Getting Started in Voiceover

GETTING STARTED IN VOICEOVER

How to make it as a voice actor today Table of Contents

page page page page page 3 6 9 17 25 Introduction What Voiceover Can Do The $15,000 Message How You Can Do VO What You Can Do to Get For You Started Today

| 2 Is This Guide for You?

Introduction Voiceover Has Changed My Life Thank you for downloading This guide will walk you through the Is This Guide for steps you need to take to make it in this guide! If you’ve never the world of voiceover today. I’ll show You? performed a professional you how to get the training you need, how to utilize networking to get jobs, voiceover before, but want to and how to market yourself to your know what it’s all about, this ideal clients. In short, I’ll help you to guide is for you. start making money with your voice. What this guide will not do is make Maybe your friends all tell you you you a good voice actor. Only a good have a great voice. Maybe you can coach and/or really good training can do a cajillion accents and want to do that. But I will give you some good know if you can use it for more than recommendations for coaches and impressing friends at parties. Maybe other resources that will help to you just heard that voiceover is a develop your voice acting skills. cool way to make money from home, and you’re looking for a change. A great voiceover marketing strategy won’t do you any good without the skills to back it up .

| 4 Voiceover Changed My Life

In 2015, my little family packed up a Voiceover is what made all of travel trailer and took a five-month family adventure road trip. We visited this possible. places we had never seen before and met up with people we hadn’t seen in over a decade. My daughter got to play on the beach, go sailing, and explore Yosemite. She learned to walk in Seattle and showed off her new skill with old friends at Glacier National Park in Montana.

| 5 Voiceover is Not a Get Rich What Quick Industry You’re Only Limited by the Amount of Work You’re Voiceover Can Willing to Put In Do For You I am genuinely giddy about sharing Now, before I get into what you’ll Voiceover is Not a with you how to get started in the learn in this guide, let’s talk about voiceover industry because of what it what this guide isn’t. This guide is not Get Rich Quick has done for me and my family. It has a get rich quick plan. In fact, you’ll given us the freedom to travel and to hear “practice” and “training” Industry pursue work that we truly enjoy. reiterated here as the keys to your Voiceover isn’t for everyone. It voiceover success. That said, I requires a lot of hard work and replaced my day job income after unique skills. But if you are interested only four months doing voiceover part in pursuing voiceover, or just want to time. So I do have some proven check it out to see if it’s right for you, strategies to get your career moving I am rooting for you. fast once your skills are at a competitive level. But if your main goal in reading this guide is to make a lot of money really fast, there are To make it as a voice paths other than voice acting that actor, you have to truly would be much more satisfying for love it you.

I replaced my day job income after only four months doing voiceover part time

I have some proven strategies to get your career moving fast once your skills are at a competitive level

| 7 You’re Only Limited by the Amount of Work You’re I went from being totally Willing to Put In unaware of voiceover to getting signed with one of the nation’s top agencies in under a year

I have been voice acting since I went from being totally unaware of If you’re ready to jump in with both August of 2014, and I went full time voiceover to getting signed with one feet and do the hard work of in November of that year. As of the nation’s top agencies in under becoming a working voice actor, get someone who fast-tracked it to full a year. If you have been around the ready to be blown away by what you time status, I have a TON of insight VO (voiceover) world for a while, will accomplish. If you’re not quite to offer on how to break into the you’re already ahead of where I was there yet and just want to check it out industry today. I have learned from when I started training. and see if voiceover is right for you, seasoned voice actors and coaches, that’s good too! You’re one step as well as developed my own It took me four months to get to a closer to knowing if this could be the business strategy to quickly become point in my voiceover career where I next career move or fun hobby for competitive with the top voice actors could safely quit my job to pursue VO you. working today. If you’re new to the full-time, and I jam-packed those four world of voice acting and think you months with hours and hours of are too “raw” to make it in this study, practice and on-the-job industry, be encouraged. training.

| 8 How I Got Into This Biz The Day I Quit My Job

The $15,000 Progress Provides What It’s Like Being Full Motivation Time

My First Job Marketing Has Changed Message Things The $15,000 Message One day in July of 2014, I got in my As far as I knew, she was the only How I Got Into This car for my 45-minute commute to voiceover coach in the world. And work. I put on a new podcast I had very contrary to my nature, I bought a Biz never listened to before and coaching session on her site without prepared for morning traffic. About ever speaking to her or researching half-way through the podcast other alternatives. This was one of episode, something hit me. The the best decisions I ever made. episode was an interview with Alyson Steel, a professional voiceover artist. After my one-hour $150 consultation with Alyson (whom I now I had never heard of voice acting affectionately refer to as Aly), I before, but her interview intrigued decided voiceover was worth a shot me. I had just had a baby girl in April, for me. I recorded a makeshift demo and I was desperate to be able to that night on my podcasting stay home and spend more time with equipment, signed up for an You can make money her and my husband. You can make auditioning site, Voices.com, and from home – just by money from home, just by talking into started auditioning my face off. I hired talking into a a microphone? I thought. I had to Aly to coach me regularly. I became microphone?! look into this. At the end of the obsessed. I devoured every bit of episode, Alyson said she offered voiceover information I could voiceover coaching. assimilate. I listened to podcasts, read books and blogs, and I practiced.

