Fast Food Voice Hobbyists Are Not Your Competition

Do you think a four-star restaurant chef panicked over the new McDonald’s value menu?

Could you picture him in the kitchen sweating bullets, worrying that his loyal customers will abandon his Filet Mignon for McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish?

Of course not! The odds of something like that ever happening in real-life are ridiculously low, right? But, why is that the case? The bottom line is that a four-star restaurant chef knows that fast food is nowhere near his radar.

Sure, he might not have any $5 value menus or Buy One-Get One Free coupons for his menu items, but he knows that he doesn’t really need them either. The quality of his food and customer service speak itself. Customers looking for that type of quality know they will have to pay a lot more for it than they would in a McDonald’s drive thru.

You might be thinking, “Why is Terry talking about food? Is he craving a burger or something?” No, it’s nothing like that. Let me get to the point before you all start thinking about your next meal.

If high-quality restaurant chefs are not worried about low-quality fast food, why should a high-quality VO professional worry about low-quality Fiverr talents?

The same “ridiculous” response that you more than likely thought as you listened to my illustration should be the same response you give when you think about your potential clients choosing Fiverr deals over your services.

Fast food customers are not concerned about quality, which is why they will never expect to receive Filet Mignon for a Filet-o-Fish price. The same principle is true for VO customers. If they are seriously looking for a quality VO professional that can deliver quality work, they are not going to look for a cheap deal to save a few bucks. They will fully understand that quality professionals have quality rates for their services – and the great ones never budge on their prices.

Stop trying to figure out a way to compete with those “fast food” VO professionals. Continue to cook up those quality projects in your VO “kitchen” for your clients, because the ones that you want are the ones that will pay your rates without hesitation.

The average customer would think twice before taking advantage of a 99 cent deal for Filet Mignon, right? The same red flags wave in front of quality VO clients when they see deals for low-price VO deals.

You just need to trust in yourself and your services. Stop panicking over who’s heading towards the Fiverr drive-thru and pay more attention to the people looking for the long-haul journey of quality Voiceover services. At the end of the day, those are the clients that will stick around and help you to build your business – not the bargain bin customers that choose price over performance.

I Need To Do...WHAT??

“I need to do what?” When it comes to the mere idea of voiceover coaching and training courses, a lot of people seem to use that particular response. 

Why is that? It usually boils down to at least one of the following reasons: (1) They’ve been burned before. (2) They don’t think that they need a coach or (3) They don’t appreciate the value of investing.

THEY’VE BEEN BURNED BEFORE

Most successful professionals in the voiceover industry did not hesitate to invest in professional coaching and training to work towards mastering their craft. However, quite a few aspiring professionals were burned along the way by one of these cookie-cutter training companies or demo mills that are eager to take your money but not return anything of value in exchange for it.

These are the companies that charge hundreds or thousands of dollars, promising to give you “everything that you need” to become an overnight success. However, once your payment has been processed, you’re left with a fraction of what they promised.

Chances are that you know at least one person that was robbed by this “training trap.” Perhaps the victim you know…is you! Either way, it’s understandable to see why someone would not want to be burned again – which is why it’s so important to prove to these victims that quality training is completely different!

THEY DON’T THINK THEY NEED A COACH

The second reason why people avoid voiceover coaching and training is that they feel they don’t need it.

Thanks to the cutthroat contractors and get-rich-quick packages, many people think that having access to a USB microphone gives you everything you need to immediately become a successful VO professional.

Here’s the bottom line: If you want long-term success as a VO professional, you need to have a VO coach with long-term success.

Why? The simple fact is that you can only get so far by yourself.

Bill McCartney, a 2013 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame for coaching, once said that, “coaching is taking a player where he can’t take himself.”

Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest NBA player of all time, openly credited his college coach for teaching him the game of basketball.

Bob Nardelli, the CEO of Home Depot, said that he strongly believes that “people, unless coached, never reach their maximum capabilities.”

Yes, you can get hired for a voiceover project without coaching. You may even get a few projects or regular clients without professional training. However, how far will your own knowledge take you – especially with limited training and experience? Before long, you are going to run into a brick wall of progress - a plateau over which you simply cannot cross.

The frustrating part is that coaching is not a new concept. This is not something that we have to sell very much – if at all – in other industries. How many people have you seen become successful doctors, nurses, lawyers, graphic designers, IT specialists, insurance agents, electricians, plumbers or even tax return preparers without training?

The thought alone of performing those jobs without training may seem farfetched. That is usually where the “I need to do what?” response seems a little more fitting, doesn’t it?

Why is it, then, that aspiring VO professionals do not think that they need professional VO training?

If you want to break through the ceiling of your own potential and build a long-term successful business (instead of settling for a few short-term projects), you need a high-quality VO coach to help get you there.

