Post on 01-Jun-2020
©VOGenesis.com | 2
Copyright © 2015 Success Vantage Group Pte Ltd
All rights reserved.
Published by Jenny Lewis.
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What This Book Is About? ....................................................................................... 4
The Five Marketing Elements ................................................................................. 4
Social Networks ................................................................................................... 5
Branding ............................................................................................................... 6
Things To Consider When Creating Your Branding Website, Emails, Etc ...... 8
Awareness Campaigns ......................................................................................... 9
Snail Mail .......................................................................................................... 9
Email ............................................................................................................... 10
Blogs ............................................................................................................... 10
Promotions ..................................................................................................... 11
Websites ............................................................................................................ 12
Setting-Up A Website That Sells Over And Over Again................................. 13
Building A Client List .......................................................................................... 14
An In-Depth Look At The Resources .............................................................. 14
Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 16
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What This Book Is About?
The Five Marketing Elements
Just like any other business or field, you need to become your own hero. You
will not be presented with great opportunities on a platter. You will need to try
for them and you will need to set an image of your own in the market if you
really want to get good work.
If you are looking to develop a career as a voice actor, then you must try to get
jobs on your own. The agents are of no help either because they are busy with
numerous clients. Therefore, if you really want to find good work and
opportunities, you will need to become your own marketer and advertiser. This
book is especially designed to help all upcoming voice actors to learn to market
their talent in such a way that they get great work offers.
Every freelance voice artist has trouble finding good projects. This usually
happens due to the lack of connections and experience in the industry. Landing
your first job is tough for everyone, but if you completely rely on outside
sources, you will end up wasting a lot of time.
Having a good voice is not the only thing that you require to build a career as a
voice artist. You need to be able to sell your talent using your own marketing
ideas. Self-promotion is not an easy thing to do because no one wants to hear
you talk good about yourself. So, you will need to find several other ways to sell
your voice and attract voiceover jobs.
Many voiceover artists hire agents that promise to market them to producers
and get them into the industry. Although these agents have experience in
marketing, they often don’t have enough time to give to each of their clients.
So, when you think your agent will be working on you, they will be promoting
several other artists, which will leave you with their divided attention.
Therefore, if you really want to get into this industry and build a career, you
need to work on self-marketing and self-promotion because only you can truly
promote your talent. Let’s take a look at the different ways a voiceover artist
can promote their talent to land jobs.
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Social Networks
Social networking sites have become a huge hit in the digital world. They are being
used by millions of people around the world for the sake of socialization and
entertainment. Some of the most common social networks are Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, Pinterest, MySpace, LinkedIn, BranchOut, Tumblr, and YouTube.
Millions of people around the world connect with one another on these networks,
and the best part about them is that they have proved to be great as marketing
platforms for businesses. Due to their high engagement factor, these networks can
help voiceover artists connect with many influential people from the industry. You
can also send friend request to fellow voice actors to stay up-to-date on the latest
industry news and jobs.
Apart from connecting to others, you can also make use of your network for special
announcements. However, it is better to separate your professional profile from
your personal one. Both your profiles play an important role in bringing you close to
your dreams. You can also ask your friends and family to share your work on their
profiles for increased viewability and awareness.
Even if you post a simple status message about your talent and interests, you can
get a lot of attention. You should also be able to set-up your profile in such a way
that it stands out and gets the attention of people from the industry. Your profile
should also include the services that you are willing to offer as a voiceover artist. If
you are more interested in commercial projects, make it clear in the about section
of your profile.
If you have a separate website that includes some of your recording, you can
definitely add its link to your social networking site for increased validation. When it
comes to expanding your network by adding new people to your profile, you need
to be very careful. Don’t just add random people but look out for the ones that will
help you with your career.
YouTube is a great platform for posting videos and creating viral content. You can
record some voiceovers and post a video on YouTube for increased awareness.
LinkedIn is another great platform which is only used for professional purposes. By
updating your profile on LinkedIn, you can attract a number of jobs and
opportunities. However, make sure you add the right people to your network.
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Branding
Have you noticed how every brand has created its name in the market by constantly
promoting their name, tagline, message, and logo? Brands do so to build a presence in the
market, so that the next time someone heads out to the store they instantly recognize their
products/services. This is exactly what you need to do to become prominent and easily
recognizable. However, every brand does so by creating a unique presence in the market.
This means that you need to brand yourself in such a way that when people hear your voice,
they recognize who is behind it.
When it comes to branding, there are a few things that you need to consider.
Value
Name Recognition
Quality
Trust
For voiceover artists, their voice is everything. That’s
what builds a name for them in the industry. Therefore,
if you really want to create a distinct name in the
industry, you need to have a unique voice and style.