| 10 Progress Provides Motivation

Voices.com is a website that will send voiceover auditions that match your The more you push voice profile to your inbox for a fee (a pay-to-play site). They were having a yourself, the better special where you could join for $9.99 for the first month. I thought what the results you’ll see heck, and I joined. I set a goal to submit ten auditions/day. This meant that after my ten-hour work day, I would come home, make dinner, spend some time with my husband and daughter, and then hit the studio (or in our case, guest bedroom). I had a lot of late nights auditioning, but it wasn’t long before I started making the shortlist for some of the jobs I was auditioning for. On Voices.com you can tell because your audition gets a thumbs up, or a “like.” This motivated me even more, and I continued to research, to practice and to audition.

| 11 My First Job

I checked my iPhone constantly, On September 22, five days later, I As I left for work I whispered to Derek, “I got a job. waiting to see if I had gotten any got a message indicating I had been $450.” He just smiled. more likes or, fingers crossed, an awarded another job. $150. That actual job. Then, on Wednesday same day I received an inquiry about September 17 at 2:41 in the morning, an ongoing e-learning project. I didn’t my phone dinged. I had gotten a know who the job was for at the time, message on Voices.com. I got a job. but it was potential ongoing work, so I The job was for a two-minute case thought it would be great if it worked presentation video for a company in out. The next day, I got one of the Denmark. I had bid $495 on the job. most important messages to date for $450 was my take home pay after my voiceover career: escrow fees. BAM! I told my husband, Derek, as I left for work that morning, “I got a job. $450.” He just smiled. | 12 The $15,000 Message

...Shock. Wait, what? Oh, nothing. As you can imagine, I was not very Just that my third voiceover job ever engaged with the goings-on is a national radio campaign for REI. surrounding our ERP implementation Not only that, but my audition was a for the rest of the day (or the rest of “clear favorite.” I was in a meeting at my career for that matter). I work when I saw this email. forwarded this message to my husband with the simple note: “read this.”

My third voiceover job ever was a national radio campaign for REI

| 13 Okay. Crazy story, right? Want to That REI job turned into about The Day I Quit My hear the even crazier part? There $13,000 worth of work for me over were 101 VOs who submitted the next couple of months. And as of Job auditions for that job. I think I was the time of the writing of this guide, I around the 90th one to submit. The still book work with them. job was open for three days, and I waited until the last day to submit my Oh, and remember that long-term e- audition because I didn’t know that learning inquiry I got? Turns out it clients sometimes close their jobs I overbid the job by $230 was for Taco Bell. I found out I early. And, ready for the kicker? The budget on this job was $1500-$1750. booked the job on September 25 and I waited until the last I bid $1980 -- $230 over the client’s made over $1,500 on the job. day to submit my posted budget. audition From there, I kept auditioning and I knew I was submitting my audition working with my coach. I didn’t let my It’s been over a year, late, and I knew there were a bunch early success fool me into thinking I and I continue to book of other recordings the client would knew everything I needed to know. I work with REI because be sorting through, and I wanted was still so green. But I knew I was of that audition mine to stand out, so I purposely onto something good. So, with the overbid. By the way, I don’t money that we were able to build up recommend this. I don’t think anyone from my jobs, and the promise of me does, but for whatever reason, this getting even more and better work time, it worked. once I was able to devote more than nights and weekends to VO, I put in my notice at work.

| 14 What It’s Like Being Full Time

What has it looked like since going full time? I picked up where I left off. I had My business plan was gotten all of my leads on Voices.com, so I kept auditioning. And since I had the audition, audition, funds, I went ahead and registered on Voice123.com as well (they are more audition expensive and require the full year’s fee up front). I tried out a few more pay- to-plays and stayed really busy with the jobs I was getting. In addition, the studio where I recorded the REI spots recommended me for other projects, which led me to doing $250/hr studio sessions for different e-learning companies. I was so grateful for my training with Aly because she taught me how to conduct myself at recording studios. The engineers and producers had no idea that I was recording the REI spots on my lunch break and had never stepped foot in a professional studio before.

| 15 Marketing Has Changed Things

I have since signed with several talent agents, including one of the biggest NY Eventually, I was able agencies in the country. I have been brought on by large e-learning take control of my corporations to voice their courses. And, most importantly, I have been able to career by focusing more travel, enjoy my work and spend so much more time with my family. on marketing than auditioning I no longer spend the majority of my time auditioning. I have made enough contacts that my repeat clients, along with my own marketing efforts, more than pay the bills. I’m amazed every time I tell that story. Voiceover has changed my life. I want it to do the same for you.