THEY DON’T APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF INVESTING

There is also a group of people that simply don’t want to invest in their business. They may not have been burned before and may understand the reasons to have a coach – they simply don’t want to pay for one.

Aspiring professionals that don’t realize the value of investing in their businesses are only setting themselves up for failure. Think about the money that goes into presentations, marketing, customer service, training and other resources for traditional brick-and-mortar businesses.

You need to have the same approach when it comes to building and managing your VO business!

If you don’t put any money into your business, how can you expect to get anything out of it?

The market of voiceover professionals is getting more and more competitive each day. Many people are trying to make a name for themselves in this industry – regardless of whomever they have to outbid, outdo and outwork along the way.

Do you want to give your business a long-term chance for survival and success? Great!! Here’s the key to doing so ---> Get a high-quality coach today so that you can benefit from their training tomorrow!

Stuck in a Rut? Get Out of the Grave!

Are you in a rut right now? More importantly, is your VO business in a rut? Ellen Glasgow once said that "the only difference between a rut and a grave are the dimensions." I know that might sound a little spooky – especially with Halloween being last week and all. 

However, she still raises a very valid point. If your VO business is currently stuck in a rut, it very well could be suffering a slow death right before your eyes. The worst part is that many VO professionals are stuck in a rut right now and don't even know it!

At this point, you might be asking, "How would I know if my business is in a rut or not?" Well, here's a question for you to ask yourself: "How much of my work is from repeat clientele, referrals, testimonials from past clients, my online presence, high-quality auditions and my overall voicing techniques?"

Do not be in such a rush to answer that question. Take a moment to really think about it, reflecting on the past year, the past month or even the past week. Be totally honest with yourself!

Each of those key factors play vital roles in keeping your VO business alive. Yes, as voiceover artists, the part of our job that we love the most is the actual recordings! Getting in the studio with a brand new project and speaking into the microphone until we get the perfect take. However, as a business owner, we have a completely different set of duties & tasks that we must handle just as well – if not better.

I'm going to take a note from comedian Jeff Foxworthy for a moment by creating a "You Might Be in a Rut If…" list.

Here we go.

· You might be in a rut if you are more focused on getting brand new clients instead of creating brand new projects for old clients.

· You might be in a rut if you haven't even bothered to ask your old clients for referrals and recommendations simply because you don't think that they would have anyone to refer or recommend.

· You might be in a rut if you have social media profiles and websites created for personal use, but nothing set up for your professional career.

· You might be in a rut if you are using the same demo recording for every single proposal – even if the footage does not meet the needs of your potential clients.

· Here's my favorite: You might be in a rut if you spend more time complaining about your VO business not working instead of figuring out new & improved ways to work your VO business.

It's all about momentum! If you don't have momentum, you have to get it. If you do have momentum, you have to keep it. Therefore, no matter what stage you are at in your professional career, you will always have to work on maintaining momentum in order to avoid building an early grave for your business.

Examine your repeat clientele. What exactly keeps them coming back for more? Find a way to add even more value to their experience, which will make it even easier for them to recommend your VO business to other people. Remember – the difference between a one-time client and a repeat client is a second project. If you are able to lock in a second project, chances are that you can create an opportunity for a third, fourth, fifth and so on. However, if you are waiting for them to ask for it…you might be waiting forever. Be proactive and make the opportunity by pitching new ideas and potential projects to your one-time clients before sealing the deal on their purchases. Doing so will keep that door of opportunity wide open!

When it comes to advertising your business, stop relying on yourself to handle the burden alone! Allow your past, present and future clients to help you with that. How? Word-of-mouth and referrals go a very long way. However, thanks to the Internet, it's even easier than that – especially on social media.

By simply mentioning your VO business on Facebook or Twitter, your clients will expose your company to their inner circle of friends, family, coworkers and colleagues & everyone else that they are connected to online. It kind of takes the traditional testimonial to a whole new level, doesn't it? Whether you realize it or not, you could indirectly generate recommendations and referrals with a single Facebook post made by one of your clients. Being proactive is the key. Chances are that if you "remind" your client to mention you on Facebook, they will do so without even realizing the long-term benefits that one-time action will create for your business.

Lastly, do not allow your auditioning process to become a boring chore. No one likes to do chores – especially if they are dull and boring, right? Focus on shaking things up a bit to keep it interesting and effective! If you notice that your auditions don't seem to get the results that you expect, it might be time to go back to the drawing board. Invest in yourself and your business by getting insight and feedback from a professional voiceover coach. Sometimes, a second set of ears can help a lot when it comes to taking your career to the next level.

Remember – newbies to the VO industry are not the only ones that struggle with getting stuck in ruts. Longtime VO professionals are faced with the same struggle in addition to fighting against becoming complacent instead of competitive in today's market.