When you have a unique and easily recognizable voice
(it must be good), producers will ask for you. This
usually happens when you already have a settled career
in the field and you have worked on several projects.
You can also be the first choice for many businesses if
you have a voice that sound like another famous
voiceover artist. Because of that artist’s rates,
businesses will likely want to hire you at a lower cost.
You also need to have a unique style to get job offers.
When you go for auditions, there are several other
artists trying for the same job. However, if your voice
and style is different, you will be remembered and the
judges might ask for you in particular. So, make sure
your voice stands out or else you’ll not have a chance at
getting a yes for the job.
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Apart from being recognizable, you also need to focus on making use of high-quality
microphones and recording devices. Because if your voice over is poorly recorded, you will
not be able to charm the listeners.
As a voiceover artist, you need to be aware of your value and ask for an amount that is
suitable. If you think that asking a high price will not lend you any job, then quote a moderate
rate. If you think quoting a very low rate will get you too many offers, then you are sadly
mistaken. Because when a VO actor asks for a very low price for the job, the clients perceive
their services to be of low value. Exactly how we perceive low priced products.
Branding holds a lot of importance for every VO artist who wants to develop a good career in
this industry. Every business or brand has a personality, which their owners market to make
them standout. So, when we hit the market, we instantly pick the one that we recognize. This
is exactly what you need to do with your voice. Treat your voice as a product/service and
create its presence in the market. Give it a unique personality by designing your website.
In order to create a brand for your voice, you need to think of it as a person. Write adjectives
that perfectly define your voice and use them in your branding strategy. When you design
your business card, make sure you add the elements of your personality (voice personality) to
it. You should also pay close attention to creating a distinct image of yourself that others
remember.
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Things To Consider When Creating Your Branding Website, Emails, Etc
When designing your website to build a brand, you need to focus on a few things. Let’s take a
look below:
The website that you design should be suitable for the general audience, which means
that it should be targeted towards the general public. So, avoid making use of complex
words and sentences, and keep it as simple as you can.
Your website is the main source of information for everyone, that’s the reason it should
include every detail about your talent and skills. If you are more interested in recording
VOs for cartoons, then you should mention it on your website. If you have multiple
talents, don’t hesitate in mentioning it on the website because it will give people an idea
about you. Essential information also includes your contact information and any
certificates that you have received.
Refrain from using fancy typefaces on your website. Your aim should be to make your
content easily readable. Therefore, do not use fonts that are hard to read because
readers can easily be annoyed and leave your website, making you lose a good
opportunity.
Add your signature and contact information at the end of your emails. This will add more
credibility and appeal, allowing you to create a distinct presence.
When designing your business card, make sure you utilize both the sides and design
them creatively. An empty side is visually unappealing to look at and doesn’t leave a
good impression on anyone who sees it.
When it comes to branding, you have to be consistent with your design, logo, fonts, and
use of color. If your website has a dark theme, but you design your business cards with a
light colored theme, then there is a high chance that the viewers will be unable to build a
connection, which will be bad for your brand image and will result in poor recognition.
If you make use of the four branding points in your marketing strategies, you will be able to get
lots of job offers. A voiceover artist who brands themselves the right way is the one who can
increase their rate.
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CampaignAwareness Campaigns
Snail Mail
A good way to get the attention of casting directors and producers is to design fun postcards
and send them by mail. However, you should refrain from designing highly formal cards that
look more like your professional resume than a fun card to connect with important clients.
Sending a postcard is a way of letting someone know that you remember them. People send
postcards on big holidays and festivals, but do not keep them to that. Send postcards to
clients telling them about your recent airing or project. But do this in a creative way. Design
an interesting postcard so that it stands out from the rest of them.
Don’t be afraid to be humorous when writing the card, and try to add a few touches of your
personality into it. Sometimes clients are more interested in finding out about a VO artist’s
personality than their work. When telling clients about your recent work, make sure your
project wasn’t for their competitors. So, always send your postcards to the right people. This
is a great way to build new connections and increase your chances of getting a job.
You can also write about your hobbies like if you love to cook or you have a small garden of
your own. Anything that tells the reader about your personality will be a good way to form a
connection.
Without designing these strategies, you will be unable to get noticed. Your
awareness campaign should neither be too aggressive nor too needy. All
you need to do is deliver your message to the people in the industry that
you are up for hiring.
One thing that every voiceover artist looking to spread awareness needs to
keep in mind is that you have to be smart in delivering your message to
others. You should have a certain way to saying things and making others
realize that you are up for grabs. If you sound too needy, it will only make
you look bad and annoying. So, tell others that they can hire you in a
creative and highly attractive way.
Let’s take a look at some good suggestions that you can make use of to get
the attention of casting directors and producers.
