Here’s a little homework assignment for you.
I grabbed this from my Small Business and Entrepreneurship textbook. I’m taking a course right now, and this one simple question has actually challenged me a little bit to re-examine my business from a marketing standpoint.
What Business Are You In?
Ask yourself that question. Then consider this truth… people don’t buy products or solutions. They buy what the product or service can do for them.
If you tell someone you’re in the voice over business, what does that really tell them? Not a whole heck of a lot.
If you promote yourself as voice talent, voice actor, voice artist, or whatever it is you’ve decided to call yourself, what does that tell potential clients about what you’ll actually do for them? Not much.
Solve A Problem
With this in mind, ask yourself the question again only consider it from the other end of the coin. From the buyers perspective.
- Are you in the voice over business? Or are you in the professional medical narration business?
- Are you in the voice over business? Or are you in the eLearning presentation business?
- Are you in the voice over business? Or are you in the on hold and IVR services business?
The key, so I’m learning, is not to tell people what you do, but rather, tell them what you’ll do for them. Figure that out, and you’ll people able to target your marketing much more effectively.
The key, so I’m learning, is not to tell people what you do, but rather, tell them what you’ll do for them.
Spend a little time brainstorming the idea. If you were the client, what types of services would sell you on hiring a voice actor? Is it their studio quality? The turnaround time? The type of voice they have? The niches the specialize in?
The more you can narrow your focus, and the better you can present your solution to a clients problem, the more likely you are to close the sale!