Do not just allow yourself to make a new home inside of your rut because, as mentioned earlier, that can become a grave for your VO business. Use these tips and tricks to dig your way out of that hole and keep building your business successfully for many years to come.

Distractions, Distractions, Distractions!

How many times are you distracted on a daily basis? Chances are that you would need a lot more than just two hands to count them all with your fingers. Whether you have a house filled with people or you live alone, distractions seem to always find a space to fill in your life – personally as well as professionally, right?

Building a successful VO business places you face-to-face against distractions within the industry – especially with the rapid growth and popularity of low-bidding contractors and P2P sites that seek to rob us of high-quality opportunities & clients. It can be challenging to focus on throwing out bait to catch new fish when these cutthroat competitors seem to swoop them up from underneath our noses with a low-quality net.

That, in itself, can become a huge distraction that completely throws us off track. Quite a few people have caused this type of distraction to sink their battleships completely – waving the white flag and surrendering their business goals, ambitions and dreams. You want your VO business to be successful, right? You probably have big things planned for your future in your industry, right? Who doesn’t?

Here's the bottom line: You can't do big things if you're distracted by small things. At this very moment, some of you might be saying to yourselves, "Terry, it's not a small thing! The number of clients that seem to choose the cutthroat contractors over me is getting larger and larger! It's definitely not a small thing!" That is where having the right perspective comes into play.

Think about it this way. Everyone knows that quality comes with a price tag. The lasting clients that are going to help you build & maintain your VO business are the ones that are going to run as far away from those cutthroat competitors as possible. They are going to remember the fact that "if it seems too good to be true, it is" and clearly stay away from it. Those are the clients on which we need to stay focused!

By allowing yourself to be distracted, you might end up stooping down to their level – dropping your prices to stay "competitive" in the market of low-quality bids… but for what? Why spend so much time fighting for those 10 clients that apparently only want to spend $10 on a project when you can search for one quality client that is willing to pay at least $100?

Yes, it may take a little more time and a lot more effort to find the high-quality clients that are willing to pay the prices that your high-quality work deserves…..but it is well worth the wait. Remember: You cannot focus on something if you are distracted by anything. That is why it is important – no, vital for you to stay focused.

Jermaine Riley was once quoted as saying, "Distractions destroy action. If it's not moving you towards your purpose, leave it alone."

Another great quote advises you to "starve your distractions and feed your focus."

Your purpose is to build and maintain a successful VO business. You need high-quality clients that are satisfied with your work in order to fulfill that purpose. You don't have any time for distractions. Thinking about the few dollars that you are losing to cutthroat contractors is also allowing you to let those potential goldmines slip through your fingers. Make the decision to not be distracted.

Another great quote to remember: "Work is hard. Distractions are plentiful. Time is short."

Stop being distracted by distractions & strive to focus on staying focused – refusing to allow anything or anyone stand in the way on your journey towards success in this business.

Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

"The road outside of your comfort zone is bumpy and uncomfortable – but it's worth the trip." 

When I decided to break out of my comfort zone to get started in voiceovers, there was not a safety net to catch me. I walked away from my radio job without a lot of money saved. I even borrowed $10,000 with a crappy business loan. Why was it crappy? I ended up paying back $15,000! Most batting averages were higher than my credit score at the time; not to mention that the bills and my mortgage still needed to be paid on top of everything else.

However, I was determined to make the trip outside of my comfort zone worth it. I used the money that I received from that crappy loan to upgrade my equipment and invest in professional coaching sessions. I attended numerous networking events, made contacts and send out demos every single week.

It took a couple of years, but the hard work and effort started to pay off in a big way over time. I took the time to go out of my way for my clients – providing superior customer service. It paid off, because many of them are still working with me today.

Bottom Line: You need to break out of your comfort zone to get on the road to success. However, it takes a lot of hard work and effort for you to stay on that road. Many people try to break into the voiceover business with goals of becoming "the next big thing" in the industry. They have huge pipe dreams and expect those dreams to come true overnight without applying any effort. They do not want to invest in themselves mentally and financially primarily because of the books and blogs that claim they do not have to since ANYONE can do it. You have to be brutally honest with yourself and understand that there are no shortcuts to success in this industry.

I shared my story to make it clear that success within the voiceover industry does not come with shortcuts, cliff notes or "Pass Go, Collect $200" cards. Making sacrifices and playing the waiting game are part of the package. You will not achieve overnight success in this industry, but you can achieve lasting success. Invest in yourself. Invest in your goals. Invest in your business. The bumps on your trip away from your comfort zone will seem a lot smaller once you have reached your destination. You will then be able to help others that are right where you are now and sincerely say, "I've been there."