That’s why I’m passionate about sharing voiceover with you. It has given me the chance to live the life my husband and I dreamed about when we got married. Okay, now on to the second part of the guide: how you can get started in this magical industry.

| 16 There is Plenty of Room How You for More Talent Two Pathways Can Do VO The Today Pathway But I Want the BIG Jobs! The voiceover industry has changed All that said, when you ask someone There is Plenty of a lot over the last 20 years. You will who has been doing voiceover for a often hear veteran VOs speak of the really long time how to get started in Room for More good ol’ days when auditions were the VO industry, you may hear done in person. You had to live in something like, “You can’t. It requires Talent New York or Los Angeles. Everyone too much training, too much was in the union. The pay was equipment, and too much talent that always excellent. And the same 10 you don’t have. Leave the real work people booked all the jobs. For better to the pros like me.” or worse, those days are over. These days, you’ll hear hobbyist voice I hate this attitude. And it’s just not actors talk about how they made $20 true. It does take work to break into on Fiverr recording on their iPhone voiceover, but it is extremely doable! from their bathroom (not something I You can be as successful as you recommend). I’m glad the market has want to be in VO. It’s just a matter of Things have changed a opened up so that people like me (I how much time and dedication you’re lot over the last 20 live in Kansas City) can get a foot in willing to put into it. And you don’t years. But that’s good the door. But I hate hearing about VO need to have a lot of cash to put into for you! work being done for next to nothing. I it, either. If you love recording your believe in valuing yourself, valuing voice (I recommend you start It’s easier to break into your work, and having a quality of practicing by just using your phone to the VO business today work worthy of excellent pay. record yourself reading commercials than ever before and listen back to them), telling stories, bringing scripts to life, and Getting the jobs still I believe in valuing have some time to devote to requires a lot of skill– yourself, valuing your developing your career, you can and acquiring skill work, and having a make it in this business! requires training quality of work worthy of excellent pay

| 18 Two Pathways

On the next page, I lay out two pathways for “making it” in the voiceover We’re after fulﬁllment industry. One is the old school “you need an acting degree” way, and one is a and freedom little too modern. There are plenty of people who use these paths, but I have found that a hybrid of the two leads to the greatest chance of success in today’s market.

The internet has largely made the traditional way unnecessary. We can skip a lot of those steps now that there is a wealth of readily available training and inexpensive equipment at our fingertips.

And the hobbyist path simply just doesn’t value the work. Or the training necessary to be good. Or the end product for that matter. Plus, you will never make a living this way without working 80-hour weeks. And even then, you probably won’t be making much more than minimum wage. And that’s not what we’re after. We’re after fulfillment and freedom.

| 19 Two Pathways The Traditional Path The Hobbyist Path (Don’t Worry, Hire a voiceover coach Join Fiverr for free Take acting classes for a couple Start submitting auditions using years your iPhone, computer There’s a Third) microphone, or cheap USB Attend multiple workshops microphone Spend a couple grand on Underbid all the other VOs equipment/recording space Try not to get discouraged from Intern at a radio station or doing tons of tedious work for next voiceover agency for a while to no pay, and don’t get upset When your coach says you’re when you get bad reviews because ready, spend a couple grand to get you have no training a professional demo produced As you can probably Start shopping your demo out to imagine, I’m not a agents hardcore proponent Sign with an agent of either of these paths. My personal When your agent sends you auditions, start submitting them path is a hybrid of from your home studio the two, but with one critical Book a job diﬀerence, which I’ll Join the union get to in a bit. Hope to book more jobs Keep practicing, training and learning from your coach

| 20 The Today Pathway

Hire a really good coach, and listen to them Read and listen to as many good VO books and podcasts as you can. There is an alternative to this, but I hate to mention it because 5 Alyson is absolutely the reason I was able to do so well so I recommend some great ones here. quickly in this industry. The alternative is to assimilate all the 1 info you can, join workout groups, and/or other groups (like this one) to evaluate each other’s reads, attend workshops, In short, be a sponge! Learn as much as you and take classes. I did all of this in addition to having a 6 personal coach, but if you choose to forego a personal coach, possibly can. I’d love to hear from you how it goes.

Get involved in some In the meantime, start listening to VO communities online, or in person if you 7 2 commercials or explainer videos, or can. whatever it is you want to voice.

