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5 Tips for Better Business Cards

After going through a stack of business cards I received at VO Atlanta, I wanted to take a few minutes to share some tips based on some things I saw in the designs. These tips can help you improve yours for ever better results.

This is a rebroadcast of a Facebook Live that took place in the VOpreneur Group. Not yet a member? Click to join.

Make better business cards for your #voiceover business with these five tips. #vopreneur
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The Wrong Way to Market Your Brand

The Grand River in Southern Ontario has broken it banks.

Again.

Generally this happens every spring during the “thaw.” The “thaw” came a bit early this year.

An abnormally large amount of snow, followed by several unseasonably warm days, in addition to excessive amounts of rain has caused chaos in neighbouring communities to where I live today.

Two areas have declared States of Emergency. Thousands of people are under mandatory evacuations. Schools and business are shuttered. Homes are being damaged. Emergency services are working over time to protect lives and property. And it’s not over yet.

One particular company – who I refuse to name because they don’t deserve the recognition – decided to take advantage of this natural disaster.

In a series of images, this company took aerial drone shots of the damage being done in their community, and then plastered them all over social media… complete with their giant logo on every single image.

In other words… they branded a natural disaster; and just seeing their logo all over the images upset my stomach.

Marketing Fail

You know the saying there’s no such thing as bad publicity? Well, that was BEFORE social media.

These days, trust me, there’s such a thing as bad publicity.

You don’t want to be the company going viral for all the wrong reasons. The company getting shamed for branding a natural disaster and using it in marketing materials.

Never take advantage of a disaster to market your brand.
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The Right Way to Market

At the same time this was happening, another business (in the same industry) took to social media to share flood updates, public service announcements and information that was of great value to their audience.

They didn’t brand it. They didn’t try and sell anything.

They just served their audience in a genuine way.

Which company, do you suppose, is going to be remembered?

When Disaster Strikes

Disasters happen a lot these days. From floods, to school shootings, to chaos in political systems and governments.

During those times, we all have opinions.

We also all have platforms.

How you choose to use them matters.

Let me leave you with two thoughts…

Are you contributing to productive dialogue, or adding to the noise?

Are you serving yourself, or serving your audience?

You can guess which of these is the right way to engage in the topic and which of these will leave you trying to resolve a disaster of your own creation!

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The Right Way to Stay Top Of Mind

One of the marketing lessons I teach is the importance of keeping yourself top of mind. This is something that’s done more easily now than ever before thanks to social media. We have the ability, on any given day, to engage with our voice over leads, prospects and clients through any number of platforms and networks.

And we can do it without selling a thing!

That, by the way, is extremely important. Keeping yourself top of mind DOES NOT mean constantly trying to solicit voice over work.

 

Why You Need To Stay Top of Mind

Last week I received an email from a coaching student, voice over colleague and friend who had recently launched a new website to go along with her new demo. She asked if I’d mind checking it out for her and providing any feedback I have may have.

Last week I was neck deep in some major home renovation projects, as well as a huge eLearning voice over project. At the time her email came in, I didn’t have an opportunity to check out her website.

A day or two later, I posted something on Twitter and this person responded to my tweet. Immediately I thought to myself, “I need to check out her website still.”

A day after that she left a comment on a Facebook status I shared. Again, I had the exact same reaction, “I need to check out her website still!”

A couple days later, she replied to another tweet and we had a bit of back and forth dialogue. All the while, I was thinking, “I need to check out her website.”

“Staying top of mind DOES NOT mean constantly reaching out to solicit #voiceover work.”
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The Right Way to Stay Top Of Mind

The key in all of this is, outside of her initial request, not once did she ask me to check out her website again. Not once did she remind me I hadn’t done it. Not once did she question when I’d be able to get it done. In fact, I’d venture to guess that her social media engagement wasn’t even as much about her request as it was just her being her.

Nevertheless, each time she popped up in my notifications, it reminded me of what I had to do.

After a couple days, when things had settled down around here, I checked out her website and provided her with some feedback.

That’s how it’s done, friends. That’s how easily, simply and professionally it’s done!

Marketing is about building relationships. I’ve said it a thousand times and I’ll say it a thousand more. It’s about connecting with people. Taking interest in people. Do all of these things and you’ll keep yourself top of mind with people. Stay top of mind with people (without being annoying) and opportunity will come!

Who do you need to engage with today?

PS: If you’re looking for a really great female voice actor, check out Christy Harst’s new site and demo at christyharst.com

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New Clients vs Old Clients; Are You Treating Them Right?

In Canada there are really only a couple of legit cellular providers. This creates a really unfortunate scenario for consumers. Where a lack of options exist, so does a lack of competition. With two providers holding a near monopoly, finding a great deal on a mobile plan and phone is highly unlikely.

Now that I’m getting married, this past weekend, I decided to try and get my fiancée and I together on a mobile plan. Currently, she’s with one of the major players in Canada and I’m with the other.

Since her contract recently expired, I figured we’d check with her provider first, to find out what options were available.

After chatting with the fellow behind the counter for a few minutes, I was absolutely floored by the deals he had to offer.

Attracting New At The Expense Of Old

If I decided to come to her provider, I could get a brand new phone and a somewhat decent package for LESS than what they were offering her to stay.

You read that correctly.

She’s been a loyal customer of this company for years and apparently, that doesn’t mean much of anything to them. The contact they offered her was $15/month MORE than she currently pays and she’d have to buy a new phone. But for me to come over, I was offered a plan for less money per month and it came with a free phone!

Unreal!

We had the exact same conversation with my mobile provider, and guess what… the EXACT same result.

They offered my fiancée a far better deal as a new customer than they offered me as an existing customer.

An existing customer who has been with them for a decade!

New Clients vs Old Clients; Are You Treating Them Right?

When I’m coaching voice actors on marketing, one of the first places I start with is their existing clients. I ask them all the same couple questions.

How many clients do you have that you haven’t reached out to in six months?

How many clients do you have that you haven’t reached out to in a year or more?

Almost every time, they’re embarrassed to realize how many clients they have – people who have previously paid them for voice over work – that they haven’t spoken with in far too long!

On the flip side, I also ask them about their efforts in finding new leads and new clients. More often than not, they can always tell me about the efforts they’ve put into trying to generate new work; whether it be via direct marketing, agents or casting sites.

Why do we so often forget about our voice over clients?

Don’t let the pursuit of new #voiceover clients come at the expense of loyal ones!
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You Better Be Valuing Them All

Obviously we want to always be on the lookout for new leads. Potential new work.

I’m the guy that encourages voice actors to find 20 new leads a day! But while you’re doing that, it’s so important not to forget about the relationships you’ve already got established. The clients who have already been loyal to you.

Don’t focus exclusively on the new at the expense of the old.

I was embarrassed and, if I’m being honest, a little offended, that my current provider would offer my fiancée a far better deal than they’d offer me as a loyal customer. It’s that sort of customer service (or lack thereof) that would make me want to take my business elsewhere.

Make sure you’re not making the same mistake in your voice over business.

Do you have some old clients you need to reach out to and take care of today?