If you are not willing to put in the work… if you are not willing to make the sacrifices… if you are not willing to endure the journey… then you are wasting your time and should consider a different road headed in a different direction.

Voice Over Sermons by Terry Daniel

Last week, I started a new mini-podcast where I broadcast a VO sermon every morning at 7:45am central. Why 7:45am? I have no idea. I wanted to pick an odd time that would stick out! It's going well so far and I already have about 1350 listens total. I know, who cares about stats! I'm pretty pleased with how it's going and people have been pretty darn supportive. These sermons are are good tools for voice actors both seasoned pros and brand new. Check out all of the shows below. Have a great week!

Amazeball VO Nuggets with Terry Daniel and Jeff Kafer

Terry: Kafer! Thanks for doing this, man! Doug Turkel and I chatted about VO in my last blog and I know you can do better than him. J/K! Doug rocked it and I expect the same from you! Did I really just write J/K? What’s with all of these hip abbreviated acronyms? Even my father is using LOL now. Anyway, I think we should have a cooler of Guinness brought to us before we start this thing, don’t you think?

Jeff: Guinness. Nectar of the Gods.

Terry:  Why yes it is! So, you’re an audio book guy. At least according to my research you are! I have the attention span of a Boxelder bug, so audio books are no longer a part of my forte. How do you stay focused on these? Well, when there isn't someone like me bothering you!

Jeff: Well, I’m not JUST an audiobook guy. I also do a ton of e-learning. But yeah, long form is my main focus. And audiobooks keep me the most busy simply because they are so much work. The key to doing the marathon audiobooks is to set daily goals. For example, I know that I can finish 2.5 hours of finished audio per day. If I know the audiobook is going to be 10 hours, that’s 4 days. I start on Monday, then I’ll be done on Thursday. This helps me plan out my calendar so I know exactly to-the-day when I can deliver.  So you wimped out and gave up on audiobooks. What’s the matter, Princess, couldn't handle it?

Terry: That’s Mr. Princess to you! Thanks for not being a jackass about it. I got spoiled when I started doing more and more theme park announcement type work and my ADD brain could no longer handle audio books. I would still consider narrating a fictional or sports related audio book, if it were less than 20 pages long. Lol! Do you remember when they were called “books on tape” back in the 80’s and did you own any?

Jeff: When people ask what I do and I say I narrate “audiobooks”, I often get a dumb stare. Then I’ll say “... Books on tape?” Then the lightbulb goes off and they know what I’m talking about. And then they usually go on to say how they tried one and hated it, so they gave up. That’s like saying, “I don’t like this song on the radio. I hate music!” Anyway, I digress. So what were we talking about?

Terry: Good question. What are we EVER talking about! Speaking of music, do you ever add background music in the audio book narration? I did one where the client wanted it in the epilogue but that was it.

Jeff: You only add music at the bumpers, the opening and closing credits. Unless it’s a full cast audio drama, listeners do NOT want music. It’s distracting and sets up a false, forced emotion. What works in movies, doesn't always work in audiobooks. Plus getting the rights to music can be icky. What’s “royalty-free” isn't always, depending on the distribution. Fine print.

Theme park announcements? Is there a lot of that kind of work? It would seem to me that once you record “Keep your arms inside the vehicle, you frickin’ moron”, they use it in perpetuity.

Terry: Lol! It’s very seasonal but it’s brought in some decent revenue the past couple of years. I’m not buying BMW’s with the money I make from them but it’s been a nice addition to everything else I am doing. I actually did one where I said, “Please wait for the ride to stop before exiting.” What kind of moron would jump from the ride before it stops? Well, I guess it happens! Every now and then, I’ll send my client a few phony ones like these;

     1.          “If you’re going to vomit on this ride, please aim it at someone you don’t like.”

     2.          “Ladies and Gentlemen, smoking is permitted and highly recommended at the park.”

     3.          “If you've soiled yourself on this ride, a $5000 fine will be assessed as you exit.”

So, when did you get started in this crazy business and how soon did you determine that audio books were going to be your niche?

Jeff: I always wanted to do audiobooks. That’s actually how I got started. When I was working at Microsoft, I commuted to work listening to audiobooks. I listened to many hundreds of books over the years and fell in love with it. So when I was beginning my career while still at microsoft, I did a few books. Once I left (re: got laid off), the transition to VO and audiobooks was a little less difficult than had I started from the beginning while jobless.

Now, you also do a lot of medical narration. Is that what inspired your penchant for hot nurses and pharmaceutical-grade drugs?

