VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

[Philip Banks]

If anyone is looking to learn the art of voiceover marketing that's a great thing. At the root of all marketing there exists real knowledge. KNOWLEDGE not opinion. I've been digging, watching, listening and reading yet find myself unable to name anyone in the VO world with that knowledge. I paid close attention in my search for just one Diamond. Nothing. All I discovered was people are simply being told what they want to hear! No help at all! Nice to be affirmed and encouraged but that will not pay the bills or earn you back the money spent on Voiceover Business Coaching.

On a positive note. How to fly an aeroplane.

1 - Belief is essential.
2 - Look on the internet and discover what the Flyists you admire are doing.
3 - Aeroplanes rely on thick sticky air in order to fly so use Google to find some.
4 - Everything you need is in the front seat so be confident.
5 - Should your aeroplane crash and you die simply put on your "Life Jacket" and you will come back to life.

GFI! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0JQThyEI9g

[Bruce]

Effective voiceover marketing does appear to be a self taught endeavor. The best principle I can think of is put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. How would you like to be approached? What would get your attention without being overbearing or offensive? Adapt as you learn what works and what doesn’t.


B
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VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

[Bish]

I recently saw a post on a VO forum that quoted an auto-response message from someone the VO had "reached-out" to in an attempt to market themselves. I paraphrase heavily for brevity, emphasis, and humour (because it's more fun that way).

We've started to receive around ten unsolicited pitches per day from VOs offering their services. We have neither the time, energy, nor inclination to review them and build a database of thousands of VO talent. If we need a specific voice, we'll go to Voices dot com, where we can ask for a middle-aged Norwegian goatherd with a lisp and get what we're looking for far quicker than combing through thousands of demos on file. Apologies for the terse reply.

Marketing is such fun.
Do not play unless you know the rules.
Do not play unless you actually have something worth marketing.
Do not believe marketing "experts" who have simply learned how to market themselves from a 1980s self-help manual they found in a second-hand book store.
Saturation bombing is not marketing. It may work for soap powder, but not for professional services.
No reply is a valid reply. Do not follow up every two weeks (as some gurus suggest). This is counter-productive and really pisses people off.
Many newer VOs are happier to spend money on marketing than on actually mastering their craft. This leads to the vast majority of marketing pitches trying to push sub-standard product... which feeds the cycle of pissing-off clients, probably driving them to (or back to) P2P sites (oh, the irony!).

Oh well. I think I'll become a pilot like Philip. How hard can it be? I used to build model planes (that flew!) so I know what I'm doing (OK, I did it mainly for the smell of the dope).... and I've flown in the cockpit of a 737. I think I'm ready to market myself to the airlines. I just need to find a good coach to point me in the right direction.
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Bish a.k.a. Bish
Smoke me a kipper... I'll be back for breakfast.
I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls.

[Philip Banks]

[todd ellis]

[Jack Daniel]

[Philip Banks]

The cognitive dissonance in the majority? I HAVE mastered my craft so it must be a marketing issue. Sadly for the majority the mastery will never come and they will never be able to hear the difference. Braver, wiser souls will have a eureka moment and realise "I can hear what Dave is doing! When I do it the performances are identical. Hoorah! Even on play back I hear all the right things. Sadly, all the right things over the sound of my fellow workout group members weeping or in some cases projectile vomiting!"

I am able to play a musical instrument, can create rhythm or better still a groove yet if I spent $25,000 on dancing lessons I'd be a great stunt double for a Flounder.

[Jack Daniel]

Well and fancifully said, Philip. No talent, no mastery, no matter how many dollars spent.

In other matters, I am willing to start a fund to sponsor a dancing video from Philip.


*EDIT: Not all practitioners of the dark art of VO are good gauges of talent. I would say that the better they are, the more able--and willing--they are to spot talent, however raw. But I recall Scott Rummell's story of how he was told in no uncertain terms that he did not have what it takes to make it in VO. This came from a middling talent whose motivations may or may not have been pure; but which were, in any event, wrong.
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Jack Daniel
Narrator / Man About Town

[Dan-O]

A top agent in LA was recently asked "what qualities in a person are needed to succeed in VO?" She answered: "Self awareness and integrity." Add in Steve Martin's advice: "Be so good they can't ignore you" and you'll have never have to market your services.

[Philip Banks]

Someone had a long chat with me yesterday about how things were in the voiceover market. Everything they said reinforced their belief that it's a living, breathing thing; it's not! The market for VOs is simply a mechanism and few people attempt to discover how it works.

For two years plus my union, Equity has been holding meetings with representatives from the 3 major commercial radio groups. Actors want more money to record radio commercials and the "employers" don't really want to pay. The people from the Union are on a salary + benefits and the same goes for the radio group people. Neither has an interest in the outcome.

Real meeting should've gone like this

"Here's what we need for our members"

"No!"

"In which case our members will not work for you!"

"Fair enough! So, Alan how's your son getting on?"

"Really well! Wanted to go to uni but eventually joined the RAF"


Funny old world.