Skip to content
By Guy Michaels
Right then, voice actors, let’s take action. You’ve put your heart and soul into your voice reel, you’re a dab hand at voice acting, and your home studio is ready for action. But here’s the rub: if no one’s hearing your voice reel, it’s all a bit pointless, isn’t it? Don’t fret. I’m here to help you cut through the noise and get your voiceover business thriving. No worries!
1. Your Voice Reel: Make it Brilliant!
- Short and sweet is the way to go: Honestly, nobody’s got time for a five-minute epic. Aim for a concise, 60-90 second demo reel packed with your absolute best work.
- Variety is key: Show off your range with a voice reel for each target market! Commercials, narration, animation, online videos—whatever you’re good at, flaunt it. This is your best way to showcase your work! Prove you’re the voice over talent they’re looking for.
- Quality over quantity, always: Yeah, poor quality audio is a right turn-off. Make sure your recording and editing are top-notch. You want it to sound amazing.
- Multiple voicereels: Don’t be afraid to create different voice reel for each specific genre that clients might be looking for. You will appear on more searches this way, and it might help you secure more paid gigs.
- Think about your listener: They don’t know they need a voice until they hear yours. Put yourself in their shoes. Make it easy to imagine you as the voice of their product or service.
2. Voice-Over Marketing: It’s More Than Just a Nice Voice
- Figure out your target: Who are you trying to reach? Casting directors? Ad agencies? Knowing your audience is half the battle, it really is. Then you can tailor your message and start marketing.
- Have a plan: Don’t just wing it! Create a simple voice-over marketing strategy. What are your goals? How will you get there? This is your marketing guide, so make it a good one.
- It’s a marathon, not a sprint: Building a successful voiceover business takes time and a lot of effort. Be patient, be persistent, and don’t give up, yeah? This is the reality of marketing your voice over business.
- Just start! You might think you won’t even get anywhere if you start marketing now, but you will. The first step is the hardest, so just take it, and you will get those paid gigs!
3. Voice Actor: Own Your Online Space and Build Your Brand
- Website = Your Base of Operations: Think of your website as your online shopfront. Make it look smart, make it easy to navigate, and make sure your voice reel is front and centre.
- SEO is Your Secret Weapon: Use keywords like “voice actor,” “voiceover,” and “voice talent” throughout your site and demo descriptions. Get found, people!
- Don’t be a stranger! Don’t feel overwhelmed and think you don’t know where to start. Get some inspiration from other successful voice artists and how they present themselves online – it’s a great way to learn.
- Build relationships: Don’t just collect contacts, connect with them! Be helpful, be genuine, be a positive force in the voiceover community. It’s all about who you know, as they say.
- Track your progress. There are so many tools to help you see what’s working and what’s not in your marketing campaigns. Use them! You’d be a fool not to.
4. LinkedIn: Your Not-So-Secret Weapon for Voiceover Marketing
- Spruce up your profile: Use those keywords! Make sure your profile picture is professional and your headline clearly states that you’re a voice actor!
- Connect with a purpose: Reach out to the important people, the decision-makers. Personalise your messages. Show them you’ve done your research.
- Show off your demo: Post your voice reel on your profile (set is as featured) and share it in relevant voiceover groups. Get it heard by the right people! This is a great way to find voice over work.
- Be a part of the conversation: Join voiceover groups. Share your knowledge. Learn from others, because you never stop learning in this business. It is one of the best ways to improve your skills.
5. Amplify Your Reach: Think Outside the Demo
- Find your niche: What are you really good at? What do you love doing? Focus your marketing efforts there. You have more chance of landing paid gigs this way.
- Don’t be afraid to pay to play: Pay-to-play sites can be a good way to get your foot in the door. And paid social media ads can help you reach a wider audience, which is always a good thing.
- Go global with localisation: If you’re multilingual, localisation is a great opportunity. Tap into it! You might find a whole new avenue for your talents.
- Dream clients: Make a list of companies you’d love to work for. Figure out their marketing needs and tailor your pitch accordingly. It’s all about being prepared.
- Be personal, not spammy: Nobody likes a generic email. Show you’ve done your research. Know what to say and to whom. Personalise your message, and you’ll have more success. Don’t contact another company before finding out about the person you’re calling so you can tailor your message to them.
- Keep it brief: Get to the point! Tell them who you are, what you offer, and why you’re the perfect fit. You want to captivate them, not bore them to tears.
6. Voiceover Business: Network Like Your Career Depends On It (Because It Does!)
- Get out there!: Industry events (even virtual ones) are great for networking. Connect with other voice artists and potential clients. You never know who you might meet.
- The follow-up is key: Don’t be a ghost! If you’ve sent your voice reel or had a chat, follow up. A friendly reminder can make all the difference. It shows you’re keen.
- Be professional: Be responsive, be reliable, be easy to work with. Word gets around, you know?
- Online casting is your friend: Research P2P platforms. Create a top-notch profile and get discovered and land those paid gigs!
- Know your worth: Don’t undersell yourself. Be prepared to negotiate rates and grow your business. You’re worth it!
- Get it in writing: Contracts are your friend. Make sure everything is clearly outlined before you start a project. Protect yourself.
- Repeat clients are invaluable: Happy clients come back for more. Nurture those relationships! It’s much easier than finding new clients all the time.
- You’ve got this! Use your home studio to your advantage and create a killer reel to send out via email.
- Make sure your brand is consistent and used across all your platforms to give maximum impact. Your brand is what makes you stand out.
7. Voiceover Work: Keep the Momentum Going
- Never stop learning: The voiceover game is always changing. Stay on top of trends, learn new skills, and keep practising. This will help you take your career to the next level.
- Invest in yourself: Workshops, coaching, new gear – it’s all worth it if it helps you up your game. Think of it as an investment in your future.
- Track what’s working (and what’s not): Adjust your marketing strategies accordingly. Don’t be afraid to change things up if they’re not working.
- Don’t lose heart! Building a successful voiceover business takes time and effort. Stay positive, stay focused, and keep at it. Building a stronger connection with clients will help you get more work.
Build the voiceover career you’ve always wanted.
You’ve got this! By putting these marketing tips into action, you’ll be well on your way to landing those dream voiceover gigs. Use these different platforms and get your voice reel out there and heard by the right people! Remember, your voice reel is your secret weapon. Make it brilliant, and let the world hear what you’ve got! You’re not just a voice actor on the hunt for paid gigs. You’re an entrepreneur with a powerful tool that can be used for a variety of products. So, go forth and use your new voice to grow your business! Good luck!