Terry: Who is this? What’s your operating number? Sorry, I just have to squeeze in a random Star Wars Line in wherever I can. It’s a sickness. Medical narration sort of fell in my lap uninvited. Like many others, I would rather be doing the fun stuff like TV promos and character voices but in the past few years I realized there was a trend developing in the eLearning and medical narration field. A few of my clients who use me regularly found my website online in a Google search. Another client, found me via my Facebook business page. From there, I started marketing to companies to produce medical and pharmaceutical supplies. Referrals are a plus when it comes to medical narration as well. I hope we haven’t put people to sleep. Perhaps a brief intermission is in order. Quick, what is your all time favorite 80’s hair band?

Jeff: Bon Jovi. Do they count? I know there was a lot of Aqua net used. Hey, have you ever noticed that some movies from our childhood that we thought were AWESOME just suck now as adults? I watched the Michael Keaton version of Batman a couple of days ago with my kids and it really is crappy. Kim Basinger spends 90% of the movie being thrown by either the Joker or Batman. Not exactly a strong female role, there.

Terry: Yeah, Michael Keaton wasn't exactly the scariest of Batmans! When I was in high school, I thought “The Terminator” was the greatest film of all time. Yes, it was directed by the now terrific James Cameron but man, what piece of shit that movie is! I suppose music works the same way. I thought “Eye of the Tiger” from Rocky III was the greatest song ever recorded and when I hear it now, it’s the cheesiest song I've ever heard.

Jeff: It’s really funny to watch cartoons from back in the day. Some of them hold up so well and others are total headscratchers, especially those that reference pop culture from 70 years ago! Speaking of amazing segues back into VO, do you do, or want to do, much character work?

Terry: And give up the entertainment value of medical narration? NEVER!! Actually, I've done some character work here and there and love it! How can you not? I’m not Mr. Cartoon voice but my stage experience has helped me with real life like characters in commercials and explainer video projects. I imagine with audio books that you do a little character work in the fiction books?

Jeff: Audiobooks feature a LOT of character work, but it’s not the over-the-top kind in animation. The tend to be more realistic characters with normal dialogue. The trick is to NOT overdo them and yet differentiate them. Your conversations in real life tend to be flat and void of much vocal theatrics (like you might hear on a soap opera) and audiobooks need to have that level of realism. Coaches like Paul Alan Ruben really teach people to pull back and flatten it out, which is the opposite of what our instinct tells us to do.

So what’s the one thing in your career you wish you had done differently? Deep question, I know, but you can handle it. I have some Kleenex if you get all weepy and nostalgic.

Terry: Great thanks. I’m weeping all over my equipment. Well, there are plenty of voiceover domains I wish I would have snatched up first! The other thing I wish I would have done differently was the way I got into voiceovers. I did it half-assed and didn't take the proper steps i.e.coaching. I wasn't getting anywhere but then I came to my senses and hired a great local coach who assisted in helping me curb by lovely MN accent, as well as my “radio announcer” delivery. As you know, that will usually kill you in this business. As we close this award winning blog, is there anything in your career you wish you had done differently? My brain is dead and I couldn't think of an original question, so I am copying yours.

Jeff:  Wow, what an original question! If I could do anything differently, I would have not made a demo so quickly. My first demo was TRASH. When I shopped it around to agencies, of course I got no nibbles. And finally ONE of the agencies said basically, “would you go listen to other demos? not only are yours mediocre, they aren’t the right length” (Mine was about 3 minutes). Plus it had this cheeseball picture of me on the label (which was a sticker, BTW). Pretty much anything that one could do wrong, I did.

Oh and that agency that gave me the advice? They put me on their roster a year later after I became a little less stupid. So in typical, blunt Kafer fashion, I give this advice: Never underestimate how much you don’t know.

Terry: Well said, my friend. Thank you for taking the time and we’ll see you at FaffCon!

Get Off The Wheel!

“Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.” – William James

When you look at a hamster running on a wheel in their cage, what do you see? Some people might think it is cute and captivating to see how fast the hamster is moving – especially when you consider its overall size and body structure. Most people, though, will basically shake their heads and sigh as if to say to this little pet, “All of that hard work – and you don’t even realize you’re not going anywhere!”

Before you start feeling sad about Ernie the hamster, you need to first take a look at yourself and make sure that you are not following the same routine when it comes to educating yourself about the voiceover business. Yes, you could actually become a hamster trapped on that wheel. How so?

Thanks to the Internet and mobile technology, there is an overabundance of different ways that you can stay informed, updated and educated about the voiceover industry. For those of us who have been doing this for several years, I’m sure that we can all agree that the resources available 5 or 10 years ago fail in comparison to what is available right now. Regardless of how long you have been in this business, you can actively use these resources to polish your craft and become a better voiceover talent and a better business owner. However, the key word in that previous sentence that we need to pay close attention to is “actively.”

