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Many voice actors (and arguably most human beings) have great ideas, but never seem to take action on those ideas and make their voiceover vision a reality.
But why?
We would love a more successful voiceover business. Outside of voice-over, we would like to be healthier, more financially successful, better relationships, etc.
You know what you need to do. You have the ideas. You have the voiceover vision.
You just need the action to back it up.
Taking action is not about access to information. Many of us immerse ourselves in self-improvement information. From voice-over to health, to relations, to productivity…whatever.
Over the next several articles, we are going to help you rejuvenate your VO business and – TAKE ACTION!
Here’s what to expect over the next several weeks. We will be discussing these topics in the context of your voiceover business, but they can be applied to any area of your life.
Taking a good look at yourself.
How do you feel about yourself? Are you confident in your voice-acting abilities? How confident are you as a business person? Are you someone who has a strong sense of self? Do you rely on validation from others? These are important first steps to look at.
How clear is your voiceover vision?
The old Lewis Carroll quote, “if you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there,” is spot on. The clarity in your goals is necessary to work backward from, building the action steps to get there. SMART goals (Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Relevant, Time Based) will be critical
What is your ‘why’?
Voiceover seems glamorous to those outside of the industry. We know that is not true. We may love what we do, but it’s understanding the “why” that helps you through those tough times – why auditions trickle in, dry spell of bookings, dealing with tough clients. Knowing the why – the passion – will keep you energized.
You can’t do it alone.
You need help, but not just any help. Voiceover is the new fertile ground for snake oil selling coaches, demo producers, and agents. You need to have a team, and that team needs to include honest, trusted individuals that move you forward, not backward.
Plan your work, work your plan.
Action without a solid plan is just busywork. Knowing the end goal, and working backward with a step-by-step plan is key. You need the map to know where you are going. I am a big believer in the 80/20 rule – 20% of your actions can generate 80% of your results. What makes up your 20%? This should be in priority in your plan.
Create a system.
Here is where we start getting into the process. Systems allow you to be consistent. I remember an old saying at the gym – “consistent + persistent = results” Voice-over is no different.
Noit all action is equal.
It can be easy to stay busy but accomplish nothing. Is the action your taking focused? It the action aligning with the goals you listed before. Are you exercising discipline is selecting your actions?
Are you making progress?
KPI’s (key performance indicators) are important in business – especially voiceover. Do you know if what you are doing is working? Are you tracking the progress? When you create your systems (above), building the necessary measurement indicators to know if you are getting closer to your goals.
It’s a marthon, not a sprint.
We can be impatient. I know I am. It takes time to develop, implement, track, and fine-tune these areas. Nothing will change overnight. This is the persistence part mentioned earlier. I would even add endurance and patience to that list. Think long term and savor the journey.
These are brief descriptions. We will be diving into each of these areas in detail over the next few weeks, applying them to various voiceover areas such as marketing, performance, business, and more.
If you are ready to take your voiceover career to the next level and need guidance, contact Radio Lounge today (281) 494-4680. If you are in the area, our Houston voiceover coaching is perfect for you. We can also provide virtual voice-over training, and if you need a voice-over demo (or demo refresh), we can help with that too. As a trusted VO partner for almost 30 years, we promise integrity and honesty to help boost your voiceover business.
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.
