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Voice acting isn’t just about the sound of your voice, it’s also about how you run your business. Whether you are just starting out or you have been in the business for years, if you want to be successful as a voice actor, it is important to treat your voiceover business like a professional business and not a hobby. Let’s explore why this is so important and how to do it.
Differentiating Professionalism from Hobbyism
When it comes to your voiceover business, professionalism should always be at the forefront of your mind. This means that when preparing for an audition or taking on a job, it’s important that you remain focused on delivering quality work every time.
Approach each project with enthusiasm and professionalism, and never take any job for granted. Furthermore, don’t forget that your clients are people too—treat them with respect and follow through on all of your promises.
Financial Setup
Another key component of professionalism is setting yourself up as an LLC or other type of legal entity. Having a separate bank account helps keep your funds organized and makes filing taxes easier come tax season. Plus, having an LLC automatically gives potential clients more confidence in working with you as they know that their investments are being handled responsibly by someone who takes their career seriously.
Your Brand is Key
As with any profession, establishing yourself as an expert in the field is essential. People need to trust that you are good at what you do and will deliver quality results. To begin building your brand, create a website or blog where potential clients can learn more about who you are and what services you offer. This will help showcase your expertise and abilities while giving them easy access to contact information and examples of previous work.
Additionally, make sure that all online profiles—such as social media accounts—are up-to-date with relevant information and showcase your best work. Doing this helps potential clients get an idea of who they would be working with before they even reach out for more information from you.
Stay Up-To-Date
As technology advances, so too does the way we market ourselves to potential clients. Make sure that you are taking advantage of the latest tools available to give yourself an edge over other voice actors in the industry. For example, video conferencing is becoming increasingly popular for remote recording sessions; make sure that both your equipment and skillset are up-to-date so that there no hiccups when recording from home or another studio remotely.
Additionally, use platforms such as YouTube or Vimeo to showcase your work instead of simply relying on audio files alone; this allows potential clients to get a better sense of who they would be hiring before they decide whether or not they want to bring you on board for their project(s).
Set Goals and Make Plans
Before you launch your career, sit down and set some specific goals for yourself. What do you want to achieve? What kind of projects do you want to work on? Will you specialize in certain types of voices or genres? Once you have an idea of where you want to go, start making plans. Identify what skills and resources (including financial resources) will be necessary for you to reach those goals. Then make sure that everything is in place before taking the next steps.
Manage Your Time Wisely
Time management is critical when running any type of business, but especially so if your business involves crafting custom audio files. As a professional voice actor, every minute counts; even small delays can result in missed deadlines or unhappy clients.
Make sure that you are organized and efficient with your time so that all orders are delivered promptly and according to customer specifications. Also, remember that it’s important to take breaks between sessions so that your vocal cords don’t get overworked—your health is more important than any one job!
Understand Your Worth
It can be tempting when starting out as a voice actor to take on any job no matter how little it pays, but this isn’t necessarily wise or sustainable. Instead, do some research into industry standards for pricing; compare rates between different services; look at what other people are charging for similar jobs; etc., and use this information as the basis for setting your own prices accordingly—not too low or too high for what people are willing or able pay for your services.
It might also help to think about how much time each job will require from start until finish; if it’s going to take several hours of recording time plus additional post-production work such as editing and mixing then make sure that you’re compensated fairly for all of those hours spent on the project! After all, this isn’t just a hobby—it’s an investment of both time and money!
Be Professional, Of Course
You may think that once someone hires you, all professionalism goes out the window — but don’t let that be the case! Even after someone has hired you for their project(s), making sure that everything runs smoothly is still important because it sets the precedent for future projects with them (or anyone else who might find out about your work).
Be organized and punctual when it comes time for recording sessions; always keep track of deadlines and ensure that all communication between yourself and clients is timely and courteous. Have a dedicated workspace and home studio to audition and perform in.
Taking these steps will show potential employers that not only are you reliable when it comes time to record but also knowledgeable when discussing business topics such as payment terms or scheduling conflicts.
Be Prepared for Any Opportunity That Comes Your Way
In addition to making sure your clients see you as professional, it’s also important to have everything ready for any opportunity that comes your way. This means having all the necessary equipment such as microphones, headphones and recording software set up ahead of time so that when an audition comes along, you can hit the ground running without delays or excuses.
Furthermore, make sure to have plenty of demos ready for clients so they can get an idea of what kind of work they’ll be getting from working with you. If possible try to record different types of demos showcasing different styles so clients can get an understanding of just how versatile your skillset truly is!
Lastly practice what works well for each style—become familiar enough with each genre that when asked about something specific related to it during auditions or interviews, you can confidently answer any questions thrown your way!
Always Be Learning
Consider joining online voiceover communities where other professionals share tips and tricks they’ve learned throughout their careers. Take advantage of free articles and blog posts like this one. Invest in voiceover coach and training. Listen to award-winning demos and performances. Not only will this help you learn more about what goes into creating great audio content but it will also provide valuable connections so you can network with other professionals within the industry which can open up even more opportunities down the road!
Reach Out
Another step in taking your voiceover business seriously is developing relationships with other professionals in the industry. Building connections with other actors and audio engineers will help open up opportunities for more work and better pay.
Again, just like any other profession, networking is key when it comes to getting ahead in this field. Additionally, having contacts within the industry can also help provide valuable advice or mentorship that could be instrumental in helping launch your career.
Taking Your Voiceover Business Seriously Is Essential For Success
Treating your voiceover career like a professional business rather than just a hobby can have significant rewards for those dedicated enough to pursue it with passion and commitment. From setting up an appropriate workspace to developing relationships with other professionals within the industry – there are many steps one must take if one wants their career as a voice actor to succeed over time.
By following these guidelines, aspiring actors will create an environment where they can thrive both artistically and financially! Good luck!
M. Bruce Abbott is the Creative Director/Partner at Radio Lounge. Bruce has over 30 years experience as a voice actor, casting and production director, as well as extensive advertising, marketing, and podcasting experience.