You can have all of the resources in the world. You can join every single online forum, Facebook group and mailing list that pops up when you Google the word “voiceover.” You might even be able to add a substantial list of academic credentials and accolades to your resume that you have acquired and obtained over the years since you first started your journey in this industry. However, if you are not taking action, none of those things are going to matter. All of it will just be an absolute waste – a waste of time from your day, money from your pocket and space in your brain.

From the outside looking in, it may seem like you are doing a lot. You might look at all of the blog posts that you have “liked” and commented on when visiting online groups, forums, chat discussions and Facebook pages. The list of relevant bookmarks that you have accumulated within your favorite browser might appear to be very impressive, especially if you are actually visiting each of those saved websites daily. However, that is not taking action.

You are not putting that information to work for you actively. You might have commented on that great article filled with tips about mastering vocal variety, for example, but still have yet to actually use any of them. You could have shared that amazing blog on effective marketing strategies to maximize exposure to your voiceover business on all of your social media platforms, but seem to draw a mental blank all of a sudden when someone asks you if those strategies actually worked for you.

Ernest Hemingway once said, “Never confuse movement with action.”

Remember, you are not receiving any type of commission or payment for each online forum or Facebook group that you join. If you are, let me know ASAP! J If you are not, then you more than likely have realized that spending countless hours basically stalking these industry leaders and experts instead of actively following them can rob you of valuable time and energy – eventually killing your business.

Don’t get me wrong! As mentioned earlier, I strongly believe that there is a lot of value in the abundance of resources that are currently available. I personally and professionally have signed up and registered for quite a few of them recently that have done wonders for my business because I put what I learn into action.

Some people might have the mentality that they have to know everything before they can do anything. This line of thinking is one of the most effective ways to guide yourself straight to that hamster wheel.

There are some things about this business that you will be able to learn simply by reading it, but you are not going to benefit from that knowledge until you use it! Even if you actively try one of those points that you learned in that blog that you commented on several times last week and fall flat on your face, you can at least learn from the experience and move forward. You will even be able to return to the same blog and see it with a brand new perspective.

Mahatma Gandhi was once quoted as saying that “action expresses priorities.” Is your business a priority? Is polishing your craft and harnessing more talent one of your list of priorities? Do your actions prove your answer? Or, are you just a hamster…stuck on a wheel?

Voice Over Thinking with Doug Turkel and Terry Daniel

Have you ever wanted to eavesdrop on a conversation between two voiceover pros?

Terry: Hey man! So, instead of another typical interview with a pro, I thought you and I could just shoot the shit about our daily lives as voiceover artists. Is that cool with you? Wait, are we truly artists or do we just tell people that because we're starved for attention?

Doug: Yeah, that’s cool with me. But “artist” always sounds so pretentious. And since I’m not nearly as arrogant as you are, I usually go with voiceover “talent.” ; ) Plus, since I own VoiceoverTalent.com, I figure it can’t hurt the old SEO, right?

But anyway, my day usually starts with a quick look at my to-do list to see if there’s anything that needs to be recorded right away. After that I’ll scan my emails to see if there are any new requests from clients or auditions from my agents. How ‘bout you?

Terry: Thanks for whoring out your website in the first part of the interview. That was awfully kind of you. Don’t expect a hyperlink to it, either. Ha! I wish I could say I didn't start my day with a giant mug of java because I know how awful that is for the voice but that's what happens! Twice a week, my fiancé and I head to the gym early in the morning to get a good workout in. It helps reduce the stress of the work week.

Like you, I have a task list that sits on my Google Calendar that works very well for this sort of thing. Do you use any fancy software for your task list or calendar?

Doug: Hey, you know me...it's all about the marketing, right? so any time I have the chance to mention VoiceoverTalent.com, I'm gonna mention VoiceoverTalent.com. With hyperlinks. Get over it.

As for to-do lists and task lists, I've tried a bunch...Remember The Milk, Astrid, Toodledo, Wunderlist, and others, including Google Tasks, which is built into GMail. And that's the one that I'd go with if I had to pick some software solution to the to-do problem. Mostly because I live in GMail all day anyway. But for me, any of those solutions is just another layer of hassle between me and what needs to get done. And another layer of remembering to check my list.

So I go old school: I've got a dry erase board in the studio. That way, it's always staring at me, and at a glance I can always see everything that's on my plate. What’s your favorite way of managing what you've gotta get done?

Terry: Doug, I’m such a superstar in this business that I have 10 employees that keep me organized. Actually, I'm a Google freak myself. I live, sleep and breathe Google! In Google we trust. Okay, I’ll stop. Between the Google task tool and calendar, it keeps me pretty organized. Google Drive is another good wrench for the tool box! You can create documents and they automatically save in seconds. This works well for contacts, billing records and tasks. I also use that cute little reminder app on the iPhone.

