VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

[Moosevoice]

I've started firing off cold emails to corporate video production houses and wanted to see what everyone thought of my general body.
It goes something like this:

[Bruce]

I’ll be interested to see how your approach works. Thanks for sharing.


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. .

[Moosevoice]

No good, Bruce?
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www.moosevoice.com

[Bruce]

I’m not a fan of puffery such as using the words brilliant and fantastic. “I’ve enjoyed seeing your videos and I think I’d fit right in” is less flowery and more direct. I think it’s better to offer quick samples of your work instead of describing yourself as warm, resonant, and deep.

Simple is best. Your past work is your best calling card.


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. .

[Jack Daniel]

I agree with Bruce that you should avoid superlatives in praising others' work. Letting them know you watched and enjoyed is plenty.

Rather than describe your vocal qualities (frankly, "warm, deep" does nothing for me as it describes a huge percentage of VOs and could knock you out of the running if you cite a quality that the recipient thinks he doesn't like), you might describe the kind of work you and how it might help them. I.e., that you specialize in the type of work they could use, presumably narration.

I'd also mention that your rates are pretty standard, and that you are happy to work within your budget. I'd keep any rate cards to yourself unless asked.

I'm no expert. Just throwing in my 2 cents.
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Jack Daniel
Narrator / Man About Town

[todd ellis]

[Bob Bergen]

I also agree with Bruce, Jack, etc. It’s pretty arrogant and presumptuous to tell a buyer how great you are, or even how they will feel about your sound and talent. Let them decide based on your demo. Professionals allow buyers to decide what they are right for or what their sound/delivery means to their ears. I’m also not a fan of testimonials. More often than not, they aren’t done by impressive buyers or a buyer anyone knows or cares about. All of this is a dime a dozen desperate. If the demo/actor is brilliant, no justification is necessary. If the demo sucks, no justification will sway the buyer to like it more.

[Moosevoice]

Thanks for the input all. Really appreciated.
I'm not gonna blow smoke but if they did something I actually thought was awesome, I don't see the harm in telling them that.
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www.moosevoice.com

[Bob Bergen]

[Philip Banks]

Dale Carnegie has been dead for 67 years and the majority of his stuff doesn't work any more so we need to simply be transparent.

"You have your "Go to" voice over people, do I fill a gap?
Love n hugs Moose"

Roughly the first 3-5 seconds of your demo will seal the deal.

Hope that's helpful.

[Kim Fuller]

I'm doing a marketing push now for medical and pharma video, elearning, explainers, animation. My intro email gets tweaked a bit for each email depending on the phrasing I see on their websites, but goes something like this:

I'd be open to hearing critique. I'm keeping it short and very targeted - I've had replies and we usually go into home studio, rates, etc on the second email:
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Hi _____

I came across the website for _____and thought I’d get in touch. I notice that you produce medical and pharma videos, and I enjoyed watching the medical animation showreel on your site.

I'm Kim and I’m a voice actor based in Portland, Oregon. I’ve recently worked on projects for _____ in London, and with _____ in Scotland. I’ve also narrated medical/pharma videos for Xenex, Carmot Theraputics, Pharmacyclics/AbbVie and Ionis Pharmaceuticals.

If you’d like to hear the range of narration I can provide, please listen to my demos at https://www.kimfullervoice.com. I’d be happy to send you a demo over email as well, if you like.

Regards,

Kim Fuller
kim@kimfullervoice.com
kimfullervoice.com

[Philip Banks]

Office phone rings.

"Videoproductions, Dave speaking"

"Hi Dave, I'm Philip. Just a quick question for you. Do you use freelance voice overs in your productions?"

"Yes, we use them all the time"

"Would it be ok if I sent you a demo? You're allowed to say no by the way."

After that, what happens, happens.

REPEAT 10 times
Less is more, less is more, less is more, less is more...

[todd ellis]

beware --- long (perhaps controversial) post ---

this is NOT a method for union/hollywood/BBDO type companies. this is a method for most of the other companies in the world.

this is a PHONE CALL - not an email.

i started using this method in 1997 and taught a seminar on it for a couple of years.

i find the the president/CEOs name - i go as high as i can go up the ladder. i call and say, "hi this is todd ellis, president of plain brown wrapper, inc calling, can i speak with dave, please?" (more to this "getting past the gatekeeper" process, but WAY too much to go into here) wash-rinse-repeat. eventually, 7 times out of 10, i'll get to dave because, i'm the president ... which i am (YMMV).

"dave, hi my name is todd ellis, i'm the president of plain brown wrapper, inc, we provide voiceover services to organizations like yours ... i know you aren't the person to talk with directly about this, but we would really like to work with your company - would you mind telling me to whom i should speak?"

dave doesn't USUALLY want to talk to me - he's ready to push me down the ladder, which is where i want to be anyway.

dave: "sure, our creative director/producer/etc ... is Mary Jones."

"Super is it possible for you to transfer me, or should i call back later?"

either way, proceed.

dave might mention the call to mary, he might not. if i'm transferred, great - if not - call back & ask for mary in the same manner.

"hi mary, my name is todd ellis, i'm the president of plain brown wrapper, inc, we provide voiceover services to organizations like yours, i spoke with dave johnson this morning and he said you were the superstar in charge of hiring voice talent!"

immediately mary thinks "dave is the guy who signs my check ... i should at least talk to this hucklebuck."

proceed to do business ...

i am polite, i am deferential, but i speak in a manner that tells everyone that i am a member of the C-Suite and they should at least talk to me.
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"i know philip banks": todd ellis
who's/on/1st?

[Philip Banks]

There is no such thing as the trickle UP effect so...

[Kim Fuller]

Thanks, Philip and Todd.

I used to do cold-calling for the Development department of a company I worked for, back in the day and it did get easier, and more successful with repetition.

Could be it's time to pick up the phone.