General

My friend and fellow voiceover talent Dan Lenard is featured in a podcast at the VoiceOver Experts site talking about how you can decide what’s the best recording software for your home voiceover studio. And while you’re there, you’ll find many other excellent podcasts with tons of great information for your voiceover career.

Some of use union scale as a jumping off point. Others make it up as they go. And then there are brilliant beacons of sanity and thoughtfulness like my friend Mary McKitrick. She’s written an amazing and detailed analysis of many of the factors you need to consider when you set your rates. Take a few minute and read the whole thing. You’ll be glad you did.

If you’ve read this blog for a while, you’ve seen me mention Tom Asacker a few times. He’s a very bright man with some deep insights into marketing and branding. On his blog he’ll often use a quote as a springboard to one of this points. This example, taken from artist Vincent Van Gogh, offers some tremendously valuable insights.

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”

Tom then offers several examples from the retail industry of how little things have huge consequences. It’s no stretch to conclude that the voiceover business is just like every other business in this regard. Sweat the small stuff. It matters. Maybe more than you think.

On the Vox Daily blog, Stephanie has published Deb Monro‘s interesting Self Assessment Quiz for Voice Actors. Here are the questions, as posted on Vox Daily with my responses.

1. How much training have you had?
1 course or workshop (1); 2 to 4 (2); 5 or more, or relevant university degree (3); No training at all, I’m a natural (0).

My answer: 5 or more workshops – 3 points

2. How much have you invested in your voiceover business?
$100 to $500 or less (1); $600 to $1,500 (2); Over $1,500.00 (3); Less than $100 (0).

My answer: Over $1,500.00 – 3 points

3. How long is your demo?
1:00 to 1:30 (3); 1:30-2:00 (2); Under 1:00 or over 2:00 (1); I don’t have a demo (0).

My answer: 1:00 minute – 3 points

4. What kind of equipment do you have?
Pro Studio (3); USB mic and computer (2); Computer mic and computer (1); I do not have my own equipment (0).

My answer: Pro Studio – 3 points

5. Do you have an agent?
Yes (3); No (2); Why do I need an agent? (0).

My answer: Yes – 3 points

6. How many cities do you have agencies in?
1 (1); 2 (2); 3 or more (3); Didn’t know that was possible (0).

My answer: 4 cities – 3 points

7. Are you a union member?
Yes (2); No (1); Why would I join a union? (0).

My answer: I’m a dues paying non-member (financial core) so while I work under contracts from both US broadcast unions as often as possible, but I’m not a member. – 1 point

8. How often do you audition?
Once a day or more (3); A few times a week (2); A few times each month (1); Occasionally or Rarely (0).

My answer: On average once a day or a little more, but only for work that interests me and pays enough to be worth my time – 3 points

9. Where do you get most of your work from?
Self marketing and promotion (3); Agent (2); Other resources (1); Work will come to me (0).

My answer: Repeat customers, self marketing and promotion – 3 points

10. Do you look for work outside of the typical resources?
Yes–I talk about voiceover to any potential client (3); No – that’s up to my agent and the sites that I’m on (2); I don’t need to promote (0).

My answer: I talk about voiceover to any potential client. – 3 points
For those of you keeping score at home, and assuming that my math weakness isn’t rearing its ugly head, that adds up to 28 points.
Here are the concluding comments from Deb, if you want to score yourself.

0 to 10 – You haven’t done enough yet to get the work you’re seeking. Keep training and developing until you can score 20 or more. Those who are landing this work NEVER stop looking and are constantly educating themselves to keep up with the trends, even while they’re working. Remember, “Those who do the work get the work.”

11 to 20 – You’re heading down the right path. You are taking some of the necessary steps that you need to take to become a full time professional voice talent. You still need to get your score up over 20. What can you do to change your numbers? More marketing. Don’t rely solely on your agent. Keep educating yourself. Always tell everyone what you do. Everyone you meet is a potential client or referral source.
20 to 30 – You are doing the right things to make it in this industry. You are probably landing some work if your score is this high. Perhaps it’s not the amount of work you were hoping for, but if you keep at this and have the talent, it will come. It can be discouraging, but know that you’re doing the right things. Patience and perseverance are the keys for you. Keep your score up in this range and good things should follow. If you’re the right voice, you’ll get the job. Stay with it – they have to hear you before they can hire you!

Update: I neglected to mention that Jeffrey Kafer’s blog is where I saw the link to this article first. Thank you, Jeffrey.