The dry erase board is a great idea. It’s the old school ideas that still work best for some folks. Speaking of old school, I've decided to revert back to my pre-school days and just write on the wall with a permanent magic marker. That works great! What are we doing? Is this getting too nerdy? By the way, I just tweeted that we were working on this gem of a blog and noticed you weren't following me. What a jerk!

Doug: Yeah, of course I don’t follow you on Twitter. Do you have any idea how often you tweet? Back when I did follow you, all I saw was your freakin’ headshot popping up every 45 seconds or so. I’m just not strong enough to handle that.

But that brings up an interesting question. You've tweeted (@voiceoversbytd) more than 30,000 times. I’ve tweeted (@Voiceover) about 1,700 times and I’ll admit that my ROI on Twitter hasn’t been great. I know that we probably disagree on this, but I’ve never felt that focusing on Twitter for marketing made a whole lot of sense. You've obviously been using it a lot more actively than I have...has it generated much work for you?

Terry: First off, thanks for stalking my account. Second, perhaps if you weren't just following me, you wouldn't have seen my ugly mug pop up every three seconds! Twitter has been a great tool for me. I can honestly say that I get at a handful of new clients every year based on relationships I've made via Twitter. It takes more than just tweeting pictures of your cat or tattoo. I like posting links to cool VO projects I’m working on and occasionally will post helpful YouTube videos as well. I follow as many agencies and production companies as I can.

Sometimes it's as simple as just sharing ideas back and forth with these companies. If you’re not careful, it can be a total time suck. This is the case with any social media sites. I do pretty well with twitter. It sure beats picking up the phone and making a cold call, although I understand the importance of it. Are you a fan of cold calling? Sometimes I would rather drive my knuckles into the pavement than make a cold call.

Doug: Believe it or not, the thing that’s been most effective for me on Twitter has been recommending other voice talent. When clients or connections of mine on Twitter are looking for voice talent who don’t sound like me, I’ll refer them to someone who meets their specs. It’s a win-win...I help someone find just the voice they’re looking for, and a VO buddy of mine gets some work and a new client. Those clients are always very grateful, and often come directly to me the next time they need an “UNnouncer” sound.

Cold calls? I hate ‘em. I know that some people love them (or at least don’t mind them) and if they work for you, start dialing. They don’t seem to work for me, mostly ‘cause I don’t enjoy them, so I’d rather focus on marketing efforts with a better ROI. For me, that’s laser-focused marketing aimed at individuals who I can build relationships with. Less scattershot “advertising,” more one-on-one “interacting.” Do you have a favorite type of marketing?

Terry: I really enjoy just going door-to-door in random neighborhoods. “Hi, Mr. Thomas! Do you and your family need a voiceover for anything? If not, do you have any beer?" Like you, I enjoy the relationship building process. Sometimes it’s not even about voiceovers. It’s more about what I can do to help their business grow and bouncing ideas off each other. Even if they don’t need an actual voiceover right away, if you can come up with a cool marketing idea for a prospective client, good things happen!

For example, I recently developed a good relationship with prospective client and he hired me to do their voicemail when at the time, he really wasn't looking for a voiceover. All I did was give him a couple of key ideas for their website. This is a great example of building trust. Doug, this may seem random but what kind of wine do you like?

Doug: Yup...totally random. I’d expect nothing less from you, Terry. And I wish I had an answer for you, but the truth is, I've never really liked wine. And I've tried to like it. Back in my radio days, we used to host regular wine tastings and intimate concerts at the station for some lucky listeners. Every time, I’d sit there and listen to the wine expert discuss the finer points of the wines’ cherry or plum nose, its complexity, and its oak-y finish, or how it, “hints at green tomato and mineral notes as the finish dances.” Whatever. To me, it all just tasted like, well...like wine, I guess...nothing special. So I could totally live without wine, and I pretty much do.

Can't live without VO, though...I love everything about it. (I know this might sound cheesy, but it’s true.) The work, the clients, the challenge of finding effective ways to track down new clients, and especially the incredibly cool, supportive and generous people I'm lucky enough to call my colleagues. What helps you keep making that long commute downstairs and into your studio every morning? Other than the wine. : )

Terry: Lol! The cold winter weather in Minneapolis motivates me to keep coming down to “The Cave!” Yes, I have a nickname for my studio! There is truly nothing like coming down to the studio in your flannel pajamas pants and being able to record at 2am, 2pm or whenever you need to. Like any sales oriented job, you’ll have your slow and stressful months but the busy ones more than make up for those.

One of the greatest feelings in the world is when a client calls to thank you for the job you did and gives you credit for helping their business grow. I love that. I am extremely passionate about voiceover and I can’t imagine doing anything else. Well, except singing in a Johnny Cash Tribute Band!

Mr. Turkel, this has been a blast and if you’re not sick of me by now, we should do this again soon. Doug? Doug? Doug!!!!!!

