decision, it should not be the number one objective when hiring voice over talent. Take car shopping for example. Do you look for the lowest price tag or the car that will best fit your needs? The same holds true with a well-versed and seasoned voice talent.

No matter how hard you try, many will still take the less expensive route only to be dissatisfied with the quality of the talent and eventually hire a more experienced talent to record the voice over. In my career, I have had several of these clients come back to me after originally going elsewhere for a cheaper rate.

Thankfully, there are a lot of wonderful clients out there who understand that in order to move product, they will need to hire a professional and pay them what they deserve. When clients hire so-called VO talents for $20, it shows you what they think of their own business. The cost should not be a factor as the end product will result in exactly what you are looking for.

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Reconstruction

Out of bad comes good, rewiring, evaluating of self & wisdom

This week I watched the documentary on the Discovery channel about the rebuilding of Ground Zero in NY.

So emotional, so inspirational, so sad & happy at the same time. The building of the first new tower is emotional for me to watch. After all these years of so much pain and an empty hole, it is nice to see that there is finally restoration taking place. In a way, it’s like spending years not knowing what you are going to do with your life and then out of nowhere, things start taking shape. One brick at a time. We are always rebuilding. Whether its highways, buildings or our inner soul. I think of my voiceover career this way. Like I’m building a tall skyscraper, one floor at a time. Each floor has a goal. An objective.

Resilience- In the voiceover business, it’s easy to get down on yourself when you are having a bad day, week, month or even year! Focus on what has worked in the past but don’t be afraid to try new things. Success will come back to you like a boomerang. Some weeks are great, some weeks are tough. It’s a like musician who makes it to the top of the charts and then has to work twice has hard to back there again.

It seems every day there is this fine line between good & bad. There will always be people trying to take us down, intentionally or not. Spreading negativity, trying to break down what we are trying to build. It can be challenging because now we have social networking sites, where people can either choose to be supportive and positive or cynical and discouraging. The beauty is that we can decide who we are going to be connected with. This is the same in the real world.

So remember it is always your choice. Your choice who you are connected with, your choice to not be afraid, your choice to wake up every day & decide what brick you will add to your tower of life.

Build the life you dream of…..

*Special thanks to Tracy Blowers for contributing to this blog.

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Out of Focus- Spectacles For The Brain

Listening is such a key to success in the voice over business, whether following labeling instructions from an agent or direction from a client. My good friend and agent, Erik Sheppard will not even listen to an audition if the the talent hasn’t labeled the audition according to his instruction. When we don’t listen, we are creating more work for the other person. Not listening to a client or an agent can be toxic toward your career. People want to work with talent who can follow instructions.

This is also very important when training with a voice-over coach. The coach is there to take you to the next level. Really, this applies to any coaching, schooling, etc. If we don’t listen to their instruction, we are wasting our time and not getting the most of it.

In this crazy world of so many gadgets, multi-tasking, pushing to do more, it can be hard to focus and things we communicate look fuzzy. Especially, if one chooses to only communicate via e-mail. The tone can easily get lost in the message. If you are unsure of what to do, don’t assume what you DO know is good enough. Ask the questions. Pick up the phone and call your agent or client.

A small thing that can make a huge difference in the multi-tasking area is to stay off the Internet and email while on the phone. Many of us are guilty of this. Thinking that looking at that email will just take a second and we can do both. But we can’t. That is when we miss very important information.

So let’s try to bring things back into focus. Take time to listen and don’t be doing two things at once or thinking about the next thing you’re going to say. A clear view so we can communicate more effectively.

“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.” ~Robert McCloskey

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Putting Your Eggs In More Than One Basket

Here’s a few tips when first starting out in voiceovers.

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Gully jumping – get out of the ditch!

Life is full of highs and lows – we get sidetracked into the ditch and have to find our way back to the road we are meant to travel. We need to jump out of the gully.

This past week I ran into a roadblock. It made me realize a few things & make some changes.

I have a cornea condition called, “Cornea Dystrophy”, a disorder that clouds up your vision and creates a constant burning sensation. It’s a problem that heals and then comes back. During the times that it is acting up like this last week, it makes it difficult to focus on work through the pain and struggle of trying to read a script. I always fight through it & manage to get everything done but it seems to be twice as hard to accomplish. I always tell myself that I am lucky and that things could be much worse. What if I were a Pilot? My career would likely be put on hold or even over. First realization.

When facing a hurdle, it is natural to run for the ditch and give up. It’s too easy to just let the frustration overwhelm you causing you to just walk away from your project. Second realization. If you make sure to take a short break when you feel like that and then get back to your project – it will run much smoother and you will feel better. My days were difficult while dealing with my eye but when I would take just a few minutes to rest it, it made all the difference. When doing voice-overs, If you are dealing with pain or discomfort, don’t force it to happen when it’s not there. Your frustration can lead to a dissatisfied client because they will hear it in your recording.

Third realization. We are all dealing with struggles at different points in our lives. It is the way we look at those struggles, our attitude that makes or breaks us. When facing a challenge, find a way to jump out or around it. What can you do differently? How can you manage your time, so that these types of hurdles don’t get in the way of delivering excellence?

There is always a detour around every roadblock and you might even enjoy the scenery.

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