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VOICE ACTING Are You STILL Not Getting Lots Of Repeat Business From Your VO Clients? (Here's Why) August 26, 2016  By Paul StrikwerdaVoice Actor This may sound like a pop quiz, but ...
I purposefully seek out new ideas and uncharted avenues. It keeps the brain cells bouncing around in playful anticipation. But forget personal preferences for a moment. Let’s talk about the lifeblood of your business: your clients. CLIENTS LIKE CONSISTENCY If there’s one thing clients all over the world consistently hate, it’s not knowing what to expect. That’s understandable. In an uncertain and stressful world, clients want:
As an example, I’ve been going to the same restaurant for years, and the food was always outstanding. Always. Until a few months ago. The menu had changed. The wait staff wasn’t the same, and the open kitchen had disappeared. That evening, I had one of the worst meals ever, and now I hesitate to go back. DELIVERING YOUR PACKAGE Consistent delivery is about much more than the way you read your lines. As a solopreneur, you’re judged by the way you deliver a total package. This starts with first impressions:
Do you want examples? Be my guest! MIXED MESSAGES On her website, one freelancer boasted about "years of experience.” Then I looked at her client list of… seven companies total. None of them were names you would recognize. Another colleague thought that adding that amateur Polaroid snapshot to his website would really impress visitors. I hope his ideal clients are into Margaritaville, because that’s the logo I spotted in the picture’s background. Can it get any worse? Of course. A few years ago I went to a recording session in Manhattan. The first thing I heard when I came in, was the sound of crying kids. One of the other talents had brought her two toddlers to the studio. The high-end client who had flown in for the session was not amused. One voice actor described himself on his website as detail-oriented. In the next paragraph I found not one but two spelling errors. Sending mixed messages like that undermines credibility. It kills trust. DECEPTIVE DEMO Here’s another inconsistency that clients talk about all the time. They hire a voice over based on a kick-ass demo. The talent gets the script and records the audio. But when the client receives the recording, it sounds nothing like the voice on the demo tracks. You can guess how this came about. The super slick demo was overproduced, and later doctored by a talented audio engineer. When it was time to do the real work, the voice talent went back to her boomy closet booth where she self-directed. "I’m not going to pay for that,” said the angry producer. "This girl charges top-dollar for something I can’t use!” That’s another inconsistency. In this case, the quality of the product did not match the price. TURNAROUND TROUBLE Here’s one more pet peeve of mine. A talented voice actor offered a quick turnaround time. It took him over a week before he got back to me. Mind you, during that period he was all over Facebook. I’ll have to think a very long time before I ever recommend him. NEW AND OLD Now, before you tell me that this advice is one of those "nice reminders for beginners,” you should know that I find these types of inconsistencies across the board. In fact, fresh talent seems a lot more willing to please, because they still have to make a name for themselves. Some veteran voice actors, on the other hand, have become complacent. They believe that their reputation should speak for itself. Although a nice portfolio doesn’t hurt, many clients don’t want to know what you have done for others in the past. All they need to know is this: "What can you do for me, today?” Here’s the bottom line. If you advertise yourself as a pro, you have to present yourself as a pro on ALL levels. There’s a reason why a fashion designer doesn’t dress like a slob. It is obvious why a fitness trainer is usually in good shape. It’s part of a consistent message. A message a client is more likely to remember and respond to. --------------- ABOUT PAUL Paul Strikwerda is a 25-year veteran of the voice over industry whose Nethervoice service features German and Dutch voice overs, translation and evaluation services. Born in Holland, he has worked for Dutch national and international radio, the BBC and American Public Radio. Although 90% of his work is in English, Strikwerda also records in Dutch, German and French. Clients include Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, and the Discovery Channel. And he is author of the new book, Making MONEY In Your PJs: Freelancing for voice-overs and other solopreneurs, and publishes an informative and entertaining blog, Double Dutch. Email: paul@nethervoice.com Web: www.nethervoice.comDouble Dutch Blog: www.nethervoice.com/nethervoice Making MONEY In Your PJs: http://makingmoneyinyourpjs.com |
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Comments (3)
Jim Conlan
8/31/2016 at 10:13 AM
Paul, it's not just the "home-made" demos that misrepresent talent. I know of certain voice talent who are tricked into paying a lot of money for a demo that doesn't represent their ability or their market strengths. It sounds great, but bears little resemblance to reality. A strong demo involves lots of time, plus lots of attention to how a voice talent fits into the market. I caution newcomers to avoid come-ons from "experts" who offer a few remote recording sessions for thousands of dollars that result in a slick but meaningless demo.
Paul Strikwerda
8/29/2016 at 10:48 AM
Bernard, check out the website of Cheryl Welch: http://www.mywelchdesign.com. Cheryl designs logos and much more. Her husband is Roy Yokelson, and that means she knows a thing or two about our business.
Bernard Schaer
8/27/2016 at 6:28 AM
Great advice, Paul! You wouldn't happen to know a logo designer, would you? Bernard
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