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Email services have become quite advanced over the couple of years. Today, you no longer
need to write separate emails to be sent to your list. By making use of email distribution
services like Constant Contact, Benchmark Email, Vertical Response, or Cooler Email, you can
send group emails with just a single click. These services also offer monthly and quarterly
email distribution which can be quite helpful in saving you lots of time and hassle.
However, make sure the emails that you send are unique, funny, and attractive. If you send
emails talking about your studies and keep asking for others to give you a job, then you will
only get your emails marked as spam. Your emails should grasp the readers’ attention instead
of being a nuisance to them.
Because there will be several voiceover artists sending emails to people in the industry, you
need to find a way to be different. So, don’t come out as a needy person, but try to impress
them with your humor and your personality. A unique and funny email might help your build
a connection with the readers, allowing them to remember you whenever they have a
project that is suitable for you.
You should also give the readers an option to leave the mailing list, because not everyone
likes receiving emails from people they don’t know.
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Blogs
Blogs have gained a lot of popularity in the
online world. These blogs are extremely
effective in letting you share your story.
However, you need to make sure that the
story that you want to share is interesting
and fun to read. But the producers that
you want to aim might not have the time
to read your blogs, so make sure you
target your pieces towards other actors.
You can write blogs to impress producers
and casting directors once you become
friends with them. Writing blogs only
shows your creativity. So, don’t hesitate in
trying this out and you might get lucky.
Promotions
When you go out for grocery shopping and
get a free item or coupon, aren’t you the
happiest person? That’s what promotional
activities are. They are a great part of any
brand’s advertising strategies. Because
everyone likes to win free stuff, you can
really make use of this advertising
technique to get attention from producers,
and create a brand name.
You can send key chains, mugs, pens,
calendars, t-shirts, and gift boxes to the
people in the voiceover industry as a token
of love. Make sure that you have your
name and logo on these items, as this will
help build your identity and result in great
brand recognition. You can only go for this
promotional strategy if you have enough
money to spend.
You need to come up with unique gift
ideas if you really want the producers and
directors to notice you. Customized gift
items can also be great if you really want
to make an impact. Promotional gifts are
great for increasing brand recognition and
value in the eyes of the receivers. These
gifts also create goodwill, but make sure
you are not bombarding others with free
gifts because it will come under
harassment.
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Websites
In this digitally advanced era, it’ll be foolish to not have a website
of your own. Every business needs a website to tell the world that
they are available. That’s exactly what you need to do and make
your online presence count. There are several ways with the help
of which you can make your website more visible. You can add
highly targeted keywords to your website to bring it on top search
results. There is Google AdWords to help you publish pay-per-click
ads to a targeted audience. However, all of these things cannot
get you more voiceover projects.
If you really want to drive the right traffic to your site, you should consider becoming a part
of talent databases. These pay-to-play platforms like Voice123.com and Voices.com are
designed especially for voice actors who can get membership by paying a small fee. You then
begin to receive email audition notifications. You can also choose the type of jobs that you
want to receive. You will then be able to record your voiceover at the convenience of your
home and upload its mp3 file on the platform.
Once you upload your voice clip, you will receive lots of views by other actors and producers.
Your voiceover demo will also reach different producers that might ask for your quote and
interest in doing a project for them. Sometimes producers may ask you to send voiceover
recording from home.
Even if you were not selected for a project, you might still receive feedback from producers,
directors, and other artists. Getting onto platforms like these is an overall positive experience
as you not only get to learn new things, but you also get job offers.
Another way to get voice acting jobs, you can log onto Craigslist.org and search for ‘voiceover
jobs’. When you hit enter, you will get a list of voiceover job in different cities. If you are
looking to work in a particular location, just add the name of the city ahead of your search
keywords.
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Setting-Up A Website That Sells Over And Over Again
The main focus of your website should not be limited to attracting new clients, but it should
be able to bring you repeat business. If the clients that you worked with in the past do not
feel valued, there is a high chance that you will end up with a bad reputation in the industry.
Apart from targeting new clients, your website should also include your previous projects and
commercial work. Add a new portfolio page on your website and upload your previous
projects in it. Do not forget to add details about the project and make sure you give credits to
the client. Because this project will help advertise the client, they will be pleased to see it on
your website. This is a great way to strengthen your bond with the clients that you have
worked with in the past.
A truly successful website is the one that can make clients come back over and over again.
This is exactly what you should be focusing on when designing your website. You can also add
a paragraph about the clients that you have worked with by paying gratitude to them. Share
the experience that you had with these clients and talk about them in a positive way. Apart
from mentioning your clients, you can also offer discounted quotes and packages or repeat
clients. This is a value-added service that your clients will definitely be attracted to.
