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%

Who Do You Listen To?

“They” say to become a voice over talent you need to drop $10,000 on a home studio.   “They” say to record a bunch of samples, add some background music and you have a demo.  “They” will also tell you that you can get rich in voice overs; that it’s easy.   If only “they” knew!

The cacophony of erroneous information about getting started as a voice over talent, in the honest endeavor to find the truth, is enough to make a head spin. So how do you know who to listen to?  How do you know who is really qualified?

Here are 5 tips to keep in mind:

1.  Ask people who are successful in the voice over industry – not the people who have failed.   If you want to succeed, those who are successful can help you get there, those who failed can’t.

2.  Realize that even the “experts” in the industry will not agree upon everything, so you may have to apply some independent thought. Implement what is relevant to you and your goals, and leave the rest behind.

3.  If it’s too good to be true, it usually is.  The only guarantee you can be sure of is that you will have to put forth effort, invest in developing and honing your skill set and your business, and do what must be done.

4.  Clarify your goals and base your questions on how to achieve your goals. Ask the right questions and get the right answers.  Focusing only on how to make six figures, the costs involved in training, demos, and equipment, what you have to give instead of considering the value of what you get, shows a lack of serious intent and will surely lead to failure.

5.  Reserve final judgment for yourself.  Base your decisions and actions on what you learn.  After all, you live with the consequences of your decisions – good or bad.  “They” don’t!

Popularity: 24%

Staying Connected

You network. You audition. You gain clients. You create strategic relationships. All of these efforts are crucial to being successful in any field and yet are particularly important in the voice over industry. Staying connected can be a challenge, however, and the holiday season is an opportune time to reconnect.

Consider sending Happy Thanksgiving cards to your contacts in the United States with a simple message of appreciation. Contacts who reside outside of the United States may not celebrate Thanksgiving but will welcome a sentiment of appreciation too, so send them a letter of gratitude. Perhaps you prefer more of a Happy Holidays or Happy New Year approach. Go for it! Wish them the very best and abundant success in the coming year!

Everyone wants to feel important. Everyone wants to feel valued and appreciated. People like to be remembered. The point is to reconnect and the opportunities to do so are not limited to the holiday season or birthdays. So take a little time to show your sincere appreciation and to remember those who have brought value into your life and your voice over business. You may find this small gesture of gratitude not only lifts your spirits, but also yields unexpected benefits in return.

Popularity: 10%

Brand You!

You are the entire package!  You have the skills, the personality, the training, the equipment and home studio setup, the knowledge, dedication, and attention to detail.  You’re it!  But how will anyone know?

It’s all about your brand. Regardless of your voice over prowess you need to figure out your brand.  Your brand is your image, your reputation, how people come to know you and what you’re about!  Competition is fierce, and as a voice over talent, if you don’t know how to brand yourself, much less know your brand, you might as well step into oblivion.

The concept is simple really.  Assess your strengths and what makes you unique.  Think of how you want to be known and begin positioning yourself.  What do you need to do to make your vision of you a reality?  You definitely need to have the obvious business cards, web site, demo, and social media presence.  That’s a given.

Here’s where the pros differ from the amateurs. Consistency.  Frequency. Quality.  Value.  Exposure.  The consistency and the frequency, and the quality and the value of your exposure are critical components of your brand.  Look at your current exposure. Is it consistently portraying the level of quality you deliver?  Is it portraying the value of what you have to offer?  How often are the right people exposed to your brand?  Now take a look at the opportunities to improve in each of those areas and begin!

Branding takes time and effort, but it is time and effort well invested.  Your brand speaks for you when you are not present to speak for yourself.  The fact remains, whether you choose to brand yourself or not, you will be branded!  The pros are sought after not solely for their voice over skills, but because they branded themselves so their voice over skills would be sought after.  What’s your brand?

Popularity: 13%

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!

Popularity: 24%

Bringing Your A-Game

You are your business.  No you, no business.  So it makes perfect sense that taking care of you must be a top priority.  Yet amidst the to do lists, the daily challenges of running a business, putting out fires, auditioning, recording spots, and a sundry of life’s little curve balls thrown our way, it’s easy to get lost in the mix and slip out of the running.  It’s easy to become last on our priority list.

Last place.  Nobody likes last place!  We dread it.   It’s what we strive to avoid. Yet if we are last place on the priority list in our own lives, how can we be anything else in our professional lives?  As a voice talent, last place is not an option!  You either get the gig or you don’t.  Getting the gig requires bringing your A-Game!  You can’t bring your A-Game if you don’t have it to bring! Bringing your A-Game requires taking care of you, getting enough sleep, eating the right foods, exercising, and taking time for yourself.

A tired voice is not a hired voice!  Lack of sleep will show up in your vocal delivery and will affect your performance.  It will also affect your mental clarity.  Aim for 6 to 8 hours of sleep every night.

You are what you eat!   Eating clean and staying hydrated will provide your body with the proper nutrients, boost your immune system, boost your metabolism, and give you energy.  Choose fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, lean protein sources, and healthy fats.  Drink water, lots and lots of water and green tea to stay hydrated.  Sodas, energy drinks, and other caffeinated beverages will tighten the vocal chords and dehydrate you.

Exercise.  If the sight of the word makes you want to run away, go for it!  Getting at least 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity 5 to 6 days a week will severely boost your attitude, mental clarity, energy, and metabolism!

All work and no play makes for a dreaded life day by day.  Taking time for you is necessary, not selfish! You are only one person but you are still just that, a person!  You are a person with interests, friends, and family.  Take some time to enjoy these and you will be much easier to relate to and a lot less stressed!

When you make taking care of you a priority, the ironic thing is that others will too!  They will treat you with more respect because you treat yourself with more respect.  You will become a priority in their minds because you are a priority in your own mind.  You will bring your A-Game because it’s the only game you have to bring!

Popularity: 11%

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