Tag: Pay 2 Play

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How Do You Build A Voice Over Business?

When I first started in voice over it was in the capacity of a radio announcer. As far as I understood it, the only possible way to get voice over work was to voice radio commercials.

This is what I knew.

Fast forward a few years. I’m introduced to an online casting site. Then another. For the next couple years, this was my business model. As far as I understood it, the only possible way to get voice over work was to be on all the casting sites.

This is what I knew.

For forward a couple more years. I’m no longer paying for a subscription to any casting site. Basically all of my voice over work comes from existing clients and the new clients I’m working daily to add. My business model is marketing, marketing, marketing.

All day, every day, I’m looking for ways to let people know I’m here. Ready, willing and able to record their voice overs.

What We Think We Know

What Do You Know About Building A Voice Over BusinessSometimes we get these ideas in our head about how things work. Or how we assume they’re supposed to work. No point in re-inventing the wheel, after all. Right? So we settle into a routine.

Forget thinking outside of the box, we don’t even look outside of the box!

We know what works. We know how it’s done. We know what we know and that’s all there is to know.

What do you think know about voice over?

  • Do you “know” it requires a certain type of microphone?
  • Do you “know” it requires an agent in every market?
  • Do you “know” it requires submitting 40 auditions a day on half a dozen P2P’s?
  • Do you “know” you need to work with a certain coach?
  • Do you “know” you must be union… or non?

Or is it time to blow up everything you know, or think you know, and come at it from an entirely new and fresh perspective?

Could There Be More Than One Way?

I used to think you had to be in radio. Then I used to think you had to be on the P2P’s. Now, I think it’s all about marketing.

The more I learned, the more I realized there was a lot I didn’t know.

What about you? Could there be more than one way to build your voice over business?

Here’s my challenge to you. Take some time today to try something entirely new. Throw out everything you think you know, and try something entirely new.

Maybe there’s another way to build your business you haven’t even thought of yet!

Thanks for sharing this post from Marc Scott's Voice Over Blog.

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Stop Sending People To Your Pay 2 Play Voice Over Profiles







I’m not the first guy to say this. I definitely won’t be the last guy to say this.

Stop sending people to your Pay 2 Play profile!

Do you suppose Target will ever do any free advertising for Walmart?

Unlikely.

When you promote your Pay 2 Play voice over profiles via social media (and anywhere else you may share the link) it’s basically the same thing as Target advertising for Walmart.

Yes, you’re sending people to check out your profile. That’s great.

You’re also directing potential clients to multi-thousands of other voice actors.

To me, it’s just not a good idea.

Stop Sending People To Your Pay 2 Play Profile

It’s 2014. It costs, what? $10 to register your own domain name? Then what? Another $5/month to host it?

WordPress is free.

SoundCloud can host your demos.

If you’re serious about voice acting, if you’re serious about building your voice over career, invest a few dollars, build even a basic website with your picture, demos, bio and contact information, and stop directing clients to places where they may find and hire someone else.

If you’re going to tell me it’s easier or convenient to just use one of your Pay 2 Play profiles here’s what I’ll tell you in return:

Stop making excuses. Start making an effort.

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Read Instructions Then Follow Them

Have you ever built Ikea furniture? If you like jigsaw puzzles, then you probably think building Ikea furniture is the greatest thing ever. On the other hand, if you don’t like building jigsaw puzzles, well… you probably wish you knew someone who did. So you could hire them.

The trick to building Ikea furniture is to first read the instructions.

All of them.

All the way through.

From start to finish.

Oh, and then, after you’ve read all the instructions, follow them.

Read Instructions

I’ve done casting for more than a few voice over projects, both via Pay 2 Play and direct email invitations. In each of those experiences there is one thing that never ceases to amaze me… the number of voice over actors who are incapable (apparently) of following very clear, very simple directions.

Yesterday I posted a message on Twitter and Facebook.

british-male-vo-FB-post

Simple enough, right?

Apparently not.

Despite the fact that I provided, what I thought, were very, very clear instructions, what resulted was something entirely different.

Then Follow Them

girl-building-ikea-furnitureLet me begin by saying that 80% of the respondents did follow my simple instructions. A quick note with a link to their demo. Just like I asked.

But then there was the other 20%.

These individuals messaged me with novels. Literally. Novels!

They included a history of their professional voice over careers. They name dropped every major client they’ve ever worked with since birth.

No less than six to eight links to various and assorted demos were included. Some included links to everything BUT their explainer video voice over work… which I originally asked for.

Or Face The Consequences

These individuals completely missed what I was asking for, tried too hard, and as a result… their names were not included in my referral list.

If they can’t follow my simple two sentence instructions, I would never assume they can follow instructions of a client. And I’ll never give my clients names of voice actors who can’t follow simple instructions.

Just like your Ikea furniture, if you want to succeed, if you want to get it right the first time, read the instructions all the way through, and then begin the project.

Otherwise when you’ll finish with disaster.

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Morgan Freeman on Helium

At least once a day, if you’re active on voice over Pay 2 Play sites, you’ll see an audition with instructions that say, “We’re looking for a voice like Morgan Freeman.”

How soon until we start seeing auditions that ask for Morgan Freeman on helium???

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Which Voice Over Lens Are You Looking Through?

When I was a kid I went though a science phase. Why? I have no idea. Truth is, there’s not a scientific bone in my body. The only course I ever failed in school… science! Nevertheless, for some reason, I went through a science phase. To that end, one Christmas I only wanted two gifts. A microscope and a telescope.

I got them both.

A Microscope View

microscopeWith my microscope I could look really, really closely at the one thing that was right directly in front of me. I could zoom it in and examine every last detail. I couldn’t see what was around it. I couldn’t see what was beyond it. I could only see whatever that one thing was on my slide.

A Telescope View

My telescope offered an entirely different perspective. A big picture perspective. Oh sure, I could pick a star and try to focus on it, but I’d see all the others around it as well. I could see far and beyond. A wide angle view.

Pick A Lens

Auditioning on a voice over casting site can become an almost robotic practice. Particularly if you’re submitting multiple auditions a day. It’s so easy to crank out a quick read, drop in your template proposal, click submit and move onto the next one.

That’s what I would call the microscope view of voice over auditions.

On the other hand, what if you took the time to really read over the directions provided by the voice seeker? What if you took a little time to find out who they were? To research their background? Maybe listen to some past projects they’ve posted on their web site or YouTube channel. What if you were able to get a bigger picture view of the seeker and their needs?

That’s what I would call the telescope view of voice over auditions!

See The Big Picture

telescopeA lot of jobs you’ll audition for on a casting site are quick one offs. But not all jobs and not all clients are created equal. Do you know how to spot the difference? And will you be prepared if you do?

Thanks to one particular casting site and some big picture telescope views, I’ve been able to see beyond single job postings and single auditions to have the opportunity to develop some great long term relationships with some very big clients!

  • PetSmart
  • Verizon
  • Roland
  • Nikon

…not all jobs and not all clients are created equal.

Taking a few extra minutes to dig into each audition and think beyond the single script that’s right in front of you could mean the difference between booking one job and booking a dozen! Between a one off client and long term relationship!

QUESTION: What lens are you looking through?

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