VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

[Don G.]

I hate to bump the Katrina thread down a notch on the page, even if temporarily, but I need some insight and advice from the great minds here.

I just received a call from a client for whom I've done a few things in the past month. They would like to arrange for some sort of exclusivity so that I do not do VO work for their competitors. They would continue to pay me my regular rate per project, but would provide me with a list of companies (likely no more than a handful) that would be their direct competitors.

How does one begin to put a number on that? It's not as if the competitors are beating down my door to have me work for them, but I think they just want to cover their butts.

The client will be away for a while and we plan on talking about it in a week or so, so I have some time to come up with some criteria and numbers, but frankly I'd be pulling numbers out of the air if I had to come up with a figure now. As is often the case, too high a number and I may jeopardize the business I have with them now. Too low and I could lose possible future business with other companies and/or lessen the value of my services with this client. Maybe one possibility would be to simply bump up the per project rate by a percentage to grant exclusivity.

I'm open to any suggestions and opinions and would appreciate the feedback.

Don

[Dan-O]

To be honest, you should be practicing exclusivity, already. If you have a car dealer, that should be the only one you are voicing in that market. I was once told by a good friend/client "Nobody wants to work with a voice whore." It's just good business sense to do this.

[Deirdre]

If they want to ensure exclusivity, they have to pay for it.

Sometimes it's a retainer-- you get paid a minimum every month to be their spokesman.

Whatever you decide, get it in writing.
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DBCooperVO.com

[Bailey]