When a first time voice seeker comes to you for a job there’s a chance they’ve done their research. They may know exactly what they’re looking for and how the process works from script delivery to audio delivery to payment.
There is also a chance that they won’t have a clue!
If they’re in the latter group they’re going to be trusting you to deliver a quality product and not take advantage of them. They’re also going to have a lot of questions.
5 Tips For Working With First Time Clients
1) Patience: I can’t express this enough. They don’t know the business. They’ve never hired a voice talent before. Put yourself in their shoes for a moment. Then be patient with them. The better you treat them this time, the more likely they are to return.
2) Answer all their questions: They’re going to have a lot of them. Some of them will be good. Some of them will make you scratch your head. Answer them all. There is no dumb question. Your customer service in this situation will either make the deal or break the deal.
3) Offer to help them out: Maybe you looked over their script and have a suggestion on how you could make it sound better. Perhaps they had a particular type of delivery in mind but you think another style may be appropriate. Don’t be afraid to help them under the premise that you want their finished project to be perfect. Always remember though, that they are the paying customer. If they turn down your suggestions be respectful and carry on.
4) Don’t abuse the budget: This goes either way. Don’t charge too much. Don’t charge too little. If the client asks you for a quote for their project don’t take advantage of them. Overcharging is bad for your business and bad for the voice over business in general. At the same time, drastically undercutting for a first time client sets a precedence for them that will only hurt you or any other talent they hire in the long run. Be reasonable. Be fair.
5) Go the extra mile: Do you remember the first time you did anything? You weren’t great at it. You likely made mistakes. You probably wished you could have a “do-over.” The client might too. If they’ve never booked a professional voice-over before there is a chance they might make a mistake in their script or desired delivery. If they recognize that mistake and come to you respectfully, give them the benefit of the doubt. As I always says, a happy customer is a repeat customer.
Do Unto Others
We’ve all been there before. Dealing with a professional in an area where we have no expertise. We had an expectation of how we hoped to be treated in that situation. All you have to do is reverse roles and offer your first time client the same. If you do it right, chances are that first time client will become a second time and more.