To be continued...

The Lost Art Of Listening

When was the last time that you really listened to someone? Do you remember the last time that you had an extended conversation with someone over the phone? Whether personally or professionally, it seems as if technology has impaired our ability to communicate with each other.

Many people have adopted the mentality that whatever I need to hear from you, I can receive in a short text message, tweet or Facebook post. It seems as if our brains have grown accustomed to paying attention to short and sweet messages only, tuning out anything that is long and drawn out – even when it comes to the detailed instructions that are provided to us by our clients.

I personally know of quite a few voice talents that have lost jobs simply because of not paying attention to the instructions that were provided. One talent lost out because he was expecting to receive a phone call from the client instead of following the simple instruction to make the call himself.

Fortunately, this lost art of listening doesn't have to stay lost – you can find it again! You just need to make some slight adjustments to your attitude, approach and overall way of thinking when it comes to your work.

In the voiceover business, your ears are just as important as your voice. You have to pay attention to what a talent agent or a client is telling you. Especially when it comes to reading copy, delivering files or submitting a demo for representation.

Do Not Rush to Be “Artistic”

Jeffrey Umberger, of the Umberger Agency, believes that voice talents seem to get hung up on the “artistic” side of their work a little too soon and end up inadvertently shutting the door of opportunity by doing so. Remember, just because you can be considered a vocal artist doesn't mean that you have the right to use your client’s projects to express your “creative liberties.” You may feel that the script should be delivered differently when compared to the instructions provided by your client, which is why you might decide to take creative control when it comes to the actual recording. By doing so, though, you are forgetting that you are not the one that is calling the shots – that job belongs to your client.

Think about any other actor – such as the A-list actors and actresses in your favorite movies. What happens when they decide to take creative control and not follow the director’s instructions? They are replaced with another actor that can! Your target objective should be to professionally use your art to satisfy the needs and expectation of the Director (the client) and not the actor. You are not striving to achieve an Academy Award nomination for your performance – your job is to simply focus on providing the client with what they need.

The Long-Term Advantage of Building Rapport

Your clients hire you because they feel as if you are the best candidate that is qualified and capable of following their directions and meeting (or even exceeding) their expectations. That is why you got the job in the first place! By making the decision to change the play on the field against the coach’s instruction, you are basically begging to end up warming the bench.

The key is to work with the client. Prove that you can follow the instructions and meet their requirements so that you can build rapport along with a long-lasting relationship with that client. Once you have earned the trust and respect of your client, then you might be able to eventually have a little more breathing room when it comes to your creative input. However, you need to always make sure that your first priority is to actively listen to and follow their clear and concise instructions – no exceptions!

You Got a Golden Ticket

Focus on the details that are provided within the instructions provided to you, especially when it comes to the desired tone, delivery and overall client expectations for the project. If you are searching for an edge over the competition, focusing on even the smallest details that others may view as insignificant is an essential step towards achieving that goal. It will allow you to have a clear understanding of the client, the product and how you can quickly get your name added to their very short list of favorites to call for future projects and other opportunities.

The specific directions and instructions provided by your client should be viewed as the golden ticket of opportunity. Keep in mind that competition within this industry is very steep – the same instructions may have also been provided to many other potential candidates in the past or even the present. Your goal should be to provide them with exactly what they need so that they will not have to search for any new candidates in the future.

Does Selective Listening Make You a Rebel?

If you are not actively listening to your client, does this mean that you are simply trying to “rebel against the man” by resisting their instruction? Not necessarily! I mean, if that is the case, then you are clearly just in the wrong line of work and should seriously reconsider your decision. However, in most cases, it is simply due to the fact that your selective hearing is getting in the way.

Erik Sheppard of Voice Talent Productions believes that either you are very reluctant about freeing yourself from your comfort zone due to a lack of confidence in your abilities or you are overconfident and think that you know what is best for the project. Regardless of which side of this fence you stand, you will still come across as either ignoring the direction all together or not being capable of taking direction – two great ways to get yourself blacklisted by those clients!

Don’t Become Too Distracted by the “Business”

At the end of the day, you are running a business. We enjoy what we do and have fun doing it, but it is also how we financially support ourselves and our families. However, it is important to not become too distracted by the needs of our business that we forget about our customers. Yes – you are a business owner, but that means very little if you don’t have any customers.

You need to treat your position more like the customer service representatives working on the sales floor and less like the upper management tucked away in their corner offices – completely isolated from the customers.

Focus on finding effective ways to please your customers. Make sure that they are able to come directly to you to get exactly what they need without any headaches, complications or exceptions!

Special thanks to good friends and agents, Jeffrey Umberger and Erik Sheppard for contributing some helpful nuggets!