Voicebank.net is a platform that is targeted towards
producers and directors belonging to the voiceover
industry. There are several talent agencies that post
voiceover demos or producers to check. Because it is
a professional and highly authentic platform, your
demo has a better chance at getting noticed here.
However, this platform is ruled by talent agency that
post demos. If you want to post your clips
individually, you can also do that to get them heard
by the right people.
If you are doing all that you can but still failing from
receiving any offers, then you might want to take
help from platforms like Voiconeonline.com and
Internetvoicecoach.com. Both these platforms
provide coaching and practice to inexperience voice
actors who are looking to get hired. You can find
effective tips and lessons on these platforms that
will help you practice the right skills.
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Building A Client List
Every business that wants to stay in touch with their customers and keep them informed
about their latest gigs and happenings create a client list. This client list includes email
addresses of their customers, which they use to send emails to them. Having a client list is
also very important for voice actors because it helps them stay in touch with their clients that
can offer great work opportunities to them in the future. If you had no contact with your
clients, then how can you expect them to remember you when they have a good work offer?
That’s the reason it is extremely important to stay in touch with those who can hire you.
An In-Depth Look At The Resources
Let’s take a look at the different resources with the help of which you can stay in contact with
potential clients.
Friends And Family
What can be better than taking help from the people you love? Yes, that’s right. Friends and
family can offer great help when it comes to getting you a job. That’s the reason you should
never hesitate in telling them about your skills, interests, and expertise. Tell them that you
are in search of a job. Because they care about you, they will try to help you. If they can’t get
you a job on their own, they will spread the word and ask their friends to help you.
Internet
Internet is a humungous platform where you can find almost anything that you are looking
for. Therefore, when looking for voiceover jobs, look for such listings on the internet. There
are many production companies and advertising agencies that have their presence on the
internet. So, type ‘production companies’ or ‘advertising agencies’ in the search bar and add
the desired location. As soon as you hit enter, you will find a number of agencies and their
job listings. You can check these websites and pick the one that fits your requirements.
Voicebank.net is a good platform to begin your search as it lists numerous advertising
agencies, talent hunters, production companies, animation agencies, and freelance
producers. Be careful of the companies you choose, as many big names hire talent agencies
to do all the hiring work, and they have strict criteria for hiring. Small to medium sized
companies on the other hand can be easier to please. So, choose wisely!
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Talent Agency Lists
Many voice artists higher talent agents who help bring together clients and artists. These
agents have great connections and network of people in the industry that they contact to get
you jobs. However, these agents might be handling several other artists, which means that
you will not be receiving their complete attention. Therefore, you can also your agent to
provide you with their client list for a targeted promotion. However, it is not necessary that
your agent will give you this information, but if they do, then you have a great chance to
reach out to the producers and directors and leave a solid impression on them.
If your promotional efforts work and you get responses from clients, then you can handle
your own client list.
Resource Guides
There are several resource guides available on the internet that may help you get information
about casting notices and different clients in the industry. These resources are a treasure for
voiceover artists who can use this information to build their network and look for great job
opportunities. Some of the most popular and noteworthy resource platforms include:
Voiceoverresouceguide.com in New York and Los Angeles.
Reel Directory in San Francisco.
Producershandydandy.com in Washington, D.C.
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Social Networks
Social networks are great for expanding your network of friends. That’s the reason platforms
like Facebook and LinkedIn are of special importance for voice actors who are looking to get
jobs in their field. By becoming a part of these platforms, you can actually get work through
listings. Because LinkedIn is a professional platform, you can set-up an attractive profile, get
connected to people from the industry, follow advertising agencies, and get job offers
without any hassle.
Another great way to just get noticed by the people of interest is to ask friends and family to
spread the word about your amazing voiceover skills. So, when your friends share your
stories or recordings on their profile, they will instantly reach to hundreds of friend of friends,
and might even reach the right person. That’s the reason it is essential for every voice actor
to build their network and get in touch with people from the industry. However, make sure
that you do not act needy, which will only make them run far away from you.
If you have taken these marketing and promotional tactics into consideration, then there is
nothing that can stop you from being a big hit in the voiceover industry, and become the first
choice for every major voiceover role.
Conclusion Marketing is one of the major pillars of success for any business. Without
implementing solid marketing strategies, every business will fail. Similarly, when it
comes to voiceover artists, you should consider yourself a brand. Once you do so,
you will come to realize that you will need help from the various branding,
marketing, promotional, and advertising techniques to build your name in the
industry.
If you neglect any one aspect of marketing, you might end up waiting for a good
work opportunity for the rest of your life. Every voice actor who wants to succeed
and build a strong presence in the market needs to promote themselves in the
best way that they can. By making use of the promotional and marketing tactics
mentioned in this eBook, you will be able to earn big bucks, and build a good
career in this field.