Buy a decent microphone ($100-$200) and Make a demo and start auditioning on 3 Voices.com. start recording yourself 8 If you just want the practice (and hey, you never know what Attend as many training events, webinars could happen), go ahead and start auditioning as soon as you can make the investment to join. 4 and classes as you can. Continued... I recommend some good online ones here. | 21 The Today Pathway

Be so, so very persistent. And finally, the key to a sustainable and 10 profitable voiceover career: market the heck I can’t stress this point enough. When you make your first 9 demo, you may think it sounds awesome. But in just six short out of yourself. months, you may wish you could wipe it from the face of the This is the game changer for aspiring voice actors today. internet. If you really want to make it as a VO, it’s going to Read on to get some tips on marketing yourself to potential take a ton of work. You’re not going to be awesome when you clients. But remember, this is only after you’re sure you’re first start. You won’t have people knocking on your door (or good! email inbox) for you to work with them. You will have to establish yourself. You will have to get to know yourself and your voice and what you’re good at. You will have to get good If you want a great, thorough run-through of at some of the things you’re not good at. Make the decision to the Today Pathway, check out Rob Marley’s be in this for the long haul. If you’re hardly booking anything free ebook on Smashwords. It’s a great, after putting in a good year, that’s normal! VO is not a get rich concise layout of the voiceover industry, and quick career. It is a skilled profession with thousands of we share a lot of the same ideas. competitive, skilled professionals in it. Like any skilled trade, it’s going to take time for you to be competitive. But the hard work pays off, so don’t give up. To truly capitalize on marketing opportunities, surround yourself with people who have the same goals and who can hold you accountable. “Persistence is the big thing. As soon as you give up, Join the Voiceover Success Academy for free, then everybody who said you can’t do it was right.” -- and share your successes while learning from Ronald Banks the successes of others.

| 22 First, identify what kind of work you Craft a résumé. I know, this is lame. How to Market want to be doing. Who are your ideal You probably got interested in VO so clients? Who would utilize your that you could avoid doing things like Yourself unique services? this. And in all honesty, you don’t have to have a résumé. But think Make a demo that caters to that about it: While all of the other VOs specific niche. You can have more out there are trying to get hired on than one, but each demo does need their demos alone, when yours to be focused. Put the demo up on comes in with a polished résumé that your website. you clearly spent time on, it’s going to stand out. I have made some Get involved with your potential amazing contacts this way. clients. Network. You can do this in whatever way suits your personality Reach out to each contact on your best: online or in person. But I have database. Set a goal to reach out to Get access to all of my found it works best when you do ten/week. Or more if you have the marketing templates, both. Join online forums, attend time. Be as personable, professional, including my resume, industry events, hand out your card and courteous as possible. And follow introduction and follow- to everyone you come in contact with up after each initial contact. Create a (within reason). up emails, and my marketing calendar, and do this every week. This should be in addition to postcard follow-ups by Make a database of your contacts your auditioning. joining the Fast Track and your dream clients. Research program of the each of them so you know what kind In the meantime, register on some Voiceover Success of work they do and a little about their key websites so that potential clients Academy company culture (much like if you can find you. were researching a company you wanted to apply to). Join the Voiceover Success Academy for more in-depth tutorials on marketing yourself. Or hit me up for

some 1-on-1 consulting. | 23 But I Want the BIG Jobs!

An alternative route to consider: An agent is great to have, but you can If you want the big gigs, the national TV commercials, the “voice of God” absolutely be successful movie trailers, you’re going to need an agent. A really good, really big agent. in the VO industry So focus on getting your demo perfect, then take your coach’s lead on how to without one reach out. You can also follow my advice on how I did it here. An agent is a great thing to have, but I believe that you can absolutely be successful in the VO industry without one (the majority of the work I have gotten has been from my own efforts, not an agent).

| 24 Okay, But What Do I Do What You Can Today, Like, Right Now? Do To Get Started Today If you’ve made it this far in this guide, You’ll have access to me, as well as Okay, But What Do I and you’re still interested in other VOs, ranging from hobbyist to becoming a voice actor, chances are professional. You can network, ask Do Today, Like, you have a lot more questions, or questions and get feedback on your would like some practical, work – an excellent alternative to Right Now? personalized, hands-on advice on hiring a coach if you’re not ready for where you should start. I didn’t leave that yet. you hanging! And since you’re already signed up to A great way to get familiar with the my newsletter, keep watching for VO world is to hang out with others opportunities to attend webinars, who are in your shoes. You’ll need group coaching sessions, or even encouragement, support and critique chat with me 1-on-1 about launching Be sure to check out the of your work. You’ll need access to your voiceover career. other resources I have literature, training and other linked to in this guide resources. And you’ll want it for I want to know how I can help you. cheap. So click here to let me know where you are in your VO journey. I want to As your brain space You can get all of this by make sure you have everything you allows, start working signing up for my Voiceover need to succeed, so I will personally respond to you. There’s a world out your way through the Success Academy. Unlike other articles and there just waiting for your voice. Take many other voiceover the first step. Let’s do this! resources communities, it’s free and always will be.

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