I’m sure you’ve heard the saying: It’s all about how you market your voice over business…

Here is the hot tip people, IT IS...all about how you market your voice over business!

But there’s also an ‘addendum’ to that statement,

Do more of what works… and less of what doesn’t…

What does that mean exactly? This one took me a long time to knuckle down but I think I got it...

It means you need to be constantly leaving ‘marketing landmines’ for potential clients to ‘trip over’ but these landmines need to be where your potential clients will find them!

It’s a fact that as an entrepreneur, you can spend a lot of money and time on voiceover portals, pay to play and social media websites and mailer programs, etc, that bring slim results, if any.

Which brings me back to the statement, DO MORE of what works…

Now, to Fiverr...

Fiverr was once known as a ‘cheapie freelancer...

“So, just in case you didn’t know it yet, you’re a can of soup”…

“What? How do you come to that conclusion?”

“Well, you have a label, don’t you? And content? And you’re attracted to some, but maybe not to others, for all sorts of reasons… and you’ve got a price! 

But who sets that price? YOU? Or your market? Or both?...

All good questions that we will explore in this article, What price does your Brand command?

Not sure if you’ve struck upon it yet, but there will come a time in your VO journey when someone tells you:

1. They like your voice and

2. They’d like you to forward your rate card…

I don’t think, in all my years as a voice talent, when I’ve sent my rate card to someone, they’ve emailed back and said Great! I love your rates! Here’s a Voiceover job for you! 

There’s usually some form of negotiation that takes place, which brings up a good...

So you're looking for a voice over coach?

Well...

Yes! They do exist!...

You’ve arrived at the point in your voiceover journey where you think you may benefit from the experience and guidance of a coach? 

Well done! For many, ‘getting a coach’ seems to be the last resort when ‘everything else’ has been tried out and attempted beforehand.

Really, coaching should almost be the first thing you consider when setting up your voice over business… 

Why?

Because a ‘good coach’ can help you dodge and weave most of the landmines awaiting a novice voice talent and get you on the road to success, a lot quicker than you’d possibly take to ‘find your VO groove’ all by yourself...

Here’s 7 major points on how to know whether you’ve found a coach that can help you in your VO journey…

But before we start, let me take you back a little, or for some, a lot! to days at school when you came across that nutty...

1. What’s really important to start?
2. What’re your goals? 
3. What’s your niche?
4. Resources
5. Equipment required

What’s really important to start?

1. Know your audience
2. Use your body
3. Tell the story... beneath the story

Sometimes whether you’re a slick and seasoned voiceover professional or a brand new ‘wet behind- the-ears’ beginner, it’s really important to get back to the basics of the craft of providing a great voiceover and like any practice, there are the fundamentals…and today we’ll focus on three of the most important ones…

So, who do you think you’re talking to??

I can remember my father using this saying when I was young, especially if I’d been a little off the cuff or disrespectful with a snide remark and it was usually followed by a grounding and sometimes a shoe if I didn’t apologize promptly! 

But it illustrates the importance of knowing who your audience is!

Who is your audience?

What do they like to do?

What’s important to them?

What drives them?

What interest do they have in your content?

Imagine going to a Doctor who chose not to ask you...

What’s reasonable, expected, or completely over the top?

“So, now I’m set up and ready to go, what do I charge for my voiceover services?”

It’s a question that has even the most seasoned voice artist confused, due largely to the ‘shifting sands’ of the voiceover industry… 

Now, don’t get me wrong, the shifting sands I’m referring to, are not the tropical jungle quick-sand type, that will swallow you whole, completely gone without a trace… 

Although for beginners, the industry may feel a bit that way from time to time…

I’m referring to the ‘shifting sands’ of the voiceover market, which currently feels like the only consistent thing about it, is it’s constantly changing and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s changed again by the time you’ve finished reading this article!

Some time ago, there was no such thing as talent websites, ‘pay to play’ sites...

Here are 5 tips to ensure your voiceover business becomes productive & continues to GROW!

So, you’ve been thinking about your own business for some time now and you’ve finally decided to take the ‘bull by the horns’ throw caution to the wind and start up your own service-based business…

“ Hey guess what everyone? I’ve decided I’m becoming a voiceover talent!”

(Cue raucous applause and cheers from the whole family)

After all, Aunty Gladys has always loved your voice and says you’ll be fabulous! So, how hard can it be, right..?

…Just hold it there Ace!

Voiceover can be lots of fun, after some dedicated practice, coaching and learning to use your audio equipment, it can be a great way to make money and of course, there’s nothing nicer than being able to help others build their own businesses by using your great vocal talents to produce training videos, narrations, phone messages and the like…...

As voice actors, we are continually asking questions like: "Which voice over website should I join" and "What is another website besides Voices.com?" or "... Voice123?". 

I have wrestled with these questions myself. So much so, that I couldn't choose without causing myself a considerable headache.  

On top of that, I felt I needed to learn more about these companies before I continued to recommend them from personal experience, because, as it stands in 2020, these two websites are considered the largest P2P sites in the world for VO and the cost to join is pretty high up there.

What's is all about anyway?

This article is a guide and comparison of the two platforms side by side. I will do my very best to leave the decision making up to you by presenting the evidence fairly. 

So, for my students, voice actors of the world, and anyone else interested, I present to you Voices.com vs. Voice123: A comparison of two P2P voice over websites. 

Quick Note: I...

I'll never forget the first year of my business. It was downright painful. 

I don't mean listening to my work was painful, although it might have been, but physically, it was painful. 

Every single day, I would get up at 6 am, go to work, come home around 6 pm, pick up the kids, get dinner ready, spend time with them, put them to bed, spend a few moments with my wife, and put her to bed around 10 pm.

After she got in bed, I would go outside and get my super-sized army style duffle bag and drag it into the house, being as quiet as possible, so I didn't wake the kids.

Once I got to the office space, which happened to be on the other side of my little dwelling, out would come the PVC pipes and packing blankets. 

I constructed my PVC pipe Hobo Fort, as I called it, based on a number code marked on each tube so I would remember where it all went. After it was up, I had to move the desk and computer so it would fit together and finally attach the...